TIPS FOR VIEWING - The Kiteboarder Magazine

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Close-up sandy parker Age: 33 Height: 5’8” Years kiting: 11 Favorite Spots: Sherman Island, Dillon Beach, Texas Gulf Favorite Conditions: Windy Favorite Moves: Waves Sponsors: RRD, Mystic, Kitopia GEAR SET-UP Boards: RRD K50 Race board, Kitopia Custom Surfboard Bindings: Only on my race boards, otherwise strapless Kites: RRD Obsession Lines: Standard Harness: Mystic waist Sandy with her new RRD K-Race board at the World Nationals. Photo www.mauitoast.com By Marina Chang If you’ve ever been to Sherman Island in California, chances are you have met Sandy Parker. Together with her brother Donny, Sandy started Kiteopia in 2002, now one of the most popular schools in the Bay Area due to the area’s consistent winds and strong reputation for quality instruction. Newly sponsored by RRD and Mystic with plans to compete on the international kite racing circuit in 2010, Sandy got bit by the kite racing bug four years ago by a former student and has hosted a fun course event for the last three, usually around the 4th of July weekend. Next year, Sandy and Donny are planning an even larger event so be sure to mark your calendars! Kiteopia and the Sherman riding crew know how to throw down a good time and you won’t be disappointed with the riding conditions or festivities. When, where and why did you start kiteboarding? In 1998. My brother was a windsurfer, took a trip to the Gorge and came back stoked to learn how to kite. He bought a Flexifoil Stacker 8 and asked me if I wanted to go to the park and fly a kite. Once I got this trainer kite in my hands I was hooked. What was your first exposure to kite racing and what got you interested in it? My first exposure to kite racing was when a former student of mine, John Gomes, founder of the Cabrinha series in San Francisco, got me stoked on the Thursday night races. You recently competed in the World Kite Racing Championships with the top ranked kite racers in the world. What was that experience like? It was amazing to be a part of a once in a lifetime event with the best kiters in the world next to me. 1. When in doubt, let go of the bar! These are the most common words I use in teaching; most any trouble you may get yourself in can be fixed or minimized by just letting go of the bar. 2. Ask questions when kiting a new location — you will probably make a new friend as well. 3. When you go kiting, take everything and don’t leave anything at home! What makes a good race kite? A good race kite is a kite that is actually a good all around kite. It must be great for upwind but it also must be good for downwind and definitely stable enough to handle gusty winds at the starting line. Are you riding production race boards or customs? I’m riding both depending on the course. My brother has built my race boards since I think 2007 but this summer I have been riding the RRD K50 and loving it. Do you think racing is becoming too high tech and an elite e.g. a “rich man’s” sport? No, and I’m glad there are people who can put money into the sport — we need it for future development in racing. Eventually it will plateau and the strongest and most talented athletes will still outshine the rest. Since racing is so new, the one with the best gear does have an advantage but eventually we will all be on similar gear. I have been right in the middle of the development of course racing and there have been times I have been on the newest trend and had all the advantages, and there have been times that I have been on the wrong gear. It’s been a race to see who can come up with the best board and I think we as a sport are really close. I guess I can say over the years it’s been a compliment when world class riders race over to me after a race to see what I was riding but I’m usually running away to keep my secrets. My brother and I have had so much fun developing boards for the races; some have worked some haven’t, but the process has been memorable. Right now, Sandy is all about strapless riding and racing. Photo Josh Anon What is your favorites style of riding and why? Strapless wave riding because I like the freedom of not being locked in. Is there any particular trick you are working on and what is the challenge? Strapless back roll on my surfboard. I keep losing it! What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the kiteboarding industry? Safety! The industry seems to be focusing more on performance than safety. What is something about you that you do outside of kiteboarding that most people wouldn’t know? I don’t do much outside of kiteboarding anymore but most people don’t know I have owned horses my whole life and still do. But no, I don’t ride anymore. What is your most memorable kiteboarding experience? Winning the US Nationals in 2009. The US Nationals in Texas was the most challenging and exciting race I have been a part of. It was so close between myself and the other female riders throughout the whole competition. It was seconds between each of us as we would pass through the finish line. Lightwind Specific Zephyr 17m Ozone’s new light wind specific kite is designed for gentle breezes and delivers the same superior handling, power, feel and control as you’ve come to expect from Ozone. You Ride They Watch Any words of wisdom you want to share? Go What tips can you share that will help a rider out and kite! If you are starting to get bored try • Tight radius turn = great pop/fun. when first getting into racing? Practice going something new. If you’re not sure what to try, take a • No Pulleys for direct handling and safety. upwind and when your legs are burning, keep lesson. A good instructor will get you stoked on the You Laugh • Easy relaunch. going. Get comfortable riding very close to other sport again. All instructors enjoy advanced lessons • Huge wind range, 6 - 20 knots. (No Shit!) They Cry kiters and practice riding downwind as fast as as it gets them out on the water too. A saying my • One pump. possible. When you crash, tuck and roll and try to Who have been your major influences in the sport? brother always says is, “If your kite is not wet you • Below bar 100% flag out safety system. keep going. My brother Donny Parker. are not trying hard enough.” www.flyozoneusa.com 38 thekiteboarder.com thekiteboarder.com 39
