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It’s official! Jeremie just received his new Zen Jeremie Tronet signature model board and has been as busy as ever shooting photos, taking videos and enjoying the Caribbean lifestyle. He worked with Ross (OR designer) to develop the new 129×39 Zen which he says has an unbreakable wood core and x-torsion technology which gives riders a superb balance of flex and pop for all freestyle trick

Jeremie is currently on Union island, where he says life is quiet and easy … Months pass like weeks and the wind and water conditions are truly amazing. Jeremie recently went on a photo trip with Jean Marc (the owner of the hotel where he is staying) aboard his small plane. He had a chance to fly over the Tobago Cays where he captured some beautiful new images. Check out www.jeremietronet.com for the photos!

 

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PODCAST #115:

This week, our live Thursday night podcasts start up again with special guest Mark Doyle, pro rider for Slingshot Sports. Mark will be joining host Ryan Riccitelli on the ASnews.net and The Kiteboarder Magazine podcast to help you with any problems you may be having with new moves and to talk about his new project where he plans on releasing over 100 online instructional videos to help you learn and land beginner to advanced tricks. He will also be discussing his recent ACL injury (yes those advanced tricks can have some serious consequences!) to possibly help you avoid a similar injury and what the injury entails. Mark has been traveling the world for the last seven years teaching and running clinics in the Gorge, Brazil, Japan and Texas. He just recently semi-settled down in Texas, where he is currently managing XL Kites newest location on South Padre Island.

Got a new trick that you’re having problems with or questions on how to potentially avoid an ACL injury like Mark just experienced? Ask your questions directly to Mark and get free, professional help from one of North America’s premier coaches. If you can’t make the Thursday evening interview, you can still post your questions here and we will ask them for you! The deadline for questions is Thursday, May 15 by 1p PST. The interview will be available anytime after Friday at www.kiteforum.tv, www.thekiteboarder.com, and www.asnews.net. You can also subscribe to the feed at Itunes and get notified of podcast shows, videos and PDF versions of the magazine as soon as they’re posted online!

UPCOMING INTERVIEW TOPICS:

• Star Kites
• US Nationals and Racing Growth
• Cabrinha launches first releases of 2009 product line

See www.thekiteboarder.com for all 114 podcasts, back issues of The Kiteboarder, travel archive, trick archive, gear reviews and breaking kiteboarding news!

 

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Mark your calendars for the weekend of June 6-8 for Canada’s premier kiteboarding event presented by Surf Culture Canada. Always a good time, this year’s event will once again be held on the shores of Mitchell’s Bay on Lake St Clair. Come demo the latest gear from your favorite brands, participate in the kite race and/or expression session, and don’t miss the rider party Saturday night! For complete details, see www.kitestock.ca

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Source: surfertoday.com and KPW:

About 50 competitors coming from all around the world

More than 20 nationalities (Australia, France, Republic Dominican, US, Norway,)

4 disciplines run in 6 days (Freestyle, Wave, Course Racing, Best trick)

Numerous trophies

An extraordinary show

The most famous stars of Kitesurfing made the journey to Saint-Gilles Croix de Vie and put on an excellent show for the judges and spectatiors. It is clear that the new riders on the tour will shake up the old rider hierarchy.

The American rider, Jesse Richman, is astonishing : just 15 and already winner of one event of the KPWT !
Let’s also congratulate the excellent performance of Mitu Monteiro from Cabo Verde !

A special thank you to the guys from Cabarete - A great spirit and what a talent!

On the women side, Kirsty Jones from UK really surprised everybody in the waves.

Ania Grzelinska from Poland also stands out all through the competition.

Looking at the results of this first event we can expect and imagine an exciting season 2008 on the KPWT!

Keep in touch and see you on the next round in Greece, Paros, from the 19th to the 25th of June.

VENDEE KITESURF PRO 2008 RESULTS

FREESTYLE MEN
1. Ariel CORNIEL (REP DOM) EH
2. Jesse RICHMAN (US) CABRINHA
3. Antoine AURIOL (FR) KITELOOSE

WAVE MASTERS MEN
1. Abel LAGO (SPA) RRD
2. Mitu MONTEIRO (Cabo Verde) F-ONE
3. Jan Marcos RIVIERAS (REP DOM)

COURSE RACING MEN
1. Jesse RICHMAN (US) CABRINHA
2. Soufiane HAMAINI (MOR) NORTH KITEBOARDING
3. Abel LAGO (SPA) RRD

FREESTYLE WOMEN
1. Ania GRZELINSKA (POL) NORTH KITEBOARDING
2. Ainhoa GARCIA (SPA) AIRUSH
3. Marine SUDRE (AUSTR) CABRINHA

