Kitesoul Magazine #10 English Edition
Riders columns: Colleen Carroll, Jasse Richman; Events: World Snowkite Contest preview, Blue Palawan Open; ITW: Liam Whaley; Story: Patri MacLaughlin; Trip: Mozambico, Artic Adventure;Tech: Harnesses, Fins; Tutorial: Freestyle moves, Foiloboard, Wave.
Riders columns: Colleen Carroll, Jasse Richman; Events: World Snowkite Contest preview, Blue Palawan Open; ITW: Liam Whaley; Story: Patri MacLaughlin; Trip: Mozambico, Artic Adventure;Tech: Harnesses, Fins; Tutorial: Freestyle moves, Foiloboard, Wave.
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WWW.KITESOUL.COM<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International<br />
Kiteboard Open<br />
ITW<br />
Liam Whaley<br />
VKWC World Champ 2015<br />
TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure<br />
STRAPLESS MOVES<br />
Back Roll - Keahi de Aboitiz
R I D E R : T O M H E B E R T / P H O T O : T O B Y B R O M W I C H<br />
WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS<br />
SEIZE THE MOMENT<br />
T H E N E W E V O<br />
T R U E K I T E B O A R D I N G
F R E E R I D E / F R E E S T Y L E / W A V E<br />
R E L A T E D P R O D U C T S<br />
J A I M E<br />
SELECT<br />
W A M<br />
S I Z E S 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14<br />
P R O G R E S S I O N Q<br />
Quality commitment in every detail.<br />
WWW.NORTHKITEBOARDING.COM
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WAVE | SURFSTYLE<br />
Foto: Jason Wolcott<br />
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Editor<br />
Roberta Pala<br />
roberta.pala@kitesoul.com<br />
Wave Thecnique Editor<br />
Mitu Monteiro<br />
Freestyle Thecnique Editor<br />
Alberto Rondina<br />
Thecnical Expert<br />
Renato Casati<br />
Photo & Video<br />
Maurizio Cinti<br />
Design<br />
Giuseppe Esposito<br />
FEBRUARY 2016 - MARCH 2016<br />
TWO-MONTHLY<br />
Texts<br />
Olly Bridge, Colleen Carroll, Charlotte<br />
Consorti, Tom Court, Craig Cunningham,<br />
Keahi de Aboitiz, Richard Findall,<br />
Tobias Holter, Abel Lago, Sam Light,<br />
Sam Medysky, Paulino Pereira, Axel<br />
Reese, Jesse Richman, Alberto Rondina,<br />
Brandon Scheid, Reo Stevens, Karolina<br />
Winkowska<br />
Photos<br />
Erik Aeder, Vincent Bergeron,<br />
James Boulding, Toby Bromwich,<br />
Charlotte Consorti, Quincy Dein,<br />
dpvideoproduction, Mauro Ferro, Mark<br />
Hampton, mediahouse.one, Fabrizio<br />
Poggi, Axel Reese, Martin Rendo,<br />
Alberto Rondina, Svetlana Romantsova,<br />
Ramon Schoenmaker, Jamie Scott, Ben<br />
Welsh, Jason Wolcott, Xtremsurfers<br />
Cover:<br />
Rider James Boulding<br />
Photo Toby Bromwich/Blue Palawan<br />
International Kiteboard Open<br />
Publisher and advertising<br />
VISU Media<br />
Via Cavour, 20<br />
24030 Ambivere (BG)<br />
Amministratore Unico<br />
Federico Sugoni<br />
fs@kitesoul.com<br />
Registration Tribunale<br />
di Bergamo n°10/2014<br />
del 15/04/2014.<br />
Periodicità bimestrale<br />
Copyright <strong>Kitesoul</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
All content is copyright of <strong>Kitesoul</strong><br />
<strong>Magazine</strong> / Visu Media Srl.<br />
FEDERICO SUGONI<br />
Publisher<br />
He’s a manager and a businessman.<br />
He fell in love with kiteboarding<br />
almost 10 years ago in<br />
the wild and amazing North<br />
Shore of Oahu (Hawaii). Aside<br />
from kiteboarding there is<br />
only one other important<br />
thing in his life: his baby<br />
daughter.<br />
He’s responsible for the 2014<br />
launching of KiteSoul <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
ROBERTA PALA<br />
Editor<br />
Sports photographer since<br />
1997, kiteboarder since 2001,<br />
she has worked for the most<br />
exponential kite magazines<br />
for the last 15 years.<br />
A free and wild soul, she<br />
has left the luxuries of town<br />
living for a life in contact with<br />
nature: a sea and wave lover.<br />
Nowadays you can find her<br />
on the shores of Capo Mannu,<br />
Sardinia, one of the most<br />
beautiful spots of the Mediterranean<br />
Sea.<br />
MAURIZIO CINTI<br />
Film-maker<br />
Movie buff and keen photographer.<br />
He’s a skater, snowboarder<br />
and wakeboarder,<br />
but he actually burns with<br />
passion for kiteboarding. He<br />
started off with freestyle a<br />
few years ago, but nowadays<br />
he’s more into chasing big<br />
and powerful waves. This is<br />
what he loves the most.<br />
GIUSEPPE ESPOSITO<br />
Art director<br />
Kiter since he was in the baby<br />
pram, he is a rider for RRD<br />
Italia and he have a Bachelor<br />
in Comunciation Design at<br />
Politecnico di Milano.<br />
With this assignment, he<br />
finally has been able to put<br />
together his two passions:<br />
kite and design.
KITESOUL MAGAZINE<br />
Feel The Flow<br />
MITU MONTEIRO<br />
Technical Editor-Wave Riding<br />
He comes from Sal. Official<br />
F-one and Manera rider.<br />
2008 KPWT World Champion<br />
and three-time Vice World<br />
Champion. He started to surf<br />
and windsurf as a kid and but<br />
he definitively fell in love with<br />
kitesurf as soon as he discovered<br />
it.<br />
ALBERTO RONDINA<br />
Technical Editor-Freestyle<br />
He’s the best Italian rider of<br />
the competitive kiting world.<br />
Cabrinha, Neil Pryde and<br />
GoPro official team rider<br />
and four-time Italian Champion.<br />
Alberto has won the<br />
2001 edition of the European<br />
Championship and third<br />
place in the 2012 PKRA World<br />
Championship.<br />
RENATO “DR. KITE” CASATI<br />
Technical Expert<br />
RRD Wave team rider. Kiteboarder<br />
since 2000, he has<br />
been PKRA athlete and judge.<br />
He’s a professional sportswriter<br />
for several technical<br />
magazines. He lives between<br />
Como Lake and Sardinia, but<br />
he spends every winter in the<br />
waves of Cabo-Verde.<br />
DANIELA MELONI<br />
Professional translator<br />
Daniela mainly lived abroad<br />
where she graduated<br />
in Law and worked. She<br />
discovered her passion for<br />
water actvities back in 2007<br />
when she moved back to the<br />
Sardinian west coast and met<br />
her husband, the kitesurfer<br />
Enrico Giordano. Professional<br />
translator since 2009. She is<br />
a SUP lover and an amateur<br />
photographer and never<br />
misses to photo or video<br />
shoot a Kite or Sup wave<br />
session!
EDITORIAL<br />
Rider Colleen Carroll<br />
PHoto Toby Bromwich/Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open<br />
Welcome 2016!<br />
It’s only been a month since the beginning of the<br />
new year and the world of kiteboarding is already<br />
throbbing... In fact as we are about to go on-line<br />
with our n°10 issue, the Snowkite World Contest<br />
is taking place in Roccaraso (Italy), the Red Bull<br />
King of the Air 2016 in Cape Town (South Africa),<br />
as well as our comparative Big Wave Kites test<br />
in Cape Verde, where our test team is trying the<br />
best six 2016 Wave Kites.<br />
All throughout 2016 we will tell you in first person<br />
about all the major world events, and that's why<br />
our special correspondent Mauro Ferro, together<br />
with the <strong>Kitesoul</strong> editor, Federico Sugoni, equipped<br />
with heavy clothing, Kite, Skis and Snowboard,<br />
will give you some of the latest news from<br />
the Roccaraso event pending the full article in the<br />
next n°11 issue!<br />
Stay tuned!<br />
Colleen Carroll, AWSI Kiteboarder Female of the<br />
Year 2015, is the protagonist of the picture of our<br />
editorial and in this issue she will tell us about an<br />
extraordinary event, the Blue Palawan International<br />
Kiteboard Open in the Philippines, the first<br />
park event in Asia. The incredible photos taken<br />
by the great Toby Bromwich, with the comments<br />
by the protagonists, which will make us feel the<br />
excitement of pure wakestyle.<br />
Colleen also becomes a permanent member<br />
of our team and she inaugurates her personal<br />
section which she will keep throughout 2016,<br />
where she will tell you about her opinion on a<br />
wide range of topics. From next issue on, other<br />
great international champions will join us too and<br />
they will also have their own section exclusively<br />
for <strong>Kitesoul</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
For the travel section we will switch between frost<br />
and heat, as we’ll travel amongst the icebergs of
Greenland, in a truly unusual scenario for a quiet<br />
session of kiteboarding, and in the warm waters<br />
of Australia and Mozambique, two extremly different<br />
worlds for one single passion.<br />
In this issue you will see the extraordinary pictures<br />
of Jesse Richman entering the first barrel<br />
ever entered by a kitesurfer in Peahi, he will tell<br />
us about the most incredible experience of entering<br />
a barrel in between the "jaws" most feared<br />
by surfers from all over the world, JAWS ...<br />
Then we have the interviews with the great characters<br />
of our sport, Liam Whaley, the new VKWC<br />
World Champion who gives an exclusive after<br />
his recent title award. What will the future of the<br />
world competitions be like in 2016?<br />
Patri McLaughlin, mister "big waves", explains<br />
how to train properly in order to challenge the big<br />
waves around the world...<br />
Of course there will also be our tutorial articles:<br />
the foil with the extraordinary Olly Bridge, the freestyle<br />
manoeuvres with the great Alberto Rondina,<br />
the strapless freestyle explained by the wave<br />
world champion Keahi de Aboitiz and the technical<br />
advice of Reo Stevens.<br />
Those who love super technical articles will find<br />
as usual their "match"! The choice of the right<br />
fin in wave riding according to the advice of Abel<br />
Lago and the discovery of the secrets for the right<br />
harness as explained by our technical "guru"<br />
Renato Casati.<br />
Lastly, the new year 2016 also brought us a new<br />
member to the team, our linguist Daniela Meloni,<br />
Photographer, Stand Up Paddler and author of<br />
the videos and photos of F-ONE wave rider Enrico<br />
Giordano. Welcome Daniela!<br />
Roberta Pala, Federico Sugoni
SUMMARY<br />
COMING SOON<br />
TRIP<br />
32<br />
106<br />
18<br />
Portfolio<br />
World Snowkite<br />
GPS Contest 2016<br />
EVENTS<br />
40<br />
SEQUENCE<br />
78<br />
Pe’ahi (Jaws)<br />
Barrel<br />
Mozambic<br />
PHOTOSHOO<br />
122<br />
RIDERS COLUMN<br />
28<br />
Colleen Carroll<br />
Jasse Richman<br />
Blue Palawan<br />
International<br />
Kiteboard Open<br />
TRIP<br />
62<br />
Arctic Adventure<br />
ITW<br />
82<br />
Liam Whaley<br />
Enduro<br />
Photosho<br />
WAVERIDING<br />
134<br />
Find the r<br />
STOR<br />
96<br />
Patri McLaughlin
WAVERIDING<br />
150<br />
o<br />
10 things that<br />
should go through<br />
your head when<br />
approaching a new<br />
break<br />
FREESTYLE BASIC MOVES<br />
T<br />
ot in WA<br />
STRAPLESS MOVES<br />
142<br />
Back roll<br />
SPECIAL FOILBOARDING<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
156<br />
Manera: EXO<br />
Core: BOLT | IMPCAT<br />
ION: STRIKE<br />
RRD: JUICEV2 | POISON<br />
Flysurfer: SPEED5<br />
178<br />
Toeside Surface Pass<br />
Pop to Blind Surface Pass<br />
146<br />
TECH<br />
Dolphin, Crashing,<br />
Tack<br />
TECH<br />
ight fins<br />
168<br />
Harnesses 2.0
18<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
Abel Lago<br />
RIDER: Abel Lago<br />
PHOTO: Martin Rendo
20<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
Sam Medysky<br />
RIDER: Sam Medysky<br />
PHOTO: Vincent Bergeron
22<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
Steven Akkersdijk<br />
RIDER: Steven Akkersdijk<br />
PHOTO: mediahouse.one
24<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
Sven Luijbe – Kitefeel.nl<br />
RIDER: Sven Luijbe – Kitefeel.nl<br />
PHOTO: Ramon Schoenmaker – Flysurfer.com
26<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
Hervé Bouré<br />
RIDER: Hervé Bouré<br />
PHOTO: Xtremsurfers
28<br />
RIDERS COLUMN<br />
The world of kiteboarding is an ever changing<br />
RIDERS COLUMN<br />
Colleen<br />
Carroll<br />
× THE WORLD OF K<br />
IS AN EVER C<br />
Text Colleen Carroll<br />
Photo Toby Bromwich/Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
ITEBOARDING ×<br />
HANGING<br />
The world of Kiteboarding is an<br />
ever changing, emerging world<br />
of diversity. The popularity of<br />
brands, pro riders, and styles,<br />
ebbing and flowing like that of<br />
the most convoluted river. With<br />
the current state of mainstream<br />
Kiteboarding as fluid as ever.<br />
When kiteboarding first developed<br />
a competition scene, it<br />
was all about going big. Go<br />
big, unhook, heck even throw a<br />
big dangle pass in there if you<br />
were bold enough. It was extreme<br />
and hard core. As things<br />
progressed, the term 'freestyle'<br />
came to mean doing your tricks<br />
with less movement in the kite,<br />
more handle passes and points<br />
rewarding for max power and<br />
speed into and out of the maneuver.<br />
Then of course there<br />
is wave riding. It's popularity<br />
consistently on the rise at coastlines<br />
around the globe. Despite<br />
the lack of a consistent<br />
competition circuit, wave riding<br />
has persevered and is a mainstay<br />
in kiteboarding's mainstream.<br />
Racing took a major growth<br />
spurt when talk of Olympic<br />
participation was on the table<br />
and another rise with the development<br />
of foiling. Which with<br />
the introduction of production<br />
boards has also just become<br />
kiteboarding's own version of<br />
the 'soul surfer' ride and is on a<br />
rapid upward trichectory of its<br />
own.<br />
But there is one discipline that,<br />
long considered the black sheep<br />
of Kiteboarding, who's time has<br />
now come to share some of the<br />
spotlight; Park Riding. Although<br />
the discipline it self is relatively<br />
nothing new. Riders like Mauricio<br />
Abreau, Andre Philipp, Jason<br />
Slezak and Moe Gold just to<br />
name a few, have been kiting on<br />
features since before most of<br />
the pro riders these days were<br />
out of elementary school. The<br />
renowned Triple - S Invitational<br />
just had its 10th anniversay this<br />
past year, bringing 'like minded'<br />
riders together for a week<br />
long park shred fest since 2006.<br />
However, despite the efforts of<br />
some of these revolutionary godfathers,<br />
this side of our sport<br />
has stayed comparably small<br />
to some of the more traditional<br />
disciplines. Yet as of late there<br />
seems to be a shift going on. A<br />
growing acceptance of park riding<br />
as one of the big dogs in<br />
kiteboarding.<br />
Maybe it has to do with the instability<br />
of the world tour, maybe<br />
we are getting more athletes<br />
crossing over from sports that<br />
can most easily relate to park<br />
riding, who can say exactly. But<br />
what is even more exciting is<br />
that there are more and more<br />
young riders finding their way<br />
into kiteboarding parks across<br />
the globe, pictures and videos<br />
boasting the completion of<br />
backyard builds, and new events<br />
showcasing park riding as the<br />
main attraction like last week's<br />
Blue Palawan Kite Open. And<br />
who knows, in the years to<br />
come we may even see ourselves<br />
crowning official world titles<br />
in park riding. Time will only tell<br />
how far this growing trend will<br />
reach.<br />
Colleen
30<br />
RIDERS COLUMN<br />
Sticking with it - Jesse Richman<br />
RIDERS COLUMN<br />
JESSE<br />
RICHMAN<br />
text Jesse Richman | photo Quincy Dein<br />
× S T I C K I N G W I T H I T ×<br />
Some days feel like they were<br />
doomed from the beginning.<br />
Sometimes they are, but that<br />
should never stop you from<br />
trying. Often times it’s only<br />
after it’s all said and done that<br />
you see it all happened for a<br />
reason. Any day out at Jaws is<br />
bound to be wild.The forecast<br />
for December 9th looked really<br />
big and I felt like we were going<br />
to have a crazy day, but I really<br />
had no idea how crazy. Looking<br />
at the off shore buoys we knew<br />
it was going to be good, so we<br />
got up and ready to rock in the<br />
morning. We went down to the<br />
cliff and the waves weren’t really<br />
there yet but I could feel they<br />
were coming. So Patri Mclaughlin,<br />
Ryan Toaspern and I got<br />
ready to go out!<br />
Everything was going smooth<br />
until we got half way there on<br />
the jet ski and all of a sudden<br />
“brapppp brappppp braaaaaa<br />
braaa braaaap……..” The ski<br />
made some crazy sounds and<br />
lost all power. We could see<br />
Niccolo Porcella’s kite in the air<br />
up ahead on a wave at Jaws but<br />
we had to turn around—so bummed—but<br />
we had no other choice.<br />
We couldn’t figure out what<br />
was wrong on the water so we<br />
idled back to the boat ramp a<br />
bit relived that we didn’t have to<br />
swim the ski in. We then called<br />
the day off. We had seen a few<br />
other jet skis break that day,<br />
and a boat flipped too. The day<br />
just had a destructive energy in<br />
the air and Jaws isn’t something<br />
that you can force.<br />
I still wanted to fix the ski so<br />
we took it to the mechanic. Funny<br />
enough, he looks at it, plays<br />
with a spark plug cable and in<br />
about 30 seconds says it’s good<br />
you’re ready to rock. That’s<br />
when we thought, “Well, what
else are we going to do today?”<br />
We called everyone back to the<br />
beach and went down to launch<br />
again. Niccolo and his brother<br />
Francisco came in right as we<br />
were leaving and told us that<br />
the wind was terrible and the<br />
waves were inconsistent, but<br />
we were still going to try it.<br />
Once we arrived at Jaws we<br />
saw another broken ski getting<br />
towed back to shore. Meanwhile,<br />
Robby Naish was windsurfing<br />
and there were a few others<br />
trying but the wind looked pretty<br />
funky. The conditions weren’t<br />
really that great, but when you<br />
go through all the effort to get<br />
up and drive the ski out to the<br />
break, gather all the support<br />
crew, and lineup the photographers<br />
and videographers on<br />
land, you feel obligated to give<br />
it a go. I was also really pumped<br />
to go surf so with everything<br />
in order I launched off the ski.<br />
That’s when I knew the day was<br />
turning around.<br />
Despite the conditions my Naish<br />
Pivot felt great. I had a fire<br />
ball of rage inside me that had<br />
built up from a long day of frustration.<br />
The only thing I could<br />
do was let it out in my riding. I<br />
went full speed and had the sickest<br />
kite session at Jaws yet.<br />
(Barrel sequence from this sesh<br />
in mag). We found ourselves<br />
out there with no one else at<br />
the peak of the swell. This never<br />
would have happened if the<br />
ski worked the first time. The<br />
valuable lesson learned from<br />
this day is that when something<br />
goes wrong and it feels like the<br />
worst possible result, sometimes<br />
if you stick with it, it all<br />
works out for the better.<br />
Jesse
32<br />
COMING SOON<br />
World Snowkite GPS Contest 2016 - Roccaraso (Italy)<br />
Photo Mauro Ferro, Fabrizio Poggi
WORLD SNOWKITE GPS CONTEST<br />
2016 ROCCARASO (ITALY)<br />
Coming soon on next n.11 issue
34<br />
COMING SOON<br />
World Snowkite GPS Contest 2016 - Roccaraso (Italy)
36<br />
COMING SOON<br />
World Snowkite GPS Contest 2016 - Roccaraso (Italy)
38<br />
COMING SOON<br />
World Snowkite GPS Contest 2016 - Roccaraso (Italy)<br />
PODIUMS<br />
Ski:<br />
1. Felix Kersten – Germany<br />
2. Jonas Lengwiler - Switzerland<br />
3. Florian Gruber – Germany<br />
Snowboard:<br />
1. Leoni Michele - Italy & Lukas Vogeltanz - Czech Republic<br />
2. Luca Mastalli - Italy<br />
3. Reinhold Gehrer - Germany
40<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open<br />
Text James Boulding, Colleen Carroll, Tom Court, Craig Cunningham, Tobias<br />
Holter, Sam Light, Sam Medysky, Brandon Scheid, Karolina Winkowska<br />
Photo Toby Bromwich/Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
Blue Palawan International<br />
Kiteboard Open<br />
James Boulding<br />
2016 saw the first ever kite park built in Asia. With features hand<br />
made by renowned slider maker Joby Cook and shipped from<br />
the US out to Asia, it was clear this wasn’t going to be just any<br />
old plain set of features. Arriving with a host of top rail riders<br />
on the planet the event quickly gained a focus in the kite media<br />
and Toby Bromwich was on hand to make sure the content was<br />
on par with the action. The tropical backdrop of Blue Palawan<br />
was the perfect backdrop to shoot the slider park, this shot was<br />
featured the north step up ledge with Toby getting within a meters<br />
distance of my board shooting fish eye to get rider, kite and<br />
backdrop all in the same shot. With the world tour squabbling<br />
in disarray over rights and all sorts of problems its good to see<br />
at least one side of our sport flourishing and seeing an amazing<br />
turnout of top riders to support an event and park in a location<br />
that must be on ones to do list.
