Some sights and riding with Best Kiteboarding’s Sam Medysky and David Drinkwater.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Catch all the action from the LEN10 Megaloop Challenge which saw 24 international riders compete for the title in this new freestyle kiteboarding event. In the end it was Lewis Crathern who looped his way to victory.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Watch this beautifully done video from Black Owl Media about the 2012 Skyline Masters. This event was a part of the 2012 NAST snowkite tour.

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Experience a week of insanity in under five minutes. Featuring the 2012 La Ventana Classic, Paddle Royale, Kite Expo, No Mas Basura, and a few scenes from Burning Bush.

Join us down south in 2013!

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Watch Ruben Lenten literally go head over heels in South Africa.

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The Slingshot team went down to panama to test some product out at Travis Pastrana’s new actions sports resort, NitroCity. NitroCity boasts world class accommodations, five star kiteboarding, a system 2.0, a skatepark, and a full size motocross track all on site. Its the Place to Play. nitrocitypanama.com/

Alex Fox, Eric Rienstra Greg Norman Jr., Matthew Sexton, and Mauricio Abreu all make the trip for Slingshot’s frist team adventure of 2012. Enjoy the action!!

Huge Thanks to: Hayes, Walter, Ana Carolina, and Batman

music: Drivepilot – Halo

edit: Filibuster Films flbstr.com

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Check out the first session with the new Filibuster kicker. Riders Alex Fox, Billy Parker, and Dave Scott had an awesome first set at the 520 slick in Cocoa, FL. Thanks to DJ Rock Lobsta for playing some tunes on the the Red Bull truck and Mitch Morelli for filming. Can’t wait for the next set!

Music Credit: Bastard Lovechild Of Rock N’ Roll – My Terrific Tushhh

The Kiteboarder Magazine

From North Kiteboarding:

The Dyno stretches the boundaries of what was thought to be possible in a light wind inflatable kite. Utilizing the highest quality lightweight fabrics the Dyno’s specialized construction allows it to fly in super light wind and create more efficient power than a heavier kite of equal size.

The Dyno’s optimized canopy profile offers unparalleled upwind performance and superior low-end grunt for steady and predictable parked power that carries you through wind lulls. Besides it’s impressive light wind abilities many of Dyno’s free-ride attributes, like steady bar feel, quick turning and generous depower, also happen to make it the number one choice for our world cup race team.

With multiple world championship race titles to its name, the Dyno is clearly a highly competitive course-racing kite, but it is also equally at home free-riding and boosting huge jumps.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

By Dan Tealdi | www.kiteadventures.com

Photos by Rogerson Barroso

When your plane drops in for landing at the Fortaleza International airport, you will quickly realize just how beautiful the northeastern state of Ceara, Brazil, really is. Its endless white sand beaches bordered by beautiful blue water and the sprawling untouched sand dunes make it a kiter’s paradise.

You will also quickly realize that the natural terrain isn’t the only thing that is beautiful here. The culture and the people are special and unique as well. No matter where you go, whether it is the large metropolitan city of Fortaleza or the tiny fishing village of Icarai, you will observe the locals greeting each other with a smile and a hello.

There is a unique sense of national pride and happiness to be Brazilian – something that I greatly respect and that you just don’t find many places when traveling the world anymore. This unique sense of pride is prevalent all throughout Brazil and it seems to help define their sense of community and brings them together as a culture.

Since 2008, I have been frequenting Brazil on a regular basis for business and pleasure, but a particular trip I made in 2010 touched me in a special way. I am sharing it with you as I hope my experience will touch you as it did me.

It was a warm and beautiful mid-October day when I arrived at the Fortaleza International airport. As I stepped off the plane, I took in a deep breath and my face lit up with a big smile as the familiar scent in the air reinforced the fact that I had arrived in Brazil, my home away from home.

As I walked out of the terminal I noticed “Mr. Tealdi” spelled on a white arrival card being held by a taxi driver. As we made eye contact and acknowledged each other the gentlemen asked me in broken English with a Portuguese accent, “Hello, are you Mr. Tealdi?” I nodded my head and said, “Sim, Obrigado” (yes, thank you).

As he began to assist with my luggage and kite bags he introduced himself as Fernando. Fernando and I then made our way to his taxi enjoying small talk and proceeded to load the car for an approximately 90 minute drive through the back streets of Fortaleza, the fifth largest city in Brazil, to our ultimate destination of Paracuru, Brazil, a small fishing town approximately 50 miles northwest of the city.

Little did I know how this one taxi ride with Fernando would profoundly affect me when I learned how our sport can positively impact a community in ways I had never imagined.

As we made our way through Fortaleza, Fernando and I began to engage in conversation about kiteboarding and the pride and joy of his life, his son. “Mr. Tealdi I just want to thank you so much,” he said. Assuming he was referring to the use of his taxi service I replied with, “Your welcome Fernando, it’s my pleasure.”

Fernando continued to thank me again and said with a quivering voice, “I want to thank you for helping to bring kiteboarding to our community. Before kiteboarding kids here did not have much to look forward too.The towns were having problems with rising violence and crime and the kids’ outlet of choice was getting mixed up with the wrong crowds. There is less violence and crime here now because of kiteboarding. The availability of local jobs in the community has increased and the kids have opportunities again.”

