Kitesoul Magazine #24 International Edition
In this issue: Deury Corniel and Nina Font Castells 2018 WC, Baikal Lake, Triple-S Invitational 2018, LORD HOWE ISLAND, Willow-River: " Here's the One-Eye's story", The "walk of shame", Why yoga might help you be a better kiter, Défi Kite 2018, The Stagnone of Marsala like an arena for Free- style, Meeting CORE, Sailing around the Gren- adines and much more.
In this issue: Deury Corniel and Nina Font Castells 2018 WC, Baikal Lake, Triple-S Invitational 2018, LORD HOWE ISLAND, Willow-River: " Here's the One-Eye's story", The "walk of shame", Why yoga might help you be a better kiter, Défi Kite 2018, The Stagnone of Marsala like an arena for Free- style, Meeting CORE, Sailing around the Gren- adines and much more.
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Trips Baikal | Lord Howe | Caraibbean<br />
Competitions Defi Kite | Triple-S<br />
EventsCore's Meeting<br />
Product Focus<br />
RRD: Stark -Thrive - Shield | Cabrinha: Double Agent | Naish: Boxer
LUFF<br />
AT<br />
FIRST FLIGHT
2018/19 KITES<br />
BOXER<br />
SIZES: 3.5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 16<br />
FREERIDE/FOILING<br />
Built for foiling, yet incredibly versatile, the Boxer is our most luffable kite yet.<br />
Dynamic and adaptable, it marries the best characteristics of strutless and strutted kite designs with its single luff strut.<br />
The strut’s relaxed connection lets the canopy freely expand and contract, allowing it to handle heavier loads with ease<br />
Outstanding underpowered, the Boxer is incredibly easy to relaunch, light to the touch and responsive, yet forgiving.<br />
Easy to control, this kite generates power quickly and provides excellent sheet-in-and-go. Find your perfect partner in this<br />
adaptable and easy-flying kite.<br />
Check-out the rest of the 2018/19 line for even more thrills.<br />
RIDE<br />
SIZES: 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14<br />
ALL-AROUND FREERIDE<br />
DASH<br />
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FREESTYLE/FREERIDE<br />
Carefully crafted to define your best moments on the water, each Naish kite has a distinctive feel.<br />
Regardless of your skills or experience level, there’s a kite in our line that’s engineered to deliver an intuitive experience<br />
that fits perfectly with your unique riding style.<br />
Explore them all to maximize your time on the water.<br />
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NaishKiteboarding<br />
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WAVE +<br />
FREESTYLE / STRAPLESS<br />
FREERIDE<br />
TWO CHARACTERS.<br />
ONE KITE.
Editor<br />
David Ingiosi<br />
david.ingiosi@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 />
Translations italian-english<br />
Daniela Meloni<br />
JUNE - JULY 2018<br />
TWO-MONTHLY<br />
Texts<br />
David Ingiosi, Matt Pearce, Reemedia,<br />
Gabi Steindl, Alby Rondina, Gianmaria<br />
Cocoluto, Jacopo Cantini, Francesco<br />
Contini, Daniele Milazzo, Dorian Cie, Noè<br />
Font, Naish, Cabrinha, Core, RRD, F-One.<br />
Photos<br />
David Ingiosi, Thomas Burblies, Axel<br />
Reese, Beau Pilgrim, Stephan Kleinlein,<br />
Dave Gardiner, Gabi Steindl, Svetlana<br />
Romantsova, Reemedia, Emiliano<br />
Peluso, Emanuele Pezzuto, Daniele<br />
D'Addario, Emanuela Mazzotta,<br />
Alessandro Quarta, Pamela Margarito,<br />
RRD, F-One, Cabrinha, Naish, Core<br />
Cover:<br />
Rider:Willow River<br />
Photo: Core Courtesy<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 />
DAVID INGIOSI<br />
Editor in Chief<br />
Professional journalist and<br />
video maker with a solid<br />
experience in sailing, sea<br />
adventures, travels and water<br />
sports, he has been reported<br />
the “blue world” from the<br />
inside for more than 15 years.<br />
He fell in love with kitesurf<br />
several years ago in Sardinia,<br />
then travelled all over the<br />
world as Iko instructor.<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!
David Ingiosi<br />
At last kiteboarding enters the Olympics. During the World Sailing Mid-Year Meeting<br />
held in London in May, after a week of discussions the exponents of the world's<br />
sailing federations reached the decision: kiteboarding will officially make its debut<br />
as Olympic sailing class in 2024. In fact, kiteboarding was running for the Olympics<br />
for some time now and it was only a matter of understanding in which edition of<br />
the Games kites and boards would have made their official debut. It’s now been<br />
confirmed and it’s definitely some beautiful news for our sport.<br />
Kiteboarding will enter the Olympics 2024 with a race format with mixed teams of<br />
men and women. The details of the chosen format for the Olympic competitions<br />
still need to be defined but could include national teams of men and women gaining<br />
points from races or "relay" races where athletes compete alternating the track<br />
laps. There is nothing much on the equipment to be used yet. The official notice<br />
published by the World Sailing Board just refers to "new equipment must be selected".<br />
We await further news to this end in the upcoming months. The <strong>International</strong><br />
Kiteboarding Association (IKA) will closely work with the World Sailing Events Committee,<br />
to ensure that the format reflects the wishes and dreams of the competing<br />
kiteboarders from all over the world.<br />
Kitesurfing is sailing, let’s cut the fuss<br />
ust few hours after the decision, IKA President Mirco Babini (<strong>International</strong> Kiteboarding<br />
Association) said: "We are extremely happy, I couldn't sleep last night I<br />
was so excited. It's been a long way that started some years ago, but we never lost<br />
track. The achieved goal of kitesurfing becoming an Olympic discipline in Paris 2024<br />
is the result of years of work and we proved reliability and organizational skills to<br />
the sailing community. Kiteboarding will give added value to the whole movement,<br />
especially to those minor federations which will be able to take part to the Olympic<br />
adventure with a limited budget. What we achieved is very important because kiteboarding<br />
fully belongs to the sailing family. We now have few months to determine<br />
the exact equipment and format. We shall intensively work on some ideas we have<br />
for the presentation in November. I’m very proud to have contributed in a strong<br />
and yet consistent manner in the work management of my team."
KITEBOARDING IS OFFICIALLY<br />
AN OLYMPIC CLASS!<br />
THE NEW MIXED FORMAT EVENTS OF THE OLYMPICS 2024 WILL BE SCHEDULED<br />
FOR 2019 DURING THE WORLD SAIL ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER. BUT<br />
NOW, LET'S JUST ENJOY THIS AMAZING SUCCESS!
SUMMARY<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
TT:R<br />
TRIPLE-S<br />
18 30 36<br />
Deury Corniel and Nina<br />
Font Castells crowned<br />
2018 TwinTip:Racing<br />
World Champions 2018<br />
Wildcards announced<br />
for the 2018 Triple-S Invitational<br />
KITE TRIP<br />
KITE EXPERIENCES<br />
ITW<br />
68<br />
Baikal lake: a different<br />
kind of paradise<br />
80<br />
AUSTRALIA’S LOST PARA-<br />
DISE LORD HOWE ISLAND<br />
96<br />
Willow-River: Here's the<br />
One-Eye's story<br />
PHOTO CONTEST<br />
LEARN KITESURF<br />
EXPEREINCE<br />
130<br />
One Shot Kitesurfing in<br />
Salento – Winter <strong>Edition</strong>:<br />
here are the winners!<br />
134<br />
I do the walk of shame<br />
and I don't give a damn<br />
140<br />
Why yoga might help you<br />
be a better kiter
RACING FREESTYLE CORE'S MEETING<br />
40 46 50<br />
Nicolas Parlier conquers<br />
the 2018 Défi Kite<br />
The Stagnone of Marsala<br />
like an arena for Freestyle<br />
Less talk and straight to<br />
the core. We are German!<br />
ITW<br />
EXPERIENCE<br />
SAIL & KITE<br />
104<br />
Jeremy Burlando, 12<br />
years of talent in every<br />
kite discipline<br />
114<br />
Portfolio Here is KiteBuddy! I show<br />
you how a kite shop can<br />
be successful<br />
122<br />
Portfolio Kiters wind hunting<br />
along the beautiful Sinis<br />
coast<br />
KITE TRIPS<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
146 154<br />
Sailing around the Grenadines<br />
with Julien Leleu<br />
RRD: Stark -Thrive -<br />
Shield | Cabrinha: Double<br />
Agent | Naish: Boxer
18<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
JAMIE BOULDING<br />
RIDER: JAMIE BOULDING<br />
PHOTO: CABRINHA COURTESY
20 PORTFOLIO<br />
PAULINE VALESA<br />
RIDER: Pauline Valesa<br />
PHOTO: Romantsova Photo
22<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
CARL FERREIRA<br />
RIDER: CARL FERREIRA<br />
PHOTO: ROMANTSOVA PHOTO
24 PORTFOLIO<br />
JESSERICHMAN<br />
RIDER: JesseRichman<br />
PHOTO: TracyLeboe
26<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
WILLOW RIVER<br />
RIDER: WILLOW RIVER<br />
PHOTO: THOMAS BURBLIES
32<br />
TT:R<br />
Deury Corniel and Nina Font Castells crowned 2018 TwinTip:Racing World Champions 2018<br />
Deury Corniel and<br />
Nina Font Castells<br />
crowned 2018<br />
TwinTip:Racing<br />
World Champions 2018
DEURY CORNIEL AND NINA FONT CASTELLS CLAIMED<br />
THE 2018 TWINTIP:RACING (TT:R) SLALOM YOUTH<br />
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN HAINAN ISLAND, CHINA.<br />
THE FINAL QUALIFICATION EVENT FOR THE UPCOMING<br />
2018 YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES (YOG) DEFINED THE 24<br />
ATHLETES THAT, IN OCTOBER, WILL LIVE THE DREAM IN<br />
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA.<br />
It will be the first time that kiteboarders<br />
will compete for gold,<br />
silver, and bronze medals in an<br />
Olympic event. The historical<br />
moment will also mean random<br />
clashes and tangles during hardfought<br />
water battles.
122<br />
TT:R<br />
Deury Corniel and Nina Font Castells crowned 2018 TwinTip:Racing World Champions 2018<br />
The newly introduced kiteboarding<br />
discipline puts six-to-eight riders<br />
competing in adrenaline-fueled<br />
heats with five downwind legs<br />
each.<br />
Whenever the wind permits, the<br />
organization installs one-meter<br />
high boardercross-style obstacles<br />
that must be jumped over. Each<br />
heat only lasts a few minutes and<br />
there are constant lead changes.<br />
The TT:R Youth World Championship<br />
was run by the <strong>International</strong><br />
Kiteboarding Organization. The<br />
new world champions will now<br />
represent their nations in the<br />
highly anticipated Olympic event<br />
at Club Universitario de Buenos<br />
Aires.<br />
"Right now, I'm super happy. The<br />
Dominican Republic is qualified.<br />
Normally, this is like a game. I just<br />
try to do my best, and I don't mind if<br />
there is someone better than me",<br />
expressed Deury Corniel. Corniel<br />
kept his opponents at a safe distance<br />
and put out an impressive<br />
performance by winning five of the<br />
six races.
"We've been training for months<br />
and arrived prepared. For me,<br />
both things are the same - it's important<br />
to represent my country,<br />
but it is fantastic I'm world champion,<br />
too."<br />
On the women's side, Spanish<br />
rising star Nina Font Castells also<br />
smashed her direct opponents by<br />
claiming four of the six races.<br />
"It feels great. It's the first time<br />
our sport will be in the Olympic<br />
Games, so it's amazing to be<br />
heading there. But the world title<br />
is cool as well, so I'm really happy,"<br />
added Castells.<br />
The qualified nations for the 2018<br />
Youth Olympic Games are Dominican<br />
Republic, China, Croatia,<br />
France, Spain, Italy, Germany,<br />
Thailand, Antigua & Barbuda, Slovenia,<br />
Morocco, Philippines, Australia,<br />
New Zealand, South Africa,<br />
Venezuela and Argentina.
34<br />
TT:R<br />
Deury Corniel and Nina Font Castells crowned 2018 TwinTip:Racing World Champions 2018<br />
2018 TWINTIP:RACING SLALOM<br />
YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP | TOP 5<br />
BOYS<br />
1. DEURI CORNIEL (DOM), 4PTS<br />
2. HAORAN ZHANG (CHN), 11.5PTS<br />
3. LORENZO CALCANO (DOM), 14PTS<br />
4. MARTIN DOLENC (CRO), 19PTS<br />
5. BENOIT GOMEZ (FRA), 20PTS<br />
GIRLS<br />
1. NINA FONT CASTELLS (ESP), 4PTS<br />
2. SOFIA TOMASONI (ITA), 13.5PTS<br />
3. KEWEN LI (CHN), 19PTS<br />
4. POEMA NEWLAND (FRA), 19PTS<br />
5. ALICE RUGGIU (ITA), 21PTS<br />
UPCOMING MAJOR EVENTS:<br />
24 JULY - 29 JULY 2018<br />
2018 TT:R OPEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS & YOUTH CUP<br />
GIZZERIA, ITALY<br />
04 OCTOBER - 14 OCTOBER 2018<br />
YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES<br />
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
36<br />
TRIPLE-S<br />
Wildcards announced for the 2018 Triple-S Invitational<br />
Wildcards announced for the 2<br />
Triple-S Invitational 2018<br />
Aymeric Martin, Nicolas Gilomen, Manuela Jungo, and Isabel Von<br />
Zastrow claimed the four wildcards on offer for the upcoming<br />
2018 Triple-S Invitational.
018
38<br />
TRIPLE-S<br />
Wildcards announced for the 2018 Triple-S Invitational<br />
The event will take place between June 2nd - 8th in Cape<br />
Hatteras, North Carolina, and showcases the world's best<br />
progressive wake-style kiteboarders putting their skills to<br />
the test on slider and kicker features.<br />
The 12th Annual Wind Voyager Triple-S Invitational will feature<br />
24 male riders and 10 female athletes from all corners of the<br />
planet.<br />
The winner of the 2018 Wind Voyager Triple-S Invitational<br />
wildcard competition is French rider, Aymeric Martin. His video<br />
submission included inversions off the kicker, bidirectional<br />
720s, and technical slider hits.<br />
The runner-up is Nicolas Gilomen, a kiteboarder from<br />
Switzerland who impressed the judges of the Triple-S<br />
Invitational with a creative collection of tricks off of kickers,<br />
and impressive moves on the slider and rails.<br />
Manuela Jungo created the best female video. Her performance<br />
featured a heel back 5, several technical slider hits, and rare<br />
double handle passes.<br />
Last but not least, Isabel Von Zastrow secured a tasty spot on<br />
the main event with her fast approach and confident landings.<br />
She returns for the second consecutive year to the Triple-S<br />
Invitational via wildcard competition.<br />
All wildcards were picked based on park-style riding and never<br />
based on video editing skills, lifestyle, and pretty faces. Four<br />
additional spots - two for men, and two for women - will be<br />
decided after the Open competition.