42<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
Karolina Winkowska<br />
(1 ° Overall, 1 ° Sliders, 1 ° Kicker)<br />
This photo was taken during the last day of the blue kiteboarding<br />
competition. It was meant to be really windy, but as usually during<br />
the competition the weather wasn’t cooperating with us. The<br />
wind was dropping and in one point nobody could have ridden<br />
anymore. Then the girls discovered that if they borrow big 17m<br />
and 15m kites from the guys, they not only can ride but also can<br />
run the competition. So here I am on Sam Light’s 15m Turbine,<br />
performing in the kicker discipline. Competitions are always<br />
challenging and nothing works like normal, that’s why we have to<br />
embrace what we get and believe it will work out for us !
44<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open<br />
Sam Light<br />
(1° Overall, 1° Sliders, 1° Kicker)<br />
This shot was taken during the warm up before the contest. I’ve<br />
started calling this a rocket ship tail grab as you have to get so<br />
horizontal to tweak the grab that much. It’s very hard to stay on<br />
axis and maintain composure because when you pull the board<br />
that far up towards your body it throws your center of balance<br />
off completely and it can easily look jerky. When I do pop one of<br />
these nicely it’s my favorite grab by far, it just feels so good to<br />
tweak it that much!
46<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
Colleen Carroll<br />
(3 ° sliders, 3 ° kicker, 3 ° overall)<br />
The long awaited Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open<br />
was one of the most fun and unique events I have ever attended.<br />
Not only was it set in a tropical paradise but also the custom<br />
built Jibstruction features were perfectly crafted and specially<br />
designed for Asia’s first kiteboard park. With this unique setup,<br />
media sessions and event heats alike were some of the most fun<br />
days spent kiteboarding I’ve had in a while. With renowned kiteboarding<br />
photographer Toby Bromwich behind the lens and 24<br />
of the worlds best park riding kiteboarders there was constant<br />
action and entertainment to be had. Not to mention lots of time<br />
spent in the sun and hence the long pants and sunnies while riding.
48<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
Brandon Scheid<br />
(Men’s overall 3°)<br />
Getting the right shot in kiteboarding is all about timing and coordination.<br />
First of all you need wind, in this case we also needed<br />
a one off built slider compliments of Joby Cook and Blue Palawan.<br />
In addition tog those two elusive factors, you also need<br />
good light and a hard working photographer. Lining up the perfect<br />
shot is all about the collaboration between the shooter, in<br />
this case Toby Bromwich, and the rider. It took us several tries<br />
to nail this particular shot, mostly due to the rider(me). Either<br />
I wasn't quite as locked in to the press as Toby wanted, or my<br />
arm was in my face ruining the shot. Luckily with the consistent<br />
winds we found at Blue Palawan we had plenty of time to line<br />
it all up. All the effort for this one image was just a fraction of<br />
the effort that went into shooting and running the Blue Palawan<br />
Kite Open, Asia's first kite park contest. With consistent warm<br />
breeze, classy accommodations, and arguably one of the best<br />
kite parks in the world the event was setup to be a guaranteed<br />
hit, and it fully delivered on all fronts.
50<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
Craig Cunningham<br />
(2° sliders)<br />
It’s crazy for me to think about all the extraordinary places kiteboarding<br />
has taken me over the years. Palawan Island in the<br />
Philippines was no disappointment. Not only a tropical paradise<br />
but a new kiteboarding destination fully equipped with the first<br />
kite park in South East Asia! My favourite feature of the park is<br />
the North Fun Box! No bias, it’s an amazing feature with so many<br />
different options for lines, step ups and transfers! In this shot<br />
we were practicing for the event and there was a lot of people on<br />
the water. Noe Font and I were both coming towards the feature<br />
from a long way out trying to sneak in front of each other. When<br />
we got close neither of us budged so we just hit it together. I<br />
called the top deck and so Noe had to opt for lower but since we<br />
were so close our kites were bumping and it almost turned bad…<br />
I figured I was upwind so should've had the right of way!
52<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open<br />
Sam Medysky<br />
(3° Sliders)<br />
Palawan was a destination unknown to me. When I first heard<br />
about a slider event in Palawan, Philippines I didn’t think it would<br />
actually happen. The thought and costs behind having Joby<br />
Cook at Jibstruction build 3 feature and ship them to the other<br />
side of the world seemed a bit far fetched to me. The amount of<br />
careful planning, time and support that went into the Blue Palawan<br />
Kiteboard International Open was truly amazing. I was so<br />
stoked to have had the chance to be apart of the first year of<br />
this event. Event’s always start small and I feel it’s amazing to<br />
be there at the beginning allowing me and other to appreciate<br />
where the events come from and where it’s going to. Palawan was<br />
spectacular venue for a park event, delivering some of the best<br />
conditions for riding. Flat shallow water, light to moderate winds,<br />
loads of sunshine and good vibes set the tone for this year Blue<br />
Palawan Kiteboard International Open. I will most definitely be<br />
back again in the future!
54<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
Tom Court<br />
Blue on Palawan island in the Philippines is definitely one of the<br />
most unique places that I have ridden in the last few years, the<br />
strange combination of onshore winds, coupled with the shallow<br />
sea grass covered water creates a surreal flat water playground<br />
that now plays home to one of the worlds most well built kite<br />
parks. This picture was taken during one of the first session ever<br />
in the park, after we unloaded the features from the containers<br />
sent from the US we set the park up and waisted no time getting<br />
on the water. In the excitement I wasn’t letting anyone get in the<br />
way of my putting my kite low right from the start!” Shot by Toby<br />
Bromwich (Who always likes a low kite).
56<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open<br />
Tobias Holter<br />
WHAT RAILS CAN TEACH YOU?! Sometimes its better to stay<br />
in the moment than thinking about what to do next. Even if 'next’<br />
doesn’t mean to spin more but having dinner with friends followed<br />
by a Sant Miguel Light to ease into a couple more Redhorse.<br />
Cheers to these beautiful sunsets over Blue Palawan, the<br />
most Tropical Railpark in Kiteboarding.
58<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open<br />
Paula Rosales, Colleen Carroll and<br />
Sophie Mathews enjoy a glassy paddle<br />
to the nearby mangrove forest<br />
before the start of the event.<br />
Not only is he often found showing<br />
off in front of the camera, Tom Court<br />
thoroughly enjoys capturing event<br />
video.<br />
The judges hard at work during the<br />
Semi Final heats of the event.<br />
#lifestyle
Tom Court enjoys an event lay day<br />
by zip lining through the Palawan<br />
Jungle.<br />
Blue Palawan International<br />
Kiteboard Open<br />
Part of the Blue Palawan Kiteboard<br />
Open experience was integrating<br />
into the local culture. Here the<br />
competitors were invited to a silent<br />
disco for a special showing of Palawan<br />
Islands first major movie.<br />
All hands were needed to unload<br />
and assemble the highly anticipated<br />
arrival of the Liquid Force Rooftop<br />
feature.<br />
Crowning the first ever Miss Sensi<br />
Bikinis Philippines, Sensi Graves<br />
poses with the contest winner during<br />
the evening poolside show.
60<br />
EVENTS<br />
Blue Palawan International Kiteboard Open
Podiums<br />
Men's Overall:<br />
Sam Light, Eric Rienstra, Brandon Scheid, Craig Cunningham,<br />
Sam Medysky, Noe Font e Axel Tack,Tom Court, James Boulding.<br />
Women's Overall:<br />
Karolina Winkowska, Sensi Graves, Colleen Carroll, Victoria<br />
Soloveykina, Manuela Jungo, Malin Amle, Katarzyna Lange,<br />
Julia Castro.<br />
Men's Features:<br />
1° Sam Light, 2° Craig Cunningham, 3° Sam Medysky<br />
Women's Features:<br />
1° Karolina Winkowska, 2° Sensi Graves, 3° Colleen Carroll<br />
Podio Uomini Kicker:<br />
1° Sam Light, 2° Eric Reinstra, 3 ° Brandon Scheid<br />
Women's Kicker:<br />
1 ° Karolina Winkowska, 2 ° Sensi Graves, 3° Colleen Carroll<br />
Men's Attitude Award:<br />
1 ° Noe Font, 2° Phil Larcher, 3° Nico Etienne<br />
Women's Attitude Award:<br />
1 ° Julia Castro, 2° Katarzyna Lange, 3 ° Natalia Grabowska<br />
Men's GoPro Media Competition:<br />
1 ° James Boulding, 2° Brandon Scheid, 3° Tom Court<br />
Women's GoPro Media Competition:<br />
1 ° Manuela Jungo, 2 ° Colleen Carroll, 3 ° Karolina Winkowska
62<br />
TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure
Arctic Adventure<br />
text Richard Findal |photo dpvideoproduction
64<br />
TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure<br />
I’m usually a hermit crab when it comes to the cold, until<br />
I received an email inviting me to represent Cabrinha in<br />
Greenland for the Arctic Kite Adventure. The Arctic Kite<br />
Adventure was run by Allianz insurance to make a video with
them for an advert. My initial thoughts were ‘I don’t own any<br />
warm clothes after 8 winters in the Caribbean’, but fuelled<br />
by my passion for adventure, I immediately replied with an<br />
obvious yes!
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TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure<br />
The first leg of the journey began with a short,<br />
early morning flight from London Luton to Copenhagen.<br />
After enjoying a good nights sleep in a<br />
hotel nearby, I then had to battle my way through<br />
the traffic to get close to the airport! Once I made<br />
it through, I then discovered the X-ray bag scanners<br />
were broken so they were checking manually.<br />
I sprinted to the departure gate and made it to<br />
the plane just in time.<br />
After an enjoyably brief flight, I arrived in Copenhagen<br />
with 22 hours to kill before my connecting<br />
flight to Greenland. I managed to arrange a locker<br />
to put my 2 large suitcases and surfboard bag in<br />
so I could rent a car and do some exploring! Without<br />
any form of navigation, I used my manly directional<br />
skills, which brought me to an awesome<br />
flat water kiting spot. I spent a while there chatting<br />
to the incredibly welcoming locals, including<br />
the Dutch Freestyle Champion. My adventurous<br />
side soon began calling and I headed off into Copenhagen.<br />
There were bikes everywhere and Lidl<br />
supermarkets on every corner! I stopped to grab<br />
some lunch and ended up with a parking fine, so<br />
quickly retreated back to the safety of the beach.<br />
After spending the majority of the night in the hire<br />
car, at 5am I met the rest of the team in the airport,<br />
Geza the expedition leader, His brother An-
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TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure
dre an former backgammon world champion, the<br />
camera men David a veteran sea Sheppard and<br />
Bastian the northern lights expert. We quickly realised<br />
our combined 18 bags of luggage between<br />
the 5 of us was exceedingly overweight. Fortunately<br />
Geza had already cracked a deal with Air<br />
Greenland airline and accepted all 350kg of luggage.<br />
After not sleeping too well in the hire car, I<br />
slept like a baby the entire flight and woke up just<br />
in time to get the first glimpse of the icebergs.<br />
We landed at Kangerlussuaq airport and layered<br />
up ready for the cold, however I was pleasantly<br />
surprised by the warmth and rapidly returned<br />
back to just my t-shirt. We spent a few hours topping<br />
up our tans followed by the final plane journey<br />
to Ilulissat where we would spend the next<br />
few weeks. During the flight we were blessed with<br />
clear blue skies as we flew over the glacier, which<br />
looked incredible! We arranged a convoy of taxis<br />
to take all 18 bags and us to our apartment,<br />
which overlooked the sea. With a forecast of possible<br />
wind the next day, we didn’t hang about and<br />
got all the kites ready, lines attached ready to be<br />
launched from a boat whilst some of the guys<br />
prepared all the camera kit.<br />
The morning greeted us with a light breeze and<br />
glorious sunshine. After refuelling with hot drinks<br />
and a speedy breakfast, we checked the cameras,<br />
set up the boards and headed down to the harbour<br />
where the boat was awaiting us. We set out<br />
on the boat weaving through the ice and found<br />
the most amazing backdrop filled with icebergs<br />
just a short distance out. We pumped up the 15m<br />
Contra and I plopped in the icy waters with the<br />
Double Agent Foil. I didn’t hang around for long<br />
and swiftly launched and rode out surrounded by
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TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure<br />
mammoth icebergs. It was so surreal. My cheeks<br />
ached from smiling so much. However, it wasn’t<br />
long before I had my first proper bathe and that<br />
large grin was soon wiped off my face. I was foiling<br />
in front of an iceberg and the film crew wanted<br />
the kite as low as possible, it was all go swimmingly<br />
well until the wind shadow caught up with<br />
me. To my horror, the kite lifelessly dropped out<br />
of the sky and I came to a sudden halt. I was unable<br />
to relaunch the kite until I managed to drift<br />
far enough away back into the wind line. The NP<br />
Lucifer dry suit kept me exceptionally toasty, except<br />
for my feet. I quickly discovered I had forgotten<br />
to zip up my wetsuit boots and my feet were<br />
frozen! I most definitely learnt a valuable lesson<br />
that day! The wind continued to increase as the<br />
session went on and I was joined by some of the<br />
other guys on the water. With everyone now on<br />
twin tips, it wasn’t long before there was a ‘who<br />
can jump the biggest iceberg contest,’ which con-
sisted of a lot of aborted attempts. After around 4<br />
hours riding, we finished our session and headed<br />
for the warmth and comfort of our apartment.<br />
We weren’t so lucky with the wind for the next<br />
few days but this gave us the opportunity to explore<br />
and film the area. After a day of hiking and<br />
checking out the local glaciers and wildlife, we<br />
soon realised we hadn’t seen a single tree anywhere.<br />
With a few more days of no wind, we decided<br />
to put the drysuits to the test and swim out<br />
to some icebergs just offshore with some camera<br />
gear. After learning my lesson last time, I zipped<br />
my boots up and my feet stayed toasty and we<br />
managed to get some remarkable pictures.<br />
At last! The forecast predicted wind and lots of<br />
it! It was showing 30 knots for super Sunday, but<br />
quickly changed to mega Monday! It didn’t let us<br />
down! We were up early to get out on the water<br />
to make the most of the howling winds! To begin<br />
with I launched a 12m FX amongst the icebergs,
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TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure<br />
but immediately realised we would need much<br />
smaller kites. As we were in a much denser area<br />
of icebergs, it made the wind dangerously gusty,<br />
as one minute you’d get lofted 6 feet and look<br />
down to the smaller icebergs waiting for you to<br />
impale yourself on them. We decided to change<br />
location and as we arrived at the new spot, the<br />
wind kicked in even more! We launched our 7m<br />
kites and was boosting as high as we could, which<br />
often proved tricky as you were not always clear<br />
for landing. Once we filmed lots of iceberg jumping,<br />
we headed to what can only be described of<br />
the Everest of icebergs. If any of it broke off whilst<br />
we were close, we would be instantly squashed<br />
and left for the Greenland Shark. We decided it<br />
was worth the risk and made our way over. As<br />
we approached the monster-berg, we were all
absolutely speechless. The sheer enormity of<br />
this iceberg was astonishing, it was definitely a<br />
‘you have to be there moment’. One of the guys,<br />
Andre, decided he was going to touch it, but as<br />
he got within a few meters, his kite luffed which<br />
scared us all into retreating a bit further from the<br />
colossal wall of ice. We managed to attain all the<br />
footage we required, but all that was missing was<br />
the all important drone footage.<br />
Christmas came slightly earlier this year as Thomas<br />
from Allianz visited to see how we were getting<br />
on and brought us some presents! Unfortunately<br />
there was no wind forecast during his stay, but<br />
one afternoon we were blessed with 4 knots! This<br />
was just enough to show him what Kitesurfing<br />
is all about, so out came the ultimate light wind<br />
arrangement, the 17m Contra and foil board. The<br />
wind was side shore but as we were in a bay, we
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TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure<br />
knew if the wind dropped we could make it back<br />
to land. If not, we’d hop on a passing iceberg until<br />
help arrived! Luckily enough we timed it just<br />
right, after explaining there was no time for lunch<br />
as the wind waits for no man. No more than 45<br />
minutes later, I landed my kite just as the water<br />
transformed into a vast mirror. That was the end<br />
of the wind for the day but I was super stoked I<br />
managed to get out for a short spell.<br />
On the no wind days we spent our time hiking with<br />
our new found posse of huskies, eating nic naks<br />
and playing backgammon and yahtzee. But the<br />
wind was never gone for too long. For our 3rd session,<br />
we headed to Kite Beach on a marginal wind<br />
forecast. Upon arrival the wind was already building<br />
and turned out to be a great day! We took our<br />
fins off our boards and headed out to the world<br />
biggest ice slider park. There were enormous wall
ides and sliders that went on and on! The camera<br />
guys were getting all the shots and we had<br />
the drones buzzing around us. It wasn’t only the<br />
camera team that were enjoying the scene; we<br />
had a boat of Chinese tourists cheering us on. Of<br />
course the only polite thing to do was to jump<br />
over them several times! The day came to an end<br />
with a breath taking show of the Northern Lights.<br />
We were told the locals believe the lights are their<br />
ancestors playing ball with the head of a Walrus<br />
and if you whistle, they will come and get you. Of<br />
course we didn’t tell our friend Bastian this until<br />
after he whistled us over!<br />
Our final kite session was in the snow, which was<br />
a first for me, but made it freezing cold, which<br />
wasn’t helped by the wind switching off. On arrival<br />
back at the harbour, the snow had accumulated<br />
over 4 inches in just a few hours. This meant
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TRIP<br />
Arctic Adventure<br />
a snowboarding and sledging session on our kite<br />
boards! No wind fun!<br />
Our last day was filled with more snow boarding,<br />
snowball fights, final interviews and filming and<br />
lots of packing.<br />
The flight home was pretty eventful as the plane<br />
we were supposed to be on had some technical<br />
issues, so we had to go on a different plane, which<br />
meant we had a random stopover in Greenland,<br />
before getting on our plane to Copenhagen. Once<br />
we landed in Copenhagen we all said our goodbyes,<br />
which was pretty sad, as we’d become really<br />
good friends over the past few weeks. However<br />
we have requested next time for it to be filmed in<br />
Brazil or somewhere hot!