I proceeded to ask Fernando about his son and whether or not kiteboarding had directly impacted his life. Fernando said, “Yes, kiteboarding has impacted our lives in a big way. My son is the love of my life, but because I work all day I can’t oversee what he does after school. My son is 15 years old and I know for a fact that if it wasn’t for kiteboarding coming here, my son would be involved in some kind of crime or gang. My son loves kiteboarding and now I can be confident knowing that my son is not getting into trouble at night when I am working because of his dream and the goals that he has set for kiteboarding. My son has a goal and dream to become the best kiteboarder in Brazil by the age of 21. He is currently only able to ride on a 2-line kite and uses very old equipment that does not work properly, but he has fully dedicated himself to the discipline and work ethic to accomplish this dream.”

It is difficult to translate through words and reveal the true sincerity and genuineness coming from Fernando’s voice at that particular moment — he practically had tears running down his face so it was an intense and special moment for me at the same time.

Listening to Fernando make that statement was extremely touching as it revealed to me that kiteboarding can be so much more than just a cool sport or recreational activity. Our beloved sport of kiteboarding has the ability to improve and positively impact entire communities not only in Brazil but all around the world. Fernando continued to mention how discipline and a strong work ethic would have been difficult for his son to learn on his own, given the way his local community was going before kiteboarding came to the area.

Through kiteboarding boys and girls like his son can have passion for something that is positive and productive in their lives. Fernando said, “I see my son setting personal goals for himself and I am so proud of him. I work this job as a taxi driver every day so I can support his dream of becoming the best kiter he can be. I don’t know how to thank you but my son is my life and he is very important to me.”

As we arrived at Paracuru, I asked Fernando not to think about how to thank me but rather I would like to thank him for sharing such a personal and genuine story about how kiteboarding had such a positive influence not only on his son, but an entire community.

Continued on Page 2

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Weendy, an app where you can send and get real time info and video of your local riding spots from people that are actually there, introduces new versions for iPhone and Android. New user interface and cool features have been added to enhance  user experience, making your sessions “as fun and motivating as they can possibly be.”

New features include:

All video reports are now on  one single page, making it a lot easier to decide on where to ride.

Weendy added an invitation button so you can make your own groups or local communities and invite your friends through your phone’s contact list.

Extended profiles can also be created, by adding your short description/bio and your twitter/facebook accounts, to help you get in touch with other weendy members. This feature is especially very useful for businesses which would like to let other weendy members know more about them.

You can now share your video reports through social networks and let those who don’t have smartphones know about the current conditions and join you.

The Weendy app upgrades are due to feedback from their users so please continue to send  your suggestions through Facebook http://www.facebook.com/weendyapp  Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/weendyapp or email hello@weendy.com)

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Brothers Olly, Guy, and Tom Bridge recently headed with their parents to South Africa to enjoy consistent wind to train in. Aged between 10 and 13, all three set a level of skill not seen in young groms before.

Sponsored by:
North Kiteboarding
Ion
Edgewatersports
Supersaturated

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Joe Ruscito kiteloops in the Sacramento River.

Words and Photos by Paul Lang

During the summer the city of San Francisco remains notoriously cool and shrouded in fog while less than 100 miles away Sacramento routinely reaches temperatures of more than 100° F.

This large temperature difference between the two cities, commonly more than 30° during the daytime, creates a large pressure gradient as the hot air in the Sacramento Valley rises and draws the cool Pacific Ocean air through the Golden Gate and over the part of California simply known as the Delta.

Roughly midway between the two cities lies Sherman Island, located at the point where the two great rivers of California, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin, join together as they march onward towards the ocean.

Sherman Island ferry.

As the cool air is pulled inland from San Francisco, it’s channeled directly over Sherman Island by Mount Diablo on one side and the Montezuma Hills on the other. The temperature difference between the Bay Area and the hot inland valleys creates nearly ideal wind conditions for windsurfers and kiteboarders, routinely blowing from sunrise until after sunset and sometimes even all night long.

During the summertime, there is probably no location in North America that features more dependable wind. “When I came out here for the first time from the East Coast, I couldn’t even believe this place existed,” said Nate Lincoln from Edge Kiteboarding. “It was so under the radar and people didn’t know about it. The reality of this place is that it’s the windiest spot in North America. For the months of June, July, and August there isn’t any other place where you can just go and sit in that one place and ride every day. It’s just phenomenal here.”

The unique geographical features of Sherman Island make it an ideal location to receive a lot of wind, but there is a lot more to know about it other than the fact that it’s a windy place. Sherman Island is not just a kiteboarding spot, but is home to a very strong and passionate kiteboarding community.

It has a unique history and is not a spot where all kiteboarders can ride as the launch sites are small, crowded, and full of obstacles. I had been to Sherman Island a few times before heading up there for this story, but I had only shown up and ridden for the day. As I was to discover, the Sherman Island experience is completely different when you stay on the island for days at a time.