40<br />
RACING<br />
Nicolas Parlier conquers the 2018 Défi Kite<br />
Nicolas Parlier<br />
conquers the<br />
2018 Défi Kite
Nicolas Parlier and Alexia Fancelli were the fastest kiteboarders of the<br />
2018 Défi Kite, held in Gruissan, France.
42<br />
RACING<br />
Nicolas Parlier conquers the 2018 Défi Kite<br />
The 100-kilometer kitesurfing<br />
marathon attracted 320 riders.<br />
Four races were run, and the famous<br />
Tramontane wind didn't disappoint<br />
and blew in the 20 to 45<br />
knots range.<br />
The competition mixed, once<br />
again amateur and professional<br />
kiteboarders. A large majority of<br />
the riders flew 15-meter kites. Nico<br />
led his foil to victory with a flawless<br />
performance.<br />
"It's a good start of the season for me"
44<br />
RACING<br />
Nicolas Parlier conquers the 2018 Défi Kite<br />
expressed the hydrofoil and formula<br />
kite world champion. Parlier<br />
won the Défi Kite for the fourth<br />
time.<br />
Alexia Fancelli kept the French flag<br />
up in the sky and won the women's<br />
division. She was thrilled with<br />
the way everything was set up.<br />
"It was an awesome weekend in Gruissan for<br />
the 6th edition of the Défi Kite. I'm super happy<br />
to win this event and to finish 17th out of 320.<br />
We had beautiful battles out in the water,"<br />
added Fancelli.
2018 Défi Kite | REsultS<br />
MEN<br />
1. Nicolas Parlier<br />
2. Theo De Ramecourt<br />
3. Jean De Falbaire<br />
WOMEN<br />
1. Alexia Fancelli<br />
2. Ariane Imbert<br />
3. Nadine Poncept
46<br />
FREESTYLE<br />
The Stagnone of Marsala like an arena for Freestyle<br />
THE STAGNONE<br />
OF MARSALA LIKE<br />
AN ARENA FOR<br />
FREESTYLE<br />
From 10th to 13th May, the Stagnone of Marsala in<br />
Sicily, hosted the ProKite Cup 2018, an event valid<br />
for the Italian Freestyle Championship. The competition<br />
had the best national riders battle it out, as well<br />
as foreign riders in a separate category. Gianmaria<br />
Coccoluto got the first place, followed by Francesco<br />
Contini and Jacopo Cantini. Adeuri Corniel won in the<br />
international category.<br />
David Ingiosi
Over 25 Italian and foreign athletes<br />
of all ages made the ProKite<br />
Cup 2018 a memorable event,<br />
rich in good vibes. Organized by<br />
the ProKite of Alberto Rondina<br />
in the lagoon of the Stagnone of<br />
Marsala, Sicily (Italy), the event<br />
was the first stop of the Italian<br />
Freestyle Championship 2018.<br />
The course track was set up in<br />
the waters just in front of Alby<br />
Rondina’s Sports Centre and the<br />
heats took place with the athletes<br />
divided in the following categories:<br />
Men Open, Men Youth<br />
(born in year 2000 onwards),<br />
Master (born from 1974 to 1983)<br />
and Grand Master (born in and<br />
before 1973).<br />
During the three-day-competition<br />
the Stagnone did not disappoint<br />
and gave the competing athletes<br />
constant wind and flat-water conditions<br />
thanks to which everyone<br />
was able to prove his own abilities<br />
for the delight of the public.<br />
At the end of the competition,<br />
commented live and inflamed by<br />
Alby Rondina himself, the victory<br />
went to the current Italian titleholder<br />
Gianmaria Coccoluto<br />
who charmed the judges with his<br />
repertoire of powerful and stylish<br />
tricks. Behind him in second<br />
place the Sardinian Francesco<br />
Contini who proved once again<br />
strong nerves and a solid technique,<br />
and the Tuscan Jacopo<br />
Cantini who despite an ankle injury<br />
during the training sessions<br />
managed with his class to win the<br />
third step of the podium.<br />
The performance of the young<br />
Jeremy Burlando deserves also to<br />
be mentioned, he’s only 12 and<br />
already boasts the Junior World<br />
Champion title, whereas special<br />
get well soon wishes would go<br />
to Davide Fontanesi, who sadly<br />
got injured during the event. We<br />
trust that Davide will get back<br />
stronger than ever and fight for<br />
the title with the determination<br />
that he has always shown in the<br />
water.<br />
It was an interesting choice by<br />
the organization committee the<br />
one to include in the competition<br />
an Amateur Open to which registered<br />
the foreign riders who are<br />
consistent regulars in this lagoon.<br />
The Dominican Adeuri Corniel<br />
won this competition, followed<br />
by Gianmaria Coccoluto and Valentine<br />
Rodrigues, respectively in<br />
second and third position.
48<br />
FREESTYLE<br />
The Stagnone of Marsala like an arena for Freestyle<br />
On a sourer note, the non-performance<br />
by women who apart<br />
from the reigning Italian Champion<br />
Francesca Bagnoli, did not<br />
attended the event. Francesca<br />
called on all the Italian Freestyle<br />
girls from her Facebook page<br />
during the event, urging them<br />
not to give up and participate in<br />
these types of events. Let's hope<br />
they follow her advice.<br />
The second event of the Italian<br />
Freestyle Championship 2018 will<br />
take place on Lake Garda.
THE<br />
COMMENTS OF<br />
THE ATHLETES<br />
"I’m stoked about this victory, I didn’t take it for granted because each competition<br />
has its own history and it already happened to me to lose against athletes<br />
less strong than me at the World Championship, therefore I always try to do my<br />
best. The level of the participants was really high in this first event, the young<br />
ones are strong. Italy is full of good spots for training, and it shows. Many years<br />
ago, I chose to move here to the Stagnone because it’s unique in the world. Conditions<br />
were good during the competition and allowed to run all the heats and to<br />
me to get on the highest step of the podium. In my opinion this ProKite Cup 2018<br />
has been one of the best Freestyle events since 2012, both for its organization<br />
and logistics, for us athletes everything was just perfect".<br />
GIANMARIA COCCOLUTO<br />
"I’m very satisfied of this second place, last winter I trained with the objective of<br />
getting right behind Coccoluto here at the Stagnone. Now I just have to beat him<br />
too. It's tough because his manoeuvres are powerful, but not impossible, I need<br />
to put heart and mind. Here at the Stagnone I feel at home because in Sardinia I<br />
train in the Lagoon of Mistras which is very similar. Garda will carry some variables<br />
for everyone, we'll see".<br />
FRANCESCO CONTINI<br />
"This third place pays back all the training I did last winter in Kenya. The loss<br />
of my mother a few years back for me was a big blow and I had dropped kitesurfing.<br />
Then I managed to get myself together, get my startup and resume my<br />
training to get back big. I'm very happy, this sport is everything to me, it's my life.<br />
Coccoluto himself helped me a lot when I came here at the Stagnone, for me he's<br />
a great athlete but also a friend and I thank him. I hope I keep improving and<br />
maybe get myself a spot at the World Championship too".<br />
JACOPO CANTINI<br />
"I expected a sixth place maximum. I knew the athletes in the competition and<br />
how strong they were. Therefore, a fourth place was unexpected and yet even<br />
more appreciated. In the end I delivered a good performance, I landed all the<br />
tricks in my repertoire, I also tried a Front Blind which I landed. The Stagnone<br />
is my home, I was born here, I know it very well, I know where it's gusty. During<br />
the first heats I even used the 15 which is not a Freestyle kite, but I used it to the<br />
fullest. Now I want to train on the doubles. Kitesurfing is a deep passion for me, I<br />
want to increasingly progress and improve”.<br />
DANIELE MILAZZO
50<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
Core's Meeting<br />
Less talk and straight to the core.<br />
We are German!<br />
From 9th to 15th April, <strong>Kitesoul</strong>'s editorial staff moved on the Island<br />
of Sal, in Cape Verde, to join Core's <strong>International</strong> Meeting 2018. A<br />
fantastic opportunity to get a closer look and test the new Nexus, a<br />
kite of the German Brand that will become a huge best seller but also<br />
to meet the entire crew of this Brand: starting with its founder Bernie<br />
Hiss, then the designer Sebastian "Buzzy" Witzleben who we interviewed,<br />
the international sales manager Philip Schinnagel and everyone<br />
else, including the pro riders Willow-River Shakes Tonkin and Steven<br />
Akkersdijk. Here's how it went...<br />
David Ingiosi<br />
Photo: David Ingiosi, Thomas Burblies, Steven Akkersdijk, Core Courtesy
52<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
For sure one German signature is their ability to avoid any useless<br />
talk and get straight to the matter of things. Core products, as the<br />
word says, accurately reflect this philosophy, just like the <strong>International</strong><br />
Meeting held in Cape Verde: basically, retailers and us media spent<br />
7 days, morning to sunset, on the beach testing the equipment together<br />
with the brand's crew. According to the Germans, that is the only<br />
way to get a solid and precise opinion of the results achieved by the<br />
company. Well, can't argue with that. The constant trade wind that<br />
blows on the island during this time, the waves together with the mild<br />
temperatures surely made things much easier...<br />
In Sal the atmosphere is always charming and welcoming starting with<br />
the location chosen for the guests by the team, the KiteworldWide<br />
Surfhouse run by Simon and Lilly and which became the headquarters<br />
of the group. Just a 10 minutes transfer on a pickup truck, would get<br />
us to the famous Kite Beach where there’s Mitu Monteiro's school, and<br />
it's always amazing watching him in the water while he trains Freestyle<br />
Strapless. Many hours spent on the beach testing the kites in any condition,<br />
getting explanations on the adjustment and then in the water<br />
for endless sessions. Dinners all together and parties in the village of<br />
Santa Maria, small, very colourful, full of restaurants, bars with live
music and local crafts shops. In short, there were all the right ingredients<br />
for our meeting branded Core.<br />
We really appreciated the assistance and total dedication to this sport<br />
by the entire Core crew, starting with the big boss Bernie Hiss, every<br />
afternoon in the water with us and then Sebastian, Philip, Toby, Josè,<br />
Steven, Willow and all the others. For us, <strong>Kitesoul</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, it's been<br />
a very interesting experience with many cues and technical info, which<br />
we are happy to share with you.
54<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
Nexus: a customizable and very high-performing kite<br />
But let's get to it, the true protagonist of Core's <strong>International</strong> Meeting<br />
2018: the Nexus. The new Core kite comes from the Section 2, the<br />
GTS4 and 14 years of research. It's an all-round kite which made us<br />
have fun right from the first minute we had it on our hands. Versatility<br />
and the possibility to customize it according to one's riding needs are<br />
its strengths. In fact, thanks to the CIT handling system we can finetune<br />
the kite's power and the turn radius by acting on the connection<br />
points of the lines of the leading edge. In the all-round mode, the Nexus<br />
pulls a little more, increases its hangtime and rotates slower. This<br />
behaviour is perfect for beginners and anyone who prefers a more<br />
relaxed surfing style. On the other hand, the wave mode, makes the<br />
kite faster, increases the depower improving the feet contact on the<br />
board when strapless, and allows narrower loops (useful in bottom<br />
turns). It also allows a greater pull when we pull the bar in, resulting in<br />
a fast feet switch. Lastly, the freestyle mode increases the loop radius,<br />
makes the kite more stable during freestyle manoeuvres and more<br />
vigorous.<br />
In general, the new Nexus inherits many of the best CORE innovations<br />
including a progressive power delivery, the 3 struts structure and the<br />
Radical Reaction Tips of the GTS. We deeply appreciated its incredible<br />
manoeuvrability on the waves of Kite Beach, its huge wind range and<br />
the Surf profile derived from the Section 2.
Let's see in detail the main features of the<br />
new Nexus:<br />
Technological shape, 3 struts only and radical tips<br />
Inspired by the GTS shape, the Nexus with its Future-C shape with a<br />
moderate aspect ratio, allows fast, tight turns with precise control.<br />
Imagine yourself making a perfect bottom turn, while you down loop<br />
your Nexus and don't feel yanked off the board. In other words, this<br />
innovative shape allows perfect ridings even in strong conditions.
56<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
The size and profile of the 3 struts have been carefully engineered to<br />
start turning faster than the 5 struts similar profiles, an important element<br />
in the waves. The three -strut frame also allows weight saving,<br />
it's more stable in light wind conditions and it improves drifting.<br />
Core designers also finetuned the Nexus leading edge profile, especially<br />
between the bridles and control lines to allow extra confidence<br />
with the kite which increases its responsiveness, agility and directional<br />
control in waves of all sizes, including radical ones.<br />
Made to resist thanks to the triple ripstop<br />
Another strength we deeply appreciated of this kite is its construction<br />
quality. The Dacron ExoTex has a unique thread with radial reinforcements<br />
with no stretch and a protective coating that bear a higher<br />
pressure in the airframes with smaller diameters. ExoTex improves<br />
the air flow, the flight stability, and the kiter response by substantially<br />
increasing the strength and rigidity of the tubes despite the reduced<br />
diameters. If you just look at the radial seams on the leading edge,<br />
you’ll see no bulge to unsettle the air flow.