78<br />
SEQUENCE<br />
Pe’ahi (Jaws) Barrel – Jesse Richman<br />
PE’AHI (JAWS) BARREL<br />
• Jesse Richman•<br />
This was the fourth time I tried to pull into a Jaws barrel<br />
on my Pivot kite and the first time that I—or for that matter<br />
any kiteboarder—has successfully made it out of one.<br />
It was an incredible view. I believe that big barrels are<br />
probably the best, and most addictive, experience I’ve<br />
ever had. Being engulfed with so much energy around you<br />
is wild. To me they are so special because with big barrels<br />
comes big consequences. One mistake and it’s a really<br />
gnarly experience, which is what usually happens to<br />
me. It’s still fun but actually making it out of one feels like<br />
touching a dragons tong and escaping his jaws before he’s<br />
calmed down. Simply awesome.
Text Jesse Richman<br />
Photo Quincy Dein
PE’AHI (JAW<br />
• Jesse R<br />
80<br />
SEQUENCE<br />
Pe’ahi (Jaws) Barrel – Jesse Richman
S) BARREL<br />
ichman•
82<br />
ITW<br />
Liam Whaley - World Champ 2015<br />
ITW Roberta Pala | Photo Ben Welsh and Toby Bromwich
INTERVIEW<br />
LIAM<br />
WHALEY<br />
VKWC WORLD CHAMP<br />
2015
84<br />
ITW<br />
Liam Whaley - World Champ 2015<br />
D.O.B.: 11/04/1996<br />
Home spot: Tarifa, Spain<br />
Sponsors: Cabrinha, NP Surf,<br />
Mitsubishi Motors<br />
Years kiting: 11<br />
Favourite spot: Cauipe, Brasil<br />
Wall of Fame: 2015 World<br />
Champion, 2014 Vice World<br />
Champion, 2013, 4th Overall,<br />
2012, European Junior Champ
KS_TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF…WHE-<br />
RE DO YOU LIVE, WHERE ARE YOU FROM, WHEN<br />
DID YOU START KITEBOARDING AND WHAT'S YOUR<br />
TRAINING HOME SPOT?<br />
LW_I moved to Tarifa when I was 13, until then I was living in Ibiza,<br />
Spain. I started Kiting at the age of 8 during a summer in Tarifa, one<br />
of my dads good friends taught me. My training spot changes depending<br />
on the wind. With SW winds I train in Tarifas lagoon which<br />
are definitely the best conditions! Then with Easterly winds I tend<br />
to kite in a spot just in front of town called Balneario!
86<br />
ITW<br />
Liam Whaley - World Champ 2015<br />
KS_LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, AND ABOUT<br />
YOUR DECISION TO MOVE TO TARIFA…HOW IMPOR-<br />
TANT IS THE SUPPORT OF YOUR FAMILY FOR WHAT<br />
YOU DO?<br />
LW_The first time my Dad came to Tarifa was in 1982. He was one<br />
of the first guys windsurfing there with a couple of friends and one<br />
of the first guys to cross the straights of Gibraltar (without safety<br />
boats or back up). He and his brothers decided to build o hotel<br />
in 1984 (Hurricane Hotel) as they saw a lot of potential in Tarifa.<br />
My Dad carried on living in Ibiza as I went to school there and my<br />
mother had a shop there. In 2013 when I started to get some good<br />
results in competitions we decided to move to Tarifa so that I could<br />
carry on progressing and also so that my dad could look after his<br />
business.<br />
KS_WHO ARE YOU SPONSORED BY?<br />
LW_I’m sponsored by Cabrinha, NP Surf and Mitsubishi motors. I<br />
am working hard on my Image at the moment so that I can get a<br />
few more sponsors.<br />
KS_WHAT ABOUT YOUR PERFECT GEAR …<br />
LW_11m Cabrinha Chaos, 1.38m X 42cm Xcaliber Board, H3 Boots,<br />
Np Mirage harness and Np Mission Front Zip Wetsuit.<br />
KS_YOU ARE VERY YOUNG BUT YOU HAVE ALREA-<br />
DY REACHED SOME VERY IMPORTANT GOALS, WHI-<br />
CH IS YOUR NEXT ONE?<br />
LW_I really want to work on new tricks that have never been done,<br />
make great video projects that won’t be forgotten and of course<br />
win a few more world titles. Competition is still what gives me the<br />
most adrenaline.
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Liam Whaley - World Champ 2015<br />
KS_IN YOUR OPINION, HOW IMPORTANT IS FREE-<br />
STYLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE?<br />
LW_Freestyle has no barriers. Young people tend to be very competitive,<br />
creative and motivated so freestyle is something that will<br />
help them put those gifts to good use. I am someone that used<br />
to be very nervous and hyperactive. Freestyle kiteboarding has<br />
helped me chill out a lot more and helped me understand where I<br />
have to put my energy into.<br />
KS_WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT KI-<br />
TING? TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR FAMILY,<br />
FRIENDS, YOUR TRAVELS. HOW DO YOU SPEND<br />
YOUR FREE TIME?
LW_The end of this year and this year have been pretty insane. I<br />
have spent a lot of time with my friends. I recently just came back<br />
from Bali where I really progressed my surfing and yeah I have<br />
basically been on holiday for the last few months. Now it is time to<br />
train again haha.<br />
KS _WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF<br />
VKWC AFTER THE IKA DECISION?<br />
LW_Everything is a bit confusing at the moment. Both parties<br />
want to run the tour next year. I don’t think anyone agrees or cares<br />
about the decision that IKA made. To me it’s a bit of a joke, we don’t<br />
need politics. If nobody makes a good tour soon we will have to run<br />
our own tour. By the riders for the riders!
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Liam Whaley - World Champ 2015
KS_YOUR “PERFECT DAY” IN THE WATER…<br />
LW_Going out with some of my best friends, spending 5 hours in<br />
the water and hopefully ending the day with a new trick in the bag.<br />
KS_KITEBOARDING HAS CHANGED A LOT IN THE<br />
LAST YEARS, WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE<br />
NEXT STEP?<br />
LW_Carry on pushing what the riders are doing at the moment. I<br />
think we are doing our part, it would be cool to see Kiteboarding<br />
become a mainstream sport one day!<br />
KS_WHAT IS THE LIMIT OF MODERN FREESTYLE?<br />
LW_Here is no limit, the limit is being broken everyday by Kiteboarders<br />
across the globe!<br />
KS_WHICH MOVES ARE YOU TRYING?<br />
LW_Secret haha<br />
KS_AARON HADLOW CAME BACK BIG, YOU BOTH<br />
DID THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HEATS EVER SEEN! WHAT<br />
DO YOU LOVE ABOUT AARON AND OTHERS BIG RI-<br />
DERS?<br />
LW_I have been a big fan of Aaron since as long as I can remember.<br />
He has pushed kiteboarding forward in so many ways that it’s hard<br />
to explain. The coolest thing is that after so many years he is still<br />
competing and he still wants to win more than anyone else!
92<br />
ITW<br />
Liam Whaley - World Champ 2015<br />
KS_MANY RIDERS, HAVE STARTED TO TAKE SOME<br />
DISTANCE FROM “CLASSIC” COMPETITIONS AND<br />
JUST FOLLOW DEDICATED EVENTS, SUCH AS THE<br />
RBKOTA. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?<br />
LW_I think those events are really cool but they are a completely<br />
different discipline. RBKOTA is sick but there is only one event a<br />
year. We need a tour that runs throughout the year. I personally<br />
prefer not to risk competing in KOTA because I would rather conserve<br />
my body and try to win another freestyle title.<br />
KS_TELL US A PARTICOLAR SKILL/FEATURE WHICH<br />
YOU WOULD LIKE TO STEAL FROM EACH ONE OF<br />
YOUR TEAM-MATES...<br />
LW_I try to take the best bits out of each rider and put it into my<br />
riding with my own style. When I do a trick and I see somebody do<br />
it better than me then I will try and copy it ;)<br />
KS_OUR MAGAZINE IS CALLED KITESOUL, BECAUSE<br />
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR SOUL HAS A SOLID BOND<br />
WITH THIS SPORT. WHAT DO YOU FEEL WHILE YOU<br />
ARE IN THE OCEAN WHETHER IT IS DURING A COM-<br />
PETITION OR DURING A SUNSET FREE RIDE SES-<br />
SION?<br />
LW_Definitely a lot of freedom, I get the chance to clear my head<br />
and only concentrate on what I am doing in that moment. I feel at<br />
home :)
96<br />
STORY<br />
Patri McLaughlin - "Mr. Big Waves"<br />
Patri McLaughlin<br />
Mr.<br />
Big<br />
Waves<br />
“We just went to Lanes to kitesurf.<br />
Patri, what were you doing?"<br />
“Today I went freediving in<br />
Lahaina. I made it 100 feet (30<br />
meters) deep in 2.5 minutes. I’m<br />
pretty psyched, and it was super<br />
fun. I went deeper than I have<br />
ever gone before!" answered<br />
26 year old Patri McLaughlin. At<br />
first we were a bit speechless.<br />
Patri says that you must free<br />
dive with partners. It’s dangerous<br />
to dive deep without a partner.<br />
No question, Patri is a “big<br />
wave” kitesurfer who also trains<br />
in various ways. Apart from free<br />
diving, he also goes to the Gym<br />
several times a week for normal<br />
strength training and Indoor Cycling.<br />
“I train on the bike for 20 minutes<br />
to warm up. While keeping<br />
the bike at a steady pace I hold<br />
my breath for 30 seconds, and<br />
breath steady for 30 seconds.<br />
Sometimes people look at me<br />
funny in the gym,” he laughs.<br />
“After 19 minutes I try to hold<br />
my breath for a full minute. After<br />
about 50 seconds, I think I’m<br />
going to die. It's very very hard,”<br />
he adds. All this is to prepare for<br />
sessions at Jaws. The water is<br />
40 feet deep in spots, and you<br />
have to be ready for a long hold<br />
down.
Text: Axel reese/reemedia/Liquid Eye<br />
Photo Erik Aeder, Axel Reese / reemedia / liquid eye
98<br />
STORY<br />
Patri McLaughlin - "Mr. Big Waves"<br />
The wave rider for the North<br />
Kiteboarding team is regularly<br />
out for freestyle sessions in<br />
Waiehu. Waiehu is an onshore<br />
spot on the North Shore of<br />
Maui. He has reached top positions<br />
at strapless freestyle<br />
events. When the wind blows<br />
40 knots he is at Kitebeach on<br />
a twin tip board sending big<br />
airs and kiteloops, but his love<br />
are the really big waves. “When<br />
looking at Jaws from the cliff<br />
I often get the feeling of fear.<br />
I know just how powerful the<br />
wave is and I get the butterflies<br />
in my stomach before heading<br />
out. The only way to kite Jaws is<br />
from jet ski, and it takes an hour<br />
to get there from Maliko gulch.”<br />
Patri knows Jaws very well, so<br />
he not only goes out to kitesurf,<br />
but also paddles the waves on a<br />
10 foot surfboard.<br />
Paddle-surfing the waves at<br />
Jaws is dangerous. "On the kite<br />
surf board, I have a better overview<br />
of the sets, and it is easier<br />
to turn faster. This makes it easier<br />
compared to the surfing sessions<br />
at Jaws,” claims Patri. The<br />
waves have "so much energy<br />
and you have to go full speed.”<br />
To calm his nerves, Patri usually<br />
first takes two smaller waves.<br />
Once he gets comfortable, he<br />
then goes for the bigger waves.<br />
“The stoke for me compares to<br />
nothing else, but unfortunately<br />
the dual conditions of perfect<br />
waves and wind are rare.”<br />
Patri likes to travel to locations<br />
such as Indonesia, Mauritius,<br />
or Fiji, as Maui is expensive,<br />
so oftentimes traveling can be<br />
cheaper than staying home.<br />
Patri has obtained a license to<br />
work as a real estate agent on<br />
Maui. He may be found on the<br />
water nearly every day of the<br />
year, either surfing, kitesurfing,<br />
or free diving.
100<br />
STORY<br />
Patri McLaughlin - "Mr. Big Waves"
Patri McLaughlin<br />
Born: 07.06.89 on Maui<br />
Sponsors: North Kiteboarding, ION<br />
Patri learned to kitesurf at 13. He took part o n<br />
the KPWT in wakestyle freestyle. He then competed<br />
in the KSP Wave Tour.<br />
Strap or strapless: Strapless<br />
Favorite board: North Prosurf<br />
Favorite kite: Neo<br />
Favorite spot for strapless freestyle: Waiehu<br />
Favorite spot for Big Wave: Cloudbreak, Fiji
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STORY<br />
Patri McLaughlin - "Mr. Big Waves"<br />
ITW<br />
AR_How do you train to freedive?<br />
PMcL_Learn affective ways to hold your breath longer. It's also<br />
good to go with people that know how to dive. Free diving is very<br />
dangerous. More people die diving then surfing Jaws.<br />
AR_How long can you hold your breath?<br />
PMcL_I can hold my breath 3 minutes 45 seconds sitting on the<br />
couch. I want to make it to 5 minutes though.<br />
AR_Have you held your breath too long and gone unconsciousness?<br />
PMcL_No I haven't. I always gasp for air before I pass out. I've almost<br />
blacked out diving before. That's why you need to dive with<br />
a partner.
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STORY<br />
Patri McLaughlin - "Mr. Big Waves"<br />
AR_How do you train for big wave days?<br />
PMcL_I stay physically and mentally fit. It helps if you can manage<br />
the stress of big waves. It's hard to be calm out there but it helps<br />
more then anything.<br />
AR_Which behavior is necessary?<br />
PMcL_Staying calm under pressure is the most important thing<br />
you can do.”<br />
AR_What errors can occur while under water?<br />
PMcL_Panicking is the worst thing you can do when you fall in big<br />
waves. It burns more oxygen then anything.