Snow Place Like Home Domestic Winter Travel Every winter, the temperature goes down and most of us don’t spend enough time on the water to stay sane. To get our water fix, we spend lots of money traveling to exotic locations where winter doesn’t seem to exist. Doing that keeps us happy, but it also costs a lot of money. This year, why not do things a little differently? Here in the US, we have easy access to some of the best snowkiting available on the planet. Why head halfway across the globe, when we have such a great resource right in our own backyard? If you have never given snowkiting a try, make it a point to do it this year. You probably already own all the gear you need (your regular kite gear, plus a snowboard or pair of skis) and if you already know how to kite, then getting started on the snow will be easy. Our suggestion to save a little money this winter is to keep things local and expand your horizons by taking a snowkiting vacation. After all, there’s snow place like home. For more information on the US Snowkite scene, check out www.driftsnowkitemag.com Skyline, Utah offers 100 miles of terrain for every level of rider. Photo Gustav Schmiege Skyline, Utah By Heather Schenck Skyline, Utah, has become a world-renowned destination for snowkiting, hosting riders from across the country and the globe throughout the winter season. Skyline is home to the US Open Snowkite Masters, and attracts riders of all abilities to enjoy its varied terrain. The small-town atmosphere allows for a relaxing vacation while having fun on the mountain all day. Rated as “The New Snowkite Town” by National Geographic and as an ideal place to learn alpine kiting techniques by Men’s Journal, Skyline offers something for every winter kiter. Best Time to Visit: January- March for the deepest snow and powder conditions, with an extended season from December- April. Skyline is consistently windy November-April. Typical Winter Conditions: Skyline’s playground is naturally set up to work with any wind direction, and with a few feet of snow, most of the mountain is open to ride by December. Wind rolls over the ridge at least five days a week, typically from the southwest. Storms can bring northerly winds along with potential whiteouts. During high pressure, easterly winds provide light wind sessions on the lee side of the hills. Skyline is located at an elevation of 10,000 feet on the exposed Wasatch Plateau, which lines it up perfectly for catching valley thermals and upper-level winds almost daily. While it offers consistent wind conditions, it is also set up to grab incoming storms, which can turn a beautiful day into a whiteout. Be prepared for backcountry mountain conditions and drink plenty of fluids to combat the high altitude. Skyline’s snowplow drivers are known as the best in the state, and they diligently work to keep the pass open, but it’s always a good idea to check the forecast and be prepared for the day. How to Get There: Fly into Utah’s Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and rent a car. Travel south to the outlying town of Fairview, a quiet outpost at the bottom of Highway 31. The riding area is 14 miles up the canyon and will be obvious as you crest the summit ridge of Skyline. The parking lot at Milepost 14 on Highway 31 is the spot to be. Where to Stay: Mount Pleasant offers all amenities including a full service grocery store, the county’s only bar, and Utah’s largest kite shop along with the largest hotel in the region. Fairview boasts the closest food and lodging at the base of the canyon to Skyline. Check out Horseshoe Mountain Resort in Mount Pleasant (435-462-9330) or Skyline Motel in Fairview (435-427-3312) and stop by the Home Plate Restaurant for the best food around. What to Do if No Wind: Kite Utah offers snowshoe rentals to check out the beautiful scenery or you can rent a snowmobile at Big Pine Sports in Fairview for the day and make your own adventures. Skyline is a huge destination for snowmobiling. You can also bring your own backcountry skis and tour across Skyline’s 100-mile ridge. Contact for More Info: Kite Utah (www.kiteutah.com) is the local shop and school. Kite Utah is the only authorized school in the region and holds a permit from the US Forest Service to teach at Skyline. Kite Utah will be offering camps throughout the winter of 2009/2010 hosted by Chip Wasson, Guillaume Chastagnol, and Heather Schenck, along with private instruction (dates listed at www.FlyOzoneUSA.com). Kite Utah is located on the backside of the Triangle Bar, another kiteboarder-owned establishment. 40 thekiteboarder.com thekiteboarder.com 41
Page 1 and 2: Rider: Kinsley ThomasWong | Locatio
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Page 10 and 11: Executive Editor RYAN RICCITELLI ry
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Page 14 and 15: INSIDE JOB Photos Courtesy Best Kit
Page 16 and 17: shop talk Calikites offers group to
Page 18 and 19: West coast competitors are looking
Page 20 and 21: It was hard to convince Ian Alldred
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Page 26 and 27: Some parts of the Camas Valley rema
Page 28 and 29: California: El Niño events are inf
Page 30 and 31: ARUBA BAJA MAUI JERICOACOARA PUNTA
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Page 34 and 35: Gnarly Bombs While Mavericks was go
Page 36 and 37: product watch 9 New Products to che
Page 38: analyze this liquidforce havoc TEST
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Page 47 and 48: work bench To Fix or Not to Fix? Th
Page 49 and 50: Yard sale When three sports collide

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