Another feature that proves the special construction of the Nexus is the<br />
triple ripstop, an exclusive Core patent, protected and strengthened<br />
with three different processes called "emulsions". Currently, CoreTex<br />
represents a benchmark on the market in relation to strength, tear<br />
resistance, longevity and UV protection. To make the kite's resistance<br />
complete there are the anti-wear Grintex Patches in the right places,<br />
that is the seams of leading edge and struts, which further protect<br />
from the hidden dangers on the beach. In this regard it’s worth reminding<br />
that just like any other Core kite, the Nexus comes with a 6<br />
year-warranty on every spare part from purchase date.
58<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
Innovative aspect ratio, short bridles and<br />
instant relaunch<br />
In relation to the kite's profile the maximum camber is back shifted,<br />
and its aspect ratio is lowered, that is it's slightly larger to improve<br />
drifting. This profile also improves wave riding in onshore wind conditions<br />
because the kite runs along the window avoiding the backwards<br />
stall. The short bridle system of the Nexus also improves its responsiveness<br />
and allows a better perception of the kite position and to<br />
anticipate any movement.<br />
In Kite Beach's conditions, a prompt relaunch was what we needed<br />
when facing a threatening wave ready to swallow our kite that had<br />
fallen on the water. The Nexus immediately got in relaunch position<br />
and off the water with just a pull.<br />
Another nice thing about the Nexus is that it doesn't need any special<br />
adapter for its inflation valve. In fact, the Speed Valve 2 directly connects<br />
to any 20 mm hoses with twist lock connectors. The valve maximizes<br />
airflow, minimizes inflation time and reduces effort for pumping<br />
even large size kites. Also, the big tubes and the struts' valves allow a<br />
free and fast airflow.
60<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
Sebastian "Buzzy" Witzleben: in<br />
Core we are crazy about performance!<br />
We took advantage of Core's <strong>International</strong> Meeting 2018 on<br />
the Island of Sal to interview Sebastian "Buzzy" Witzleben<br />
who together with Frank Illfrich represent the "creative<br />
heart" of the kites and boards of the German brand. It’s not<br />
by chance that I use the word heart, because this guy has a<br />
special passion for his design work and for kitesurfing. Here<br />
is what he told us about the Brand philosophy in relation to<br />
designing, concepts, materials and adopted solutions.<br />
Sebastian, during the meeting we spent the days testing the Nexus as<br />
well as the other equipment, three key words come to mind that seem<br />
to characterize the Core production: high performance, versatility and<br />
strong identity? Do you agree?<br />
First of all, thank you for these impressions, and absolutely, I definitely<br />
agree. In Core we are crazy about performance and we want every single<br />
product to guarantee the top in any condition. This is the objective<br />
to which we dedicate all our efforts. But we want these performance<br />
skills to be addressed to and appreciated not just by a small number<br />
of riders but by the majority of them. When we develop a kite, we
don't just think to its use in some specific conditions, as for instance<br />
in some spots, neither we focus on any peculiar skill of the riders. We<br />
want every kiter to be able to use our equipment at its best, anywhere<br />
and be sure to improve at every single session. For example, the XR is<br />
the kite with which it was scored the jump world record, but also a kite<br />
used by schools. Or the GTS4, a kite with which you can throw killing<br />
Megaloops, but also give it to your little sister who is just about starting<br />
and make her have fun in total safety. Each of our products strictly<br />
comply with these parameters and we want this philosophy to be what<br />
makes us acknowledged and appreciated in the market.<br />
The same parameters that apply to the Nexus too, right?<br />
Sure, the Nexus is the newest member of our family, we like to see it<br />
that way. In a sense it replaces the Free, which was the kite dedicated<br />
to beginners and schools and that gave us a lot of satisfaction. However,<br />
the Nexus is a much higher performing kite with versatility skills<br />
of use incomparable to the Free. We are talking about a kite that you<br />
can perfectly use in the waves, flat water for Freestyle and that thanks<br />
to its handling and balance skills it's an all-round kite.
62<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
Every Core kite can be used in a wide variety of conditions and meet the<br />
needs of any discipline lover. Your marking a new market trend, which<br />
means less expenses for those riders who chose your brand and have a<br />
smaller quiver yet super effective and versatile. Is that right?<br />
I am very happy to hear that because we work on each kite making<br />
sure that it performs at its best in a given discipline, but that can also<br />
give great satisfaction even in other contexts and for sure in its basic<br />
performance. For example, water relaunch is an important safety element.<br />
All our kites regardless of their specific characteristics must<br />
have an excellent relaunch. Of course, Joshua Emanuel wants a kite<br />
with immediate relaunch and same goes for Willow and Steven and
myself too, but it's exactly what my wife also wants, or a kid and we<br />
must guarantee that. Same goes for jumps. We all like to jump and fly<br />
as long as we can, even if we love Wave riding or Freestyle. That's why<br />
all our kites allow to jump to the best. We want a rider who enters a<br />
store to buy a Core kite and already knows his or her riding direction,<br />
to rest assured that he'll always have a kite with an excellent feeling<br />
on the bar, versatile and reliable in any condition.<br />
How do you combine this total versatility need of your kites with more<br />
technical disciplines, for example Wave Riding or Wakestyle?<br />
We don't compromise in such cases. Both the Section 2 and the Impact<br />
2 are kites on which we worked hard over the years. They do not<br />
belong to the Universal Series as they have a more technical and specialized<br />
vocation in relation to their disciplines, Wave and Wakestyle<br />
respectively, they fly with a precise attitude. Therefore, on the one<br />
hand, they are less versatile, maybe a little difficult at first, but then<br />
you can progress with them over the years in a clear direction and still<br />
get great gratification off them.<br />
Research of performance and of versatile products it's a philosophy you<br />
also apply to your boards. Don't you?<br />
Yes absolutely, we believe that if you buy poor quality equipment,<br />
you'll end it up by buying it twice. In general, a good board is suitable<br />
for everyone and it's worth the price. We try to use the best materials<br />
on all our boards, which of course means a higher price but that is<br />
the only way for perfection. We are not happy to compromise. As for<br />
versatility, in our Twintip board catalogue for example we have the Fu-
64<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
sion 3 and the Choice 2, more universal and able to meet the needs of<br />
Freeride and Freestyle lovers, of those who want to jump high, while<br />
the Bolt 2 is a more radical board, with a harder set up, that can also<br />
go with boots but that also offers fun to those approaching Wakestyle<br />
or Freestyle.
Let's talk about the bar. Your Sensor 2, despite being pure technology is<br />
appreciated for its simplicity, the reduced diameter that doesn't wear<br />
your hands out and the option to adjust the pressure and adapt to kites<br />
of any size. What did you do on this accessory?<br />
I strongly believe that the Sensor 2 sums up the Core philosophy to<br />
the best. I still recall when we started our design work on this product<br />
and Bernie and I discussed on the approach to have. Right from the<br />
start, we believed in a concept of minimalism, lightness, simplicity and<br />
reliability. We also wanted the bar to be immediate, fast, with a good<br />
direct feeling, long-time resistant and capable of proving the excellent<br />
engineering work carried out on the kites. As far as materials are concerned<br />
we only use the best on the market: Dyneema for the lines that<br />
guarantee maximum resistance to the loads in place and titanium core<br />
for the bar that guarantees maximum resistance and reduced weight,<br />
we didn’t go on the cheap here ever since the beginning. Not to forget<br />
all the works on the always important details: trim adjustment with<br />
one line, 2-way quick release, shorter, lighter and more compact than<br />
all the other systems, the swivel just below the bar that automatically<br />
unwinds the front lines if the bar is pulled in, the lines end loops are<br />
braided first and then stitched, the vario width to shorten or extend<br />
the bar. Everything is designed with the aim of having a control which<br />
is effective, perfect, safe and simple to use.
66<br />
CORE'S MEETING<br />
Less talk and straight to the core. We are German!<br />
Sebastian, you're not just a designer but a true waterman who spends<br />
just as much time in the water to test products as at the desk and in<br />
front of the computer to engineer them. But you don't work on Core<br />
projects on your own, do you?<br />
That's right, I am not Core’s designer, that's Frank Illfrich. You could<br />
say we are some kind of creative couple, we are friends but with totally<br />
different personalities. I am extremely talkative, restless, Frank<br />
is calm, completely focused on every detail. You can't actually tell who<br />
does what on a product because we simply put our energy and experience<br />
together and reach the goal. People watch us talking on the<br />
beach for hours on and may ask what we are talking about, but we<br />
truly love our job, I wouldn’t talk about passion or talent, we simply<br />
need to do what we do.<br />
How do the other members of your crew take part in this 2-made job?<br />
We try to gather and consider everyone's feedback, starting with the<br />
athletes of course, but also the sales or marketing manager, engineers,<br />
dealers around the globe. In Core we think of ourselves as a<br />
family, each of us is important and directly involved in our objectives.
WITHOUT<br />
A DIAMOND<br />
—THERE’S NO<br />
HAPPILY EVER<br />
AFTER<br />
Alan Van Gysen Rider: Nick Jacobsen Contact: Pryde Group GmbH Bergstraße 7, 82024 Taufkirchen, Germany Tel: +49 89 6650490<br />
WITHOUT YAMAMOTO LIMESTONE<br />
NEOPRENE THERE’S NO HAPPILY<br />
EVER AFTER EITHER<br />
Yamamoto Limestone Neoprene is the diamond of wetsuit innovation and performance.<br />
Made from limestone extracted from Mount Fuji in Japan, it is a non-petroleum based<br />
material that is the industry standard for premium neoprene and superior watersport<br />
performance.<br />
No sad faces here though... because ALL our wetsuits use Yamamoto so you can<br />
always experience the Happily Ever After with any of our wetsuits.<br />
[1]<br />
[2]<br />
Premium Japanese limestone-based neoprene is 95%<br />
water impermeable compared to 70% for standard<br />
petroleum neoprene. It absorbs less water, dries faster<br />
and provides more wind chill protection.<br />
Yamamoto neoprene has a unique cell structure and has<br />
a 23% higher closed cell ratio for added buoyancy and<br />
flexibility [1]. The cells are evenly spaced and filled with<br />
nitrogen gas that increases heat retention [2].
68<br />
KITE TRIP<br />
Baikal lake: a different kind of paradise
Baikal<br />
lake:<br />
A DIFFERENT KIND OF PARADISE<br />
Before we begin, I want you to know that this isn’t the article<br />
where I sell you the story of a perfect trip. It’s not a trip to a remote<br />
island with wind, sun, palm trees and crystal-clear water.<br />
Places like that are beautiful but we’ve done that before.<br />
This time we were looking for something else. A different kind<br />
of paradise. Beauty comes in many forms and we did find it<br />
in Russia. To some it might or might not be appealing but it<br />
sure was worth it.<br />
Text:Noè Font
70<br />
KITE TRIP<br />
Baikal lake: a different kind of paradise<br />
Baikal lake<br />
T<br />
he first few emails came around and they talked about Lake Baikal, the deepest fresh<br />
water lake in the world in the middle of Russia. I mean who wouldn’t get excited about<br />
that. Russia is a country I knew so little about and Siberia had never been in my bucket<br />
list. Or even close to it. I went ahead and briefly googled it. With just a few photos I was already<br />
intrigued.<br />
On the trip we had Aaron Hadlow, Stefan Spiessberger, Craig Cunningham, Francesca Bagnoli,<br />
Artem Garashenko and myself. The usual media crew: Toby, Chris, Carlos and Tommy the boss.<br />
Artem was our guide, he’d been there a few times already and took care of the logistics of the<br />
trip. In the weeks prior to the trip he warned us of the cold and rough conditions we were going to<br />
encounter there, so we did what you’d do and packed thick wetsuits and the clothes you’d bring<br />
on a trip to the snow. Over the years our good friend photographer Vincent Bergeron, has repeated<br />
a saying that states to “Never, trust the local. Ever.” Once again it was proven true. We landed in
Baikal lake<br />
Russia to much better weather than expected; 30 degrees Celsius and sun.<br />
When you look at Lake Baikal on a map, you see it has a very stretched out and narrow shape; 636<br />
km long and 79 km wide. In winter it freezes and the ice is thick enough to drive on, but in summer<br />
you have to drive around it.<br />
On arrival, Artem briefed us on the area and the two main spots. Two different wind directions<br />
and two different spots. One was a river mouth, the other one had a church for a backdrop. Both<br />
around six hours away from Irkutsk, in opposite sides of the lake. We were going to spend two<br />
weeks out there, so we set the main base in the outskirts of Irkutsk, the main city.<br />
During our first week, the forecast was light and the chances of wind were slim. Artem took us<br />
out to the local Cable Park to meet the local kite community. They welcomed us with excitement.<br />
Photos were taken, babies were held and hats, boards and even kites were signed.