D A I L Y<br />
W O R K<br />
W E A R<br />
STRIKE SERIES<br />
AIRTON COZZOLINO´S DAILY WORKWEAR<br />
SURFING ELEMENTS<br />
ION-PRODUCTS.COM
106<br />
TRIP<br />
Mozambique<br />
MOZAMB<br />
The first time I heard about Mozambique<br />
was in 2010. I was in Namibia<br />
for the record attempt and a South<br />
African rider was telling me about<br />
this amazing beach paradise with<br />
white sandbanks, perfect for freestyle.<br />
It had been at the back of my<br />
mind ever since. Although the civil<br />
war had been over for more than ten<br />
years (1992), Mozambique still had<br />
the reputation of being unstable,<br />
and there’s another thing that can<br />
be unnerving whenever anyone talks<br />
about Mozambique - the sharks! Nonetheless<br />
I took my courage in both<br />
hands and I decided to put aside any<br />
preconceived ideas about the place<br />
and go there. The images that I saw<br />
on the internet of this paradise with<br />
its magnificent beaches were what<br />
finally won me over.
Ique<br />
Text Charlotte Consorti<br />
Photo Charlotte Consorti e Courtesy F-One
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TRIP<br />
Mozambique<br />
There are two main locations; the most popular<br />
one is in the Vilankulos region in the South,<br />
and the other in the Pemba region in the North.<br />
Statistically the wind seemed strongest in the<br />
North in July and August, so I focused my research<br />
on the Cabo Delgado region. It didn’t take long<br />
because there’s just the one kitsurfing school in<br />
the North, based at Murrebue beach. I did a Google<br />
Earth search for the place and saw that it was<br />
indeed an amazing spot. The bay is formed by a<br />
33km long beach and a lagoon 3km wide. I contacted<br />
the Il Pirata school and found it was closed<br />
for the summer for refurbishment, but they<br />
were happy to accommodate us all the same. All<br />
I had to do then was find some flights. There was<br />
just one airline serving Pemba: LAM, with plenty<br />
of connections to Nairobi, Dar Es Salam, Johannesburg<br />
and Maputo. Then I had to arrange for<br />
visas, as they don’t issue them on the spot. You<br />
have to send your passport to the embassy in Paris<br />
and be prepared for a wait; it took more than a<br />
month for the visas to arrive and I received mine<br />
with only a few days to spare before we were due<br />
to go. As with any trip, the challenge is to avoid<br />
taking too much kitesurfing gear, and this time I<br />
also had to find room for a drone. I’d tried to get<br />
information from LAM before the trip, but received<br />
no answers to any of my emails or phonecalls.<br />
But I suppose LAM is a local company after all…
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TRIP<br />
Mozambique<br />
The journey went well in the end and there was<br />
no excess to pay. Carlo, the owner of Il Pirata lodge,<br />
met us at the airport. It was only 6pm but<br />
it was already dark, so we didn’t get to see any<br />
scenery on our way to the lodge. The journey<br />
took barely 20 minutes in a 4X4. Carlo and Susanna<br />
came and settled on this little plot of land<br />
more than 10 years ago, somewhat by chance,<br />
and they’ve turned it into a peaceful little haven.
They live there all year round. It wasn’t long before<br />
they realised the place had great potential<br />
for kitesurfing, so Carlo took his IKO diploma and<br />
opened a kitesurfing school. Susanna looks after<br />
the restaurant which is open at weekends, and<br />
which is “the place to be” for all the expats who<br />
work in Pemba.
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TRIP<br />
Mozambique
114<br />
TRIP<br />
Mozambique
I admit that when I first saw on the internet that<br />
there was an Italian restaurant here, that’s what<br />
drew me to this place, and I wasn’t wrong! But<br />
their talents don’t stop there, they’re also extremely<br />
gifted designers. When Carlo showed us to<br />
our bungalow I could hardly believe it, it was far<br />
from being a basic cabin. It was actually a luxury<br />
two-storey living space with palm branches for a<br />
roof, a low wall surround and the rest completely<br />
open to the elements, except for mosquito nets.<br />
The bed was on the upper floor, with a view of<br />
the lagoon. The whole thing was built of natural<br />
local wood and stone. You get a magical feeling,<br />
as if you’re sleeping amongst the stars. The next<br />
morning I discovered we also had an uninterrupted<br />
view of the sunrise, and I absolutely loved it; I<br />
didn’t even have to get out of bed to see it! It was<br />
amazing to discover this idyllic spot. A beach that<br />
stretches as far as the eye can see, a heavenly<br />
lagoon and barely a soul here, even in August! It<br />
was hard to imagine that just a few days before<br />
I was on a packed beach in Montpellier, fighting<br />
for a space to inflate my kite. The best time for<br />
kitesurfing is when the tide is going out and the<br />
lagoon gives way to a host of small sandbanks<br />
and super-flat mini lagoons.
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TRIP<br />
Mozambique<br />
No fighting for space here, everyone can have<br />
their own pool! People from the surrounding villages<br />
take advange of the low tide to walk down<br />
as far as the reef to fish for crabs and shellfish.<br />
Lots of children take part in the fishing, and they<br />
love to see the kites go past. It was great sharing<br />
the experience and playing games with the children.<br />
At high tide the sea gets a bit too choppy<br />
for freestyle, so that’s the time to go strapless or<br />
even go and play amongst the waves on the reef.<br />
The problem is, it’s so comfortable at Il Pirata, it’s<br />
hard to find the motivation to shift yourself to<br />
go out and find other places, but thanks to Carlo<br />
we did get to visit another spot further south at<br />
Mecùfi. A new hotel had just been built and Carlo<br />
had opened another kitesurfing school there.<br />
The reef is much closer at this point, so the waves<br />
are a lot more accessible and usuable at low tide.<br />
That’s why it’s the best place for surfing in Northern<br />
Mozambique. On the other hand there’s no<br />
lagoon as such, just a lake that forms at high tide<br />
in the mangroves. Mecùfi was a very pretty place<br />
but nothing compared to Murrebue beach, so we<br />
were happy to go back home.
118<br />
TRIP<br />
Mozambique<br />
I say “home” because by the end of the first week I<br />
really did feel like it was my home. We ate with Carlo<br />
and Susanna every evening. Before they settled<br />
in Mozambique they worked in the leisure industry<br />
for more than 10 years and travelled all over the<br />
world. They have lots of stories to tell, and they’re<br />
fascinating to talk to. In short, everything comes<br />
together at Il Pirata to create a remarkable environment:<br />
superbly decorated cabins, a restaurant<br />
that serves mouth-watering food, a warm welcome,<br />
a deserted white sandy beach, an enormous<br />
lagoon of clear water, steady winds…You inevitably<br />
get a little emotional when the time finally comes<br />
to leave. Murrebue is one of my top 3 favourite<br />
places along with Columbus and Oman.<br />
I wish I’d visited the Quirimbas archipelago which
is only a 20 minutes flight from Pemba. With its 27<br />
little islands that are designated as UNESCO World<br />
Heritage sites, the place is chock-full of little paradises,<br />
every one as delightful as the next. Which is<br />
a good excuse to go back!
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TRIP<br />
Mozambique<br />
How to get there<br />
Flight to Nairobi with Kenya Airways, about 800<br />
euros. Note that LAM flights are expensive, it’s as<br />
well to book in advance. The flight to Pemba with<br />
LAM costs about 400 euros.<br />
Check out possible direct charter flights from Milan<br />
in the future.<br />
Where to stay<br />
Il Pirata has three on-site bungalows for 80 euros<br />
per person full board.<br />
http://kitesurfingmozambique.com<br />
Health<br />
Yellow fever: there’s no risk of contamination in<br />
Mozambique but vaccination is mandatory. I can<br />
personally attest to this; I had to have the vaccination<br />
again when I arrived at Pemba airport<br />
because I’d forgotten my vaccination certificate.<br />
Malaria: Zone 3, high risk. You are strongly advised<br />
to take preventive treatment.<br />
Languages<br />
Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony and<br />
Portuguese is the official language, but many different<br />
dialects are spoken by the various ethnic<br />
communities, such as Makhuwa and Tsonga.<br />
Sea and wind conditions<br />
The sea is warm so there’s no need for a wetsuit<br />
in general, but take a shorty suit for evening sessions<br />
or when the wind is high. Wind is predominantly<br />
light, between 12 and 15 knots. I sailed with<br />
10m, 12m and 14m kites. The wind is strongest in<br />
July with speeds of up to 20 knots. The best season<br />
is mid-May to late August.<br />
Time difference<br />
+ 1 hour in winter.<br />
Currency<br />
The metical (MZN). In July 2015, €1 = 42.50 MZN<br />
US dollars and euros are also accepted.<br />
Budget<br />
Cost of living is high. This is mainly due to the<br />
fact that practically all food products are imported<br />
from South Africa and there is still very little<br />
tourist infrastructure in the north of the country.<br />
Accommodation is limited to mid-range.
122<br />
PHOTOSHOOT<br />
Enduro Photoshoot in WA<br />
ENDURO<br />
PHOTOSHOOT IN WA<br />
Deciding which place we should have<br />
gone for the shooting became a mission,<br />
since time was getting tight before the<br />
release of the new Ozone Enduro kite.<br />
We had lots of options, like south of<br />
Brazil, Cabo Verde, Mauritius, Barbados,<br />
Canary Islands and some more, but<br />
at the end of November it looks like lots<br />
of places are at the end of season and<br />
others at the beginning…<br />
Text Paulino Pereira ! Photo Jamie Scott & Mark Hampton
124<br />
PHOTOSHOOT<br />
Enduro Photoshoot in WA
At the beginning of November we had the dates<br />
of when the kites would have been ready for shipping<br />
from the factory. Out of nowhere Australia<br />
came out as a good option since Billy Hampton<br />
could join us on the shipping and the coast below<br />
Margaret River is pretty cool.<br />
So we decided to book flights to Australia, me<br />
and Lou the “behind the camera” boss. After things<br />
got booked I started to think about the deadly<br />
animals that live in Australia… Sharks…. Snakes….<br />
Spiders… Crazy kangaroos…. OMG it’s going to be<br />
a crazy trip since Lou loves to find nature and wild<br />
stuff.<br />
Got myself on the plane from Lisbon to Dubai and<br />
then Perth. It was a journey about 24 hrs long......<br />
it’s a pain in the ass I can tell you. It was hard to<br />
keep myself awake since I like to try to sleep at<br />
the local time at destination so I don’t get jetlagged.<br />
I arrived in Perth at 11 pm, rented out a car and<br />
got lost on the way to Safety Bay because of<br />
some road construction so some of the roads<br />
were closed. So it took me about 40 extra mins<br />
to arrive. Finally I got home and first thing I did<br />
was to check up for deadly animals in my room.<br />
I looked for spiders and snakes in every hidden<br />
place. Nothing…
126<br />
PHOTOSHOOT<br />
Enduro Photoshoot in WA<br />
The Enduro kites where supposed to arrive before<br />
me but no news of the kites. We only had the<br />
big Zephyrs. The bad thing was that the wind was<br />
pumping for 7m kite…. So we woke up at 4.40 am<br />
to get that first light of the day and low wind and<br />
try to get some shots of the Zephyrs. The wind<br />
was super unstable and in a different direction.<br />
But it was the perfect angle for Lou. He was happy.<br />
After we did 2 more sessions with strong wind<br />
to boost some hang-time jumps on the 17m kite.<br />
My back was a bit tired by the end of the day so I<br />
thought we deserved a good meal.<br />
It was around 9 pm and we were looking for a<br />
restaurant to have something to eat. Everything<br />
was closed. We saw a McDonald’s but I said: “No<br />
way Lou! I’m not going to eat fast food! Let’s try<br />
to get some nice meat or fish”. But after driving<br />
for some km, we found out that everything was<br />
already closed but there was a Chinese restaurant<br />
full of people and Lou said “Man that’s our<br />
restaurant, it’s full, it should be very good. We got<br />
in and we found out that it was a party of the owner’s<br />
family…<br />
We ordered some meat with rice and vegetables…<br />
Oh, boy… I can tell you, it was the worst meat I<br />
ever tasted, the sauce was horrific and the rice<br />
was like concrete… I could stick my fork in it<br />
and pick up the plate altogether… Insane. In the
end we went to McDonald’s because I was still<br />
hungry… by that time I was already missing the<br />
Portuguese food. During the following days we<br />
found out that food in restaurants was all about<br />
fast food and nothing special. Something that I<br />
really love is to have great and healthy food, and<br />
that’s something we could not find there, unless<br />
cooking at home.<br />
We received the Enduros in the following days<br />
and we were ready to rock. We decided to stay<br />
one more day at Safety Bay to shoot freestyle,<br />
high jumps and some kite-loops and then the<br />
next day drive down to Margaret River to meet<br />
Billy. I have to say, the kite-loops of the Enduro<br />
are something from another planet. It produces<br />
such a big boost. And the wind was just around<br />
25 knots. Can’t imagine what it delivers with over<br />
30 knots… The next morning was so perfect for<br />
another freestyle session alone at the flat spot,<br />
so we went for another sesh before driving down.<br />
That place is so great to improve your freestyle<br />
and the wind is good for 12m kite in the morning<br />
and in the afternoon for 9 or 7m full on.<br />
Something that scared me while driving long<br />
distances were the kangaroos. They run on the<br />
road and can smash your car…. And that could<br />
have cost us lots of money and time… so Lou was<br />
always ready to scream out for kangaroos and
128<br />
PHOTOSHOOT<br />
Enduro Photoshoot in WA<br />
I was full with coffee cups so my attention was<br />
always pumping.<br />
We arrived at Margaret River at around 5 pm. The<br />
wind was a bit too offshore so we called it an end<br />
for that day. We were staying at Billy’s house and<br />
he got us a nice chilli dinner and lots of beer to<br />
plan our next days of shooting.<br />
The plan was to wake up every day at 6 am and<br />
shoot nature and wild action in the bushes until<br />
9 am. After that, get a session until lunch time<br />
and then another one in the afternoon. An extra<br />
sunset session could be an option too. It was really<br />
tight to make it all happen for the Enduro and<br />
Zephyr kites, since they work well for most of disciplines<br />
and we had only about 12 days.<br />
- First time in the bushes:<br />
We went just in front of Billy’s house, he basically<br />
lives in the forest, which is awesome, I love that<br />
feeling. Far from buildings, car noises and industrial<br />
stuff.<br />
I can tell you I was really concerned about being<br />
bitten by a spider, since I was wearing shorts and<br />
walking among knee high bushes. After some local<br />
people told me that kangaroos can be deadly,<br />
sometime they kill farmers? … So my eyes were<br />
always open.<br />
Lou was loving the searching for animals thing…<br />
but only after 4 days we found kangaroos and<br />
they looked super scared and run away from us.<br />
So I started to get confidence day after day and<br />
forgot about deadly animals. On the last days I<br />
was running in the big bushes and did not remember<br />
about dangerous stuff… just because
there wasn’t any there… or my mind was telling<br />
me that hahaha.<br />
One of funniest episodes was to film the Enduro<br />
kite hunting in the bushes. So, the idea is that I<br />
was in the forest, I saw a kite flying among the<br />
trees, like an animal or an eagle… Yeah, it sounds<br />
strange and hilarious, but we look for crazy stuff<br />
to entertain our lovely viewers and that was the<br />
mission… making different stuff.<br />
So that hunting episode was a hard one to nail,<br />
we had to put the lines hanging on the trees and<br />
fly the Enduro kite in the middle of the forest with<br />
big gusts. I was really surprised how I could fly<br />
that kite in a place like that. But we left the flying<br />
part for the very last day just in case the kite got<br />
destroyed, which almost happened after a big<br />
gust ripped the bar off my hands, and the kite
130<br />
PHOTOSHOOT<br />
Enduro Photoshoot in WA<br />
flew away to the top of the trees. But amusingly<br />
the kite did not have any rip or scratch. Which<br />
means it is more than tested! And that name suits<br />
like butter .<br />
- The motorbike “beach start” episode:<br />
So the Enduro motorbike idea came up after we<br />
had been told the name of the new Ozone kite.<br />
The idea was to show a bike that rides in all types<br />
of roads and add a “YOU DEFINE THE LIMIT” part,<br />
which was jumping from the bike and landing on<br />
the water. Hilarious, isn’t it? But again, the mission<br />
in the trip was to come up with extra juice in<br />
the kite clips and I think we did it.<br />
The local police is strict about speed on the roads<br />
but I could not resist to push up some gas on<br />
that Ktm 450cc which was super powerful. Lou<br />
did not want me to push hard on it because we<br />
could not burn much time on video with that so I<br />
was a bit sad…. But I got some time alone in the<br />
forest which was real fun and Lou could get some<br />
environmental sound.<br />
- On the water action part:<br />
Forecast looked bad for waves so we skipped that<br />
to the end and started with more freestyle with<br />
Zephyr at Augusta spot that is 30 minutes driving<br />
down from Margaret River. We had the boat<br />
of Billy’s father, Mark Hampton, a really cool guy<br />
and always ready to help. I think if we did not had
his help our trip would have been way harder to<br />
nail on all aspects. Thanks again for all your help<br />
Mark.<br />
Augusta is a pretty cool place to kite, around 3<br />
km of pure flat lagoon perpendicular to the wind.<br />
It was so sick to do some tricks with the Zephyr<br />
in the morning.<br />
In the afternoon the wind picked up for the 7m<br />
and Billy and I went for an onshore wave and<br />
strapless session and we got some nice shots<br />
from that day.<br />
Every evening I helped Lou choosing the best<br />
clips so in the end he didn’t have to go through<br />
the footage again. That’s why he made a faster<br />
job.<br />
Something else I hated in Australia in addition to<br />
food, were the annoying flies: there could be 20<br />
knots and those flies handled it and wouldn’t leave<br />
you alone. I have a pic of Lou with something<br />
like 50 flies around him and we had to be careful<br />
because one could easily eat them just by speaking…<br />
OMG.<br />
The locals say you have to relax and let them<br />
free, but I couldn’t. They land in your eyes too.<br />
It’s Crazyyy… And there are the big ones that bite<br />
you, so be prepared if you plan to visit this place.<br />
The water temperature is quite good, a shorty<br />
wetsuit is enough. But for surfing I recommend a<br />
3/2 mm full suit. You save your skin from the reefs,<br />
so the blood doesn’t call the sharks that are<br />
around you . Hehe
132<br />
PHOTOSHOOT<br />
Enduro Photoshoot in WA<br />
Talking about sharks, Australia has a shark<br />
tracker website where you can see all the<br />
sharks with a gps device which also reports of<br />
spotted sharks. Interesting that after a good<br />
kite day we saw that a shark was on the same<br />
beach as us… that’s super interesting…. Ufffff<br />
The place where I was more scared of kiting<br />
was the Lefties, it is supposed to be the most<br />
sharky beach in Margaret River. With the swell<br />
hitting the reef, some brown seaweed was coming<br />
up to the surface of the water and it looked<br />
like sharks swimming around. Man, it was<br />
burning scary. But after 30 mins the waves<br />
were getting better and I totally forgot about<br />
them, all the attention was on action… But no<br />
crash was allowed during that session…<br />
I met Billy for the first time there, and the first<br />
day he was super quiet and a silent kid. But<br />
after we became familiar he pushed the limits<br />
with funny stuff. It’s normal for a young 16<br />
year old boy. But I was surprised by his talent<br />
in the water. Great surfing style with a kite and<br />
landing already lots of handle-pass mobes. He<br />
is truly an all-round skilled rider and I hope to<br />
see him killing it in a near future.<br />
We were all happy with the final result of the<br />
Enduros. In the end if compared with the 2015<br />
Catalyst it is better on freestyle kite-loops and<br />
on the wave option you really feel the better<br />
depower and the kite float while going down<br />
the line on the wave. Also, it responds better<br />
while depowering the bar than previous Cat.<br />
Ozone squeezed that kite to make it even better.<br />
I wasn’t sure if they could make a better
allround kite than the Catalyst. The bridle setup<br />
makes all the difference. Get your hands on<br />
it and have your thoughts.<br />
The end of the story is that people are super<br />
friendly, restaurants are most fast foods, the<br />
best options are Italian restaurants or cook<br />
your own food because supermarkets are really<br />
good.<br />
Night action is weak in Margaret River, there<br />
are some pubs and bars but we were so tired<br />
and did not explore night life. Sleeping is one<br />
of the things I love doing and waking up at 6<br />
am every day… didn’t help.<br />
- The words most used during this trip were:<br />
“ANGLES” from LOU, 2 hours before we start<br />
kiting he likes going searching for all possible<br />
angles. So if you will work with him get used to<br />
the ANGLES word.<br />
“RECON” and “DOABLE”. RECON is really used<br />
here, as my <strong>English</strong> is still poor, I wasn’t used<br />
to hear the word Recon, but after 2 days I was<br />
tired and joking with it to. Every phrase from<br />
locals seems to have the word RECON in it.<br />
Ex: I recon that we should ride Lefties today,<br />
should be “DOABLE”. As the wave conditions<br />
were a bit “SHIT”, Mark Hampton was always<br />
saying, “It might be DOABLE, I RECON”.<br />
“SHIT” was the word I used the most to talk<br />
about something, this started in the Chinese<br />
restaurant… after that I would say everything<br />
with shit or shitty in it… And the bad thing is<br />
that everyone around started to use it… kind<br />
of bad from my side…<br />
Animals are friendly, kangaroos run away from<br />
you, snakes only like biting mice, sharks only<br />
bite seals and us humans are more dangerous<br />
to them… Respect the Nature. Should be fine. I<br />
will go back there. It’s a beautiful Country.
