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The fresh seafood and Greek cuisine is something you have to experience for yourself. Andy braves the 35-40 knot conditions near the Paros Kite Pro Center. The Trip Overseas After a long flight, we arrived in Athens Greece, tired and hungry. We were greeted by our guide, Bullis, a very enthusiastic Greek man who is full of energy, life and love. He took us to our new home away from home for the next 10 days, the Sofitel Athens, a gorgeous 5-star hotel which was literally across the street from the airport. After a quick nap and shower we were off to Bullis’ school, the Nissakia Surf Club, to check out the local kiting spot. The Ferry to Paros The morning after our arrival we met up with the rest of our kiting crew including Joseph Carneiro, Joel Painter and Nissakia team riders Tattoo Man (Andrea), Romeo (Agelos) and Lucas. We also had a professional photographer in tow, Ethan Ford, an American kiter from Boston who recently moved to Greece. With only four hours of sleep, we immediately found out that traveling with a large group in Greece can be a hectic experience. There is only one ferry per day and ours was scheduled to leave at 6:30 am. With no time to spare, the bellman from the hotel drove our car stuffed to the gills with gear and people, as fast as he could following closely behind our crazy guide. Bullis weaved in and out of traffic on his 250 scooter, driving on the opposite side Emi gets her ride on at Paros Island. of the road when necessary and completely ignoring all traffic rules. With a kiteboard squeezed between his legs and a cigarette in one hand and a phone in the other, he spastically waved at us to hurry up. By some good stroke of fate, we made it. Our team was the last to board the ferry to Paros. Paros Island Paros is the third largest island in the Cyclades island chain. Windsurfers have been flocking to the island for years, accounting for its nickname, Surfer’s Paradise. It is famous for its white marble, gentle landscapes, picturesque villages and endless beaches. In July and August the island is blessed with strong, steady winds. Our team arrived just in time for the good wind and sunny skies. After checking in at the Holiday Sun Hotel, we headed just a few blocks down the road to Pounda Beach to kite, located on the western side of the island, just opposite Antiparos. Pounda Beach is also home to The Paros Kite Pro Center, host of the PKRA World Tour for the past several years. The Paros Kite Pro Center is an ideal spot for kiters of all levels and has a wide sandy beach with a nice shallow area for beginners. The wind is usually strong and consistent between 12 to 35 knots. Our visit was scheduled to be only two days, but was extended another two because the ferries were cancelled due to the high winds and rough seas. It was a kiters dream, and we all rode for four days straight! The conditions were extreme; Andy was easily busting 50-foot airs on his 5m and Joseph was throwing powered mobes on his 7m, awing the beach. Back in Athens An eight-hour, smoke-filled ferry ride brought us back to Athens. We were all tired and in need of a shower and a hot meal, so we headed back to the Sofitel for some rest and relaxation. The extended trip in Paros threw our tour off schedule; we were actually supposed to be at our next destination, Crete. We tried to catch an early morning flight to Crete, but this time fate was not on our side. By the time everyone arrived at the flight’s gate, the plane was gone. Luckily, there was wind in Athens, so we all headed back down to Nissakia to kite. The Nissakia Surf Club The next day, The Nissakia Surf Club (NSC) and Arnette Sunglasses sponsored a great weekend event. The team helped locals demo kites, answer questions and showed off their riding for the crowd. The NSC is located in Loutsa, 15.5 miles from the center of Athens. It offers lessons, equipment and storage facilities for riders. This was Andy’s favorite places to ride. The restaurant overlooks a bay-like area with a shallow reef that generates small wave-like kickers. On the outside, two small islands create an ultimate flat-water spot between their shores. There is plenty of room for kiters and windsurfers alike. Andy enjoyed having a captive audience while he showed everyone why he is nicknamed “the grasshopper”. The Island of Crete Crete was the last stop on our journey and is the most southerly of the Greek islands. It is known for its clear blue seas, sandy beaches and glorious sunshine. After arriving in the port of Chania, the team traveled to the town of Platanias on the north coast of the island. The town of Platanias bustles with many resorts, restaurants and shops, and is a popular tourist destination for many Scandinavians. We checked in at the Mylos Little Palace Hotel, a resort-type establishment with a stylish beachfront pool bar and full five-star night club, and then walked into town to check it out. The first day, we were greeted with head high shore break and light winds. Despite the conditions, Andy rigged up his biggest kite, a 16m Waroo. He charged the shore break and was able to get in a 15-minute session before calling it a day. Joel also decided to attempt to ride, but his efforts were less successful. Before even getting his board on, he was toppled over by a head high wave. He was good a sport and we all enjoyed a good laugh. The next day we took a day trip with some locals to one of the most pristine kiting spots in Greece named Elafonisi. It took almost two hours on winding mountain roads to reach it, but the trip was well worth the effort. The sand was pure white and the water was a clear aqua blue. Everyone rode for hours at this beautiful, hidden oasis frequented by locals but largely still undiscovered by tourists. After a dream-like session, it was time to head back to Athens. Homeward Bound Once back in Athens, we had two last nights at the Sofitel. A new friend of ours, Mike and his dog Surf, took us on a “local’s only” tour of historic downtown Athens. The architecture and history of the city is incredible and should definitely not be missed when visiting Greece. Andy and I were both sad to leave our new Greek friends and family, but Florida and the USA were beckoning us to return. Our trip to Greece was not just another kiteboarding trip. The people we met and the places we kited are memories we will cherish forever. If you are looking for an amazing adventure, make sure you put Greece at the top of your list! Emi reads her book while Andy takes a break between sessions. Climate/Wind The Greek islands tend to have long and dry summers and mild but rainy winters. The Dodecanese, Cyclades and the Cretan coasts are usually rocked by dry north “meltemi” wind which blows the strongest between June and September. For the Aegean Islands of Loutsa and Lefkada, August typically offers the most consistent winds. The mainland works on a thermal influence, making June and July the best months. www.meteo.gr; www.windfinder.com; www.beachreport.gr; www.noa.gr/forecast/bolam/index.htmforecast.uoa.gr Currency Greece has now converted to the euro, which replaces the former drachma. Changing money from other currencies into euros can be done at banks or post offices. We found that using ATMs to directly withdraw euros was the simplest and easiest way to obtain cash. We don’t recommend using traveler’s checks; they were hard to cash! travel For international guests, the Athens Airport is probably the cheapest and easiest starting point for your Greek adventure. Most islands can be reached either by chartered or Greek domestic flight, or the less expensive ferry ride. Our advice is to find out which islands you plan on visiting and then speak with a travel agent to find the best plan. Although the ferries are frequent and inexpensive, they can be very long and are filled with cigarette smoke. resources www.kiteboard.gr; www.kitesurfing.gr; www.ferries.gr kite schools www.nissakia.gr; www.milosbeach.gr; www.paroskite.gr; www.paroskite-procenter.com; www.naxos-windsurf.com; www.airtime-kitesurfing.com; www.windsurfing-rodos.com; www.prasonisi.com 44 thekiteboarder.com thekiteboarder.com 45
Forum face-off By Marina Chang Photo Shana Coursin m any kiteboarders sit at a desk for most of the day dreaming about their next session. Kiteboarding forums and blogs are often the best way to get your fix and to keep in touch with what is going on in the kiteboarding world. Whether you participate or not, most of you access kiteboarding related websites at least once a week, if not a couple of times a day! Working behind the scenes are many passionate kiteboarding webmasters who all share a common denominator: a love for kiteboarding and the people who participate in our growing community. We decided to give these unsung heroes a face and voice, so you can get to know the people who drive these sites. Next time you see one of them, give them props for a job well done for all they do to help us share and learn from each other online. 46 thekiteboarder.com Bay Area Kiteboarding Name of Forum: Bay Area Kiteboarding (BAK) Website: www.bayareakiteboarding.com Founder/moderator: Ollie Govers Background: Shingle siding contractor specializing in restoring residential homes in the SF East Bay. Why did you start your forum? To fulfill a need for an interactive resource that didn’t exist for kiteboarders in the San Francisco Bay Area in Feb 2004. We currently have 900 registered users. What is the mission of your forum? To promote safety, share information, help others, build community among kiteboarders and publicize events in the SF Bay Area. Who is your audience? We receive visits from kiters globally, but our main audience is a diverse and wide-ranging demographic made up of kiters in the SF Bay Area between the ages of 14-60 years old from all types of backgrounds. What differentiates you from other forums? Great design, lots of features, very helpful users and very little drama. People want to help and provide others with lots of useful answers about learning, gear, locations, safety, travel, weather and more. What is are your personal favorite kiteboarding websites? BAK, NWS (National Weather Service) and iKitesurf EastKB Name of Forum: EastKB Website: www.eastkb.com Founder/moderator: Bruno Garcia (L) aka Brui and Vali Puscasu aka Lost (R) Background: Bruno is a web developer and graphic designer, and Vali’s background is filming and journalism. They live in Washington, DC but otherwise live to travel in search for wind. Why did you start your forum? We needed a better interface than the yahoo group we were using and wanted to have the capability to integrate photos into our messages. We launched the site in 2006 and cover the mid-Atlantic region, which is mainly Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and DC. Membership is at 118 and growing. What is the mission of your forum? We want to create a real community for our area, to be able to share information about places we ride, when we go out, gear we try. We also plan on organizing events such as crossing the Chesapeake Bay, beach clean-ups, and gear demos and swaps. Who is your audience? Anyone who is interested in kiteboarding, loves the water, likes to fly and is hooked on the feeling of freedom when riding. We even have a few windsurfers among us who are interested in the “dark side.” They don’t post because they want to stay anonymous. But we know who you are! What differentiates you from other forums? Our goal isn’t necessarily to be different; we just want to provide the best interface and information for our users. We are like an extended family that is always there when we want to have fun or when we need help. What are your personal favorite kiteboarding websites? Our forum because is not just a forum on the web…it is a real home for us. Florida Kiteboarding Association Name of Forum: FKA Kiteboarding Forum Website: http://fksa.org Founder/moderator: Rick Iossi Background: Environmental and construction-related engineer who started kiteboarding in the Summer of 1998. Rick researches and analyzes kiteboarding accidents in an effort to help reduce avoidable kiting accidents. He also writes accident summaries as well as event and travel articles. Why did you start your forum? Saw a need for promotion of safer and sustainable kiteboarding practices and formed the Florida Kitesurfing Association, Inc. and Forum in 2001. What is the mission of your forum? FKA promotes a sense of community among kiters and safer, sustainable riding along with useful information and entertainment. Membership is at 3600 and is focused on Florida and the Bahamas primarily, although the target audience is worldwide. Who is your audience? The forum draws kiteboarders and people that are interested in Florida kiting, events, travel, training and safety worldwide. What differentiates you from other forums? It has been around for a long time and attempts to avoid focusing on commercial content and more on safety, events, travel, and local issues. What are your personal favorite kiteboarding websites? Fksa.org (naturally), Kiteforum.com, bayareakiteboarding.com, skypilotkiteboarding.com, seabreeze.com.au, kiteboarder.co.uk
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Page 3 and 4: Location: Maui Rider: Shawn Richman
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Page 11 and 12: LauNCH SPEED RIDING: By Marina Chan
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