72<br />
KITE TRIP<br />
Baikal lake: a different kind of paradise<br />
Baikal lake
wWhen we arrived in Irkutsk our local contact, Mikhail, had organized to build a rail<br />
of our choice with some local welders. It isn’t easy to build an obstacle for kiting;<br />
they have to be fast to setup, easy to carry and of a decent length. We arrived at the<br />
warehouse and there it was. Five pieces, each one of them too heavy to move alone. Luckily for us<br />
Mikhail was the man, he organized a truck with a built-in crane to haul the rail to the spots of our<br />
convenience. That saved our asses, we would have never moved that rail out of that warehouse<br />
alone.<br />
The first move was to the river mouth. The chances of wind were very slim, but we still made the<br />
drive to check it out. Two hours down the road, another four in a long and bumpy dirt road, through<br />
a green field and over stones to the end at the tip of a sandbar. Or should I say, “stone bar”. Either<br />
way, it really was the spot of your dreams. It looked insane; stones instead of sand and grass hills<br />
instead of palm trees, wild horses and fresh clear water. We spend the whole afternoon waiting<br />
for the wind, but it only picked up enough for a quick cruise on the foil. Nevertheless, we were all<br />
frothed up to ride there at some point during the trip.<br />
The wind finally made an appearance in the forecast, but on the opposite side of the lake and<br />
there we went. The crew was split in three different cars and we’d take turns on riding shotgun,<br />
navigating and napping in the back. Unfortunately, all the 4x4’s you can rent in Irkutsk have more<br />
than half a million km on the counter. So, an hour into our 4h drive one of the cars breaks down.<br />
Artem immediately took control of the situation, made some phone calls and after what sounded<br />
like a heated discussion he said: “we must wait”. And we did, one hour, two hours, three hours…<br />
We decided to spend our time at a little bar by the road. The kind of bar with dissected bears hanging<br />
on the walls. The replacement car finally showed up. It was a Range Rover, but they<br />
told us that such a car had to be hired with a driver. He was a maniac. All the roads have<br />
one lane only and they are really windy. Never a chance to pass the car in front. Yet, he<br />
somehow made it work. His timing was perfect, one second too late and we’d have lost<br />
our boss and camera crew to a frontal accident with a transport truck. The guys had to<br />
tell him to take it easy and slow it down in many occasions but communicating with<br />
him wasn’t easy. Or it was the sneaky Vodka shots he’d have throughout the day? We<br />
tried to keep up with the Range Rover, but they were too fast for our cars. Around eight<br />
hours after we had left the house, we arrived at the spot.<br />
There were two hostels in the little village, one grocery store and one restaurant. The<br />
“good” hostel was fully booked, and our only option was to spend the night in a room<br />
above the restaurant. I think we can all agree those were the doggiest beds ever. If I<br />
may call them so. In hindsight, it’s all part of the adventure and an opportunity so see<br />
a different culture. It makes you realize how dependent and accustomed we are to little<br />
everyday luxuries, such as comfortable beds and diverse food options. That being said,<br />
it wasn’t what we were hoping for after eight hours of driving.<br />
The next morning, we had breakfast in the restaurant downstairs. At that point we<br />
hadn’t yet realized that the exact same food was going to be our diet for the next four days. A<br />
Baikal lake
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Baikal lake
meatball-based diet. Which eventually turned into a joke. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. We’d have<br />
salads and soups, but none were as predominant. Meatballs in tomato sauce, wrapped in pasta<br />
and meatball soups just to name a few. We all eat at least three servings per meal. However, the<br />
total cost would round up to 20$ for the entire crew.<br />
We rushed to setup the slider before the wind came in. It took us a while. The pipes didn’t really<br />
line up together, so we had to smoothen up the surface with a knife. Once the wind came in it was<br />
game on. We split the crew so that we could be as productive as possible, some would film video<br />
on the slider while the others shot freestyle photos. In photoshoots like this there is always a list<br />
of high priority shots that need to be done. Especially the cruising shot. Get a photo, video, water<br />
angle, drone clip, done. After that it’s time to throw down.<br />
It was a really good first day of action, we figured out the lines on the rail and the freestyle guys<br />
pretty much landed all their tricks. On the next day a storm rolled in. It was cloudy, rainy and<br />
cold. Finally! We focused on doing some big air and megaloops. Later in the day we drove up the<br />
“beach” to check out another little sandbar. It was really cold, but we still went out for a session<br />
on our smallest kites, had a laugh at how fast they actually move down the window and stacked<br />
a few more clips. At sunset the light shined through the little gap between the clouds and the<br />
horizon. It looked really cool in the photos. After that, the forecast pretty much died but we stuck<br />
around the area as there was a slight chance of wind further North.<br />
Back on the road. Four hours to a beach where the cows sunbathed by the shore of the lake. Light<br />
onshore breeze. We didn’t bother. Drove back that same day, packed up the slider and went back<br />
to Irkutsk. Halfway through the second week. With a couple of sessions in the bag. All our hopes<br />
were in that one day of wind in the forecast.<br />
Baikal lake
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We packed the cars and headed back through the bumpy dirt road, the green<br />
field, over the stones to the end at the tip of the sandbar. Or was it “rock bar”?<br />
We found a place to stay close by, had lake fish for dinner and slept early. At<br />
dawn ready to roll; it was windy. We found breakfast and arrived at the spot. Twenty knots, sunny<br />
and flat water; really it was our pot of gold at the end of the bumpy dirt road. It was epic; tricks<br />
were landed, shots were taken, clips were stacked and fun was had. We kited for as long as our<br />
bodies swapped the bar, packed up the slider again and left. That was it. Job done. One more day<br />
and we would have been out of there.<br />
Baikal lake
Everyone was frothing to get back to Irkutsk for a real meal and some drinks. Next minute, a car<br />
breaks down. In the middle of the damn bumpy dirt road. No reception. Artem takes control, drives<br />
to find reception and makes a call. No one cares, it’s the weekend. One random stranger drove by<br />
and offered to tow the car behind his truck in exchange for a stack of cash. Something like 100 km<br />
down the bumpy dirt road. The rope broke a few times. We arrived at the restaurant past midnight.<br />
Ate real food and drank beer. The maniac driver had a strawberry milkshake. Got home really late<br />
and slept in. It felt good. That was it. Job done.<br />
Baikal lake
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Baikal lake: a different kind of paradise<br />
Baikal lake
Baikal lake<br />
Airport transfer. 3am. Maniac driver. Flat tire. Shit. He’s changing the tire. Car falls off the jack<br />
stand. Broken brake discs. Found another car. Phew. Check in. 100$ bag fees; mandatory. Take off.<br />
Good times Russia. Until we meet again.
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AUSTRALIA’S LOST PARADISE LORD HOWE ISLAND<br />
Lord Howe Island<br />
AUSTRALIA’S LOST PARADISE<br />
Text: Gabi Steindl<br />
Photos: Beau Pilgrim, Stephan Kleinlein, Dave Gardiner, Gabi Steindl
Squashed like a sardine into my economy<br />
class window seat while flying back to Western<br />
Australia from New Caledonia, I watched<br />
puffy clouds drift by, daydreaming of the<br />
amazing waves I had scored on my trip. Suddenly,<br />
I popped back to reality with a start.<br />
Rubbing my eyes, I stared outside in disbelief,<br />
wondering whether I was actually hallucinating.<br />
“What the …?”.<br />
Half moon in shape, thousands of feet below,<br />
a tiny island sat glowing like an emerald out<br />
of the deep blue sea. I made out two large<br />
mountains at one of the tips, white sandy<br />
beaches all around and a lagoon blazing in<br />
the most surreal shades of turquoise and<br />
blue that was fringed by a large coral reef.<br />
I nudged the dude in the seat next to me, gesturing<br />
him to take off his headphones for a<br />
moment. “Mate, please have a look; is there<br />
an island down there or am I going crazy?”<br />
“Wow! That’s amazing, must be Norfolk Island.”<br />
“Nah, I reckon we’re too far west for<br />
Norfolk,” I replied. “We both must be hallucinating<br />
then,” he offered, before returning his<br />
headphones to his ears and his full attention<br />
back to the inflight entertainment.<br />
Back with my feet on solid ground waiting at<br />
the luggage belt, I took a close look on Google<br />
Earth on my iPhone and was in the know.<br />
What I had seen from the air was “Lord Howe<br />
Island”, part of New South Wales and about<br />
700km northeast of Sydney in the Tasman<br />
Sea.<br />
A few months later, I sat in the tiny 32-seater<br />
propeller driven Bombardier Dash-8 plane of<br />
QantasLink from Sydney to the island. “Get-
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AUSTRALIA’S LOST PARADISE LORD HOWE ISLAND<br />
ting there” is always part of any adventure. In<br />
this case, it took three attempts… Two days in<br />
a row all flights got cancelled as the combination<br />
of extremely dense low fog over Lord<br />
Howe, the island’s mountainous landscape<br />
and an extremely short airstrip, rendered<br />
landing impossible. Third time lucky!<br />
The landing was pretty full-on. The weather<br />
was still pretty dismal, and the aeroplane<br />
slipped out of dense grey skies onto a super<br />
short airstrip that started only a couple of<br />
meters away from the ocean, perched right<br />
next to two large mountains.<br />
The island (only 11km long and 2kms at its<br />
widest point) felt even smaller than I had expected<br />
during the short transfer to my accommodation.<br />
There is only one main road<br />
running across the crescent shaped islet with<br />
a few smaller side-streets forking off it here<br />
and there. Everything was extremely lush<br />
and tropical in fifty shades of green. The only<br />
township is located on the northern side.<br />
Spectacular twin-peaks Mount Lidgbird (777<br />
m) and Mount Gower (875 m) dominate the<br />
south end of the island. A breath-taking lagoon,<br />
about 8kms long and 1.5kms wide, runs<br />
along the western side. Lord Howe is home to<br />
the world’s most southern coral reef. As an
eroded remnant of a seven million-year-old<br />
shield volcano, it counts 28 small volcanic islets<br />
along its coast.<br />
Approximately 350 permanent residents call<br />
Lord Howe home and it’s not easy to become<br />
a true islander. You have to have lived on the<br />
island for 10 years consecutively in order to<br />
get your “islander-status”, which makes you<br />
on Lord Howe.<br />
The island was first sighted by Lieutenant<br />
Henry Lidgbird Ball, commander of the First<br />
Fleet ship “Supply” whilst transiting convicts<br />
from the East coast of Australia to the penal<br />
settlement of Norfolk Island, on 17th February<br />
1788. Ball named the uninhabited island<br />
after British Admiral Richard Howe.<br />
eligible to buy land. Even then, it’s still not<br />
a walk in the park, as there are only a small<br />
limited number of blocks left for sale on the<br />
entire island!<br />
The trend amongst the islanders to use cars<br />
kicked in only in the last 10 years. Today there<br />
are about 250 motor vehicles on the island,<br />
including machinery and transport mini-buses.<br />
Seven cars make up the fleet of available<br />
rental vehicles, but bicycles are the best way<br />
to get around on the island. I immediately set<br />
myself up with a bike from the bike-stable<br />
at “Ocean View”, established more than 100<br />
years ago it’s one of the original guest lodges<br />
All place names on the island (beaches, mountains<br />
etc.) originate back to the First Fleet.<br />
Lord Howe is a UNESCO World Heritage listed<br />
paradise of global natural significance with<br />
a remarkable geology and an extremely varied<br />
landscape, even more so considering its<br />
actual size. A large part of the island is still<br />
practically untouched forest, with some flora<br />
and fauna found nowhere else in the world.<br />
The ocean is crystal clear, full of colourful fish<br />
and coral. Most of the island is made up of<br />
luscious rainforest, palm, pine, banyan and<br />
pandanus trees, with the sweet smell of frangipani<br />
and hibiscus hovering in the air.