A seemingly contradictory aspect of Sherman Island is that it is both easy to access and remote at the same time. About an hour’s drive from either San Francisco or Sacramento, this spot does not take a lot of effort to get to, but once you are on the island, it’s difficult to imagine that large metropolitan areas are anywhere nearby. The nearest towns are Rio Vista, a small riverfront town, and Antioch, a larger town across the San Joaquin River.

Rio Vista’s most infamous attraction is Foster’s Bighorn Bar, the walls of which are covered with an extraordinary number of rare and unique mounted animal heads, including an elephant. Legend has it that when the elephant’s head was originally mounted on the wall, it was so heavy that it pulled the entire wall down.

Page 2

The Kiteboarder Magazine

More news from Best Kiteboarding today as they officially announce a lifetime warranty on all 2012 products. What do you think about this?

From Best:

BEST SETS THE STANDARD WITH THE INDUSTRIES MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND LONGEST WARRANTY

No other kitesurfing manufacturer offers your more. Some manufacturers offer 90 days warranty cover. Some brands make a big deal of giving you an extra 6 months. Some brands even offer you an extended warranty- but expect you to pay extra for the privilege. At BEST we do things differently.

BEST guarantees that your 2012 gear will be free from material and manufacture defects for as long as it is owned by the original purchaser. To qualify for the LIFETIME WARRANTY register your new purchase online within 30 days- and both you and your gear are covered- FOREVER.

What could be simpler or fairer than that? LIFETIME WARRANTY COVER FOR FREE.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

From Best Kiteboarding:

The 2012 RP-Bar v2 is loaded with innovative product features to make it the most comfortable and durable kite control bar on the market. From our metal-free Pro-Cuff quick release to our Big-Ass-Bar-Ends every part of the RP-Bar v2 is designed with comfort, control and durability in mind.

It’s a fact of life that salt, sand, friction and lack of servicing all contribute to the wear of the moving parts on your kite bar. We’ve all been caught out by snapping a depower line that we should have already replaced weeks. If that sounds familiar then your worries are over, the solution to depower line wear is finally here.

Our innovative Sacrifice-Insert-System fixes two replaceable, low friction, Delrin inserts in the center hole of your bar eliminating the depower line wear caused by the scraping of a metal bar center along your depower line. Should you ever need to replace them new inserts can be fitted in seconds without having to untie a single knot, so you can spend more time on the water and never have to worry about replacing another depower line.

The Sacrifice-Insert-System is just one of the innovative performance and safety features fitted to the RP-Bar v2; check out the BEST website for full details of all our Pat Pend product features.

What do you think? Is this a good solution to reduce depower line wear?

The Kiteboarder Magazine

From Red Bull:

You’ve seen the teaser, now enjoy the full version of Aspire in all its glory!  This collaboration between Aaron Hadlow and Andy Gordon builds on the heritage of Aaron’s previous films and shows his tricks and experience in creating the film in a new and innovative light.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Brought to you by XtremeBigAir.com and The Kiteboarder

LOCATION AND REGISTRATION INFO

This year’s event is the same location as last year at the Grand Ave. beach access ramp. Park in the lot by Fin’s Restaurant for free, or you can drive on the beach and park downwind of the event area for $5/day.

• Registration will be at the 26″ trailer, sponsored by luv2camp.com. Look for the Xtreme Big Air and The Kiteboarder flags. Use the sidewalk that runs parallel to Grand and next to Fin’s restaurant to enter.
• All registrants must be intermediate level kiteboarders able to go upwind and self rescue. You should also feel comfortable navigating and riding in tight conditions. All registrants must sign a waiver and provide credit card info in case of damage due to negligent usage or loss of gear. All credit card info is destroyed immediately following the event. Registration is from 8:45am until 3pm daily. Remember, demo is not short for demolish.

DEMO HOURS FOR SUP AND KITE, RAFFLE TIMES, BEACH PARTY

2011 Surf/Strapless Clinic with Ben Wilson. New clinics planned for 2012!

• SUP will be available for demo from 9am until 12noon or whenever the wind starts blowing.
• Kite and accessory vendors will be ready starting at 11am. Official kite demo hours are 12pm to 5pm.
• Raffles will be held daily. You do not need to present to win but any unclaimed prizes as of Sunday morning will be put back into Sunday’s final raffle. You do not have to be present to win on Sunday but you are responsible for picking up gear in Morro Bay area or shipping costs. All raffle proceeds to benefit the ThomasWong family.
• We will have a fundraiser BBQ on Saturday night. Details are being finalized and will be announced soon!
• We will also probably do a silent auction again on Sunday this year to help the fundraising efforts. Details coming soon….

Happy raffle winner

This year’s event will be our second annual fundraising effort for Pismo Beach KiteXpo’s founder Kinsley ThomasWong of Xtreme Big Air in Pismo Beach, CA. Kinsley was involved in a serious kiteboarding accident on the Central Coast of California on July 15, 2010. While he has made amazing progress so far, his road to recovery has been very costly.

Kinsley and his wife Jamie have elevated so many lives with their amazing spirit and stoke for life.  They have unwavering faith that Kinsley will fully recover and be able to help others with spinal cord injuries work  through the many psychological, physical, and financial challenges that they will face.

