Kitesoul Magazine #16 English Edition
In this issue: Riders Column - Colleen Carroll, Red Bull KOTA 2017; ITW Nick Jacobsen, Ruben Lenten; Events: Ragnarok 2017, Banga Foil 2017; Journeys: In the Kingdom of the polar bears, The Wall Ride; Characters: Michael Zomer; Schools: Canary islands; Trends: How about learning kite-foil? Product focus: RRD rigid lines; Felipe Moure Lopez: Blind Judge 5 challenge and much more.
In this issue: Riders Column - Colleen Carroll, Red Bull KOTA 2017; ITW Nick Jacobsen, Ruben Lenten; Events: Ragnarok 2017, Banga Foil 2017; Journeys: In the Kingdom of the polar bears, The Wall Ride; Characters: Michael Zomer; Schools: Canary islands; Trends: How about learning kite-foil? Product focus: RRD rigid lines; Felipe Moure Lopez: Blind Judge 5 challenge and much more.
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EVENTS<br />
_Nick is the new King of the Air<br />
_Ragnarok 2017<br />
>> AdVENTURES<br />
_A wild journey into Svalbard<br />
>> ITW<br />
_Michael Zomer<br />
_Felipe Moure Lopez<br />
>> TUTORIAL<br />
_Strapless: The Straight Air<br />
>> GEAR<br />
_RRD Rigid Thread Lines<br />
W W W . K I T E S O U L . C O M
WAVE | SURFSTYLE<br />
Foto: Jason Wolcott<br />
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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 />
Tradutions italian-english<br />
Daniela Meloni<br />
FEBRUARY 2017 - MARCH 2017<br />
TWO-MONTHLY<br />
Texts<br />
Roberta Pala, Collen Carroll, Kari<br />
Schibevaag, Noé Font, Felipe Moure<br />
Lopez, Reo Stevens, Michelle Hayward.<br />
Photos<br />
Svetlana Romantsova, Chris Bobryk,<br />
Andre Magarao, Matthew Fitchen, Red<br />
Bull Courtesy, Tom Magne Jonassen,<br />
Trond Tyss, Vincent Bergeron, Alexandru<br />
Baranescu, Courtesy Banga Foil, Toby<br />
Bromwich, Lukas Stiller, Tim Mckenna,<br />
JT Pro Center, Gabriele Rumbolo, Todd<br />
Glaser.<br />
Cover:<br />
Rider Keahi de Aboitiz<br />
Photo Jason Wolcott<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!
EDITORIAL<br />
Rider Kelly Slater | Photo Todd Glaser<br />
Kitesurfing still tastes of salt and<br />
not of chlorine<br />
Artificial waves parks for surfers are now spreading<br />
all over the world. Increasingly big, accessible<br />
and efficient. In January 2017, a Spanish Company<br />
called Wavegarden specialized in pools and<br />
water parks announced that it has just developed<br />
a new technology capable of creating 1.029 waves<br />
per hour that means over 16 waves per minute.<br />
While they want to keep this patent still secret,<br />
the Iberian technicians have added that the new<br />
system would allow to have waves up to 2.10 metres<br />
high, cutting through the pools for about 18<br />
seconds. The project is called The Cove, and it will<br />
debut in the upcoming months in Australia when<br />
the first water parks for surfers, equipped with<br />
this futuristic technology, will appear in Sydney,<br />
Melbourne and Perth with the brand name Urbnsurf<br />
(www.urbnsurf.co/media-coverage.html).<br />
So then, how will the artificial surf evolve? One<br />
could easily imagine that in the near future whole<br />
surfers’ generations, perhaps living hundreds<br />
kilometres away from the first beach overlooking<br />
the ocean, will use these admission-fee simulating<br />
facilities for training at any time, in spite of<br />
weather conditions, seasons and culture of the<br />
sea. Surfing will be like going to the gym. No more<br />
days spent sounding out the weather reports searching<br />
for the next swell, no more stacking up<br />