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The first day took me immediately to one of<br />
the most remarkable wonders of the Lord<br />
Howe Island Group. Onboard “Greenback”<br />
- named after the locally prolific Yellowtail<br />
Kingfish – a beamy, 9.3m custom-made fishing<br />
boat, powered by 315 HP diesel, we set<br />
course for “Ball’s Pyramid”, the World’s tallest<br />
volcanic sea stack. Situated 23kms southeast<br />
of Lord Howe, the 551m-jagged rock pinnacle<br />
shoots out of the Tasman Sea like a spearhead.<br />
As Lord Howe, Ball’s Pyramid is a relict<br />
of the mammoth volcano that once stood<br />
in the area. Still joined underwater by a seamount,<br />
Ball’s Pyramid is just 0.5 per cent of<br />
the gigantic burning mountain it was once a<br />
part of.<br />
“In the distance it's a fairy tale castle wreathed<br />
in clouds. It's a medieval fortress, protected<br />
by an ocean moat and guarded by a ridge of<br />
towering battlements. It seems to drift on<br />
the water supported by a shroud of clouds.<br />
It is so unreal. Another world, mysterious
and unknown, where the air is filled with the<br />
pounding of the waves and the wild yells of<br />
sea birds." Those were the words of Australian<br />
John Davis, who was in the team of the<br />
first successful climbers that made it to the<br />
summit on 14th February 1965.<br />
Ball’s Pyramid offers astonishing diving and<br />
fishing, but Mother Nature even outdid herself<br />
on top of that. I was sitting on the bow,<br />
staring in total happiness out to the horizon,<br />
when suddenly a large pod of bottleneck dolphins<br />
came up all around the front of the boat,<br />
playfully swimming with us as we steamed<br />
along. Everything seemed utterly surreal<br />
when one of them launched nearly 10 meters<br />
up in the air right in front of me, with the pyramid<br />
in the backdrop. I had to pinch myself<br />
to make sure I wasn’t dreaming! Freediving a<br />
little later in more than 600m deep water that<br />
was the strongest and deepest shades of blue<br />
that I have ever experienced, I felt like a mermaid.<br />
I could not get the big grin off my face
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AUSTRALIA’S LOST PARADISE LORD HOWE ISLAND<br />
until I put my tired bones to bed that evening,<br />
still rocking and totally blissed out.<br />
“Blinky Beach” (named after Captain Blenkinthorpe<br />
who landed the first settlers in 1834)<br />
was on fire the next morning! Reaching the<br />
top of the sand-dune, overlooking the beach<br />
and feeling the light offshore on my back, I<br />
watched absolutely perfect crystal cylinders<br />
breaking in luminous turquoise water onto an<br />
amazing white sandy beach. There were only<br />
two surfers out! Paddling out to the line-up, a<br />
turtle popped its little head up and hung with<br />
me for a while. The vibe in the water was super<br />
friendly—surfers introduced themselves<br />
with their names! Where in the world does<br />
this still happen?<br />
Lord Howe in general is very unlike anywhere<br />
else in the world. On many occasions I had<br />
the impression that time was literally standing<br />
still—exactly one of the most captivating<br />
charms of this place. There is no mobile<br />
phone coverage (at all!) or street lights, thus<br />
bringing a head-torch is a great call! The daily<br />
weather report is written on a blackboard at<br />
the tiny Museum. 78-year-old Gower Wilson is<br />
the unofficial “Milko”. He has been milking his<br />
cows for decades twice a day, providing the<br />
very freshest and unprocessed milk you could<br />
possibly imagine, straight from the udder. The<br />
fuelling up procedure at the airstrip still happens<br />
with a tractor. Unless posted express,<br />
the mail arrives only every two weeks by ship<br />
from the mainland. Every second Saturday is<br />
a bit like Christmas for the islanders when the<br />
“Island Trader” docks on the little jetty in the<br />
lagoon, delivering everybody’s bulk shopping
of fresh produce, goods ordered online, the<br />
mail etc. It’s also then that the shelves of the<br />
two general stores light up with fresh fruits<br />
and veggies which can get a bit scarce by the<br />
end of the two-week period.<br />
Everybody waves to each other whether<br />
traveling by foot, bicycle or car. If you’re too<br />
lazy to carry your surfboard home, it’s perfectly<br />
safe to leave it in the palm forest behind<br />
the dunes at Blinky’s. Bikes don’t need a<br />
lock. Simon is the only policeman. And it was<br />
the greatest feeling to wave to him from the<br />
passenger seat, without wearing a seat-belt.<br />
Instead of a fine, I got a big wave and smile<br />
back. Seat-belts are not compulsory on Lord<br />
Howe and the maximum speed limit on the<br />
entire island is 25 km/h.<br />
Life on the island in general is relaxed and<br />
unhurried. Also, with regards to tourism, the<br />
island is very protective of keeping things at<br />
a rather slow pace. Only 400 tourists are allowed<br />
at any one time. With a maximum of<br />
750 people on the island, facilities are limited<br />
but visitors will find everything they need, including<br />
a few little shops (clothes, arts, and<br />
souvenirs), food and general stores, bakery,<br />
cafes, hairdresser, liquor store, museum, restaurants,<br />
post office, information centre, a<br />
ranger, a small four-bed hospital with a GP,<br />
three churches, public telephones, local radio<br />
station, two banks, and one ATM. A few Wi-<br />
Fi-hotspots have only been established very<br />
recently.<br />
After catching a huge amount of perfect waves<br />
at Blinky’s and a quick lunch, it was time to<br />
venture out into the lagoon on my kite for the<br />
very fist time. Bordered by the world’s most<br />
southern coral reef, the lagoon is home to<br />
over 500 species of fish and 90 species of coral,<br />
with new species still being discovered regularly.<br />
The snorkelling here is absolutely unreal,<br />
and I even befriended a very inquisitive,
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KITE EXPERIENCE<br />
AUSTRALIA’S LOST PARADISE LORD HOWE ISLAND<br />
beautiful reef-shark later on my trip. Waves<br />
form at several reef passes along the 8km<br />
stretch of reef that runs from the northern to<br />
the southern end of the lagoon. “La Meurthe”<br />
(named after the unmanned “ghost ship” that<br />
drove ashore in 1907) at the north west passage<br />
became my favourite wave-playground.<br />
Lord Howe truly exceeds any water-sports<br />
lover’s (kitesurfing, windsurfing, SUPing, surfing,<br />
diving, snorkelling, kayaking, swimming<br />
etc.) dreams and the options for “fun in the<br />
sun” in crystal-clear waters are pretty much<br />
endless.<br />
From North Bay you can venture by foot up<br />
to Mount Eliza (147m) to get an amazing view<br />
over the entire island. Lord Howe is a true<br />
treasure for hiking and there is a multitude of<br />
walking tracks crisscrossing the island from<br />
As the name suggests, the stunning “North<br />
Bay” is situated at the northern tip of the lagoon.<br />
I will never forget landing my kite there<br />
for the first time on the pine and palm tree<br />
lined, brilliant white crescent shaped beach,<br />
and having hundreds of birds flying around<br />
me checking out my “giant wing”. Sooty terns<br />
or Wide-a-wake as locals call them, the most<br />
abundant sea bird on the island, breed here<br />
over summer. Lord Howe is a bird-lovers’ delight<br />
with almost 170 species of sea and land<br />
birds living on or visiting the island group,<br />
and hundreds of thousands nesting here each<br />
year, including the endemic, flightless Lord<br />
Howe Island Wood hen. Abundant until the<br />
first settlers arrived, Wood hens were nearly<br />
extinct and down to 6 pairs in 1982. Thanks to<br />
local conservation efforts, numbers have risen<br />
and there are about 300 now! I was lucky<br />
enough to spot quite a few of those cute little<br />
feathered friends during my stay on the<br />
island.<br />
easy strolls to breathtaking cliff top guided<br />
treks.<br />
The evenings here are quiet, apart from the<br />
chirring of the cicadas. The only light comes
from way above, the Southern Cross, the<br />
Milky Way, the star-lit sky. There is no nightclub<br />
but there’s always the “Bowlo” (Bowling<br />
Club) which has fine draft beers and a pool<br />
table. Funny that the only ATM on the island<br />
is located here too. Visitors can choose from<br />
a number of different restaurants that serve<br />
delicious food and each night of the week,<br />
there is a particular one that’s the “happening<br />
place” of the evening, serving a kind of<br />
themed dinner (Burger Night, Pizza Night,<br />
Fish Fry etc.).<br />
Comes Thursday, however, you should get<br />
your dancing shoes (or thongs) ready! “The<br />
Shack”, a small wooden hut right on the water’s<br />
edge next to the jetty, is an institution<br />
on the island. It has been going since 1998.<br />
Every Thursday the islanders flock here to<br />
“brew” their own music and entertainment.<br />
There are bongos and other musical instruments,<br />
and everybody is welcome to jam to<br />
the tunes, sing, announce whatever they want<br />
through the mic or plug the iPod in and mimic<br />
the DJ for a while. What makes the whole<br />
“The Shack”-experience even more special:<br />
absolutely everything is broadcast live on Triple-J's<br />
frequency on public radio all over the<br />
island, thus replacing Australia’s most popular<br />
national radio station from 9-12 pm.<br />
The last adventure to accomplish two days<br />
before leaving was to climb Mount Gower<br />
(875m) in time to watch the sun rise from the<br />
highest point over the island. I meet my guide<br />
at 2:45am, armed with head torches, we started<br />
the hike in the pitch dark. The climb to the<br />
top is the most advanced of all the walks here<br />
(Grade 10) and must be done with a licensed<br />
guide. It’s a challenging eight-hour return trek<br />
through rainforests, cliff hugging tracks with<br />
dizzying drops, and up rope assisted steep<br />
inclines. Suffering from mild acrophobia, the<br />
14km traverse across rather rugged terrain,<br />
was pretty demanding. I have to admit I was<br />
grateful at times on the way up that it was<br />
still so dark I could hardly see. The glow in<br />
the dark mushrooms were particularly aston-
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ishing and made me feel as if I had indulged<br />
in some of their hallucinogenic counterparts.<br />
There were many more incredibly fascinating<br />
plants along the way, many of them endemic.<br />
The peak of the mountain was wrapped in<br />
thick clouds, thus we decided to watch the<br />
sunrise about two thirds of the way up. The<br />
moment the sky turned pink was breath taking.<br />
Exploring the misty, incredibly spectacular,<br />
super dense rainforest right on top felt<br />
like discovering Jurassic Park.<br />
On the way back down, at the base of the<br />
cloud bank where the island became beautifully<br />
visible beneath me, I sat down on a big<br />
boulder and reflected, with my head quite<br />
literally still “in the clouds”, on all the unforgettable<br />
moments and experiences that Lord<br />
Howe had presented me with. I felt utterly<br />
blessed and in the peace of my surroundings<br />
I meditated for a fair while in deep gratitude.<br />
I would most probably still be sitting there, if<br />
I hadn't noticed white caps starting to form in<br />
the lagoon…<br />
www.kitegabi.com
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AUSTRALIA’S LOST PARADISE LORD HOWE ISLAND<br />
USEFUL FACTS & INFORMATION<br />
FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION, TRANSFER,<br />
ACTIVITIES<br />
Lord Howe Specialist Oxley Travel will take care of all your needs<br />
www.oxleytravel.com.au<br />
Gabi recommends staying at Ocean View Apartments, self-catering<br />
with fully equipped kitchenettes, pool, tucked away in a beautiful<br />
tropical garden, ideally situated off the main road and close to restaurants,<br />
cafes, general store etc. www.oceanviewlordhoweisland.<br />
com.au<br />
VISA & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS<br />
Travellers entering Australia on a foreign passport will need a visa<br />
regardless of the purpose or duration of their stay.<br />
LOCAL CONTACTS WATERSPORTS, RENTAL<br />
EQUIPMENT, TOURS<br />
Dave Gardiner - Greenback:<br />
Kite-Packages, Fishing, Scenic & Environmental Tours - marine life,<br />
photographic, snorkeling & cruising.<br />
www.lordhowekitesurf.com<br />
Chad Wilson - Ocean View Boatshed - SUP Kite Surf Lord Howe<br />
Island:<br />
Kite, Surf, SUP Lessons & Packages, Rental Equipment (FREE for<br />
Ocean View Apartment guests) and Guided Tours.<br />
Fishing Trips & Sightseeing Tours.<br />
www.supkitesurflordhowe.com.au<br />
CLIMATE & When to go<br />
Anytime! Lord Howe’s climate is subtropical and mild all year<br />
round. Winter: 17-22ºC, Summer: 24-27ºC.
For kiting, the most reliable time for wind is Winter (June-Sept) with<br />
winds ranging from 20 to 35knots, mainly from the S/SW but also<br />
through to NW.<br />
In Summer (Oct-May) the chances for wind are generally lower,<br />
with less of both: number of windy days per month and wind<br />
strength. Summer, however, is the time when the winds blow mainly<br />
from the East (with the odd SW’ly), which means clean cross-offshore<br />
conditions on the reef! Wave quality is also better through<br />
summer with regular long periods swells.<br />
Please note! Tide differences of about 2 meters are rather significant<br />
all year round and it’s important to always keep them in mind<br />
when heading out to the waves on the reef!<br />
Water temperature is a toasty 25ºC in summer, perfect for just<br />
boardies, yew!<br />
In winter, the water is about 18-20ºC, thus bring a steamer.<br />
The humidity averages in the 60% to 70% range year-round becoming<br />
more noticeable on warmer summer days than in the cooler<br />
winter months.<br />
PRICES:<br />
Lord Howe is certainly not a budget destination - an absolutely<br />
unique, uncrowded paradise, after all, has its price.<br />
Trust me, it’s so worth every penny!<br />
ELECTRICITY:<br />
240 volts.<br />
TELEPHONE & MONEY MATTERS:<br />
Public phones available with a 24hr world satellite link. No mobile<br />
phone coverage.<br />
Credit cards are widely accepted and there is an ATM at the Bowling<br />
Club. Bring cash as a back-up.<br />
GETTING AROUND<br />
Bicycles are the way to go on the island and can be hired from either<br />
your accommodation or bike hires.<br />
Last but not least Remember to bring a head-torch!<br />
More info on the island: www.lordhoweisland.info
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ISOLA DI LORD HOWE: ULTIMO PARADISO AUSTRALIANO<br />
www.kitegabi.com<br />
More informations about the island: www.lordhoweisland.info.
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Willow-River: Here's the One-Eye's story<br />
Willow River<br />
HERE'S THE ONE-EYE'S STORY<br />
INSIDER KNOW-HOW OF WILLOW-RIVER TONKIN, PROBABLY THE MOST WELL-<br />
KNOWN FACE OF THE WORLD-CLASS SPOT ONE-EYE AND AT THE SAME TIME AN<br />
ABSOLUTE INSIDER OF THE WAVE SPOTS ON HIS HOME ISLAND OF MAURITIUS IN<br />
THE INDIAN OCEAN.<br />
Where does the name<br />
"One-Eye" come from?<br />
The legend says that way back in<br />
the 70s, there was an old farmer<br />
that owned the land around Le<br />
Morne and he only had One Eye...<br />
So, when the Australian surfers<br />
came to Mauritius to explore and<br />
find some waves, on the way to<br />
the spot they ran into this One-<br />
Eyed man before getting in the<br />
water and so they ended up naming<br />
that wave ONE EYE.<br />
What does One-Eye look<br />
like on a small day?<br />
On a small day One Eye can be<br />
very, very deceiving. Many people<br />
will go out thinking it’s small and<br />
nothing can happen. But when it<br />
is 1 or 2 or even 3 meters, it is<br />
breaking right on the shallowest<br />
reef. So, when something goes<br />
wrong, you end up directly on the<br />
reef.<br />
What does One-Eye look<br />
like on perfect days?<br />
When it´s perfect it gets super<br />
long with never ending spitting<br />
barrels and steep peaks!<br />
And on small and medium<br />
days, it gets quite crowded<br />
in the line-up. From four<br />
to five meters it becomes<br />
more selective, right?!<br />
Yes, on small days everyone<br />
thinks it’s super safe and nothing<br />
can happen, so when it is small<br />
it gets super crowded with people<br />
that don't know the dangers<br />
of One Eye and don't really know<br />
what they are doing. But as soon<br />
as it gets big, there are very few<br />
people willing to go out to charge<br />
some gnarly waves and score a<br />
couple of stand-up barrels.<br />
So, what about you, when<br />
will it be scary for you?<br />
Once all the channels start closing,<br />
it becomes very scary because<br />
I know that if something<br />
goes wrong there is no way for<br />
anyone to rescue me and it´s
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Willow-River: Here's the One-Eye's story
impossible for me to get back to<br />
the beach against the current. So<br />
that´s why I don't really go out<br />
on days when it is bigger than 7<br />
meters unless there is a safety<br />
boat.<br />
Your hardest wipeout so<br />
far?<br />
To be honest I haven't had too<br />
many bad washings. For sure I<br />
have had a couple of gnarly wipeouts<br />
where I dropped my kite<br />
in the waves, but I always keep<br />
myself as calm as possible and<br />
everything goes quite smoothly.<br />
The problem starts as soon as<br />
you start panicking. If you panic,<br />
it will be a washing that you will<br />
remember for a long time.<br />
What are the differences<br />
of the swell directions?<br />
The best swell direction for One<br />
Eye is south or slightly southsouth-west.<br />
If the swell is completely<br />
west, One Eye gets super<br />
fast and becomes a bit of a close<br />
out.<br />
Does the quite offshore<br />
wind still allow for really<br />
round turns?<br />
Yes, on the days the wind gets<br />
really easterly, it can be quite<br />
hard to do round turns, especially<br />
backside. But generally, with<br />
south easterly wind, it creates<br />
the perfect side-offshore breeze<br />
to go full power into your turns.<br />
When the wind turns more<br />
from the east (northeast?),<br />
then?<br />
Yes, good question, when the<br />
wind turns Easterly, it becomes<br />
more off-shore on One Eye and<br />
there are more chances of the<br />
wind dropping because of the<br />
mountain. The more Southerly it<br />
becomes the more is side-shore.<br />
Do you know a faster wave<br />
on this planet? Ponta Preta<br />
in Cape Verde maybe?<br />
Hookipa on Maui?<br />
No, I think out of all the waves<br />
and places I have traveled to, One<br />
Eye has to be the fastest wave I<br />
have ridden so far. And, by the<br />
way, the longest and cleanest as<br />
well.