Kinsley, Jamie, and Taizen ThomasWong

You can help support Kinsley in a number of different ways:

www.FriendsofKinsley.com

Many people have asked how they can support Kinsley by donating products or services such as original/limited edition artwork, cases of wine, computer services, accommodations, etc. If you would like to donate an auction item valued at $250 retail or more, please contact marina@thekiteboarder.com with “Kinsley Auction” in the subject line no later than March 30th, 2012.

Directions to the Kite and SUP Expo at Pismo Beach, CA

Traveling south or north on US Hwy 101:

• Take 4th Street exit in Pismo Beach.
• Turn Left onto 4th Street. – Right on Grand Avenue to end.

The Kite and SUP Expo is on the beach at the end of GRAND Avenue, Pismo Beach, CA

Pismo Beach’s Hotels, Motels and RV Booking and More:

LUV2CAMP.com – http://luv2camp.com/whatWeDo.html is a great alternative if you want to camp on the beach!

Also check out:

http://www.classiccalifornia.com/lodging.htm
http://www.slocountyparks.com/activities/oceano.htm
http://www.groverchamber.com/camp.html
http://www.aircamp.com/
http://www.oceanodunes.com or 800.444.7275

Pismo Beach is half way between San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX), about 3 1/2 hours by car.  You can also fly into the San Luis Obispo (SBP) airport. Pismo Beach  is on an expansive stretch of peaceful coastline. Discover why this area is known as one of the best secrets of California. Enjoy endless hours of outdoor activities including kiteboarding, paragliding, surfing, kayaking, ATV, horseback riding, skydiving, hiking, and mountain biking. Lush valleys that produce some of the finest vintages of wines and champagnes in the United States lie within a few minutes drive from Pismo Beach.

Additional Information for local hotels:

• Sand Castle Inn 800-822-6606: 20% discount if mention Pismo Kitexpo when making reservations. Rates good for Th – Su April 12-15, 2012 only. $175-Non View, $223-Ocean View, single our double, includes breakfast, parking, internet, beachfront access
  Beach Comber Inn 805-773-5505: $109-1 Bed, $129-2 Beds  microwave, coffeepot. Mini fridge in rooms, fireplaces, continental breakfast provide. Remodeled 2011. If book all seven rooms, ask for discount (no smoking or pets, 2 night minimum).
• Pismo Beach Hotel 805-773-4445: $89-Queen, $99-King
• Sea Venture Resort 800-662-5545:  $189-Spa Deluxe Room

For more economical accommodations, try Motel 6 or Rose Garden Inn (rooms start at $40 double occ.). They are less than 10 minutes away from the event site.

Updates can be found at www.xtremebigair.com/kitexpo and www.thekiteboarder.com

The Kiteboarder Magazine

The 9th year for the Jupiter Kite Invasion was a blast. Day 1 teased with a little wind in the morning only to turn offshore in the afternoon. Small surf provided conditions for the Stand up Paddle Surf Invasion.

After 2 days of light wind riders were blessed with NE winds on Sunday. Riders from all around Florida and a few from around the world got to compete in a full round with building side onshore wind.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

As a full-time kiteboarder and water sports enthusiast, Sensi Graves is happy to debut a swimsuit that performs at the same high level she does. Seeking to bring greater functionality and fun to swimwear, Sensi started SENSI, a brand that exudes chic simplicity and an active lifestyle.

SENSI bikinis offers functional styles that cater to surfers, kiters, wakeboarders, and women who frolic in the water AND lounge on the beach.

SENSI is designed to empower women by providing reliable and cute swimwear for a vigorous and energetic lifestyle. The goal of the brand is to capture the essence of women who are living their lives through watersports and also encourage the use of sustainable resources and protection of our playground, the earth.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

To mark the introduction of the new F-One accessories brand MANERA to the US market, the distributors of F-One in America will offer a MANERA Playa Board Bag with the purchase of any 2012 F-One board, either a twin-tip, a surfboard, or a SUP.

This offer has a value of up to $189 retail and is valid until the end of February. Please contact your local F-One retailer for more information.

The MANERA Catalog is available at http://issuu.com/f-one/docs/manera_catalogue_2012/31

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Maui, Hawaii — February 1, 2012: Following a groundbreaking and highly successful inaugural season, which pushed competitive kite surfing to epic new heights, the KSP is pleased to announce its widely anticipated 2012 World Championship Kite Surfing Tour schedule.

Featuring world-class venues, the KSP Tour once again promises nothing short of the most phenomenal surf conditions for the world’s kite surfing elite to battle it out over the coveted IKA-sanctioned World Championship title. All four Kite Surf Pro events will feature a 10-day holding period and a €15,000 prize purse.

Photographer: John Bilderback Rider: Mitu Monteiro

The KSP Tour will kick off at Europe’s kite surfing mecca, Guincho Beach in Cascais, Portugal, from June 1 to 10. The side-onshore wind conditions at Guincho’s right-hand beach break will surely expose the progressive new school aerial movement, bringing it to the forefront of competitive kitesurfing for the world to witness.

