Update: Friday, June 5, 2015
Early morning riders meeting
On the final day of the Triple-S Invitational the wind gods delivered the much needed wind to run the event. With winds coming from the north, the riders meeting took place at 9am with the first heats starting an hour later. The slider park was set up in three sections giving riders the opportunity to jib each feature three times from which their best score was counted.
Riders were split into four groups and hit North rooftop and KOA kicker on northwest side of the course.
Once both groups of riders completed the upper section, the entire contest moved to the southern section which included the Best kicker, Liquid Force reverse rainbow and the John Wayne slider.
When the contest resumed on the southern end of the course, riders jibbed the LF reverse rainbow and the Best kicker. As the winds intensified, the level of riding elevated with technical tricks including toe-back 5’s and 7’s off the Best kicker by Billy Parker and Sam Light.
After both sets of riders completed three hits on both features, they all moved to the final feature of the day, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation slider.
Billy Parker on the John Wayne slider
Running short on daylight, the judges made the call not to hold a finals heat and made their final judging decisions based on the day’s action. This year’s Triple-S Invitational saw the biggest purse in US kiteboarding history with a total of $40,000 up for grabs. Congratulations to this year’s Venyu Triple-S winners, Sam Light, Colleen Carroll and Andre Phillip. Full results below.
Triple-S Head Judge, Brian Wheeler, working hard on the judges boat
INTERVIEW WITH MEN’S WINNER, SAM LIGHT (Click here)
Final Results
Men
1st Sam Light – $12,000
2nd Billy Parker – $7,500
3rd Brandon Scheid – $5,000
4th James Boulding – $3,000
5th Christophe Tack – $2,000
Women
1st Colleen Carroll – $4,000
2nd Sensi Graves – $2,500
3rd Victoria Victoria Soloveykina – $1,000
Masters
1st Andre Phillip – $1,000
2nd Jason Slezak
3nd Davey Blair
Best Session
Billy Parker – $1,000
Rookie of the Year
Christophe Tack – $1,000
Slickstyle Attitude
Artem Garashchenko
Best Wipeout
Craig Cunningham
Update: Thursday, June 4, 2015
The second to last day of the Triple-S saw a light southeasterly breeze that kept the event stuck on hold status for yet another day. Liquid Force riders Sensi Graves and Lindsay McClure started the day with a mid-morning slider session from behind the Real Watersports jet skis, with the majority of the Triple-S riders joining in as the day progressed.
Later that evening, the 5th annual Sunset Swim Charity Fashion Show kicked off at Waterman’s Bar & Grill, with all the proceeds directly benefiting Athletes 4 Cancer, a nationally recognized non-profit that helps young cancer survivors rebuild their lives after cancer through outdoor adventures. Local models strutted down the runway wearing the latest designs from Indah Clothing, SENSI GRAVES Bikinis, Designs by Harmony, Salt Swimwear, Odina Surf and Posh Pua.
Triple-S riders Rich Sabo and Alex Fox jumped on stage and skillfully worked the crowd into a frenzy while auctioning off a handful of kiteboards from Tona, Liquid Force, and North Kiteboarding. Since the North Team Series board was in such high demand (Rich auctioned off an additional North board, originally not included in the lot, bringing in an additional $1000), at the very end of the fashion show Aaron Hadlow surprised everyone when he offered his personal Hadlow Team Series board that he used to win the Red Bull King of the Air with, to be auctioned off, bringing the live auction total to $5,500, going directly to Athletes 4 Cancer.
Aaron Hadlow getting roasted by Rich Sabo as Aaron’s personal board is auctioned off for $2500.
The forecast for the last day of the Triple-S is looking favorable. Event organizers will likely try to hold the entire event on the final day. Stay tuned.
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- Aaron Hadlow and Tom Court getting roasted by Rich Sabo as Aaron’s personal board is auctioned off for $2500.
Update: Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Nothing to report on day 4: Rain, rain, go away, bring some wind on our 5th day!
What day 4 would have looked like had it been windy.
For a short video recap of Wednesday CLICK HERE.
Update: Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Day 3 of the Triple-S Invitational started with another round of serial postponements. The morning commenced with a light winds from the southwest, the preferable direction for riding the REAL Slider Park. However, the morning was calm as the winds didn’t begin to pick up to kitable conditions until 4pm.
On a southwest wind the REAL team tucks the features behind the Great Island for optimal slickness
Jason Slezak and the REAL team dragged the North rooftop, The Liquid Force rainbow and KOA kicker down into the lee of the Great Island where the bulk of the competitors trickled out for a practice session in moderately powered 10-15 knots.
