“Warning Cabarete Local” graphics. –rr - The Kiteboarder Magazine

LauNCH
SPEED
RIDING:
By Marina Chang Lens Alex Habeler
D e F Y I N G t H e L a W s O F G r a V I t Y
the Start
People have been ski-launching
with paragliders since the 80s, but
speed riding as we know it began
about four seasons ago in the
French Alps. A few adventurous
paraglider pilots thought it would
be fun to use skydiving canopies to
descend from some of the biggest
mountaintops in France. The rigs
allowed them to go down the
slopes fast and catch air, but left
something to be desired in terms of
glide, stability and maneuverability.
The sport slowly evolved and
gained the attention of companies
involved in both paragliding and
kiteboarding like Ozone, Gin,
Flysurfer and Advance. This winter
It’s on days like this that test pilot Matt Gerdes most loves his job.
season the first production speed
riding wings were launched along
with the sports first organized
competitions and demos. We
caught up with Ozone test pilot
Matt Gerdes to find more about
this crazy new sport that is starting
to gain the attention of adrenalin
junkies worldwide.
What is speed riding?
Speed riding or flying is the practice
of flying beneath a small paragliderlike
canopy using skis to launch and
land. Because of the high speeds,
skis are necessary to launch and
land with because the normal flying
speed of the wings is faster than
most people can run!
What is the feeling of speed riding
like and what do you think is the
sports appeal to those who are
interested in trying out this sport?
The feeling is fast. Anyone who likes
to go fast in the air or on the snow
will instantly love it.
are there any parallels you can
draw between kiteboarding and
speed riding?
Lessons learned in stability from
Ozone’s snow and water kites have
been applied to our first speed kite,
the Bullet. As a general rule, if it is
strong enough to kite, then it’s too
strong to speed ride most of the
time. Speed riding requires much
lighter wind conditions.
Is this only done on snow?
Officially, yes, although it is
possible to foot launch the wings
in some areas, if the pilot is
experienced enough.
What skills are needed to check
out this sport?
You should be an intermediate to
advanced skier, and willing to spend
the time to progress slowly with the
flying part of it! Rushing into it without
lessons or training will almost certainly
lead to serious injury. Flying sports are
extremely unforgiving.
What are the ideal conditions/
terrain for speed riding?
Wide open, low angle snow slopes to
begin with, and as pilots progress,
they may choose to fly steeper
terrain. Most importantly – neVeR
FLY AROUnD PeOPLe. It is
extremely important to not speed
ride in populated areas or in any area
with obstacles, whether they be
powerlines or skiers.
What do you think is the growth
potential of this sport?
It’s hard to say, given that it may
appeal to a few of the 35 million
skiers on the planet-but I would be
surprised if the numbers pass 2000
pilots in 2007, and 4000 in 2008,
worldwide. It’s still a fringe sport
that requires a good site, solid skills,
and weather.
Ozone just launched its first
speed riding wing, the Bullet. Can
it also be used for snowkiting/
landboarding?
no. It’s not a traction kite, and it can’t
be used in water.
are there any other applications for
this type of kite/wing?
So far, everyone is still learning to fly
these things well on snow. Since it’s
such a new sport, we haven’t even
begun to see what is possible.
thekiteboarder.com thekiteboarder.com
Resources
Rob Whittall fine tunes the Bullet.
Matt and Rob share a Kodak moment on the mountaintop.
The French Alps provide unlimited opportunities for this new sport.
• ulrichprinz.com/air/speed/
• acro-base.com/fr/calendrier/calendrier.htm
• flyaboveall.com/speedflying/index.htm
• flyozone.com/paragliders/en/products/gliders/
bullet/speed-flying/