Stop two will take the KSP back to 2011’s kickoff location, Le Morne, Mauritius for the One Eye Pro, scheduled September 7 to 16. A long, left-hand reef break famous for its strong side-offshore winds and barreling, near-perfect, head-high to quadruple-overhead surf, One Eye will keep this year’s crowd on edge, waiting to see what conditions it dishes up — especially after last year’s jaw-dropping spectacle.

Next up, Europe’s secret kite surfing jewel and home to one of the planet’s biggest waves, Ireland. Running from October 19 to 28, Ireland’s Kite Surf Pro will incorporate a unique mobile format, capable of showcasing each day’s action at the choicest of locations on the country’s wild and swell-abundant west coast.

Bringing the KSP’s 2012 tour to a close, Maui’s legendary North Shore will host the pinnacle of the Kite Surfing World Championship Tour — the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro — running November 29 to December 8. One of the world’s most highly regarded wind and wave locations, Ho’okipa is generally reserved as a surfing and windsurfing only venue. The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro will mark the first-ever World Championship kite surf competition at the infamous Hawaiian reef break.

“I really don’t think we could have wished for a better and more well-rounded tour for the 2012 season,” says Tour President Kristin Boese. “It is going to be exciting to see which riders will do best in all the different conditions. We managed to meet the demand of the riders to add a side-onshore beach break to the calendar with the event in Guincho. We are just as excited about the Ireland event that is going to be a total box of chocolates with amazing potential. And Ho’okipa and One Eye are without a question two of the places that we had on our wish list from the very first talks about the tour.”

“I am also really looking forward to working with our amazing group of local organizers that have already become such a strong part of the KSP,” Boese continues. “We are all so excited to see what incredible treasures await us in 2012.”

As reigning World Champions Airton Cozzolino (Italy/North Kiteboarding) and Ines Correia (Portugal) defend their titles amidst a field of 24 men and 12 women at each Kite Surf Pro event, an International Surfing Association-accredited panel of judges will once again score the year’s next-level riding. With 20 countries represented on tour last year, 2012 will surely draw a wide range of talent from across the globe.

Featuring a live webcast with live scoring, 2012’s Kite Surf Pro events will broadcast the heat-by-heat action around the world in real time. Additionally, the new season will also bring another round of Fantasy League, with some major prizes up for grabs.

For more information about the KSP World Championship Tour, please visit KSPworldtour.com or email info@kspworldtour.com. Follow the KSP on Facebook at facebook.com/KSPworldtour or on Twitter at twitter.com/KSPworldtour.

2012 KSP World Championship Tour Schedule

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Baja Joe’s film festival winner by Beach Dog Prrrduction. Featuring Elevation kiteboarding’s Mark, Marie, and Robin, Skydive San Diego, Neil Hutchinson, and Grom and Shannon from Pro Leezure. Strapless kiteboarding and Skydiving in La Ventana 2012.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Professional kiteboarder Hannah Whiteley riding at Pro Kite Brasil in Uruaú, Ceará in December of 2011.

Shot and cut by Andre Magarao. Song by Two Door Cinema Club. Hannah is sponsored by Wainman, Chiemsee, Prolimit, Kite-it-right, and ExPix.

Like Hannah’s Facebook Page at facebook.com/HannahWhiteleyOfficialPage.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Check out the latest video from Nate Appel/Cineaptic: The 2011 Ro Sham Throwdown in Hood River, OR.

Sponsored by The Slider Project, 2nd Wind Sports, Oregon Screen Impressions, Smith Optics, Wainman Hawaii, Slingshot, Airush, Best Kiteboarding, Liquid Force Kiteboarding, Taco Del Mar, Naish, North Kiteboarding, Windance Boardshop, Sky Blue Network, Andrew’s Pizza & Bakery.

Edited by Nate Appel/cineaptic.com

Shot by
Nate Appel
Fletcher Hukari
Adam Uyemura
Ian Daly

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Erin Swain has been writing about her experiences learning to kiteboard. We will continue to bring you updates from Erin about her experiences throughout the season. You can follow Erin’s blog at http://www.thekiteboarder.com/tag/erin-swain/

After two great days at Shacks, I went over to Montones to kite with two new guys I met. I had a leak in my 9m, and they were waiting on their boards from a buddy who was held up at the dentist. It was perfect: I had a board, they had kites.

I had taken a few tacks earlier in the day at Shacks, but was overpowered, so I came in. I thought it would be a lot easier at Montones because of the sandy bottom. It wasn’t. My first attempt sucked. I tacked out and lost my board. I struggled to get back to it. I ended up downwind in a wind shadow in no time. Pat had to run down the beach and grab his kite as I watched it getting pummeled by small shore break. I felt terrible.

I was determined to do better. I walked back up the beach with Pat, and started mentally preparing for my upwind tacks. On the forth tack out, a wave knocked my board off my feet. I was body dragging in deep water trying to stay upwind and was struggling to maintain good control on my body drags. I would use too much power and get pulled downwind. I tried to remain calm and keep doing tacks with my body. Eventually I watched a fellow kiter grab my board.

He came as close as he could and dropped it for me. One more body drag and I got right to it. This is still such a stressful process for me. Once I got it, I was having the best session! I was tacking upwind easily out to sea. I was a bit overpowered on the tacks in, but I managed to hold my edge. Once I realized I was staying upwind, I was stoked.