Eric getting steezy
Photographers crowded around and riders lined up to hit the features in the moderately controlled chaos. After an hour of southwest, the wind dropped, and started clocking to the west with only a few riders capable of staying upwind. Eric Rienstra continued hitting the features from random directions on his 17m Turbine, while others slogged back and forth trying to stay up wind on smaller kites. A spectator crowd gathered on the end of the pier and watched top PKRA riders, Aaron Hadlow and Christophe Tack along with Triple-S regulars, Craig Cunningham, Alex Fox, and Billy Parker. As the wind began to die kiters started messing around with some dork tricks and Sam Myedski pulled off some stylish hand plants on the KOA kicker.
Alex Fox on the Best kicker
Twenty minutes later the wind clocked to the northwest with gusts to 18 knots, and many of the riders returned to the slick. An energetic yet challenged Jason Slezak spent most of the day moving the features on his jet ski, keeping the park aligned with the moving wind. According to Brandon Scheid, “This was the first time I’ve kited this park in every direction all in one day.”
Colleen Carroll slides the North rooftop
The wind finally died at 6pm and the few riders that were left in the slick walked home or piled onto jetskis for a tow back to the REAL Watersports headquarters.
Eric, Drew, Alex, Brandon and chauffeur Jason Slezak set a new record for jet ski occupancy
Update: Monday, June 1, 2015
Riders geared up for forecasted wind in the late afternoon. However, a lack of wind continued to push back the start of the first heats until 4pm.
Competitors rode up to the features in the REAL Slider Park and warmed up in light conditions, but were unable to generate enough speed to attack the features with the usual Triple-S caliber of riding.
The judges made multiple attempts to start the first heat, but withering winds forced them to postpone the contest until tomorrow.
It was not for a lack of trying but for a lack of wind that the athletes were unable to compete. Tomorrow’s conditions look promising and riders may have an 11:00am start if mother nature cooperates. For a video update with Eric Rienstra featuring footage of light wind riding and tow ins on Day 2 click here.
Update: Sunday, May 31, 2015
Day three of the Triple-S Invitational saw light breezes with good surf on the ocean side of Real Watersports. With the contest on hold, many of the contestants headed over to the Atlantic side to score some fairly clean chest to head high surf, while the slick remained glassy until late in the day.
At the opening riders meeting, Trip Foreman announced the addition of a Masters Division, which will consist of original riders who were fundamental in the formation of the REAL slider park and have been at every Triple-S since its inauguration. Theses riders will also be eligible to walk away with cash money from the main event.
A forecasted southwest wind is expected to appear within the next 24-48 hours. Stay tuned for more updates.
Update: Saturday, May 30, 2015
Day two started with the opening rounds of the Triple-S Open. Eighteen riders went for broke in scorching windless conditions. Competitors were forced to use jet ski’s tow-ins for theirs heats and dealt with sticky sliders. Consequently, Real employees spent their days watering down the features. We caught up with Rich Sabo for a quick preview of the setup here.
As the heats progressed towards the finals, many riders were going all out with lots of technical tricks and plenty of crashes. In the end, only one male and female rider would advance in to the main event.
Women’s winner Katie Potter
After the welcome dinner held at the Waterman’s Bar and Grill, athletes were on hand for the annual autograph session. Trip Foreman, Triple-S Co-founder, kicked off the the opening ceremonies with all the athletes on stage and announced the two finalists who would advance to the main event.
South Florida’s Brendon Bowe took first on the men’s side and Naish’s Katie Potter from Austrialia took the women’s win.
Triple-S Open winners: Brandon Bowe and Katie Potter
After the winners were announced, the party continued late into the night with music from Redbull DJ Chela.
Redbull DJ Chela getting the party started
Update: Friday, May 29, 2015
The Triple-S Open is on and the heat order has been listed.
HEAT 1
1. Katie Potter
2. Helena Brochocha
3. Spencer Hurteau
4. Lucas Arsenault
5. Ben Joplin
6. Jason Blanchard
7. Blaine Baker
8. Niklas Reymann
9. Noe Font
HEAT 2
1. Laura Maher
2. Susan Grossman
3. Antoine Verville
4. Justin Chait
5. Gregory Houle
6. Liam Proctor
7. Pierre Jean Vogel
8. Aymeric (Mike) Martin
9. Brandon Bowe
HEAT STRUCTURE
Round 1: Heat 1 and Heat 2
Round 2: 8 men total, 2 women (Women’s Final)
Round 3: 4 men from Round 2
Update: Thursday, May 28, 2015
The 2015 Venyu Triple-S Invitational is underway!
With light winds in the morning, athletes got in a surf session before they gathered back at Real Watersports for the Triple-S Open practice. With the wind still holding off, riders received jet ski tow-ins in the slider park.
Triple-S Open competitor, Greg Houle from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan told us, “At home I ride alone but what’s awesome about the Triple-S is that your just having fun and riding with a lot of people.”
Tomorrow, athletes will battle it out on the sliders with the top finishing male and female competitor in the Triple-S Open advancing directly into the Venyu Triple-S Invitational.