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Year: 2011

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VIDEO: Swamp Vegas

Aaron Hadlow, Billy Parker and the LTR Team: Brian Smith, Evan Netsch, Eric Rienstra and Brandon Scheid riding in Swamp Vegas.... Read More...

PKRA Fuerteventura 2011 Final Results

The last day of competition welcomed the competitors with the most extreme conditions a kiteboarder can expect in Fuerteventura: 35 to 45 knots in the ongoing gusts and choppy waters. As usual on the PKRA we were again surprised by the level the riders can reach in these conditions.... Read More...
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Erin Swain: Girl Power

It was like a switch flipped when she arrived. The wind picked up A LOT. Tami brought her 9, and I ran back to get my 7 from my car. I was still a little nervous to launch so close to land, so Tami said she didn’t mind walking out a little ways. There were a lot of people at Jockey's Ridge that day, so we were the only ones kiting.... Read More...
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PKRA Fuerteventura Day 3: Zoon and Pulido Win Single Eliminations

After two days of competition here in Fuerteventura for the PKRA Kiteboarding World Tour, we entered the second part of the single eliminations. This was going to be the most exciting day with only the very best riders left to compete in the strong winds of Sotavento. The men’s division started with the quarter finals in 30 knots conditions which according to Brazilian rider Reno Romeu (BRA, North) made the spot a little choppy with a kicker on the inside.... Read More...
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VIDEO: The Low Road Part II

BEST International Team Rider Brian Smith aka BCS rides with pal Brandon Scheid in episode II of the Low Road produced by Nate Appel. This whole episode was shot in Best Kiteboarding's new backyard, the SLICK!... Read More...

Help the Coast Guard Help Kiteboarders

Just as a great Central California session was wrapping up earlier this spring, a few of us on the beach noticed a kite tumbling downwind outside the surf line. The kite's owner decided it would be too difficult to get the kite back and it continued its tumble downwind out of sight. A few hours later, I received a call from Coast Guard Lieutenant Ana Thorsson, who was coordinating the search for a kiteboarder they assumed was missing.... Read More...

Northern Colombia: Still Undiscovered

After a quick two and a half hour flight, I was picked up and we headed to the coast. Wladamir is excitedly telling me how you can ride flat water on one side with perfect side-onshore conditions for freestyle or racing while the other side, a short five minute walk away, serves up perfect long peeling waves formed by sandbars with side-offshore winds.... Read More...
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Chuck Patterson Joins Naish SUP

Chuck Patterson, one of kiteboarding's first pro riders and all around waterman, is back in kiteboarding -- kind of! Chuck recently joined the Naish SUP team and has been in Maui kitesurfing, windsurfing and SUPing on their new 2012 gear. ... Read More...

Erin Swain: Walk of Shame

OK, so, I went kiting with Scott and Tami today. A quick back ground on Tami: we have been texting about kiting for an entire year, and have not gotten together. Today was finally the day we were able to go. It wasn’t too windy, so when I got he message from Scott saying he was heading down south, I jumped right on the invitation to kite and I invited Tami. ... Read More...

Reasons to Plug your Ears

Outside of a great fitting harness, helmet, and untangled kite lines, a pair of earplugs is a must for any kiter. The reason is that ear injuries occur frequently, are very painful, and are easily preventable. ... Read More...
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Patagonia Signs Kiteboarder Jason Slezak

Patagonia Inc., a leading designer of core outdoor, surf and sport-related apparel, equipment, footwear and accessories, is pleased to announce that professional kiteboarder Jason Slezak has formally joined the Patagonia ambassador team.... Read More...
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VIDEO: Escape to the Coast

Went to Southern Cal for the weekend and it was windy so Sean Mertens and I rode some ankle slappers with our kites. Riders in Order of Appearance: Cody Cerf, Sean Mertens, Cody Cerf. Shot by Cody Cerf and Sean Mertens. Edited by Cody Cerf. ... Read More...
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Belmont Shore Capture the Wind Festival July 22-24

The Southern California Kiteboarding Association is partnering with the Long Beach Sea Festival to present the Capture the Wind Festival from July 22 to 24. The city has agreed to allow the Association to create a separate beach zone for this event where kiters will compete in the first official jumping contest held in Southern California. ... Read More...
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Erin Swain: In Too Deep

Today started off like all my other sessions. Scott and I dropped a car off at Jockeys Ridge and went down behind the golf course in Nags Head to pump up our kites. It wasn’t blowing too strong, so I pumped up my 9M and attached my bar from my 7M.... Read More...
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2011 Ro Sham Throw Down Wrap Up/Results

While the 2010 Ro Sham Throw Down put the event on the map, this year brought in an international presence and proved to the industry that the Ro Sham is here to stay. With several new features brought to the table such as the Liquid Force Dancefloor, the Best Handrail, The Slingshot Kicker, and the extended Airush BoomBox the guys from the Slider Project pieced together a really sick park. Riders flooded the town from all over the world including New Zealand, Australia, England, Florida, Cape Hatteras, and South America.... Read More...

Erin Swain: Learning to Self Rescue: A MUST HAVE SKILL

After kiting with Allison, I heard that Scott was on his way over to Jockey's Ridge. I was stoked because I had been walking upwind all day and was ready to do a bonafide downwinder without worrying about staying upwind. Scott arrived around 5:30pm, so I threw my gear in his car and we drove down about 3 miles south.... Read More...