134<br />
WAVERIDING TECH<br />
Find the right fins<br />
FIND THE RIGHT<br />
FINS<br />
Text Abel Lago e Courtesy RRD
The fins of your surf board are like the wheels<br />
for a F1 race car, depending on the conditions<br />
you will use different type of thickness,<br />
size or flex.<br />
The fins that you will use for your board<br />
depend on your weight, style and especially the<br />
conditions you are used to ride in.<br />
Photo Svetlana Romantsova, Martin Rendo, Dave White, Courtesy RRD
136<br />
WAVERIDING TECH<br />
Find the right fins
HEIGHT<br />
AREA<br />
BASE<br />
RAKE<br />
Let’s start with the type of material that your fin<br />
needs to be built:<br />
If you live in a cold water spot (like in my case) you<br />
normally will have to use a fin with a good flex<br />
because the cold water makes the fin feel more<br />
rigid, so in spots like Galicia or Cape Town where<br />
the water is under 15º C I use the Glass fins that<br />
give me good control and make the board feel a<br />
bit loose so you can push harder in your turns.<br />
But this is because I am a lighter rider (70 kg) if<br />
you are a heavyweight I will recommend you the<br />
Edge fins that are a bit stiffer and will make the<br />
board easier to control when you go fast.<br />
If you are lucky and you travel or live at a warm<br />
water spot I will prefer to use the Edge fins or if<br />
the waves are heavy and fast I will use and recommend<br />
you the carbon fins that give you control<br />
especially on big bottom turns.<br />
Which size to choose?<br />
The size of your fin will depend on your weight,<br />
skills and the size of the wave.<br />
I am used to ride small and medium sized fins all<br />
the time, independent of which type of fins I will<br />
use. Only in big waves I ride with XL fins to have<br />
more control and slow the board down. When you<br />
ride big waves, the board goes really fast because<br />
the waves are faster so what you really need is<br />
control and to be able to slow down, big fins are<br />
harder to turn, but on big waves your turns will<br />
always be open and big so I will totally recommend<br />
big sizes.<br />
In small waves it is always better to use small fins<br />
that will make the board more loose, playfull and<br />
easier to make quicker turns.
138<br />
WAVERIDING TECH<br />
Find the right fins<br />
Thruster or Quad?<br />
Well, this will be a personal choice. I am used to<br />
ride everything. Lucky me: I have almost the whole<br />
RRD board collection in my car and I choose 3<br />
or 4 fins depending on the conditions.<br />
I am a goofy rider and I am used to ride a lot of<br />
backside or backhand conditions (wind from the<br />
right) and depending if it is onshore or sideshore,<br />
I choose 3 or 4 fins. For example:<br />
If I have onshore conditions where the water will<br />
be choppy I normally ride Salerosa 5’8 quad with<br />
Glass M size fins or the COTAN 5’2 with the same<br />
fins, because with the quad setup I have more<br />
control in my switch position and speed. But if<br />
conditions are heavy or more sideshore I will go<br />
for my Maquina 5’7 and 3 fins, because then I will<br />
start to ride more backside and what I need then<br />
is an easy board that turns quick.<br />
When I go frontside with wind from the left I use<br />
more the 3 fin set-up with side - or on-shore conditions.<br />
And I will only use Quad if the waves are<br />
small or for strapless freestyle because with 4<br />
fins you go faster and this is what you need when<br />
you ride small waves.<br />
Abel Lago
Carbon<br />
The new RR PRO fins are designed to accommodate<br />
different rider weights and styles. Based on<br />
a moderate rake template design, this fin line delivers<br />
great drive and speed in any conditions. Very<br />
reliable in a large variety of water conditions, they<br />
provide great performance on any wave shape or<br />
surface. Specifically designed for kiteboards, they<br />
excel in grip and release at high speed, both on<br />
white turbulent waters or on clean steep sections<br />
of the wave. Available in 4 different sizes for Thruster<br />
set up and 2 size for Quad setup.<br />
Side fins in cm: H 11,5 x 11,3 x 87,94 cm2<br />
Center fins size in cm: H 11,0 x 11,0 x 82,17 cm2<br />
Technology<br />
The PRO ACTIVE CARBON technology, with a stiffer<br />
flex and hi fiber memory, laminated with 2 x<br />
layers of DYNANOTEX CARBON, is recommended<br />
for bigger waves or warmer water use. You can<br />
now customize your boards performance, according<br />
to your desired style, with a very simple and<br />
effective fin choice that we have discovered over<br />
many months of testing in order make your life<br />
easier and significantly help to improve your performance<br />
level.
140<br />
WAVERIDING TECH<br />
Find the right fins<br />
Glass<br />
The new RR PRO fins are designed to accommodate<br />
different rider weights and styles. Based on<br />
a moderate rake template design, this fin line delivers<br />
great drive and speed in any conditions. Very<br />
reliable in a large variety of water conditions, they<br />
provide great performance on any wave shape or<br />
surface.<br />
Specifically designed for kiteboards, they excel in<br />
grip and release at high speed, both on white turbulent<br />
waters or on clean steep sections of the<br />
wave. Available in 4 different sizes for Thruster<br />
set up and 2 size for Quad setup.<br />
Side fins in cm: H 12,0 x B 11,6 x 94,15 cm2<br />
Center fins size in cm: H 11,5 x B 11,6 x 87.94 cm2<br />
EDGE<br />
A new collection of surfboards and kitesurboards<br />
fins now available in 4 different sizes S/M/ML/L<br />
both for thruster and quad set up.<br />
Designed with thicker profile and built with a stiffer<br />
layup and technology than the RR pro model<br />
fins these fins deliver a great amount of drive<br />
through wide base design and the construction<br />
combined togerther. More appropriate for powerful<br />
riding and plenty of speed, when precision and<br />
predictable behavior is essential.<br />
Any thruster set up can be modified into a quad<br />
setup simply buying a rear quad set, using the<br />
thruster side fins as the front fins.<br />
Technology<br />
The ACTIVE GLASS FLEX technology, with a softer<br />
flex and lower fiber memory, are recommended<br />
for smaller waves, or for cold water use.
THE FAHRENHEIT IS THE LATEST<br />
DEVELOPMENT AVAILABLE FOR A SUPER<br />
QUICK DRYING WETSUIT COMBINED WITH<br />
EXTRA DURABILITY AND STRETCH. THE<br />
WHOLE WETSUIT IS MADE WITHOUT ANY<br />
STITCHES, IT’S FULLY LIQUID TAPED ON<br />
THE OUTSIDE AND FABRIC TAPED ON THE<br />
INSIDE, TO OFFER SUPERIOR STRETCH<br />
AND LONGER LIFETIME.<br />
INTERNALLY IT’S MADE WITH AN ESPE-<br />
CIALLY ENGINEERED QUICK DRYING LINEN<br />
THAT FEATURES TWO LAYERS OF FIBERS<br />
ON TOP OF EACH OTHER, WOVEN WITH A<br />
SQUARED PATTERN DESIGN THAT ALLOWS<br />
WATER TO FLOW THROUGH IT QUICKLY TO<br />
THE OUSTIDE AND DOWNWARDS. IT’S LIKE<br />
PULLING WATER TOWARDS THE OUTSIDE<br />
AND CHANNELING IT DOWNWARDS SO IT<br />
CAN DRY QUICKLY.<br />
FAHRENHEIT<br />
CHESTZIP<br />
“Stitchless Technology”<br />
WE HAVE TESTED THE FAHRENHEIT IN EURO-<br />
PEAN AUTUMN SUNSHINE, WITH AN AIR TEM-<br />
PERATURE OF 20°C, AND WE GOT IT DRY IN<br />
LESS THAN 20 MINUTES! THIS SPECIAL LINEN<br />
ALSO KEEPS YOU WARMER SO LONGER IN THE<br />
WATER! NOW ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE HOODED<br />
VERSION, ONLY IN 6/4 THICK NEOPRENE TO BE<br />
USED IN REAL WINTER WATERS.<br />
FEATURES<br />
• STITCHLESS TECHNOLOGY<br />
• FULLY FABRIC TAPED ON THE INSIDE<br />
• FULLY LIQUID TAPED ON THE OUTSIDE<br />
• QUICK DRY LINEN<br />
• DRAIN HOLES<br />
• ANKLE WATER LOCK STRAPS<br />
Only available in black<br />
Thicknesses:<br />
•FAHRENHEIT C/Z HOODED 6/4<br />
•FAHRENHEIT C/Z 5/3<br />
Sizes:<br />
XS•S•M•MT•L•LT•XL•XXL•XXL<br />
Inside view
BACK RO<br />
142<br />
STRAPLESS MOVES<br />
Back roll<br />
Text Keahi de Aboitiz | Photo James Boulding
LLBY Keahi De Aboitiz<br />
HOW TO: NO GRAB BACK ROLL<br />
If your having trouble figuring out the front roll<br />
then it may be worth trying to learn a back roll<br />
first. For most people it seems like one or the<br />
other will be easier at first and for me I actually<br />
figured out the back roll first.<br />
Although its not completely necessary if you<br />
have a bit of a freestyle background, it will make<br />
this trick easier. Ideally you want to know how to<br />
do a back roll with straps and have some understanding<br />
of the basic rotations at least. Although<br />
the rotation is different, the more freestyle skills<br />
you have, the easier this will be. By now you want<br />
be pretty comfortable with some basic strapless<br />
tricks and have a good understanding of how to<br />
pop without using the kite too much for help.<br />
This is another trick where strong wind is better.<br />
The more wind there is, the easier it will be<br />
to keep the board stuck to your feet as long as<br />
you keep the bottom of the board constantly
144<br />
STRAPLESS MOVES<br />
Back roll<br />
BACK ROLL - KE<br />
Step 1: Look for the right take off<br />
This is another trick where you<br />
are going to need a nice solid<br />
takeoff. Although it can be done<br />
off flat water, it is much easier<br />
off a chop or a small wave. Personally<br />
I like to do them off a solid<br />
chop but for a lot of people it<br />
will probably be the easiest off<br />
a small wave. I’d recommend<br />
mixing it up and seeing what<br />
works best for you.<br />
Step 2: Take off<br />
Approach the ramp with speed<br />
with your kite around 10 or<br />
11 o’clock. Put your back hand<br />
in the middle of the bar with<br />
your index finger and your middle<br />
finger either size of the depower<br />
line. Because only your<br />
back hand is going to remain<br />
on the bar, the kite will naturally<br />
want to turn up once you start<br />
the rotation so you need to try<br />
minimize this as much as possible.<br />
Edge hard and stomp on<br />
your back foot while pulling the<br />
bar in to get as much height as<br />
possible.<br />
Step 3: Start the rotation<br />
As you leave the water take<br />
your front hand off the bar and<br />
throw your arm behind you while<br />
looking over your front shoulder<br />
to start the rotation. Bring<br />
your front knee up and try to<br />
bring your board up almost<br />
above your head while trying to<br />
keep your legs fairly straight for<br />
the first part of the rotation. For<br />
this trick, try and keep the board<br />
on as much of a vertical axis<br />
as possible<br />
Step 4: Finishing the rotation<br />
As you bring the board around,<br />
focus on keeping the board on<br />
a vertical axis throughout the<br />
rotation as this allows for the<br />
most contact to the wind. Slowly<br />
bring your knees into your chest<br />
through the middle part of the
AHI DE ABOITIZ<br />
rotation while sheeting the bar<br />
out as you start coming down.<br />
Because your kite is turning up,<br />
it naturally wants to pull you up<br />
and away from the board. Do<br />
your best to stop it from passing<br />
12 o’clock to quickly. Its ok<br />
if it does slightly but it needs to<br />
do this slowly with the bar sheeted<br />
out.<br />
should be landing fairly slow<br />
so do your best to stay over it<br />
and keep it at close as possible.<br />
Bend your knees as you land<br />
and pull in on the bar for stability.<br />
Now back loop the kite to<br />
keep moving.<br />
Possible Dangers:<br />
Although this one is relatively<br />
safe, you still need to be aware<br />
of the dangers involved. Like<br />
always in any strapless trick, it<br />
can be quite easy for the board<br />
to fly away downwind landing<br />
upside down. Just try to be aware<br />
of the fins as they can quite<br />
easily cut you.<br />
Step 5: Landing<br />
Slowly bring your board back<br />
underneath you while straightening<br />
out your legs to keep<br />
as much contact on the board<br />
as possible. Your board may try<br />
to fall away from you but you
146<br />
SPECIAL "FOILBOARDING"<br />
Dolphin, Crashing, Tack<br />
special "foilboarding"<br />
Dolphin,<br />
Crashing, Tack<br />
Dolphin<br />
When you are learning or if you have already learnt you might of<br />
experienced the dolphin. This is when up and down like a dolphin.<br />
It is doing this because you are putting all your weight on the back<br />
foot, this causes the foil to shoot out of the water and catch air. To<br />
stop the dolphin put more weight on your front foot.<br />
DOLPHIN<br />
Text Olly Bridge | Photo Axel Reese / reemedia / liquid eye
Crashing<br />
You are most likely when the foil breaks the surface of the water and<br />
you come crashing down. To avoid hurting you self on the foil when<br />
crashing try and jump away from the foil, up wind or downwind. Try<br />
and avoid falling in front of the foil as sometimes it can keep foiling<br />
and will hit you.<br />
CRASHING
148<br />
SPECIAL "FOILBOARDING"<br />
Dolphin, Crashing, Tack<br />
TACK
Tack<br />
Step 1<br />
Come into the tack with plenty of speed so you can keep foiling<br />
throughout the tack. Start moving your kite up to the top<br />
of the wind window. You kite does not want to stop it needs to<br />
slowly move from one side of the wind window to the other. As<br />
your kite is coming push the board further into the wind. Keep<br />
your arms out to create as much lift up wind as possible. Keep<br />
your knees bent.<br />
Step 2<br />
Keep pushing the board into the wind and bring your kite across<br />
to the new side. Put more pressure on your back foot to lift the<br />
board out of the water more. As you start coming into the wind<br />
more duck under the bar like you do when doing a normal role<br />
tack.<br />
Step 3<br />
Once your Kite has gone pass the top of the wind window and<br />
your board has gone head to wind take your back foot out of the<br />
strap and place it in your new front strap. With both your feet in<br />
the front straps, this shifts your weight forward onto the front<br />
wind to stop you from over foiling. Pull the bar in to keep the<br />
power on. Duck under the bar to get onto the new tack.<br />
Step 4<br />
Once you have your new front foot in the strap take your other<br />
foot out of the strap and place in the back strap. You need to be<br />
quick getting your back foot in the strap to keep foiling and not<br />
touch down. Keep moving your kite across to the new tack.<br />
Step 5<br />
Get back into your normal upwind riding position.