I attempted a few minor carves in the rolling waves on my board. I even got on the face of a wave (accidentally, but whatever, it happened) and rode down the line. I was doing great until four more kiters joined me out there. These guys were all doing tricks and were very good.

I got intimidated in the small crowd and this caused me to sit with the kite at 12 o’clock, making me lose ground. A frustrating fact. I did my best to stay upwind, but managed to end up in the darn wind shadow again. I tried to not make the same mistake as earlier. I pushed the vbar all the way out and held on the right side of the bar (taking me further from shore and into the wind).

After what felt like forever, I decided to hold the other side so I would be closer to shore. I saw Pat standing there and he swam in and grabbed the kite. I unhooked once he had the kite and swam in. I was frustrated because I was kiting the best I ever had, yet the session didn’t end as well. I guess this will be one of many experiences like this!

The Kiteboarder Magazine

Check out this latest video from the TDZ crew, this time pushing kite surfing in Puerto Rico.

From TDZ:

Big thanks to Mark at Shacks, Matt Keenan, Ben Wilson Surf, Rachel Tanner, and Todd Mitchel. Great to catch up and hang out, your hospitality is greatly appreciated.

TheDredgeZone.com

BenWilsonSurf.com

RachelTannerPhotography.com

GoPro.com

OxbowWorld.com

The Kiteboarder Magazine

PKRA World Champion Youri Zoon introduces the 2012 RPM to the world.

From Slingshot:

The RPM is the original “Open C” kite that started it all. It has evolved to become the kite that took Youri to a world title and has become a riders favorite throughout the world in just a few short years.

Building on it’s dramatic success of the Open-C canopy and Slingshot’s patented Split Strut technology, the RPM pushes kite design to a whole new level. Inspired by Youri’s world dominating performance on the tour, we modified the wing tip attachment points to optimize kite performance and deliver complete tuning customization. These additional features and the new 7m allows complete versatility in all conditions and all riding styles.

The 2012 RPM sets the standards of durability and stability while maintaining it’s legendary flying characteristics and aggressive look.

Big thanks to our friends at EyeForce and of course Youri!

The Kiteboarder Magazine

“Headed down south to the land of the pines and I’m thumbin’ my way into North Caroline” for a quick day trip to Hatteras. 65+ degrees and big SSW wind in late January at the ferry docks made for an epic day on the water.

Liquid force and Hyperflex rider Mark Miedama.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

After a full circumnavigation over the last five years of 54,000 miles offshore; 50 countries; and a lifetime of memories for their guests and crew, the Best Odyssey, now the Ocean Odyssey, is getting ready to set sail once again exploring the Pacific.

Check out what’s in store for the next five years at http://www.offshoreodysseys.com for complete info.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

The 2012 La Ventana Classic and KiteXpo has come to a close and the La Ventana wind machine delivered perfect conditions for the last day of the event. After a few days of light wind, there was a lot to accomplish on the last day of the event and the schedule was filled with SUP races, kiteboarding/windsurfing course racing, the Big Air/Old School competition, live auction, huge raffle, and an awards ceremony at Pizza Vela. All of that and more was accomplished while raising more money than ever for the schools and community of La Ventana and El Sargento.

A lot of people heard our plea for help after it became apparent that the La Ventana Classic was being gouged by the local government for taxes and fees that were suddenly imposed on the event and the afterburners were lit on our fundraising efforts. Many vendors generously donated gear for a last minute live auction that raised nearly $6,000 on the last day of the event and helped to push the total to $23,500 USD.

This is the amount of money that will be spent on community projects here in La Ventana and El Sargento over the next year. This $23,500 is the amount of money left after the government taxes and fees and is the most money ever raised by this event in a single year.

Sunday started with an early morning 1-Mile SUP sprint race before the wind arrived and Stephen “Esteban” Winiarski came out on top. After the race Anthony Vela and Candice Appleby began a Performance Paddling clinic that participants said was full of amazing information.

As the wind filled in to the beach, the course racers were sent out to begin racing as the KiteXpo vendors set up kites in preparation of a full day of gear demos. The wind went from light to strong in a hurry and course racing was put on hold to begin the Big Air/Old School contest.

The Big Air/Old School contest is the definite crowd pleaser of the La Ventana Classic. The judging was heavily based on going big with jump height worth 60% of the judging total. The contest finished with two exciting final heats to decide the men and women’s winners and the judges at a very tough time choosing the winners. After much deliberation, it was newcomer Brandon Bowe and reigning champion Michelle Gabriel that came out on top.

Immediately after the completion of Big Air, the course racers were sent back on the water to get in as many races as possible before the wind died. By the time the wind shut off, eight races had been completed giving the racers a total of 11 races for the event. After the results were calculated, Adam Koch and Erika Heineken found themselves on the top of the podium.

While the course racing was still happening, the 5-mile SUP Downwinder was started upwind of the event sight and the paddlers began finishing just as the wind began to die. Yet again, Anthony Vela and Candice Appleby were the first to finish.