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Willow-River: Here's the One-Eye's story<br />
Tell us something about<br />
rain fronts in Le Morne.<br />
What kind of influences<br />
have clouds with eventually<br />
rain showers on the<br />
conditions?<br />
Good and important question.<br />
Usually if you see rain or even<br />
big dark clouds in the area, make<br />
sure you head inside the lagoon<br />
and back to the beach as the wind<br />
can die off if it starts to rain. And<br />
“die” means “die” within a minute!<br />
You have talked about it already:<br />
when are the rescue<br />
boats out of place, does it<br />
mean it cannot go out for<br />
backup?<br />
It´s important! When the swell<br />
gets around 4 or 5 meters, all the<br />
channels start closing out and no<br />
boats can go out to rescue people.<br />
How much misfortune<br />
happens at this spot. How<br />
many accidents take place<br />
out there in One Eye? And<br />
of what kind?<br />
Well, if we talk about serious cases<br />
of people getting injured or<br />
going missing ... not many at all.<br />
But for sure One Eye likes to eat a<br />
couple kites for lunch.<br />
Is the formula "we rent a<br />
boat that goes out with us<br />
and stays at the spot - for<br />
our own safety” a solution?<br />
Yes, sometimes we rent a boat if<br />
it´s a really big day for safety reasons.<br />
But usually on big days we<br />
would rent a boat anyways to get<br />
some shots!<br />
So, make sure if you see it´s really<br />
big, rather stay inside the lagoon<br />
because it´s not worth the<br />
risk!<br />
The rescue boats cannot<br />
go out anymore, you drop<br />
the kite in One Eye, what<br />
options do you have? How<br />
do you handle this situation?<br />
When I drop my kite, the first
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Willow-River: Here's the One-Eye's story
thing I’ll do is to pull my safety<br />
and release my kite. Then, I would<br />
try swim away from my lines and<br />
only keep the kite attached to<br />
my safety leash. Then once the<br />
waves have pushed me inside the<br />
lagoon, I would check to see if my<br />
kite is fine and then try to recover<br />
and relaunch it. But just remember,<br />
the first thing you must do<br />
if you drop the kite in the waves<br />
is to release it as fast as you can<br />
and swim away from your lines.<br />
This will save you (and your kite)!<br />
In addition, let's take a<br />
look at the other wave<br />
spots on your home island.<br />
Manawa!<br />
Manawa is a much more chilled<br />
wave. If you can wave ride, it´s<br />
a wave you should definitely try<br />
out before going out to One Eye.<br />
It´s really slow and smooth with<br />
big open walls. It´s the best wave<br />
to get your first proper feeling of<br />
kitesurfing.<br />
Chameau?<br />
Hmm, Chameau is actually just<br />
the initial part of One Eye. It´s the<br />
same wave with a different name!<br />
And we dip even deeper. For the<br />
filming of the new CORE “NEXUS”<br />
kites, you were traveling in the<br />
south of the island and experienced<br />
the "Big Day" of the year.<br />
During the filming for the new<br />
NEXUS, we traveled all over the<br />
island to find some unknown<br />
places that no one really goes to.<br />
We manage to score a couple of<br />
great days and one or two really<br />
big days with some solid barrels.<br />
All the time that we spent hunting<br />
for the perfect wave ending<br />
up paying off quite nicely! So, we<br />
have definitely other good waves<br />
on the island – besides One-Eye.
104<br />
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Jeremy Burlando, 12 years of talent in every kite discipline<br />
12 YEARS OF TALENT IN EVERY KITE DISCIPLINE
Junior World Champion, at 12 Jeremy Burlando’s already been around the world,<br />
speaks 5 languages and trains on every windy day. In the water he’s a multi-discipline<br />
phenomenon, so much so that Core immediately offered him a contract<br />
as Canary rider when they saw him and after few months welcomed him as<br />
<strong>International</strong> Core rider. A dream for many, true already for him.<br />
Born in Venice on 18th July 2005, Jeremy’s been living in El Medano for a year<br />
(Tenerife, Canary Islands), with his dad Michele, mentor and coach, with whom<br />
he started practising wakeboarding at 7. Jeremy has clear ideas: become world<br />
champion and live out of kitesurfing emulating his idols, Hadlow, Pasteur, Whaley,<br />
etc. <strong>Kitesoul</strong> met him in Marsala, Italy, during the first stop of the Italian<br />
Freestyle Championship 2018 and asked him few questions to get to know him<br />
better.
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Jeremy Burlando, 12 years of talent in every kite discipline<br />
Jeremy, which discipline do you feel the most at the moment?<br />
Well, Freestyle is definitely my discipline, but I surely don't dislike Big<br />
Air either. I've had the opportunity to meet very talented riders and in<br />
El Medano, where I live, there are the right conditions for improving in<br />
this spectacular discipline.<br />
Which is your Big Air equipment?<br />
I always await about 35-40 knots of wind to start using my 5m or 7m<br />
GTS and the twintip board Carved Imperator 6, in my opinion an amazing<br />
equipment combination for Big Air.<br />
What is your highest jump till now?<br />
On a South wind day at Tajita beach at El Medano with a right-hand<br />
kicker on which I’m used to jump I recorded 18 meters.<br />
What are your other manoeuvres apart from jumping high?<br />
Well, it depends on the moment, I normally invent them once I’m up<br />
in the air. But I normally pull Megaloops rotation board-off, and while<br />
landing perhaps also a Handle Pass. It all depends on the wind conditions.<br />
Given your young age, what do you feel at such height?<br />
Peace and relax. It comes easy, I don’t really think about it, I simply<br />
rely on myself and the Core equipment.
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Jeremy Burlando, 12 years of talent in every kite discipline<br />
12 YEARS OF TALENT IN EVERY KITE DISCIPLINE
How do you feel with the German Brand?<br />
Very well. They are professionals, I had the honour of meeting every<br />
crew member with whom I have a fresh and genuine relationship. If<br />
there is anything I need, they’ll do anything to meet my request. I’ve<br />
tried the Nexus and it’s exceptional: a mix between the Section and<br />
the GTS. I must request it in size 6 and 10 so that I can concentrate on<br />
the three disciplines, although the Impact remains my favourite for<br />
Freestyle.<br />
How about the third discipline?<br />
Do you mean Strapless? Wind permitting, I always use my Core 720<br />
which is fun on waves and it’s a board that allows to do anything especially<br />
for its lightness.<br />
When will you start in Big Air competitions?<br />
Good question. The first will be on Gran Canaria on 15th and 16th<br />
June. Then I’d like to participate in the Megaloop Challenge organized<br />
by Ruben Lenten in Holland and then in the King of the Air in South<br />
Africa, but I must still wait another 4 years to be 16! I know the tour<br />
started this year and I’d like to go but I can't... Pity! But I will definitely<br />
drop by, although not for competing, just to see and understand what<br />
I can do!<br />
Let's talk about TT:R, another discipline that you occasionally practice...<br />
Sure, now it's in the Olympics and therefore I’m training for it. I don't<br />
find it difficult. Starting this year, I’ll also focus on this discipline to<br />
participate in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024, if the Italian Sailing<br />
Federation wants me, else I will go as a Spanish national. Right now,<br />
I’m having fun, I will carry on this way and then we'll see.
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Jeremy Burlando, 12 years of talent in every kite discipline<br />
We saw you here at the Stagnone of Marsala, congratulations. How did<br />
it go?<br />
Thanks, it was my first experience in Italy. I finished third among the<br />
Under 18 and ninth in the overall ranking, not bad. I’m satisfied, I<br />
couldn't believe it. I now proceed to the second stop of the Italian<br />
Freestyle Championship at Lake Garda, hopefully I'll get on the podium.
Follow Jeremy on Facebook as Jeremy Burlando Kiter and at www.jeremyburlando.com
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114<br />
EXPERIENCE<br />
Here is KiteBuddy! I show you how a kite shop can be successful<br />
HERE IS KITEBUDDY!<br />
I SHOW YOU HOW A KITE SHOP CAN BE SUCCESSFUL<br />
Those who follow kitesurfing on the web quite likely<br />
already bumped into one of his hilarious videos. We<br />
are talking about KiteBuddy alias Dorian Cie, a German<br />
guy to whom this sport changed his life. From being<br />
an engineer to now being the owner of kite shop that<br />
he’s been running since 2012. Key to his popularity is a<br />
video channel on which KiteBuddy offers tutorials, spot<br />
and gear reviews, holidays and anything of his life to<br />
do with kitesurfing with a genuine, fun approach like a<br />
true enthusiast. We met him in Cape Verde and surely<br />
interviewed him.
Dorian, when did you start kiting and how did you<br />
get the idea of the kite shop?<br />
It was 2012. It was April and very cold in Germany<br />
and I was the first student of that season in the<br />
water to take kitesurfing lessons. The good thing<br />
was that I was all alone. I remember that special<br />
moment the instructor gave me the kite control bar<br />
and I felt like I was going to do this sport my whole<br />
life, there would be nothing else in my life except<br />
kitesurfing. I couldn't ride upwind at that moment,<br />
I had a seat harness and I took the decision to start<br />
my own kitesurf business. So, after two years I quit<br />
my job and opened my kite shop. It was quite amazing<br />
to me spend my all days not just kiting but also<br />
learning about the products, the kite industry, how<br />
to run a business like this. I had less money than I<br />
use to have as an engineer, but I felt happier than<br />
before. I put all my money into this business, I sold<br />
everything I had before, and I had to move back<br />
to my parents' house sleeping on the couch. But I<br />
didn't put just my money into it, also my heart and<br />
soul. It was good and after two years I opened my
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EXPERIENCE<br />
Here is KiteBuddy! I show you how a kite shop can be successful<br />
second shop, a bigger one and started hiring people<br />
to work with me.<br />
It is always amazing to see how kitesurf can change<br />
your life. The interesting thing about your business<br />
is that you don't just consider yourself a shop seller,<br />
but you want to add something more. Can you explain<br />
how you decided to start making videos?<br />
I just felt that I had to offer something useful to my<br />
customers, good equipment of course but also my<br />
personal experience with this sport, for example<br />
important topics for safety in the water explaining<br />
how to self rescue in case of emergency. My main<br />
motivation was to let the German kitesurf community<br />
grow and get a higher level of riding with my<br />
videos. For me it was important also my approach<br />
to that as a no pro rider, but just as a normal passionate<br />
rider. The reason why people is so connected<br />
to my videos is that I'm not a professional kiter<br />
and they feel my same way. Maybe I'm just the only<br />
person on YouTube that shows the real thing, the<br />
good and the bad about learning and they see the<br />
all process of getting to a higher level.<br />
Why did you choose that name, KiteBuddy for your<br />
video channel?<br />
That's a funny story. We saw the movie Ted directed<br />
by Seth MacFarlane, an American buddy comedy<br />
that talks about this small bear which is always<br />
smoking weed and being upset by the bad weather.<br />
I had the shop at that time but with no name<br />
and I decided to call it KiteBuddy and registered a<br />
web domain but with the wrong name kitebuddie.<br />
I had to change it then. It's a very lucky and good<br />
name, because people start to recognize me as the<br />
KiteBuddy of the videos.<br />
What kind of videos do you shoot and put on your<br />
video channel? They’re not just tutorials...<br />
I share everything I do connected with kitesurf. So,<br />
tutorials of course, do-it-yourself videos, but also<br />
kite spots reviews, vlogs about my holidays, product<br />
focus reviews, unboxing products, etc. Many<br />
people come to my shop and ask me to shoot videos<br />
about the products with my personal point of<br />
view about it, that is always complete, critic and<br />
neutral. It could be studio videos or on the beach.<br />
I also share my working days, what happens to me,<br />
the ups and downs.<br />
Do you have any good feedbacks from the kite brands<br />
of the industry about your activity?<br />
It didn't happen straight away, it was a long road<br />
for me, but now some brands start to consider me<br />
and appreciate my job and support me. Core Kites<br />
for example is going to launch the new Nexus kite
in Germany and its first presentation event will be<br />
with my shop and at my home spot. Other brands let<br />
me do testing events all year round. They know my<br />
human approach, for me it's not about how many<br />
times their name comes in the video, it’s about telling<br />
the real thing and my personal impressions. I'm<br />
not payed for making videos and that's the difference<br />
with other stuff like that.