150<br />
WAVERIDING - SAFETY TIPS<br />
10 things that should go through your head when approaching a new break<br />
10 THINGS THAT<br />
SHOULD GO<br />
THROUGH YOUR<br />
HEAD WHEN<br />
APPROACHING A<br />
NEW BREAK<br />
1. “WHEN IN DOUBT, DON’T GO OUT!” The number<br />
one factor that will influence any decision<br />
that you will make regarding safety is to know<br />
yourself. Know your skill level, know what you are<br />
comfortable with, and most of all know your limitations<br />
and be smart enough to make the sensible<br />
decision not go out and look elsewhere.<br />
2. Local knowledge rules! If you show up to a new<br />
spot and there are local kiters (even better lifeguards)<br />
already out, ask questions. Why go through<br />
the painful learning experiences of new spots<br />
like learning where the reefs are with your fins, or<br />
even worse how strong the rip tides and currents<br />
are while you drag a popped kite in through the<br />
channel. If you feel embarrassed about asking<br />
questions, get over it! It shows experience that<br />
you know better to ask than just head out blind.
Text Reo Stevens | Photo Jason Wolcott
152<br />
WAVERIDING - SAFETY TIPS<br />
10 things that should go through your head when approaching a new break<br />
I’d imagine it’s a lot more embarrassing getting<br />
rescued by a local, or even the coast guard. Just<br />
imagine the taunting you’ll get in the local pub<br />
when your mates constantly replay the recording<br />
of the newscast of your ride in the “little bucket”<br />
under the helicopter.<br />
3. Wind direction/quality: Sure the wave looks<br />
good, but how’s the wind? Study the weather<br />
conditions and make sure that you shouldn’t just<br />
be paddling out for a regular paddle surf instead<br />
of pumping up your kite.<br />
5. Tide: Is it rising or dropping? “I’m sure there’s an<br />
‘app’ for that.” Tide charts… get one! Know what<br />
the tides are doing. A changing tide can change<br />
everything!<br />
6. Where are the channels, are there any? Both<br />
reef and sandbar shore breaks can offer up a<br />
channel area. They are not necessary, but sure<br />
can make your life easier with a nice smooth,<br />
open area that makes getting back out to the<br />
take off zone a lot easier on your body. They are<br />
also a great ‘safe zone’ if something goes wrong.<br />
4. Currents: How fast are they? Where are they<br />
going, and do you really want to go where they<br />
are going? Asides from the waves themselves,<br />
currents can be one of the most dangerous factors<br />
in the ocean. The can be subtle, but strong<br />
enough that they can drag you down the coast, or<br />
even worse, out to sea without you even noticing<br />
that you are moving. Knowing how to recognize<br />
currents, and knowing how to get out of them<br />
could save your life.<br />
7. Reefs: Do they pose a danger? This factor correlates<br />
to the previous observation points. Do the<br />
tides go low enough that the reefs now become<br />
an exposed obstacle? Several areas of the world<br />
have a severe enough tide change that areas<br />
that are cover with water could be exposed over<br />
a matter of a few hours. What you easily glided<br />
over on your way out is now exposed coral keeping<br />
you from getting all the way back to the<br />
beach. Where there any channels? If so, do they<br />
still exist? Has the lowing tide exposed the reef
enough that it has increased the strength of the<br />
current in these channels so much that you won’t<br />
be able to use them to get in? If you think you<br />
might need to walk on the reef, reef booties are a<br />
great idea. Remember, the ocean is a constantly<br />
changing entity, keep an eye on what its doing.<br />
Being aware of your changing surroundings could<br />
save your life.<br />
8. Trust your equipment: If your facing a session<br />
that if things go wrong they are going to go “really<br />
wrong”, perhaps its best that you fix that slow<br />
bladder leak, or replace that worn chicken loop<br />
and that line with a knot in it.<br />
10. Is the juice worth the squeeze? Now that you<br />
have everything assessed, you know the conditions,<br />
you feel its safe to go out you and have<br />
your back up plans in case everything goes<br />
wrong; imagine everything going wrong and are<br />
the rewards of the potential session really worth<br />
the possible consequences. Remember, “If in<br />
doubt, don’t go out!”<br />
For more information on ocean safety… Check out<br />
the Hawaii Lifeguard Association’s recommendations<br />
on what to do when things do go wrong.<br />
http://oceansafety.ancl.hawaii.edu/safety/<br />
9. Know your escape route: Even if you can’t emulate<br />
all of James Bonds charisma and charm, you<br />
should at least adopt one of his tactics. If (and<br />
when), everything goes wrong, using all the previous<br />
factors that you’ve assessed, have a plan of<br />
retreat on how you are going to make sure that<br />
you will make it back to shore under your own<br />
power. “It’s always good until it isn’t.”
154<br />
WAVERIDING - SAFETY TIPS<br />
Kite down in Surf<br />
KITE DOWN<br />
IN SURF<br />
1. STAY AWAY FROM THE LINES: The last thing you want is to get hog<br />
tied up in your lines and have the wave hit your kite and synch them<br />
tight. If the kite goes down directing outside of you and the next wave<br />
is going to push the kite over your head, do your best to get to one<br />
side or the other, preferably upwind so you can quickly relaunch you<br />
kite after it passes you.<br />
2. BE PREPARED TO DITCH IT ALL: If the kite goes down in front of the<br />
wave and you choose to hold onto the kite, be prepared to get a solid<br />
dragging from the wave pulling the kite. Stay calm, hold your breath<br />
and let it pull you, but have your hand on the quick release ready to<br />
‘ditch it all’ if that pull is too strong or the wave is not letting the kite<br />
go and you need to get a breath.<br />
Holding onto the kite should only be done in smaller surf and does<br />
have a high risk of damaging your kite either by ripping it or simply<br />
stretching the stitching and material. Always use your best judgment<br />
in the moment, and if you’re in doubt, just ditch it all and stay away<br />
from the lines!<br />
Text Reo Stevens | Photo Jason Wolcott
156<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
Manera exo<br />
product focus<br />
MANERA EXO<br />
http://www.manera.com<br />
When we launched the EXO harness<br />
two years ago, our close<br />
collaboration with a Human Kinetics<br />
science laboratory gave<br />
us a new approach of this product<br />
and resulted in a technological<br />
breakthrough compared<br />
to what existed on the market.<br />
For 2016 we have continued to<br />
work on the same technologies<br />
to bring them to an even higher<br />
level. Changes were made in<br />
both the structure and the materials,<br />
improving both comfort<br />
& durability on the EXO.<br />
The look & durability of a harness<br />
are very important aspects<br />
and we wanted to improve both<br />
of them. Our design team has<br />
been looking for the best possible<br />
materials in terms of look,<br />
colors and durability, including<br />
RIP STOPS, PU, 600D, SOFT<br />
TOUCH and PREMIUM NEOPRE-<br />
NE, all chosen to match well together<br />
and all tested to resist to<br />
the most extreme conditions.<br />
This materials research makes<br />
the harness look sophisticated<br />
and modern, far away from the<br />
regular EVA thermoform you<br />
can find on the market. Plus, the<br />
EXO harness is now stronger<br />
and more resistant than ever.<br />
We realized that when it comes<br />
to comfort, the fit is essential.<br />
Pre-forming all the material<br />
layers that compose the harness<br />
during manufacturing created<br />
the ERGONOMIC PREFIT<br />
technology. The first version<br />
of the ergonomic prefit really<br />
helped to adapt actively to the<br />
movements of the body, and<br />
provides freedom, flexibility and<br />
softness. The goal for 2016 was<br />
to improve it. We re- worked on<br />
this manufacturing process to<br />
pre-shape the EXO in a way to<br />
fit better around the waist. The<br />
result is impressive as the new<br />
model clips around your body<br />
like if it was meant to be here.<br />
The Energy Dispersion Frame is<br />
a molded plastic injected frame<br />
with a hexagonal structure.<br />
Built with various degrees of<br />
stiffness and volume, to control<br />
its flex and resistance, its main<br />
advantage and innovation lies<br />
in its connection to the spreader<br />
bar through webbing and<br />
buckles. The loads are transferred<br />
directly and the frame<br />
therefore receives 100% of<br />
the Kite power. Its design and<br />
structure helps distribute consistently<br />
the pressure over a<br />
much wider area. Pressures are<br />
no longer concentrated on a<br />
narrow area of the back, which<br />
protects the rider and prevent
Texto and photo Courtesy Manera<br />
him from having to compensate<br />
with his lumbar muscles. This<br />
technology brings a new vision<br />
on the energy transfer science<br />
and providesthe rider with a<br />
comfort never seen before, and<br />
an incredible freedom, like wearing<br />
no harness.<br />
Different thicknesses of the new<br />
foam that lines the entire interior<br />
volume of the harness are<br />
used according to the pressure<br />
absorption needs. It provides<br />
better cushion under tension<br />
with optimum comfort. The harness<br />
will give the rider a maximum<br />
range of motion and flexibility.<br />
Over time the foam keeps<br />
its original shape and thickness,<br />
maintaining the comfort of the<br />
harness. This new method consists<br />
in transmitting all the loads<br />
and pressures outside the harness<br />
through the frame while<br />
placing the totality of the foam<br />
layers between these forces<br />
and your back. Usually straps,<br />
plates, and other devices are<br />
hidden inside the harness and<br />
are sandwiched between two<br />
layers of foam. Unfortunately<br />
only the layer between your<br />
back and the structure of harness<br />
helps reducing tensions.<br />
On the Manera Exo harness, the<br />
integralità of the foam thickness<br />
is here to soften and suppress<br />
pressure, for maximum<br />
comfort.<br />
Hips are a really sensitive part<br />
exposed to frictions. In order to<br />
avoid injuries we designed this<br />
area with a full piece of neoprene<br />
without seams and included<br />
a double foam layer.<br />
The Manera engineering team<br />
developed a brand new attach<br />
system that distributes forces<br />
downwardly. Stuck in its original<br />
normal position, the spreader<br />
bar doesn’t go up.<br />
You can be right or left hander,<br />
the Manera leash release will be<br />
easy to trigger: We placed one<br />
on each side of the harness. Depending<br />
on your preference, you<br />
will also have the choice between<br />
letting your leash free to slide<br />
along your back and locking<br />
it to either the left or right side.<br />
Helping the Down Hold System,<br />
two flaps situated on each side<br />
of the spreader<br />
bar are inserted in the harness.<br />
Once the straps are tightened,<br />
the flaps are compressed and<br />
blocked inside. The aim is to<br />
rigidify the link between the<br />
spreader bar and the harness<br />
structure. The result is surprising<br />
as the hook never goes up<br />
to your chest.
158<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
Core<br />
product focus<br />
CORE BOLT<br />
FREESTYLE | WAKESTYLE | SLIDER-STYLE<br />
http://corekites.com<br />
You ride everything. Rails, sliders,<br />
ramps, logs or whatever.<br />
You might build ‘em yourself.<br />
Or you may just find ‘em in your<br />
travels. Either way, you’ll need<br />
a board that can handle your<br />
adventures. A board that edges<br />
hard, goes big and takes a beating.<br />
If this describes your style<br />
then the Bolt is your board. The<br />
Bolt is rail ready. It brings super<br />
tough, wakestyle construction<br />
with the right amount of flex<br />
and bombproof boot inserts.<br />
But that is not what makes this<br />
board so special. The Pro Fix<br />
Grindbase, on the other hand,<br />
is. The Bolt’s revolutionary<br />
snowboard-like base will make<br />
your next session a little smoother.<br />
With YouTube worthy, slides<br />
and grinds. And magically<br />
disappearing dings leaving only<br />
awesome memories. That is<br />
the new Pro Fix Grindbase. The<br />
first kiteboard with a repairable<br />
PTEX base.<br />
Bolt. The ultimate, easy fix, freestyle,<br />
wakestyle, slider-style<br />
weapon.<br />
THE UNCOMPROMISING WAKE-<br />
STYLE<br />
We doubled up on our proprietary<br />
Cartan Carbon fiber to support<br />
the additional stress from<br />
fixed bindings. We incorporated<br />
progressive freestyle channels<br />
so you can ride without fins.<br />
And we gave it a worry free<br />
base. Why? To make a board<br />
with no limitations. A board you<br />
can ding.
text and photo Courtesy Core Kites<br />
product focus<br />
CORE IMPACT<br />
FREESTYLE | WAKESTYLE<br />
SIZES: 7,0 | 9,0 | 11.0 | 13,0<br />
The no compromise, no nonsense,<br />
C-kite. For those adrenaline<br />
pumping unhooked moves<br />
you keep on trying. We say...<br />
more power to you. And now, 10<br />
years after launching the fabled<br />
C-kite, known as the Carved<br />
Unit, we give you the power to<br />
master your inner freestyle and<br />
wakestyle ninjas with the new<br />
CORE Impact. Unadulterated<br />
and pure perfection. Squared<br />
tips and bridleless. A dedicated<br />
freestyle/wakestyle machine<br />
with a deep, extreme C-shape.<br />
DEEP-C SHAPE<br />
With slightly longer tips than<br />
the GTS3, the Impact retains<br />
a more classical C-shape. As<br />
such, expect a consistent, uniform<br />
pull through your rotations<br />
and transitions so you can focus<br />
on your moves and not the<br />
kite’s.<br />
CLASSIC-C TIPS<br />
Real C-kites have square wingtips.<br />
Connecting lines directly<br />
to the square wingtip provides<br />
the direct connection you demand<br />
and the “slack lining” you<br />
expect from a true C-kite.<br />
5 LINE SETUP<br />
No bridle or pulleys here. Just<br />
simple and direct line connections<br />
to the kite. Feel where<br />
your kite is when you are blind.<br />
EXOTEX® Dacron<br />
Made in Germany. Exceptionally<br />
strong. ExoTex Dacron incorporates<br />
a new asymmetrical weave<br />
and emulsion (protective<br />
coating) process. The stronger<br />
fabric improves airflow by permitting<br />
reduced leading edge<br />
and strut diameters. Despite reducing<br />
strut diameters, our new<br />
ExoTex Dacron improves kite<br />
stiffness, flight stability and rider<br />
feedback.<br />
CORETEX® TRIPLE RIPSTOP<br />
Exclusive to CORE. Our, industry<br />
leading, triple ripstop canopy fabric<br />
is protected and strengthened<br />
with three different coating<br />
processes called emulsions.<br />
CoreTex sets new benchmarks<br />
in breaking strength, tear resistance,<br />
longevity, UV protection<br />
and elongation.<br />
SPEED VALVE 2<br />
No special hose adapter needed<br />
here! The heavy duty Speed<br />
Valve 2 connects directly to any<br />
standard 20mm O.D. twist lock<br />
pump hose. The Speed Valve 2<br />
maximizes airflow, minimizes<br />
inflation times and noticeably<br />
reduces pump pressure. The<br />
valve location also protects it<br />
from beach hazards.<br />
ACTIVE 5TH LINE SAFETY<br />
Classic 5th line safety with a bonus.<br />
The Impact’s 5th line and<br />
safety line always remain perfectly<br />
tensioned regardless of<br />
the trim adjuster cleat setting.<br />
For a perfect flight profile.<br />
Custom Trim SYSTEM<br />
The Impact has 3 backline and<br />
3 frontline attachment points<br />
to customize your bar pressure<br />
and kite flying style.<br />
RAPID RELAUNCH<br />
Get more out of your freestyle<br />
session. With its wide tips and<br />
small diameter front tube, the<br />
Impact releases better from the<br />
water than you would think. One<br />
pull on the steering line is all you<br />
need to get the Impact flying<br />
again so you can spend more<br />
time mastering your latest handle<br />
passes.