With the day’s water events done, the action moved to the beach to raise as much money as possible before the closing of the event. The auction was put together with a single day’s notice and a huge thank you goes out to the kiteboarding industry and brands that support the La Ventana Classic. By bringing the KiteXpo to this event, they have contributed a huge amount to the fundraising efforts since 2008. A very special thanks goes to Liquid Force, F-One/Underwave, and Slingshot for donating $200 each to the cause.

The following companies heard our plea for help, stepped up big time to the plate, and donated gear for the auction: Liquid Force  (Twin Skim), F-One (Manera twin tip and surfboard bags), Slingshot (Verve 6’ surfboard), Wainman Hawaii (137 Blunt), Best Kiteboarding (Armada twin tip), Airush (Crossover 135 twin tip), and the GRAND AUCTION ITEM, a 11m Ozone Edge courtesy of Ozone designer Rob Whitall. SUP boards were donated to the auction donated by Baja Waterman and SUP Mexico. Also, Carol and Tony Bolstad donated a one-week stay in South Padre Island and a personalized painting from Carol. The La Ventana Classic is incredibly thankful for your generosity – Thanks for your support!

The final day of the raffle was begun immediately after the auction and some of the largest prizes had been saved for this day. The top prizes throughout the event included a Surfboard from Best Kiteboarding, Underground FLX Twin Tip, Slingshot Darko Twin Tip, three Mystic Shadow Harnesses from Mystic/Live2Kite, Liquid Force Spinlock Comp Harness, Naish Harness, and the grand prize, a 2012 Wainman Hawaii 10.5m Rabbit Punch.

Jill Stevens, the winner of the Wainman Punch was literally in tears after her name was announced. We want to thank each of the brands that contributed to the raffle as your donations were crucial to this year’s fundraising efforts. Thank you very much for your support!

Even after all of that, they day was not finished. The party moved to Pizza Vela for the 2012 La Ventana Classic Awards Ceremony. After a lot of great food, good drink, and a slideshow of photos from the event, competitors were brought up on stage to receive their awards and prize money. The awards for this event are truly unique as they have each been hand-painted by local schoolchildren.

The party went well into the night and many people made it past midnight, a rarity here in this sleepy town. Today participants and organizers are recovering from a full four days of activities where once again we were able to have a lot of fun and do a lot of good for the local community at the same time. See you next year for the 2013 La Ventana Classic and KiteXpo!

Huge Thanks to all of our Sponsors!

GOLD: Hands of Faith, Pelican Reef

SILVER: Slingshot, Dakine, Baja Joe’s, ECO Design and Build, SUP Mexico

BRONZE: Sol Kiteboarding, Captain Kirks, Elevation Kiteboarding, Scenic Charms, Mystic, Wainman Hawaii, Surfcraft Paddleboards, La Ventana Bay Properties, Palapas La Choya, Morris Olson Attorneys, Oregon Screen Impressions, Isle Surfboards, Patagonia, Teva, Best Kiteboarding, Ventana Windsports

VENDOR-LEVEL: Diamante Real Estate, Kite Line, Underground, Team Duke, La Ventana Experience Wind Center, Naish, Downwinder Inn, RRD, F-One, Airush, Baja Boardriders, Cabrihna, NPX, Pizza Vela, Liquid Force, North, Artwork A-Go-Go, Caracol

PRIZE-LEVEL: KL Reggae, ikitesurf.com, Kaenon Sunglasses, Mini Super Don Ruben, Mini Super Irene, New Wind Kiting, Palapas Ventana, Rico Baja Sail Repair, El Rincon de La Bahia (Joaquins), Ventanas del Sol (the roundhouse), Ventana Windsports, Viento del Norte (Pablos), YoYo, 4 Hermanos Mini Super, Abarrotes Pili, Aceites y Lubricantes Chaloy, Adobe Restaurante, Amigo Pancho, Abarrotes La Noira, Artesanios La Mixteca, Los Bandidos, BMG, Capt. Kirk, El Moy Ferreteria, Hamburguesas Andrea, Hot Dogs el Pedro, Hot Dogs Rosalba, Latte Café y Star Market, Lavandaria Las Palmas, Lavandaria Rossy, Mariscos El Cone, Mini Super Bella Vista, Mini Super Los Delfines, Mini Super Ballenas, Miscelanea Carnalito, Palapas La Choya, Pepe Pollo, Pescaderia Perla, Pizza Vela, Purificada el Mezquite, Restaurante Las Palmas, Servimaterial el Sargento, Tacos La Torre, Tacos Leon, Tortilleria Las Brisas, Ultramarino Oscaritos, Kiteboarding Baja

We would also like to give recognition to volunteer organizer Shirley Alderson. Without her and her team of dedicated helpers, that handled everything from registration to medical to raffle and t-shirt sales and more, this event would not be possible.

A big thanks additionally goes out to Baja Joe’s, Ventana Windsports, Coya’s Restaurant, Flying High Resort, and the private homeowners for letting us take over their beach for the event! Tim and Jimena Hatler and everyone at Palapas Ventana deserve a very special thanks for their hard work and dedication managing the event and subsequent projects year round. Thank you to Santiago Olachea of La Ventana Home Services, providing the best possible services to clients in all areas of  doing business in Mexico, who tabulates and handles all our race, SUP, and crossing stats and results which is no small endeavor!