WAVE MASTERS WOMEN
1. Kirsty JONES (UK) FLEXIFOIL
2. Ania GRZELINSKA (POL) NORTH KITEBOARDING
3. Ainhoa GARCIA (SPA)AIRUSH

COURSE RACING WOMEN
1. Kari SCHIBEVAAG (NOR) OZONE
2. Helen THOMPSON (UK) NORTH KITEBOARDING
3. Ainhoa GARCIA (SPA) AIRUSH

OVERALL RANKING MEN
1. Jesse RICHMAN (US) CABRINHA
2. Abel LAGO (SPA) RRD
3. Antoine AURIOL (FRA) KITELOOSE

OVERALL RANKING WOMEN
1. Ania GRZELINSKA (POL) NORTH KITEBOARDING
2. Ainhoa  GARCIA (SPA) AIRUSH
3. Kari SCHIBEVAAG (NOR) OZONE

FREESTYLE MEN JUNIOR
1. Ariel CORNIEL (REP DOM) EH
2. Jesse RICHMAN (US) CABRINHA
3. Erik VOLPE (ITA) CHALLENGERS

BEST TRICK RESULTS

MEN
1.Thomas PARIS (FR) North Kites
2. Emmanuel RONDON (RD) EH Kiteboarding
3. Leander VYVEY (BEL) JN-Kites

WOMEN
1.Cne COLLAUD (SWI) Slingshot
2.Carina Eibl (AUSTRIA) Slingshot
3.Marine SUDRE (AUS) Cabrinha
SOURCE: KPWT

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The 2008 Cabrinha Race Series began with a ROAR! If night #1 is any indication of what’s ahead, the 2008 season will be one to remember.
Fifty riders signed up for the series, double from 2007, and after viewing the first night of racing, the competition has also been stepped up. We would also like to give a big welcome to all you first time racers…hope you had fun.

For most of the day, the fog had been pouring through the gate all day with the winds light around 10-14. When it was time to leave the beach, the frog receded back to the bridge and the wind picked up to about 20…and stayed that way for the entire evening. Of course, it was very light at the inside reaching mark (B) for the 1st and 3rd race, with the phantom hole appearing/disappearing at the windward mark.

Prior to racing, Steve Gunn, Cabrinha’s West Coast guy presented the St. Francis a new Cabrinha Race Series perpetual trophy which will be on display at the club. Anthony Chavez and Jeff Kafka, the ’06 and ’07 champions were on hand to see their names as the first two on the trophy. A special thanks goes out to Don Wood of Major Brass Foundry in Gardena, CA for creating this special piece of art.

The racing…Anthony Chavez (Naish) took first overall for the night with 5 pts (1,2,2), followed closely by Jeff Kafka (Cabrinha) with 7 pts (2,4,1) and Shawn Richman (WaimanHawaii) with 8 pts (4,1,3). First place in each race was shared by these three. Geoff Headington (SS, 5,3,4) and John Gomes (Cabrinha, 3,5,5) finished 4 and 5 respectively, were very consistent, and gave the top three something to think about. Chavez, Kafka, and Richman all used Kafka/Neptune Prisoner of Wind Race Quads, while Headington and Gomes used new sticks from NJDesigns (you remember Nils)

The first race saw the only tangles of the evening. Frank Wittke and other rider, (sorry I don’t know your name) tangled and went down at the start. There is a protest pending filed by Frank which could change the results for the evening (not the top 5 spots) as Frank finished 18th in the 1st race and 6th in the 2nd and 3rd. If he prevails, his finish for the first race could be adjusted as high as 6th, the average for his other two races, which would give him 18 points and overall 6th. Also at the start, Stefaans and Chad, both starting on a port tack tangled and went down. Chavez, Kafka, and Gomes went around the course from start to finish in that order.

The second race, the wind shifted slightly and saw Eric Due (Cabrinha) get a great start on port and had a good lead at what appeared to be the lay line. He was followed by Chavez, Richman, Gomes, Headington, and Kafka. All the riders missed the mark on their first attempt, with Richman, Chavez, Gomes, Headington, and Kafka rounding in that order. Eric took 5 tries before he made the mark falling to 9th. Gomes was a strong third at the leeward mark but missed his jibe, crashed his kite and “lost” his board. By the time he recovered, he fell to 5th.