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EXPERIENCE<br />
Here is KiteBuddy! I show you how a kite shop can be successful<br />
You put the human factor into your business. Nowadays<br />
all the products are pretty good and quite similar<br />
and what makes difference from a shop to another<br />
is the people you can trust behind the desk...<br />
Is that right?<br />
Yeah, it's pretty much that way. People need to<br />
trust the sellers and they appreciate that I always<br />
tell the whole story about the products, what I like,<br />
what I don't. I personally use every product from<br />
my shop, so customers also receive firsthand experience<br />
comments from me. They consider me a<br />
good tester because I'm not a professional, just an<br />
enthusiast just like them.<br />
Are you happy today? Do you miss your past career<br />
as an engineer?<br />
I have much less money and I work much more, but<br />
I do what I love all day long.<br />
WWW.KITE-BUDDY.DE
HERE IS KITEBUDDY!<br />
I SHOW YOU HOW A KITE SHOP CAN BE SUCCESSFUL
122<br />
SAILING & KITESURFING<br />
Kiters wind hunting along the beautiful Sinis coast<br />
Kiters wind hunting<br />
along the beautiful Sinis<br />
coast<br />
Put together the passion for sea and wind, the joy of sailing and<br />
the love for water sports in one only experience to fully enjoy<br />
the enchanting and wild nature of the Sardinian West coast. This<br />
is the objective of the tourist offer that sees as protagonists the<br />
charter company Sa Mora Sail, owned by Alessandro Dessì, the<br />
team of the Kite'n'Di kitesurfing and Sup school owned by Mio<br />
and Enrico Tiana and the two F-One pro-riders Enrico Giordano<br />
and Luca Marcis. Together, to make you unveil these unspoilt<br />
coastlines, especially the waters of the Marine Protected Area<br />
of the Peninsula of Sinis and allow you to combine nature and<br />
water-sports during your holidays.<br />
Text: David Ingiosi<br />
Photo: Roberta Pala e Daniela Meloni
This dream came true a few weeks<br />
ago when the entire team tested<br />
the format of this experience by<br />
sailing aboard Sula, a 14-meter<br />
Bavaria cabin cruiser with sloop<br />
rig, heading the island of Mal di<br />
Ventre.<br />
"We sailed along the two Kiters,<br />
Enrico Giordano and Enrico Tiana,<br />
who rode with their fast hydrofoils<br />
around the boat heading<br />
Cala Saline beach on the island of<br />
the Marine Protected Area - says<br />
Alessandro Dessì - Once at Cala<br />
Saline the seagulls welcomed us<br />
circling above the boat, in a crystal-clear<br />
sea that only the granite<br />
seabed of the island can offer.<br />
EXPLORING THE COAST ON A<br />
SUP<br />
The SUP instructors, went into<br />
raptures over that amazing view,<br />
set up boards and paddles to start<br />
exploring these unspoilt beaches<br />
with their families and friends.<br />
Meanwhile, aboard everyone enjoyed<br />
an aperitif, followed by<br />
lunch, savouring local wines, car-
124<br />
SAILING & KITESURFING<br />
Kiters wind hunting along the beautiful Sinis coast<br />
ried away by the Lentisk perfume<br />
in the breeze.<br />
With the afternoon thermal<br />
winds, we started our sailing back<br />
home, some of us on a kiteboard<br />
and some others more comfortably<br />
aboard the Sula towards the<br />
bay of Putzu Idu, accompanied<br />
by the music of the wind on the<br />
sails and by the applause of the<br />
sea on the hull".<br />
"This dirty job someone has to<br />
do it ...", we ironically repeated<br />
during the beautiful day spent on<br />
the sailboat of our friend Alessandro<br />
- says Enrico Giordano. It<br />
was an unparalleled experience<br />
that we can now offer to those<br />
who wish to combine sailing with<br />
water-sports. Early in the morning<br />
the 10 of us boarded the<br />
spectacular Bavaria cabin cruiser<br />
and set sail from the turquoise<br />
bay of Putzu Idu, heading the<br />
island of Mal di Ventre, about 4<br />
miles from the coast.<br />
ON A SAILING BOAT SUR-<br />
ROUNDED BY HYDROFOILS<br />
Just enough time to hoist the<br />
mainsail and genoa and enjoy<br />
the wonderful feeling of turning<br />
the engine off, and start sailing,<br />
that Enrico Tiana and myself took<br />
advantage of the breeze to inflate<br />
the F-One 13 Breeze and the<br />
11 Bandit on the tender hooked<br />
to the boat and jump in the water
with the hydrofoils.<br />
Once reached the island of Mal di<br />
Ventre, we whooshed on the astonishing<br />
crystal-clear water enjoying<br />
the amazing view. Just as<br />
I felt a little peckish I decided to<br />
park my equipment on the beach<br />
of Cala Saline, I made use of a<br />
SUP lift by the good friend Miguel<br />
and got back aboard for lunch.<br />
Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes,<br />
beer and some fruit. A nap would<br />
have been nice, but time flies and<br />
the Stand-Up-Paddling group set<br />
off to scout around. The SUP is<br />
perfect to stroll up exploring.<br />
And the inflatable models are<br />
ideal to be stowed on a sailing<br />
boat. The activities to do on such<br />
trips, above and under the water,<br />
are endless. Just need to choose<br />
yours!<br />
The light Mistral breeze was still<br />
on when Enrico and myself decided<br />
to return by hydrofoil, but only<br />
hundred metres on and boom<br />
... doldrums! And all the memories<br />
of the tour around Sardinia,<br />
alias Kite Around Sardinia, with<br />
my friend Luca Marcis, strongly<br />
popped back up. Retrieve the bar<br />
and wait for someone to come<br />
and get you, alone and in silence<br />
in the middle of the sea ... how<br />
fulfilling!<br />
DREAM DAYS SAILING AND KIT-<br />
ING<br />
The test day was a success. Us<br />
of Kite Around Sardinia together<br />
with the captain of the Bavaria<br />
Alessandro Dessì, will offer a full<br />
sailing and kitesurfing package<br />
for non-beginners that want to<br />
spend some amazing days on the<br />
Sardinian West coast. Alessandro<br />
can cover routes of several miles<br />
and offer a sailing trip of few<br />
days similar to the one Luca and<br />
myself did last year. Only this<br />
time, we won't disembark, we’ll<br />
stay aboard!".
126<br />
SAILING & KITESURFING<br />
Kiters wind hunting along the beautiful Sinis coast<br />
A MUST LIVE EXPERIENCE<br />
"We’re always looking for new<br />
inspirations and eager to share<br />
our passions - explains Enrico Tiana<br />
- that's why at our school we<br />
offer a set of services aimed at<br />
providing unforgettable experiences.<br />
Stand Up Paddling lessons<br />
with visits in the Marine Protected<br />
Area of the Peninsula of Sinis,<br />
with crystal-clear waters, breathtaking<br />
sunsets and picturesque<br />
glimpes of archaeological sites.<br />
Kitesurfing lessons often chaperoned<br />
by dolphins wandering<br />
around, surrounded by unspoilt<br />
landscapes. For the more experienced,<br />
we offer a boat-lift service<br />
for kitesurfing within the Gulf<br />
of Oristano without necessarily<br />
lauching from the beach and we<br />
organize long distances along the<br />
Sinis Coast.<br />
We recently perfected a format<br />
that offers the opportunity to experience<br />
kitesurfing and SUPing<br />
in a magical and unspoilt location:<br />
the island of Mal di Ventre.<br />
We'll reach the island through a<br />
fantastic sailing journey of about<br />
an hour aboard a comfortable<br />
sailing boat. Then we'll be kitesurfing<br />
and SUPing by offering a<br />
package of customizable lessons,<br />
visits around the island and will<br />
provide an utter assistance service.<br />
Needless to say, the sports<br />
activities will be combined with
tasty meals aboard, accompanied<br />
by good wine and cool refreshing<br />
beers... In short, the kitesurfing<br />
and SUPing experience with<br />
Kite'n'Di at the island of Mal di<br />
Ventre is definitely one of the 100<br />
must-do-things in a rider’s life!".
128<br />
SAILING & KITESURFING<br />
Kiters wind hunting along the beautiful Sinis coast<br />
Kiters wind hunting<br />
along the beautiful Sinis<br />
coast<br />
For those who wish to live this sea, sailing and kiting experience,<br />
please contact the editorial staff of <strong>Kitesoul</strong> at:<br />
david.ingiosi@kitesoul.com
130<br />
PHOTO CONTEST<br />
One Shot Kitesurfing in Salento – Winter <strong>Edition</strong>: here are the winners!<br />
ONE SHOT KITESURFING IN SALENTO<br />
Winter <strong>Edition</strong>: here are the winners!<br />
C A T E G O R Y A ,<br />
1° Emiliano Peluso 2° Emanue<br />
Last 12th May at Le Dune Suite<br />
Hotel in Porto Cesareo (LECCE) it<br />
was held the award ceremony of<br />
the photo contest One Shot Kitesurfing<br />
in Salento - Winter <strong>Edition</strong>,<br />
second edition of this event<br />
organized by the "Salento Bats"<br />
Association and open to whoever<br />
wished to try to tell in a shot<br />
the Salento winter sea through<br />
the colours of kitesurfing. A creative<br />
initiative to bring together<br />
the love for photography and the<br />
passion for kitesurfing, with the<br />
aim of telling and enhance the<br />
charm of an incomparable scenario<br />
like the one of Salento, in<br />
Puglia, one of the most evocative<br />
coasts in the Mediterranean.<br />
The best shots were selected<br />
among hundreds of received photos<br />
and were awarded by a jury<br />
of photographers and journalists<br />
among which also <strong>Kitesoul</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
The victory went to Emiliano<br />
Peluso, Emanule Pezzuto and<br />
Daniele D'Addario, respectively
" P H O T O G R A P H E R S "<br />
le Pezzuto<br />
3° Daniele D'Addario<br />
first, second and third place for<br />
category A, "Photographers".<br />
This year the new category "Photo-amateurs"<br />
awarded the first<br />
place to Emanuela Mazzotta, followed<br />
by Alessandro Quarta and<br />
Pamela Margarito.<br />
"In each shot we found an exciting<br />
photographic tale, in every<br />
framing the attempt, unique and<br />
very personal, to discover with<br />
fresh eyes our Salento in wintertime<br />
- explained the Salento<br />
Bats President, Emanuele Rosafio<br />
- Photography won once again,<br />
proving to be a valuable tool for<br />
interaction, interchange and social<br />
growth, the best way to discover<br />
our territory, spread the<br />
culture of eco-friendly sports<br />
such as kitesurfing, create a network<br />
and strengthen our Community!”.
132<br />
PHOTO CONTEST<br />
One Shot Kitesurfing in Salento – Winter <strong>Edition</strong>: here are the winners!<br />
C A T E G O R Y B -<br />
1° Emanuela Mazzotta 2° Alessand<br />
Those who wish to enter next editions<br />
of the competition can send<br />
their shots to the e-mail address<br />
salentobats@yahoo.com. Contest<br />
rules and details are available<br />
at salentobats.blogspot.it and<br />
on Facebook page Associazione<br />
"Salento Bats". Fair winds and<br />
good photographs everybody!
P H O T O - A M A T E U R S<br />
ro Quarta<br />
3° Pamela Margarito<br />
www.facebook.com/salentobats<br />
http://salentobats.blogspot.it
134<br />
LEARN HOW TO KITESURF<br />
I do the "walk of shame" and I don't give a damn<br />
I DO THE<br />
Walk of Shame<br />
AND I DON'T GIVE A DAMN<br />
When you are still unable to ride upwind with your kitesurf<br />
you'll drift downwind. To return to the starting point there is<br />
no other solution than doing the so-called "walk of shame" as<br />
it's ironically called. Well, we've all been there...<br />
The so-called "walk of shame",<br />
to regain the water lost after you<br />
drifted downwind too much during<br />
a kite session, is one of the<br />
oldest taboos in this sport. But us<br />
riders have all been there and it<br />
will always be an inevitable experience<br />
for those who start practicing<br />
this discipline. What is it<br />
exactly? When you are a beginner<br />
and start kiting, by the end of a 6<br />
hour-basic course, you learn the<br />
waterstart and the riding downwind<br />
basic technique, that means<br />
you can only ride more or less in<br />
the same direction of the wind,<br />
that is riding on a broad reach.<br />
Since you are not yet able to<br />
ride upwind on the board, that<br />
is windward, at some stage you<br />
must inevitably stop, and get<br />
back walking with the kite still flying<br />
and holding the board underarm<br />
to get back to the beach or<br />
starting point. In short, if you still<br />
cannot ride upwind, there is no<br />
other way but the walk of shame!<br />
Drift<br />
downwind<br />
means you<br />
rode anyway<br />
Well, there is nothing to be<br />
ashamed of. In fact, walk to the<br />
wind is the fastest and safier way<br />
to start kitesurfing. Nevertheless,<br />
every walk means that you rode,<br />
perhaps for hundreds of meters,<br />
you have familiarized with your<br />
kite control, your stance and the<br />
weight distribution. Of course,<br />
not everything is perfect yet and<br />
you need to practice, but it's<br />
thanks to the possibility to walk<br />
back that you can start all over<br />
again and improve every time.<br />
In fact, you shouldn’t rush things<br />
up, but relax and take your time<br />
to perfect your upwind riding<br />
and above all ignore what others<br />
might think. Your only goal is<br />
having fun, learning and avoiding<br />
getting in tricky situations.
The walk of<br />
shame belongs<br />
to the kitesurfing<br />
learning-process<br />
If you just can't walk with the kite<br />
at 45 degrees at 11 or 1 o'clock,<br />
you can deflate it, wrap up the<br />
inevitably for everyone, beginners<br />
and pro-riders.<br />
bar and safely get back to the<br />
spot from where you've entered<br />
the water. Get set up and start<br />
your session over again.<br />
There will always be someone<br />
that will laugh at you or look at<br />
you with pity, but don't worry,<br />
any expert rider knows that the<br />
walk of shame is part of the kitesurfing<br />
learning-process.<br />
But there's more to it. There are<br />
times when even experienced<br />
kiters may have to do the walk<br />
of shame. For example, because<br />
of swimmers or the presence of<br />
boats, rocks, piers or any other<br />
obstacle impeding them to go upwind<br />
on the board. Lastly, if the<br />
wind drops and there's no way to<br />
ride, the walk of shame is
136<br />
LEARN HOW TO KITESURF<br />
I do the "walk of shame" and I don't give a damn<br />
Useful to<br />
everybody,<br />
beginners and<br />
experts<br />
To be done properly the walk of<br />
shame requires some skills. You<br />
must be able to walk with the kite<br />
kept stable at 45 degrees, controlling<br />
the bar with one hand because<br />
the other one is holding the<br />
board. It can be more or less tiring,<br />
depending on the distance to<br />
cover and the wind direction with<br />
respect to the shore. If you realize<br />
that the wind is too strong, gusty<br />
or you simply cannot control your<br />
kite, land it, deflate it, wrap up<br />
the bar, shove everything in your<br />
harness, which in the meantime<br />
you took off, and get back. Walking<br />
tall...
"Sailing is human,<br />
surfing is diabolic"
138<br />
LEARN HOW TO KITESURF<br />
I do the "walk of shame" and I don't give a damn<br />
You can spot the illustrated adventures of Kiter Soze printed on themed<br />
t-shirts purchasable at https://kitersoze.threadless.com.<br />
https://kitersoze.threadless.com.