kilometres along the coast searching for the best<br />
wave, no more time spent practising the true surfer’s<br />
art, which is patience. The new chlorine surfers<br />
will enter any pool, for one or two hours they<br />
will ride hundreds of waves, identical and perfect<br />
and they will become extraordinary.<br />
What will happen is what also happened to free<br />
climbing with the advent of artificial walls and<br />
indoor facilities thanks to which today a 12-year<br />
old kid can climb VI grade walls, where bear<br />
hands climbing times have halved and one year<br />
of training is enough to climb the world rankin-
gs. Twenty years ago, anyone climbing a VI grade<br />
wall would go directly on magazine covers. In<br />
other words, the surfing technique will evolve by<br />
the second. Even Kelly Slater has become a testimonial<br />
for these water parks dedicated to comfy<br />
surfers. Way to go, that's progress baby! As long<br />
as one does not believe that things such as the<br />
mystery of the ocean, the solitude in the pipe, the<br />
hell in a wipe out can ever be removed from surfing.<br />
Luckily, at least for now, kitesurfing is not at risk<br />
of turning into a simulation sport. Those who choose<br />
to surf pulled by a kite still have to consider<br />
the weather conditions to go chasing wind and<br />
waves, still have to get in the car and reach the<br />
coast, and above all still have to enter the ocean<br />
with the proper respect. And, once up there, on<br />
the peak of a wave, always a different one, they<br />
will remain amazed by the magic of nature.<br />
David Ingiosi
SUMMARY<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
RIDERS COLUMN<br />
EVENTS + ITW<br />
18 30 32<br />
Portfolio<br />
Colleen Carroll<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new<br />
king of the air<br />
+ Ruben Lenten<br />
JOURNEYS<br />
CHARACTERS<br />
SCHOOLS<br />
104<br />
The Wall Ride<br />
116<br />
Michael Zomer:<br />
I, extreme filmmaker<br />
128<br />
In the Canary Islands the<br />
sons of the ocean are<br />
raised<br />
BASIC STRAPLESS<br />
FOCUS<br />
178<br />
The straight air<br />
182<br />
F-one: Furtive V1/ Speed<br />
Gun
EVENTS EVENTS JOURNEYS<br />
62 74 88<br />
Last stop: Ragnarok<br />
Banga Foil<br />
In the kingdom of the<br />
polar bear<br />
TRENDS<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
VIDEO SAGA<br />
138<br />
How about learning kitefoil?<br />
Slingshot launches<br />
the Academy<br />
148<br />
Portfolio RRD lines: the revolution<br />
is called ‘Rigid Thread<br />
Lines’<br />
160<br />
Portfolio Felipe Moure Lopez and<br />
his Blind Judge 5 Challenge
18<br />
PORTFOLIO<br />
Alex Neto<br />
RIDER: Alex Neto<br />
PHOTO: Andre Magarao
20 PORTFOLIO<br />
Reo Stevens<br />
RIDER: Reo Stevens<br />
PHOTO: Tim Mckenna
22 PORTFOLIO<br />
Jeremie Tronet<br />
RIDER: Jeremie Tronet<br />
PHOTO: JT Pro Center
24 PORTFOLIO<br />
Ismail Adarzane<br />
RIDER: Ismail Adarzane<br />
PHOTO: Gabriele Rumbolo
26 PORTFOLIO<br />
PATRI MCLAUGHING<br />
RIDER: PATRI MCLAUGHING<br />
PHOTO: Toby Bromwich
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RIVENDITORE UFFICIALE
30<br />
RIDERS COLUMN<br />
Colleen Carroll<br />
Blue Palawan. Many might still<br />
be largely unfamiliar. While<br />
last year’s inaugural event was<br />
deemed a huge success industry<br />
wide, park riding and namely<br />
park competitions, can sometimes<br />
fly under most Kiteboarders’<br />
radars.<br />
Dubbed the most tropical kite<br />