The last race saw Mark Bosta (Naish) get a great start on port and he, like Eric Due in the race before, had a great lead at the lay line, but like Due, Bosta had to make 6 attempts before rounding the windward mark and fell to 7th. Chavez, Richman, Kafka, Headington, and Gomes rounded the windward and reaching mark in that order, with Kafka catching and passing those ahead between the reaching and leeward marks. The wind began to die out in different spots on the course during the 3rd race causing many to get a DNF…and about 15 having their kites in the water at about Anita and requiring a ride back in one of the boats.

Racing was very competitive and close, with close races all over the course, regardless of position. Racers were within feet of each other at the marks and the finish.

The 2008 Cabrinha Race Series is sponsored by Cabrina Kiteboarding, Ozonetravel, adventuresportsmiami, and hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club.

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From Flexifoil.com:

KPWT Kitesurf World Cup – St Gilles France

Leaving the sunny warm water and air of a glamorous Animal clothing photoshoot in Tarifa was hard as I knew a freezing, wet, low pressure system was moving in for the start of the KPWT World cup in St Gilles on the west coast of France.

This must have been the coldest, harshest KPWT on record as temperatures rocketed down to about 6 degrees, with 30knot howling onshore wind, giant hail showers and big swell. As the wind was only due to last 3 days the organisers had to run the Wave Masters and Freestyle in this time which was going to be tight due to the amount of competitors.

This meant we had 7am starts and 7pm finishes in Baltic conditions and for some reason it always seemed to be the women who were put on the water first!

However, it would have been wrong to complain about the cold as there were the guys from Hawaii and Dominican Republic who had never even put on a wetsuit before so I’m sure they were feeling the cold far more!

The conditions were tough so I decided to enter the freestyle as well as the wave as the wind and wave conditions were similar to a winter’s day down the Gower peninsula! I was armed with my favourite ammunition, the 5m, 7m and 9m Atom08, so wanted to test its power in these extreme conditions.

After a few tough heats I found myself in the semi final of the freestyle at 7.30am! As I was here mainly for the Wave event I didn’t want to risk injuring myself so I opted for big airs on my 7m Atom08 rather than trying crazy kite loops and unhooked moves on the 5m. I hadn’t tried the Atom08 yet in strong wind for freestyle and was AMAZED how high I went on the 7m! I even had to close my eyes on a few of the jumps as I just kept going up!

I ended up getting 4th in the freestyle using my 7m Atom08 and Delta 128cm Flexi board which I was super pleased about.

Sander Lenten and Bjorn Viane, fellow Flexifoil team riders put on an impressive, crowd pleasing show with Sander getting 5th overall and Bjorn 9th in the freestyle which was an excellent result as there was very tough competition with the Dominican and Hawaiian guys. The 5m Atom and 7m Hadlow pro were used a lot during the week!

After the freestyle they moved swiftly onto the Wave Masters which was run in strong onshore wind with a solid 2meter swell breaking far out.

My nerves were on edge as the wind was fluctuating so much from 14knots in the hail showers to 30knts, so choosing which board and kite to use for the heats was tough. I opted for power and took the 9m Atom08 in most of my heats as there was so much current that power was needed to get out the back and stay up wind in the endless walls of white water. Luckily the 9m Atom de-powers so much that I was able to hold on in the squalls yet had the power I needed to stay up wind in the competition area. I used my 5’6’’ SDF directional shaped by James Du-feu from the Gower which is an excellent all round directional.

After some tough heats against Norwegian rider Kari SCHIBEVAAG from Norway, and Scottish rider Helen Thompson,. I found myself in the final against Polish rider Ania Grzelinska.

The frozen feet and hands were worth the pain as the results were announced that I was the winner!

I’d like to thank all the guys from Flexifoil, Sander, Bjorn and Richard for helping me pump up and pack away kites in the torrential freezing rain and to Flexifoil, Animal, Maui Magic, and SDF Surfboards, for their support and giving me the best equipment and clothing there is!

Diolch Yn Fawr! Merci Beuacoup, Mucho Gracias!
Kirsty

WAVEMASTERS WOMEN RESULTS
1. Kirsty JONES (UK) / FLEXIFOIL
2. Ania GRZELINSKA (POL) / NORTH KITEBOARDING
3. Ainhoa GARCIA (SP) / AIRUSH
4. Marine SUDRE (AUS) / CABRINHA

FREESTYLE WOMEN RESULTS
1. Ania GRZELINSKA (POL) NORTH KITEBOARDING
2. Ainhoa GARCIA (SPA) AIRUSH
3. Marine SUDRE (AUSTR) CABRINHA
4. Kirsty Jones (Wales) FLEXIFOIL

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