160<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
ION Strike Select<br />
Product focus<br />
ION Strike Select<br />
Semidry 5,5/4,5 DL<br />
Sizes<br />
46 / XS - 48 / S - 50 / M - 52 / L - 54 / XL - 56 / XXL<br />
http://www.ion-products.com<br />
The STRIKE SELECT is the Don<br />
of high-tech wetsuits. Shred in<br />
style, crash in comfort and revel<br />
in its luxury of Plasma_Plush lining<br />
and the brand new Water_<br />
Gate_3D construction. The increased<br />
Single Lined back panel<br />
results in outstanding freedom<br />
of movement, while the Power_<br />
Seam gives great stretch and<br />
protection of the seam for a longer<br />
lifespan. Having completely<br />
overhauled the panel layout<br />
with less seams, we can ensure<br />
more warmth and stretch than<br />
ever before. Have confidence in<br />
this premium suit.<br />
Line concept<br />
Look loud and be proud this season<br />
with the STRIKE AMP! A<br />
suit that reflects the 'ride hard'<br />
attitude of the individual, the<br />
new design features offer outstanding<br />
comfort and ultimate<br />
flexibility. The Hot_Stuff lining<br />
and the brand new Water_Gate_3D<br />
construction gives unbeatable<br />
warmth, while the Crash_Padz<br />
give cushioning in all<br />
the right places.<br />
Sanitized® Technology<br />
Sanitized® is a certified antibacterial<br />
fabric with active biocidal<br />
substance: zinc pyrithion<br />
treatment to prevent bad odor<br />
from bacteria, mildew etc. in<br />
moist or sweaty environments.<br />
This function is permanently integrated<br />
in selected ION items<br />
such as premium wetsuits, boots<br />
and shoes.<br />
Maki_Tape<br />
Every centimeter of each GBS<br />
seam is sealed with Neoprene<br />
tape on the inside! It offers remarkable<br />
stretch across the entire<br />
suit. The soft surface won't<br />
irritate your skin and provides<br />
additional sealing against water.<br />
In order to make the suit<br />
last longer, stitching is placed<br />
visibly on the outside where the<br />
load is heavy when bending or<br />
kneeing at the ground.<br />
Ninja_Knees<br />
What's the one thing prospective<br />
wetsuit customers do at the<br />
shop? Yep, you guessed it! They<br />
pull on the wetsuit's arms. Here<br />
at ION we think the legs deserve<br />
the same attention, so the new<br />
Ninja_Knees feature uses the<br />
same highly elastic materials<br />
as used in the arm panels. The<br />
result is astonishing with awesome<br />
freedom of movement,<br />
especially when bending the<br />
knees.<br />
Ninja_Spine<br />
By mimicking the concept of<br />
the Ninja_Knees, we deliver the<br />
same freedom of movement<br />
to places we think it's necessary.<br />
By incorporating a small<br />
striped insert between the back<br />
and the buttock panels, more<br />
flexibility is provided for rotation<br />
and stretch.<br />
L-Tex_Protection<br />
An erosion resistant protection<br />
that's printed onto the knee,
varying in shape and size depending<br />
on the suit.<br />
Seal_Tite (Collar)<br />
This single layer collar construction,<br />
provides perfect water<br />
sealing and outstanding<br />
comfort. The super smooth<br />
Glide_Skin on the inside of the<br />
collar prevents skin irritations<br />
and seals the neck perfectly without<br />
choking. On the outside,<br />
an additional rubber like stripe<br />
is added on the collar rim to reduce<br />
water intrusion, whilst the<br />
higher collar protects against<br />
cold water and windchill.<br />
Seal_Tite (Wrist/Ankle)<br />
A rubber like stripe print is provided<br />
around the inside of the<br />
wrists and ankles. This results<br />
in a tighter sealed fit which<br />
stops water from rushing into<br />
your suit and loosening of material<br />
around these areas.<br />
Water_Gate_3D<br />
The Water_Gate construction<br />
has been updated! With an additional<br />
seam to allow a more<br />
body-specific fit around the<br />
neck, it provides superb water<br />
resistant sealing. The Water_<br />
Gate 3D is used in all Select Level<br />
and AMP Level models.<br />
Seam_Reinforcements<br />
All stress points that come under<br />
a lot of force are reinforced<br />
with either Melco_Tape on the<br />
inside seams, or rubber logo patches<br />
on the outside of the suit<br />
to prevent ripping.<br />
Contour_Cut<br />
To improve flexibility and<br />
comfort, all ION wetsuits come<br />
with the ION Contour_Cut. It<br />
greatly enhances flex in the collar,<br />
wrists, elbows, insteps and<br />
the back of the knees.<br />
Drain_Holes<br />
All wetsuits that have the Water_Gate_Plus<br />
batwing panels<br />
have small holes in the lower<br />
back. This keeps the back area<br />
dry by allowing the water which<br />
has leaked in through the back<br />
Text and photo Courtesy ION<br />
zip to drain out. Drain_Holes<br />
are also placed in the calf area<br />
to prevent water from getting<br />
stuck in a 'bubble' like fashion.<br />
In addition to this, ION<br />
front zip wetsuits also have<br />
Drain_Holes in the chest and<br />
back panels.<br />
Sunglass_Loop<br />
A small loop of webbing is featured<br />
on the neck of ION wetsuits<br />
and tops. Attach the safety<br />
line of your ION sunglasses<br />
to the webbing and leave your<br />
worries at the beach.<br />
Key_Loop<br />
No need to panic! All ION wetsuits<br />
are equipped with a clever<br />
key pocket, inside of which is an<br />
elasticated attachment. Depending<br />
on the model of the suit,<br />
this feature can be found on the<br />
calf, arm or other area. *Please<br />
note. Only store water resistant<br />
keys in order to avoid any damage.
162<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
RRD<br />
Product focus<br />
RRD JUICE V2<br />
Sizes (cm)<br />
135 x 40,5 | 138 x 42 | 143 x 43,5<br />
http://www.robertoriccidesigns.com<br />
Wakestyle<br />
It’s the latest wakestyle board<br />
developed for Jerri Van De Kop,<br />
our newly signed dutch wakestyle<br />
kite boardrider.<br />
Jerrie loves riding bindings and<br />
loves landing tricks at 40 Mph.<br />
If you eat it at that speed there<br />
is very little hope for your<br />
ankles and knees to still being<br />
usable for walking. So your board<br />
becomes your life saver.<br />
Solid, perfectly trimmed so it is<br />
not too slow yet not too straight<br />
to be dangerous, the Juice V2 is<br />
simply JUST RIGHT.<br />
It comes with a 55 cms long totally<br />
dead flat outline section<br />
on the middle of the board, to<br />
increase upwind potential, and<br />
a deep channelled hull to lower<br />
fin size but keep a mega grip<br />
on the water. The new stick to<br />
throw pretty much anything<br />
you have in mind.
text and foto Courtesy RRD<br />
Product focus<br />
RRD POISON LTD V3<br />
Sizes (cm)<br />
135 x 39 | 136 x 40 | 137 x 41 | 138 x 42 | 140 × 43<br />
http://www.robertoriccidesigns.com<br />
The LTD pro carbon version of<br />
the most wanted freestyle board<br />
in our range since its introduction.<br />
Some still refer to it as<br />
“the board with the eye” constantly<br />
reminding about its legendary<br />
grip, light feel and silly<br />
“pop”. Once you use the Poison<br />
you immediately fall in love with<br />
it.<br />
There is something about it that<br />
makes it feel just right: the scooprocker,<br />
it’s the same one used<br />
on the Poison V2, constant curve<br />
with slightly lifted tip area,<br />
but the outline has completely<br />
been re-designed. The new outline<br />
is based on the one designed<br />
for the new wake-style<br />
board program, the Juice V2: it<br />
features a totally straight line<br />
in the mid 45 cm of the board,<br />
creating a perfect area to push<br />
hard when trying to edge and<br />
go upwind as hard as you can.<br />
The tip area has instead being<br />
narrowed down quite a bit, increasing<br />
top speed and allowing<br />
a quicker direction change, therefore<br />
increasing the pop. The<br />
Poison has more flex in comparison<br />
to the Juice. The newly designed<br />
Torsion Box follows the<br />
profile of the tips being developed<br />
with a new squared/swallow<br />
outline creating a higher<br />
angle of attack on the water<br />
surface, and increasing control.<br />
Now available in LTD Technology:<br />
the differences of this premium<br />
LTD version is that the full<br />
carbon construction saves up<br />
20% of weight and increases<br />
the reflex response to transmit<br />
your Energy which for instance<br />
create san ever better pop. This<br />
more reactive version also has<br />
a thinner ABS sidewall of 3 mm.<br />
Next to all that it has channels<br />
for your pads or boots which gives<br />
more options for a perfect<br />
stance.<br />
The Poison V3 defines the new<br />
Status Quo of freestyle boards.
164<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
Flysurfer Speed5<br />
product focus<br />
FLYSURFER SPEED5 9.0 & 12.0 m²<br />
Allround<br />
http://www.flysurfer.com<br />
FLYSURFER is a pioneer of its<br />
industry, constantly exploring<br />
new paths that lead to progress.<br />
The creation of the SPE-<br />
ED5 once again proves the success<br />
of this approach, to open<br />
up new dimensions. After a 10<br />
year success story, the FLYSUR-<br />
FER classic “SPEED” receives a<br />
facelift and convinces with improved<br />
performance and use-ability.<br />
As an excellent all-round<br />
kite the SPEED5 is the perfect<br />
choice for every kiter.<br />
The SPEED5 is the best kite system<br />
for the highest all-round<br />
performance on any terrain and<br />
for every ability level. The SPE-<br />
ED5 is a true multi-talent on<br />
the water. This big-air and hang<br />
time giant also convinces through<br />
its characteristics as a chilled<br />
cruiser and a simple re-launcher.<br />
On land, the SPEED5 is<br />
the first choice for freestyle kite<br />
land boarders and buggy-kiters.<br />
The strong material and its robust<br />
construction is ideal even<br />
for your roughest sessions. The<br />
SPEED5 is a safe companion for<br />
snowkiting. Even in gusty conditions<br />
its stability and reliable<br />
performance allows pure stoke.<br />
Combining all strengths of its<br />
forerunner with the newest features,<br />
the SPEED5 offers an<br />
incredible range of use, from<br />
low-end to strong winds, making<br />
it suitable for both rookies<br />
and experienced riders. High<br />
stability, effortless steering,<br />
easy relaunch and a strong depower<br />
enable the SPEED5 to be<br />
extra controllable and thus very<br />
safe. The ideal kite for both rookies<br />
and experts. The SPEED5<br />
offers the largest wind range of<br />
all FLYSURFER products. Due to<br />
its impressive depower and its<br />
refined construction it performs<br />
reliably in wind conditions<br />
ranging from low-end to strong<br />
winds. In general, FLYSURFER<br />
Kiteboarding products are well
text and photo courtesy Flysurfer<br />
known for their high performance<br />
in low wind conditions. The<br />
SPEED5 joins these footsteps<br />
and shows a solid performance<br />
and fun factor from 8 knots<br />
onwards.<br />
The development team emphasized<br />
easy handling of the SPE-<br />
ED5. The result is a fast set-up,<br />
effortless steering and riding as<br />
well as easy launching and landing.<br />
Because of its steady increase<br />
of lift, take-offs and high<br />
controllable jumps are made<br />
easy. An aspect ratio of 6.15 in<br />
combination with an optimized<br />
profile and rigid-foils increase<br />
the glide ratio. In comparison<br />
to the SPEED4 this results in a<br />
stronger kick, increased jumping<br />
height, hang time and an<br />
even slightly better upwind performance.<br />
The faster and more<br />
precise turning of the SPEED5<br />
makes its use a blast.<br />
FLYSURFER’s virtue is to enable<br />
customers to travel light and<br />
comfortably. For that reason<br />
the SPEED5 has light and small<br />
packaging. The light weight<br />
allows easy transportation -<br />
whether it is for your adventure<br />
holidays or business trips. In<br />
addition, the kite bag features<br />
enough space for even more kites.<br />
The technical features are generated<br />
from many years of<br />
experience of the FLYSURFER<br />
developing and workshop team<br />
and their close collaboration.<br />
DLX+ Cloth - The DLX+ cloth is<br />
FLYSURFER’s newest cloth material<br />
and has exclusively been<br />
developed for the SPEED5. Its<br />
base fabric is stronger and with<br />
improved air density due to optimized<br />
coating. This prolongues<br />
the durability and restistance<br />
of the canopy to aging.<br />
Additionally the cloth features<br />
shiny fresh colors.<br />
The new internal construction<br />
raises the quality of FLYSURFER
166<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
Flysurfer Speed5<br />
foil kites to a new level. Double-stitched<br />
seams and extra<br />
taped ribs and straps provide<br />
even more stability. Our reliable<br />
drainage system is integrated<br />
into the canopy of the SPEED5.<br />
Openings that are about the<br />
size of a hand are located on<br />
both ends of the trailing edge<br />
near the tips. They allow water<br />
and sand to be drained automatically,<br />
without influencing the<br />
performance of the kite.<br />
Triple Depower Technology<br />
Depowering by pushing away<br />
the bar, modifies the angle of<br />
attack<br />
The second depower option on<br />
the SPEED5 involves the adaptive<br />
canopy curve. By simply<br />
moving the bar, the kite bridle<br />
gradually modifies the canopy<br />
curve of the kite and thus influences<br />
the power of the kite<br />
Through modification of the<br />
mixer the airfoil camber adjusts<br />
to the wind conditions. For light<br />
winds a bulbous airfoil camber<br />
is beneficial whereas a flat airfoil<br />
camber is best for strong<br />
winds.<br />
LIROS Dyneema Lines - FLY-<br />
SURFER Kiteboarding trusts<br />
in the lines of LIROS that are<br />
produced in Germany with a<br />
high quality standard. Thanks<br />
to their strong Dyneema core<br />
fibers, a reduced line diameter<br />
is possible while maintaining<br />
equal breaking strength.<br />
Optional 5th Line - By default<br />
the SPEED5 is equipped with<br />
a Front Line Safety (FLS). For<br />
sympathizers of the fifth line<br />
safety system, we have developed<br />
a Full Depower Safety (FDS)<br />
upgrade-kit, which is available<br />
in the FLYSURFER online-shop<br />
or at a dealer.<br />
Double Cordwise Ballooning<br />
- The Double Cordwise Ballooning<br />
technology ensures the<br />
canopy inflates into the designed<br />
3D shape. This means that<br />
exact calculations of profiles<br />
and seams are implemented,<br />
minimizing creases in the cells<br />
and therefore ensuring the optimum<br />
in aerodynamics, glide<br />
ratio and low-end performance.<br />
Rigid Foil Technology (RFT) -<br />
The Rigid Foil Technology reduces<br />
wrinkles in the cloth on<br />
the leading edge. This results in<br />
reduced aerodynamic drag and<br />
thus increasing the lift of the<br />
kite. As a result, the kite translates<br />
every gust of wind into<br />
propulsion without deforming<br />
the canopy. Over all, the RFT increases<br />
the kite dynamics while<br />
maintaining a light weight and a<br />
small in pack size.<br />
Uniform Bar Setup - Our Infinity<br />
3.0 Control Bar system is designed<br />
to be used on all FLYSUR-<br />
FER kites. It is only necessary to<br />
ensure that the stopper knot is<br />
set to the longest FLS position<br />
of the kite of choice.
168<br />
TECH<br />
Harnesses 2.0<br />
HARNESSES<br />
text Renato Casati<br />
We talked about harnesses in issue n.4 of our<br />
magazine, but some recent market news gave a<br />
spark to further analyse some interesting aspects<br />
for all kiters. During the last year and with the<br />
drive coming from Ride Engine, the industry has<br />
reached really interesting innovations.<br />
How to get by amongst so many<br />
models apparently very similar<br />
to one another?<br />
Why is it so important to try a<br />
harness even when we already<br />
know the size?<br />
Does the ideal harness exist?<br />
Which are the real reasons for<br />
the choice of a harness?<br />
The harness represents our<br />
faithful companion during our<br />
sessions in the water, the most<br />
useful and necessary, yet unfortunately<br />
the most underestimated.<br />
Kite and boards get frequently<br />
replaced, whereas the<br />
harness is never replaced before<br />
it breaks. That is a mistake,<br />
because every year new models<br />
are released with improvements<br />
on small or large deficiencies<br />
compared to the previous ones.<br />
The materials change, the comfort<br />
is enhanced, the stay in the<br />
water extends in duration, higher<br />
performances are reached<br />
and your back and joints appreciate<br />
it.