park on earth, Blue Palawan is<br />
perfectly poised on the eastern<br />
shoreline of Palawan Island, one<br />
of the most famed islands out of<br />
the over 7,000 islands that com-<br />
prise the Philippines. Voted to<br />
house some of the best beaches<br />
in the world, it’s no wonder all of<br />
the best park riders, myself included,<br />
are eager to return to the<br />
stunning atoll.<br />
However, it is not only the easy<br />
breezy lifestyle and luxury living<br />
that we have to look forward to.<br />
Hanging in the wake of this year’s<br />
event, lies the likely trajectory<br />
for the coming year of the Kite<br />
Park League tour. Now of course<br />
nothing will be set after only one<br />
event yet, as we saw last year,<br />
it can be a solid indicator as to<br />
who are the real contenders for<br />
the coming season.<br />
Will Sam Light take another win<br />
for the men, continuing his long<br />
reigning dominance of kite park<br />
events? Or, will Brandon Scheid<br />
who has long nipped at his heals<br />
finally take that top seat? However,<br />
it is far from a two-man<br />
race to the top this year and<br />
looks like Light and Scheid will<br />
have to work harder than ever if
RIDERS COLUMN<br />
It’s coming in the trade winds…<br />
× Colleen Carroll ×<br />
Text Colleen Carroll | Photo Toby Bromwich, Lukas Stiller<br />
they want to secure their usual<br />
podium spots. With young riders,<br />
Noe Font and Ewan Jaspan,<br />
as well as other podium finishers<br />
from the 2016 season such<br />
as Craig Cunninghan and Christophe<br />
Tackmore dedicated than<br />
ever, in my opinion, no one’s fate<br />
is sealed.<br />
Not only has the men’s competition<br />
heated up over the past<br />
year of park riding but, new<br />
comers to the women’s scene<br />
have noticeably shaken things<br />
up. It was world champion, Karolina<br />
Winkowska who broke onto<br />
the park scene adding 2016 KPL<br />
Champion to her list of accolades.<br />
Attempting to chase her<br />
down for the title myself over the<br />
past year after having a rough<br />
start of the season, I can attest<br />
that the competition is tougher<br />
than ever before on the women’s<br />
front. And it wasn’t only<br />
Winkowska who made her mark<br />
on the 2016 KPL, known park<br />
competitor Sensi Graves came<br />
in full force as well as household<br />
name BrunaKajiya and up<br />
and coming rider Annelous Lammerts<br />
who all proved themselves<br />
formidable competitors.<br />
With more pro riders focusing<br />
their efforts into the park than<br />
ever before, the upcoming competition<br />
is sure to be captivating.<br />
Make sure to check back in the<br />
next issue for a full recap of what<br />
went down during the event and<br />
who was able to prove themselves<br />
better than the rest.
32<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air<br />
i s t h e n e w k i<br />
Michelle Hayward<br />
Photo credit: Red Bull Courtesy
n g o f t h e a i r<br />
On January 2nd in the evocative frame of Big Bay in South Africa it took place<br />
the Red Bull King of the Air 2017 which proved once again to be one of the most<br />
successful and spectacular competitions in the world. The 18 competing athletes<br />
expressed the state-of-the-art of the Big Air discipline. Three true legends<br />
battled for the title in the final that was held just after the sunset: Ruben Lenten,<br />
Aaron Hadlow and Nick Jacobsen. In the end, the King of the Air was the Danish<br />
rider: insane, brave and lethal.