140<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
Why yoga might help you be a better kiter<br />
Why yoga might help you be<br />
a better kiter<br />
Kitesurfing as a sport carries great physical and mental benefits,<br />
but it’s also a discipline that challenges your body, stresses muscles<br />
and tendons and necessitates total concentration and coordination.<br />
Practising yoga, as proved by many professional riders,<br />
can be a great way to relax your body and mind, get restored,<br />
increase one's own perception and have a more intimate and deep<br />
connection with nature.<br />
Kitesurfing is a sport that creates<br />
huge benefits to body and mind.<br />
It increases self-confidence, improves<br />
self-esteem, allows to<br />
take on your own limits and deep<br />
in nature, but most of all it gives<br />
an overall well-being feeling.<br />
On the other hand, it is a discipline<br />
that can be quite challenging<br />
for the muscles, tendons and<br />
our stamina. When in the water<br />
we must stay focused and every<br />
movement we make takes a high<br />
concentration level, especially if<br />
we try to learn a new manoeuvre<br />
or trick. Good kiters must be in<br />
good physical shape, train the<br />
muscles of legs, back and arms,<br />
that's both to get more power<br />
during some manoeuvres, prevent<br />
possible injuries and quickly<br />
recover from any accidents.<br />
That's body wise. But how do we<br />
train our mind? Yoga can be a<br />
great way to keep both trained.<br />
Let's see how this ancient and yet<br />
enormously popular art can have<br />
a positive impact on our performance<br />
and generally improve us<br />
as kiters.
Body elasticity is key to kitesurfing<br />
Kitesurfing is a sport that generates<br />
tension to our body. When<br />
we do fitness exercises or go to<br />
the gym to train for sessions, all<br />
we do is add more tension and<br />
this shouldn't be our goal. Something<br />
we all know as sports-people,<br />
kiters included, is that before<br />
a session we should do some<br />
warm-up for our muscles so<br />
to prevent strains and sprains.<br />
What is also important it’s improving<br />
our flexibility, especially<br />
to perform manoeuvres, jumps,<br />
rotations even just simple board<br />
grabs. It's no news that one of<br />
the positive effects of yoga is the<br />
improvement of body flexibility.<br />
It's like having a power steering<br />
on your back.<br />
During a yoga session, participants<br />
learn how to properly use<br />
their body and increase their<br />
physical awareness. The aim is to<br />
decompress the spine and relieve<br />
tension off all muscles, focusing<br />
and relaxing with the help of a<br />
controlled and deep breathing.<br />
In addition to our body well-being,<br />
yoga improves our mind one<br />
too, essential to get the most out<br />
of our physical performances.<br />
Body and mind must walk hand<br />
in hand. While kitesurfing we<br />
have an adrenaline-filled breath,<br />
whereas a deeper and more relaxed<br />
breathing would greatly<br />
help avoid wasting energy and<br />
better use our muscles. Yoga also<br />
allows to better and more deeply<br />
connect with the sea, nature and<br />
the surrounding environment.
142<br />
EXPERIENCES<br />
Why yoga might help you be a better kiter<br />
Immediate yoga benefits for body and mind<br />
Some may already know, probably<br />
not from personal experience,<br />
many concepts and benefits<br />
of yoga but are too lazy to<br />
start practising it or else believe<br />
it takes too much time to learn<br />
the technique, positions and<br />
meditation. But that's a legend.<br />
Truth is that yoga well-being is<br />
almost immediate and increases<br />
with practice. As a matter of<br />
fact, the effects of this discipline<br />
immediately act on the nervous<br />
system since the very first sessions.<br />
The first to discover the yoga<br />
benefits on kitesurfing were the<br />
pro riders who practice this sport<br />
at high levels of concentration as<br />
well as of fatigue and physical<br />
strain. Ruben Lenten says how<br />
he felt incredibly better once he<br />
started practicing yoga regularly.<br />
Like him, many others, for example<br />
the Italian champion Francesca<br />
Bagnoli. But enthusiasts can<br />
also improve their physical and<br />
mental well-being thanks to this<br />
discipline. In fact, more and more<br />
frequently kitesurfing courses or<br />
trips as well as sessions come<br />
with yoga teachers who during<br />
the day organize relaxing and invigorating<br />
sessions for every participant.<br />
Kiters who would like to approach<br />
yoga and improve their<br />
performances in the water but<br />
also ashore, should ideally join a<br />
course, find a good teacher and<br />
simply start practising this noble<br />
art.
Why yoga might help you be<br />
a better kiter
E XPERIENCE<br />
INNO V A TIVE<br />
T E CHNOL O G Y<br />
BARLOC<br />
SPREADER BAR<br />
®<br />
The Prolimit BarLoc ® spreader bar design is a strong and stable<br />
alternative to traditional spreader bar systems. The interlocking steel parts<br />
give unparalleled stability replacing the flexible buckle and strap attachment.<br />
This clean design removes flapping straps and protruding buckles.<br />
STRONG • STABLE • CLEAN<br />
Lock-in with the BarLoc ® system.<br />
WWW.PROLIMIT.COM
SAILING AROUND TH<br />
146<br />
KITE TRIPS<br />
Sailing around the Grenadines with Julien Leleu
E GRENADINES with Julien Leleu<br />
I went for a 10-day kitesurf coaching mission sailing around the Grenadines.<br />
We arrived in Martinique and rented out a big 52-foot catamaran<br />
to take a cool group of people around the Caribbean for an epic<br />
kitesurf experience.<br />
We started our journey in the evening and sailed for 12 hours from<br />
Martinique to reach the Grenadines. Sailing into the Grenadines, we<br />
witnessed the most amazing sunrise, a great welcoming and the perfect<br />
way to start the trip.<br />
The first day we kited in Turtle Bay with crystal blue waters like I have<br />
never seen before. This day was all about checking out the skill of all<br />
the riders and getting everyone excited for the awesome time ahead.<br />
Local fishermen with long dreadlocks would come every day to offer<br />
what they had caught in the day, super fresh tuna or lobster was always<br />
on the menu.<br />
We had an amazing hostess that would prepare everything to perfec-
148<br />
KITE TRIPS<br />
Sailing around the Grenadines with Julien Leleu
tion as we got off the water for a little break. At night the best cocktails<br />
were served, and the vibes were always good.<br />
In the evenings I would show them all the videos and photos that we<br />
got throughout the day and give a little advice on how they could improve.<br />
We would move from spot to spot every day to find the best<br />
places to kite, snorkel, and hike, everyone was loving it!<br />
We were blessed with a perfect 18-20 knots of wind everyday which<br />
was also great for me to test out our new freestyle kite, the RRD Obsession<br />
MK11.<br />
To be honest, I have traveled to lots of different kitesurf destinations<br />
in my life, but this trip was really special and a mind-blowing experience<br />
for me - the raw beauty of the island combined with the great<br />
vibes from everyone was really amazing.
150<br />
KITE TRIPS<br />
Sailing around the Grenadines with Julien Leleu<br />
As this all sounds so great (which it was), there was however a lot of<br />
work involved during the trip such as editing all the videos and photos,<br />
coaching all the students, plus some additional work became a bit<br />
tiring after a few days, none the less, the vibes were still awesome!<br />
After a perfect 10 days of kiting, it was time to head back to Martinique.<br />
Big swells hitting on us on the way back made the trip a bit more interesting<br />
with some of the clients getting sick and me having to edit<br />
videos at the same time was quite a tricky experience, however I’m<br />
glad they still came out great ha-ha!<br />
Overall it was a really amazing experience for everyone and a trip I'll<br />
never forget!<br />
Also managed to make this little POV edit from my sessions in between<br />
coaching. Enjoy!
NEW BOARDSHORTS COLLECTION SPRING/SUMMER 2018<br />
''<br />
Find all our boardshorts on www.manera.com
''<br />
WWW.MANERA.COM<br />
S T A Y<br />
S A L T Y
154<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
RRD<br />
Product focus<br />
SHIELD HARNESS<br />
KITE WAIST HIGH-END<br />
www.robertoriccidesigns.com<br />
Testo & Foto: RRD Courtesy<br />
FEATURES<br />
• Carbon outer support shield<br />
• Pre-shaped inner and outer – Natural/Curved<br />
• Unibelt bar stabilizer<br />
• Push release spreaderbar<br />
• Kite hook<br />
• Safety Knife<br />
• Key loop and pocket<br />
• EVA Grip inside<br />
• Tender Neoprene inside<br />
• Handle pass leash connectors<br />
The all-new premium Shield<br />
harness introduces our low profile<br />
carbon outer shield, which<br />
is made with the stiffest and<br />
lightest material that gives the<br />
most support without sacrificing<br />
weight, for maximum back<br />
support and performance, during<br />
long or powerful sessions.<br />
The lightweight carbon material<br />
doesn’t absorb water, so it<br />
stays light. The naturally curved<br />
back and pre-shape gives you<br />
superior back support without<br />
losing freedom of movement<br />
and performance on the water.<br />
The Unibelt bar stabilizer is an<br />
exclusive feature to the Shield<br />
harness. It simplifies the belt<br />
and closure construction and<br />
locks the bar into place, to eliminate<br />
ride-up of the hook. The<br />
Unibelt can easily be converted<br />
to a wave harness by installing<br />
the aftermarket shield specific<br />
rope bar conversion kit.
Product focus<br />
STARK HARNESS<br />
KITE WAIST ADAPTIVE<br />
FEATURES<br />
• Pre-shaped internal plate – Natural<br />
• Spreaderbar stabilizer wings<br />
• Push release spreaderbar<br />
• Kite hook<br />
• Velcro tension belt<br />
• Key loop and pocket<br />
• Tender Neoprene inside<br />
• Handle pass leash connectors<br />
• Lo-wear webbing straps<br />
The Stark is a more flexible<br />
harness. The softer, natural<br />
pre-shaped inner plate and neoprene<br />
inside make the harness<br />
adapt to your body. The freedom<br />
of movement, flex and softness<br />
it creates, is most appreciated<br />
in less powered, shorter or fun<br />
freeride sessions.
156<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
RRD<br />
Product focus<br />
THRIVE HARNESS<br />
KITE WAIST CURVED BACK<br />
FEATURES<br />
• Moulded EVA outer<br />
• Pre-shaped internal plate -Curved<br />
• Spreaderbar stabilizer wings<br />
• Push release spreaderbar<br />
• Kite hook<br />
• Velcro tension belt<br />
• Safety Knife<br />
• Key loop and pocket<br />
• EVA Grip inside<br />
• Tender Neoprene inside<br />
• Handle pass leash connectors<br />
• Lo-wear webbing straps<br />
The Thrive harness has a more<br />
vertically curved shape. This<br />
makes it the choice for users<br />
with a more curved lower back<br />
or riders that prefer a more<br />
upright riding position, like<br />
free-riding and down the line<br />
wave riding. The new padded<br />
spreaderbar with stabilizer wings<br />
locks the bar in place and eliminates<br />
the hook riding up and<br />
protects your ribs.
158<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
Naish<br />
Product focus<br />
Naish BOXER<br />
www.naishkites.com<br />
Text & Photos: Naish Courtesy<br />
Blending efficiency and innovation,<br />
this forgiving kite is incredibly<br />
versatile. Designed primarily<br />
for foiling, the Boxer has<br />
proven to be so adaptable and<br />
accessible, it appeals to all skillsets<br />
and riding styles.<br />
A single luff strut marries the<br />
best characteristics of strutless<br />
and strutted kite designs.<br />
The strut’s relaxed connection<br />
to the canopy creates a dynamic<br />
structure, which allows the<br />
canopy to freely expand and<br />
contract, while maintaining<br />
the strength of a strutted framework<br />
to handle heavier loads<br />
with ease.<br />
An outstanding underpowered<br />
kite, the Boxer is incredibly easy<br />
to relaunch, light to the touch,<br />
responsive but gentle. Very<br />
easy to sheet in and go, this kite<br />
is quick, easy to control and generates<br />
power quickly. It’s light<br />
and lively feel at the fingertips<br />
makes it approachable and forgiving.<br />
SIZES: 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16<br />
KEY FEATURES<br />
• Quad-Tex Ripstop Fabric = Most advanced kite canopy on the<br />
market<br />
• Shark Teeth Trailing Edge = Reduces weight while minimizing &<br />
dispersing canopy flutter<br />
• Super Easy Relaunch<br />
• Super Easy Sheet-in-and-Go<br />
• Quick Response to Bar Movements<br />
• Single Luff Strut<br />
• Low-end Power<br />
• Light to the Tough + Easy to Control<br />
• Easy Jumping<br />
• Great Underpowered Performance
NEW FOR 2018/19:<br />
• Reduced Weight = Quad-Tex enables the removal of the Dacron<br />
reinforcement layer at each strut, resulting in a further reduction<br />
in overall weight<br />
• Shark Teeth Trailing Edge = Larger and more effective<br />
• Bridles, wing tip shape & leading edge diameter have been worked<br />
to deliver consistent performance from size to size<br />
• Bladder Lock = Secures bladders ends and prevents slippage<br />
• HT Plus = Strong, high-tensile thread fortifies the leading edge
160<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
Cabrinha<br />
Product focus<br />
DOUBLE AGENT<br />
HYDROFOIL/SURF SKATE<br />
WWW.CABRINHA.COM<br />
Text & Photo: Cabrinha Courtesy<br />
One board, two faces. A performance<br />
hydrofoil board that’s<br />
incredibly easy to ride. Quickly<br />
converts into a fun surf skate.<br />
Cabrinha’s 2018 foil board program<br />
now offers 3 different<br />
mast sizes to suit a wide range<br />
of conditions and ability levels:<br />
40cm - Ideally suited for shallow<br />
water and riders seeking a<br />
confidence inspiring entry into<br />
foil boarding.<br />
60cm - A great option for progressing<br />
riders that want a<br />
stable and user-friendly ride<br />
while still offering portability<br />
and durability in a solid all-around<br />
length.<br />
85cm - An extremely smooth<br />
and stable ride in everything<br />
from flat water to the largest<br />
choppy conditions. The longer<br />
length increases the upwind<br />
ability of the kite to maximize
FEATURES & BENEFITS<br />
Fun multi use board: foil / surf skate / wake surf<br />
Easy to use and progress Lively and Responsive<br />
shape<br />
Works well in a wide range of conditions<br />
Compatible with our modular foil system<br />
Board sold with deckpad, three (3) footstraps, four<br />
(4) TT Fins (2x 30mm, 2x 50mm) and mounting hardware.<br />
SIZES:<br />
Board Sizes: 135cm / 145cm<br />
Mast Sizes: 40cm / 60cm / 85cm<br />
potential of the ride in all conditions.<br />
All 3 sizes are universally compatible<br />
with the Cabrinha Double<br />
Agent foil kit.
NEXT ISSUE AUGUST - SEPTEMBER OUT ON THE 2 TH OF AGUST 2018