PULL FORCE DISTRIBUTION<br />
(Courtesy Jay Kiteboarding)<br />
KITESURF ORIENTED<br />
HARNESS!<br />
It may sound trivial, but there<br />
are still some kitesurf riders<br />
who use a harness borrowed<br />
from a windsurfer friend...<br />
It has long been known that<br />
the kitesurf has a different type<br />
of traction from the windsurf,<br />
therefore manufacturers have<br />
differentiated and optimized<br />
the sale lines by creating diversified<br />
models in response to the<br />
various needs of different disciplines<br />
and users.<br />
KITESURF<br />
ORIENTED HOOK<br />
The fixed hook is a legacy we<br />
get from windsurf and as such<br />
it has never been put too much<br />
into question. However the<br />
movements of the kite are obviously<br />
very different from those<br />
of the sail of a windsurf so having<br />
a fixed hook turns out to be
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TECH<br />
Harnesses 2.0<br />
nearly always the worst solution.<br />
The following are some of the<br />
advantages of the sliding hook<br />
a.k.a. sliding spreader bar:<br />
For wave riding, a sliding<br />
spreader bar, considerably verticalizes<br />
the trajectories making<br />
the surfing more radical with<br />
less fatigue for hips and knees.<br />
For freeriding, it definitely<br />
makes the riding more comfortable,<br />
the upwind is sharper and<br />
the joints appreciate.<br />
For racing, a mixed solution is<br />
often used with the alternation<br />
of a fixed hook to a sliding<br />
spreader bar according to one's<br />
needs.<br />
There isn’t any such problem<br />
for the unhooked freestyle although<br />
the very fact that you<br />
unhook, says it all about why<br />
the tractions of the kite should<br />
not be always on the same pulling<br />
point.<br />
FLEXIBILITY is key. That means<br />
having all the options available<br />
and use whichever you consider<br />
the best one from time to time.<br />
The Jay Dynabar, for example,<br />
is unique for the number<br />
of options that it offers, it can<br />
be combined with any harness<br />
on the market and provides all<br />
kinds of attachment points with<br />
dozens of possible combinations.<br />
HARNESS TYPOLOGY<br />
WAIST or SEAT?<br />
Is it better a waist harness or a<br />
seat one? This represents the<br />
first major dilemma for a beginner<br />
although we often continue<br />
asking ourselves the same<br />
question during our growth as<br />
kiters.<br />
As a matter of fact we are talking<br />
about two completely different<br />
things with totally different<br />
characteristics.<br />
Thinking that the Seat type is<br />
only used by beginners or less<br />
skilled kiters is a mistake in fact<br />
it really carries lots of advantages<br />
over the Waist type.<br />
Low barycentre<br />
The barycentre is lower, because<br />
traction is absorbed by<br />
a lower part of your back. This<br />
way the fatigue considerably<br />
diminishes and you can significantly<br />
prolong the length of<br />
your sessions. Quite often this<br />
turns out to be the only choice<br />
for those who have back problems<br />
and want to kite.<br />
Having a low barycentre considerably<br />
increases the opposition<br />
in overpowered conditions<br />
and this keeps the kite powered<br />
for extreme hang time.<br />
Finally, a seat harness can be<br />
also perfect for wave riding as<br />
a low barycentre allows more<br />
radical carves..... (have you ever<br />
seen how motorbikers bank<br />
without touching the ground?).<br />
It is true that with a Waist harness<br />
your legs and hips are more<br />
free and it is better for the lateral<br />
sliding because if you leave it<br />
quite "loose", the hook together<br />
with he waist band can rotate<br />
outwards (unfortunately riding<br />
up a lot more too). However<br />
there have been sliding spreader<br />
bars for years, which are also<br />
perfect for Seat harnesses,<br />
with almost the same degree of<br />
range of motion as the ones resulting<br />
from the rotation of the<br />
waist band but, unlike the waist<br />
band do not ride up and always<br />
return right in the centre.<br />
Comfort?<br />
There is no question, they are<br />
more comfortable than waist<br />
ones allowing longer sessions.<br />
However at the same time they<br />
can be also more "uncomfortable"<br />
as not everyone likes the<br />
kind of bulky feeling around the<br />
thighs which as a matter of fact<br />
does limit some hip motions
during extreme freestyle or<br />
wave tricks.<br />
“The privates"?<br />
In spite of these clear advantages,<br />
during the years Waist harnesses<br />
seem to have been considered<br />
better than Seat ones.<br />
One of the reasons why seat<br />
harnesses got a "bad reputation"<br />
and a lot of people refuse<br />
to consider them, is because<br />
initially they came from Windsurf<br />
Seat harnesses. Due to the<br />
fact that the upward traction<br />
in kitesurfing is completely different<br />
from the horizontal one<br />
in windsurfing, it became obvious<br />
that a harness designed for<br />
windsurfing could have caused<br />
“damage” and be “painful” to<br />
male inner thighs.<br />
That's why anyone who used<br />
non-optimised seat models has<br />
only bad memories about them<br />
and would not consider them at<br />
all.<br />
This issue has been tackled by<br />
recently developed Seat models<br />
with an improved design which<br />
shifts the traction from your inner<br />
thighs to the outer part of<br />
them. So if you were to try one<br />
of these new models you would<br />
be surprised and pleased to<br />
see how different they are from<br />
what you remember and the<br />
numerous advantages over the<br />
Waist models. Furthermore the<br />
comfort has been enhanced by<br />
wider straps covered with comfortable<br />
and cushioning materials.<br />
Riding up hook?<br />
For many years the riding up<br />
hook issue on Waist harnesses<br />
has caused many problems and<br />
fractured ribs. If on one hand<br />
there have been considerable<br />
progresses over the years and<br />
the riding up hook problem has<br />
nearly been completely solved,<br />
on the other hand there is no<br />
doubt that even on this aspect<br />
the Seat models are much better,<br />
allowing the traction to be<br />
always exactly in the same<br />
point.<br />
MUST TRY IT! WE ARE<br />
ALL DIFFERENT!<br />
The choice of a harness represents<br />
a VERY personal aspect<br />
as each of us is made morphologically<br />
very differently from<br />
anyone else.<br />
Even if we were the same size<br />
as another person we might<br />
have a kyphotic or lordotic posture<br />
making our perception of<br />
comfort and of traction com-<br />
pletely different depending on<br />
the model. The market trend is<br />
towards models made of materials<br />
that adapt to different body<br />
morphologies so to better fit<br />
any user. However reality may<br />
be different and in my opinion<br />
we are still quite far from a good<br />
"standard" level truly effective<br />
and adaptable to all users.<br />
That is why it is of FUNDAMEN-<br />
TAL importance to test a harness<br />
before buying it.<br />
Unfortunately there are many<br />
reasons why kiters DON'T try a<br />
harness before they purchase<br />
it: laziness, lack of supply in the<br />
shops, trade fairs too far away.<br />
Therefore the vast majority of<br />
them buys a harness without<br />
testing it first in the shop or in<br />
the water. The purchasing order<br />
is based on things like the<br />
colour and the famous athlete<br />
who uses that harness model.<br />
Then, when the harness arrives<br />
we realize that it doesn't fit well,<br />
it's either too loose or too tight<br />
or too soft or else it doesn't<br />
support as we expected it to.<br />
Testing may not always be simple<br />
therefore, if you can, "steal"<br />
your friends' harnesses, try<br />
them in the water and focus on<br />
the feelings you get and make a<br />
comparison with your own har-
172<br />
TECH<br />
Harnesses 2.0<br />
ness. The more harnesses you<br />
try, the more useful feedback<br />
you will get to understand what<br />
you really need.<br />
WITH OR WITHOUT<br />
WETSUIT?<br />
The harness should be tested<br />
with the wetsuit measure we<br />
use the most or the thickest one<br />
we have in mm (usually 5 mm)<br />
as well as WITHOUT a wetsuit.<br />
This way you can verify the correct<br />
size you need in both situations.<br />
But what really happens<br />
is that many people try it at the<br />
shop without a wetsuit and go<br />
for the just about right size so<br />
that when they wear it on top<br />
of the wetsuit it turns out to be<br />
small.<br />
SIZES?<br />
Sizes are unfortunately<br />
just an indication. For ex.<br />
a size M is not always identical<br />
to another size M as it differs<br />
according to the manufacturer<br />
and even when it comes from<br />
the same manufacturer it may<br />
fit differently if it is a different<br />
model... Lastly, it goes without<br />
saying that a size M fits completely<br />
differently a very thin<br />
body shape than a fatter one.<br />
Perhaps, could it be more useful<br />
if we were to check the size<br />
tables provided by some manufacturers?<br />
(see size table attachment)<br />
Unfortunately there are substantial<br />
discrepancies between<br />
a theoretical "standard" size<br />
and the reality of human morphology<br />
which is always very<br />
diverse ...<br />
For example, according to the<br />
size table at hand considering<br />
that I weigh 87 Kg I should wear<br />
an XL but, I am 1.88 cm tall so I<br />
should wear a XXL. However as<br />
my chest is 94 cm I should wear<br />
an S and being my waist 88 cm<br />
I should use an L.<br />
So, which one is my correct<br />
size? In the end it's an M!<br />
We very frequently hear things<br />
like "this harness does not fit<br />
properly, the other one is perfect<br />
etc etc" ... This is often due<br />
to the correct fitting of the harness,<br />
i.e. a harness which rides<br />
up to the rib-cage is considered<br />
to be a bad one but that’s usually<br />
because the person who<br />
chose it did not properly evaluate<br />
the correct size or maybe<br />
because he or she didn't have<br />
the chance to try it before buying<br />
it..<br />
APPEARANCE<br />
& DESIGN<br />
The colours of a harness always<br />
have their charm, they<br />
can express peace or aggressiveness,<br />
joy or pessimism, for a<br />
lot of people that is just a detail<br />
and focus their choice on more<br />
practical parameters. For some<br />
others though, the colours are<br />
the only parameter of choice<br />
which of course it is not the<br />
best way to choose a harness!<br />
Same goes for the design, it can<br />
be very simple or minimalist, or<br />
highly sophisticated, some people<br />
go for smooth ones, other<br />
people for more aggressive<br />
thermoforms.
MEN'S SIZE CHART<br />
(Example courtesy Prolimit)<br />
SIZE WEIGHT (KG) ALTEZZA (CM) BREAST(CM) WAIST (CM)<br />
46/XS<br />
54-64<br />
168-173<br />
92-96<br />
69-75<br />
48/S<br />
61-70<br />
171-176<br />
96-100<br />
75-81<br />
50/M<br />
66-77<br />
173-178<br />
100-106<br />
80-86<br />
52/L<br />
77-86<br />
177-181<br />
106-111<br />
85-91<br />
54/XL<br />
86-95<br />
178-186<br />
111-116<br />
90-96<br />
56/XXL<br />
95-104<br />
183-188<br />
116-121<br />
95-101<br />
END USE<br />
Then the next choice<br />
you need to focus on is simply<br />
the main use you need your<br />
harness for (Wave, Freestyle,<br />
Freeride, Race...). If you practice<br />
all disciplines and you only want<br />
to buy one harness you will<br />
have to go for an allround one,<br />
whereas if you only do Wave<br />
riding you will have to look for<br />
that specific model.
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TECH<br />
Harnesses 2.0<br />
PROFILE, SUPPORT,<br />
FLEX<br />
Once you have chosen the<br />
Waist model or the Seat one,<br />
the following BIG hurdle you<br />
face is whether you want it to<br />
be soft, medium or rigid, with<br />
high or low profile, with little or<br />
much support. Quite often one<br />
wonders which is the difference<br />
amongst the various models<br />
and just as often one gets confused<br />
during such evaluation<br />
because of too many variables.<br />
Actually it is very simple. The final<br />
choice should be based not<br />
only on the features described<br />
by each manufacturer which<br />
although being considerable<br />
are secondary, but also and primarily<br />
on two basic parameters<br />
PROFILE and SUPPORT:<br />
1- PROFILE, that is how "high"<br />
or "low" is the harness shape.<br />
The higher it is the more your<br />
back will feel supported and<br />
comfortable. The drawback for<br />
such choice is that you'll have a<br />
slight movement limitation due<br />
to the resistance given by the<br />
very shape of it. This is a problem<br />
encountered by real and<br />
extreme freestylers or by wave<br />
riders. The size of the profile and<br />
the support are connected that<br />
is how you feel your back gets<br />
supported during your sessions<br />
in the water. Hence, the higher<br />
is the profile the greater is the<br />
support. However, the support<br />
does not depend primarily on<br />
the profile but more like on the<br />
flex of the support provided...<br />
Let's be clear...<br />
2 - THE SUPPORT is identifiable<br />
in two very specific areas:<br />
A - BACK SUPPORT (central<br />
back area)<br />
B - LATERAL HIPS SUPPORT<br />
(two areas: middle-lateral left<br />
and right)<br />
In order to better understand<br />
how the support works we can<br />
use a simple example. Just imagine<br />
you sit on a chair with a<br />
high back and on another one<br />
with a low back and this will<br />
explain the support difference<br />
for you... Or else you could imagine<br />
to sit on two chairs with<br />
the same back height but one is<br />
rigid and the other one is soft.<br />
This can give you an idea of<br />
the difference between rigid or<br />
soft support and also of the flex<br />
concept. The type of back support<br />
can be quickly identified by<br />
carefully observing the shape<br />
of the harness. You can identify<br />
three types of support:<br />
HIGH (when you observe the<br />
harness you can notice it very<br />
much stretches vertically)<br />
This kind of support is more<br />
comfortable as a bigger part of<br />
your back rests against a support.<br />
This means that if you do<br />
quite big rotations in the air<br />
then such harness with so much<br />
support could turn out to be the<br />
wrong one. On the other hand<br />
if you like spending six hours in<br />
the water then a harness with
a lot of support lengthens your<br />
session time....<br />
It goes without saying that the<br />
greater is the support the more<br />
your back will be grateful for it!<br />
MEDIUM (the harness looks very<br />
proportionate)<br />
This typology is a good compromise<br />
for all uses.<br />
LOW (the harness appears very<br />
compact and with a downward<br />
unbalanced shape)<br />
It allows a perfect freedom of<br />
movement against a lesser lumbar<br />
support and hence you will<br />
have an earlier fatigue feeling.<br />
Support distribution<br />
To further complicate the above<br />
distinctions, it must be considered<br />
that, given the same<br />
height support, we must observe<br />
how the "support" has<br />
been deployed. For example,<br />
some harnesses shape may<br />
have a greater support on the<br />
higher area, less support on the<br />
middle area and no support at<br />
all in the lower area so not to<br />
limit front bending. In short, if<br />
you carefully observe the shape<br />
of a harness you will already<br />
be able to understand a lot of<br />
it but, unless you "touch” it and<br />
bend it with your hands, you will<br />
not understand much else.<br />
Hips support<br />
The various models may look<br />
similar from their back design,<br />
but then they differ from one<br />
another for their lateral support.<br />
For example, for wave riding the<br />
profile of the harness may seem<br />
to have the back part similar to<br />
the others but if you look at the<br />
side profile you'll notice less<br />
support in order to not impede<br />
rotations too much.<br />
Flex<br />
The FLEX is related to how rigid<br />
is the material used for making<br />
the support.<br />
A lot of people think that a greater<br />
thickness equals a greater rigidity.<br />
This is not always true as<br />
the degree of resistance of the<br />
material used for the stuffing<br />
does not define rigidity by default<br />
and, as a matter of fact,<br />
this turns out to be often the<br />
opposite ... Greater rigidity, that<br />
is, little flex has without a doubt<br />
three major advantages, especially<br />
for wave riding:<br />
A - Being rigidity undeformable<br />
by definition, the traction<br />
is evenly absorbed by your EN-<br />
TIRE back therefore generally<br />
with less pressure on unwanted<br />
pulling points of your body. In<br />
other words the kg transferred<br />
on each cm of a rigid harness<br />
are less than the ones on a<br />
soft harness where the pulling<br />
points depend on the shape of<br />
the back of the rider and on the<br />
harness design and these pulling<br />
points can be very traumatic<br />
and sometimes cause protrusions<br />
or other dorsal pathologies.<br />
B - A more rigid structure does
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Harnesses 2.0<br />
not compress the rider, leaving<br />
the rib-cage and lungs free<br />
and giving an altogether feeling<br />
of greater freedom and movement.<br />
C- Lower weight and smaller dimensions.<br />
This type of harness<br />
can weight up to 30% less than<br />
a traditional one as well as being<br />
smaller and more compact. This<br />
is because bigger dimensions<br />
are not necessary to transfer<br />
the traction as it is absorbed<br />
by the rigid structure. In order<br />
to understand this concept it is<br />
sufficient to have a look at the<br />
Ride Engine harnesses.<br />
Type of use<br />
The type of end use is defined<br />
by the combination of the different<br />
possible values, between<br />
support and flex. This means<br />
that, for example, if you bought<br />
a harness ideal for top freestyle<br />
riding but you use it for wave<br />
riding (or vice versa), it's as if<br />
you were using a Ferrari downtown<br />
or, if you prefer, a Fiat 500<br />
on a Formula One track ... in<br />
both cases you are driving a car<br />
but just not the most appropriate<br />
one. I have always believed<br />
that it is a good idea to take<br />
two harnesses when travelling<br />
abroad because if you lose one,<br />
it gets stolen or breaks, you still<br />
have the other one and secondly<br />
you can choose which<br />
one to use according to which<br />
discipline you want to practice<br />
and therefore perform at your<br />
best. If you want just one harness<br />
and you practice a bit of all<br />
disciplines with some compromises,<br />
the best choice are the<br />
freeride harnesses or an adjustable<br />
flex one.<br />
Renato Casati “Dr Kite”<br />
RRD’s wave team rider. Kitesurfer since 2000,<br />
PKRA and KPWT athlete and judge. For the<br />
last 12 years he has been writing for several<br />
kiteboarding magazines.
KITE BEACH SCHOOL<br />
LOUNGE BAR & RESTAUTANT<br />
A paradise for kitesurfers , an oasi in the desert<br />
Services available at the center :<br />
lessons for all levels | rental & storage | kids area | sunbeds area<br />
professional potographer | lounge bar & restaurant<br />
More info at:<br />
www.mitudjokiteschoolcaboverde.com - kiteschoolcaboverde@gmail.com
178<br />
BASIC FREESTYLE MOVES<br />
Toeside Surface Pass<br />
BASIC FREESTYLE MOVES ALBERTO RONDINA<br />
TOESIDE SURFACE PASS<br />
Text Alberto Rondina | Photo Alberto Rondina, Roberta Pala<br />
The feeling of passing the bar behind your back<br />
for the first time you will always remember! Turning<br />
your back to the kite is always scatchy so<br />
even if you are planning on the water you still<br />
need a good amount of control and technik to<br />
manage the trick!<br />
This one is the most basic handle pass trick and<br />
the easiest to start with, i believe. It was the first<br />
one I started with, and its a great intro for many<br />
other tricks afterwards!<br />
Start off unhooking and quickly slide into toeside,<br />
going in the downwind direction trying not to loose<br />
speed.<br />
Doing so, keep your legs bended (especially the<br />
back leg) and your hands right in the middle of<br />
the bar, so the kite won’t move too much.<br />
Bring the bar down and close to your front hip<br />
getting ready to pass the bar.<br />
Let go your front hand, turn the bar around behind<br />
your back and pass it.
This is the most important point of the trick. Passing<br />
the bar its the easy part, the tricky part is<br />
turning the board around back to heelside.<br />
What you have to do is move the weight of your<br />
body from the back leg to the front leg. Doing so,<br />
you can put a lot of pressure on that front leg so<br />
that you can pivot around it and then go back to<br />
heelside!<br />
Hook back in and ride away, you have done your<br />
first handle pass!<br />
Key things to remember:<br />
- Going downwind with the board is very important<br />
to have a light pull on the bar.<br />
- Keep the hands in the middle of the bar.<br />
- Keep the knees bended to have a lower barycenter.<br />
- Move weight from back leg to front leg in the<br />
key moment.
180<br />
BASIC FREESTYLE MOVES<br />
Pop to Blind Surface Pass<br />
BASIC FREESTYLE MOVES ALBERTO RONDINA<br />
POP TO BLIND SURFACE PASS<br />
Text Alberto Rondina | Photo Alberto Rondina, Roberta Pala<br />
Popping to Blind is the 2nd step in surface handelpasses.<br />
Its something that you first need to try hooked<br />
in, so that you can focus on the board and body<br />
movement without thinking too much about the<br />
kite or kite power. The board basically needs to<br />
turn 180 degrees backside, so as you look back<br />
with your head you can see the spray your board<br />
was making, well now it still needs to go the same<br />
direction.<br />
Once you have that dialed, you gotta step it up<br />
and try it unhooked.<br />
With good speed, unhooked and look for a good<br />
place where to pop (a nice chop would help)<br />
Push hard with your back leg to get height and<br />
bend slightly the front leg to bring the board out<br />
of the water.<br />
Turn your head over your back shoulder and leave
the back hand from the bar.<br />
Keep the bar close to the front hip and bend your<br />
legs to get ready to cushion the landing and being<br />
more balanced.<br />
You have to turn more then 180’ (especially at the<br />
beginning) to land downwind so that the kite pull<br />
is gonna be very lown and its gonna be easy to<br />
pass the bar.<br />
Grab the bar with the other hand and ride away.<br />
Right now an whole new world just opened in<br />
front of your self!! Pretty much any trick you can<br />
think off can be landed to blind….so be sure to<br />
have your blind landings locked in, cause there’re<br />
gonna be very useful and stylish!!<br />
Ciao<br />
Alby
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