2012 La Ventana Classic Results

La Ventana Classic 11-Mile Island Crossing

Fastest Crossing
1. Tyson Poor (windsurfer)
2. Johnny Heineken (kiteboarder)
3. Bryan Lake (kiteboarder)

Men Kiteboarding
1. Johnny Heineken
2. Bryan Lake
3. Damien LeRoy

Women Kiteboarding
1. Erika Heineken
2. Marie LeClerc
3. Rachel Callahan

Paddle Royale 10-mile SUP Crossing

Men
1. Anthony Vela, 2:03:10
2. Mark “Kiwi” Fields, 2:07:49
3. Jason Martenese, 2:12:21

Women
1. Candice Appleby, 2:03:20
2. Terri Plunkett, 2:22:50
3. Diane Wenzel, 2:31:09

2-Mile SUP Race

1. Anthony Vela
2. Candice Appleby
3. Stephen Winiarski
4. Jason Martenese
5. Roberto Avena

1-Mile SUP Race

1. Stephen Winiarski
2. Morgan Mason
3. Jason Martenese

SUP 5-Mile Downwinder

Men
1. Anthony Vela
2. Stephen Winiarski
3. Mark “Kiwi” Fields

Women
1. Candice Appleby (second overall)
2. Terri Plunkett
3. Diane Wenzel

Big Air/Old School

Men
1. Brandon Bowe
2. Damien LeRoy
3. Julian Kerner

Women
1. Michelle Gabriel
2. Brittany Todd
3. Kris Kinn

Course Racing

Men Kite
1. Adam Koch
2. Johnny Heineken
3. Bryan Lake

Women Kite
1. Erika Heineken
2. Alexis Aguera
3. Colleen Carroll

Windsurf
1. Steve Bodner
2. Lyn Preutt

The Kiteboarder Magazine

The weather forecast for La Ventana changed drastically in the last 24 hours and unfortunately the previously forecasted wind did not arrive today. Participants awoke to cloudy skies and light winds that persisted for the entire day.

The light winds did not stop the fun here at the La Ventana Classic and the activities rolled on. This morning Anthony Vela and Candice Appleby held a kid’s SUP paddling clinic for both local and visiting children. Not only did they get everyone on the water, but they were even to run a few races with the kids!

The change in weather meant a change in the schedule, so the completion of Big Air has been moved to Sunday. Today another two course races were held in extremely light wind.

Beach games kept the crowd entertained today and included a first for the La Ventana Classic – The greased pole contest. A Slingshot board was attached to the top of the pole and would be awarded to the first to reach it. After a lot of trial and error, the only way participants could reach the top was to stand on top of each other. After retrieving the board, the crew that worked to reach it decided to donate it back to the event to be auctioned off to help raise money for the event.

The 2-Mile SUP race was held in ideal conditions and involved laps around a short course with a beach run between each lap. Anthony Vela and Candice Appleby, winners of the Paddle Royale Island Crossing, came out ahead in this race as well.
TOP 5 FINISHERS
Anthony Vela
Candice Appleby
Stephen Winiarski
Jason Martenese
Roberto Avena

Tonight’s big activity is the Lucha Libre. For those that don’t know, this is a full-on event with professional masked wrestlers from La Paz. The activities were about to start as we posted this update, so keep your eye on The Kiteboarder’s Facebook Page for photos from what is sure to be an interesting night.

SUNDAY’S RACE LINE-UP.

1-mile SUP Race – 7:30 am Skipper’s mtg, 8 am race start, Expo Beach.
Performance Paddling Clinic– 9 am – 1 pm, Expo Beach.
Course Racing – Skipper’s mtg. at Expo Beach, 11 am, races to follow.
Old Skool Big Air – Skipper mtg. at Expo Beach, NOON, event to follow
SUP Downwinder – Skipper’s mtg. and load trailers, 2:30 pm, Expo Beach, race to follow.

LAST DAY: KITE EXPO SUNDAY

Sunday is the last day to find your next perfect ride by demoing boards, bars,  and kites. Visit our vendors at Expo Beach and test the latest innovations while talking particulars with the experts.  While you’re at it, eat tacos and drink beer (remember, it’s all for a good cause), while watching the competition heat up in SUP racing, course racing and old skool-big air on the water.
SUNDAY AWARDS PARTY

Sunday night is the time to get yourself to Pizza Vela. Help us wrap up the busiest fundraising week of the year with dinner, an awards ceremony, beer drinking, and dancing to the tunes of Blues Explosion. Bring an appetite for good food and your dancing shoes. Festivities start at 7 pm.

The La Ventana Classic is now in its seventh year and is an official non-profit Mexican corporation. The event has raised almost $75,000 USD since its inception. The La Ventana Classic A.C. is the equivalent of 503(c) Corporation in the United States and donations are tax deductible. All of the money raised by this event goes to projects to improve the schools and community in the small towns of La Ventana and El Sargento. Paypal donations of any amount can be made to laventanaclassic@gmail.com. We appreciate your support!

The Kiteboarder Magazine