34<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
After almost two weeks of no wind, or at<br />
least not any wind strong enough for the<br />
Red Bull Kind of the Air, the wind finally<br />
blew! When the thick white cloud starts<br />
to creep over Table Mountain, then you<br />
know the wind is going to pump, and<br />
that is exactly what it did on Thursday<br />
2ndJanuary, just 3 days before the end of<br />
the waiting period for the event. By 3 pm,<br />
the wind had hit 25 knots and they decided<br />
to start the competition, this gave<br />
the organisers just enough time to finish<br />
the event on the same day.<br />
This year Red Bull chose only 18 of the<br />
top competitors in the world to take<br />
part in Big Bay, South Africa. The judg-
36<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
ing criteria also changed slightly this<br />
year as 70% of the score was determined<br />
by height while 30% was determined by<br />
the extremity of the moves. There was no<br />
limitation to how many moves each rider<br />
could do, though only the top 3 moves<br />
were counted as part of the final result.<br />
Riders were encouraged to go as extreme<br />
as possible, and they did not disappoint!<br />
Though the wind was strong, and picked<br />
up to 30 knots throughout the afternoon,<br />
there were not many waves and riders<br />
had to be careful to select the right<br />
wave to boost off. There were more waves<br />
downwind but each rider decided to stay<br />
upwind, clearly careful not to get stuck
38<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air<br />
too far downwind and out of the competition<br />
area.<br />
One of the crowd favourites was Aurelien<br />
Petreau, a French rider who was new to<br />
the event. He stunned the spectators with<br />
his huge board off dead man. The youngest<br />
rider, Willem van der Meij, who is just<br />
19, genuinely showed that his age is not<br />
a hindrance by also proving himself as a<br />
crowd pleaser. The Megaloop Late Backroll<br />
was a firm favourite of many of the<br />
riders. Gijs Wassenaar, Jerrie Van de Kop,<br />
Lasse Walker and Ryan Siegelberg were<br />
just a few of the riders who named it
as their signature move. We also saw a<br />
lot more riders doing a "one-footer" and<br />
combining it with high jumps and even<br />
Megaloops. This year there were also a<br />
lot more riders unhooking during their<br />
heats.<br />
Of course the legends of the sport really<br />
stood out and made it right through to<br />
the finals. Ruben Lenten was hungry to<br />
make his comeback and did so stylishly<br />
with his signature move, the "Boogie<br />
Loop" (Megaloop Front Roll). Aaron Hadlow<br />
did also not disappoint, as he effortlessly<br />
showed off his signature high
40<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
handle-passes and impressive loops.<br />
The one legend that could not compete,<br />
however, was Kevin Langeree who unfortunately<br />
broke his ankle just weeks before<br />
the event. But, although he was on<br />
crutches, and still recovering from an<br />
operation, he was there to support his<br />
fellow riders!<br />
Thankfully, there were no major injuries<br />
this year and none of the riders had to be<br />
rescued or taken to hospital. Of course,<br />
there were a few riders that crashed<br />
their kites like Stuart Downey and Lewis<br />
Crathern, but they managed to quickly<br />
launch them and continue their heats.<br />
Lewis Crathern then even went on to do
42<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
the highest jump of the day. Most of the<br />
riders had two of the same kites and a<br />
few boards, as seen when Graham Howes<br />
lost his board and soon enough had<br />
another one given to him so that he did<br />
not have to body drag to try to retrieve it.<br />
Oswald Smith’s old ankle injury caused<br />
him a bit of pain, though he still managed<br />
to claim the Mystic Move of the Day<br />
award. Ruben Lenten also complained of<br />
a sore rib, though he rightfully made it<br />
into the finals. The finals took place just<br />
after sunset but that did not stop the<br />
crowd from going crazy: whistling, clap-
44<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air<br />
ping and cheering the riders on. Fuelled<br />
by all the Red Bull that was being handed<br />
out, they did not mind watching the riders<br />
compete in the dark.<br />
The finals were really close but Nick<br />
Jacobsen truly stood out with his variation<br />
and all over extremity, placing him<br />
in first place.
46<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air<br />
The new King of the Air! Aaron Hadlow<br />
came in second place and Ruben Lenten<br />
made his comeback with a well-deserved<br />
third place.
THE KITESOUL CORRESPONDENT<br />
Michelle Sky Hayward, amongst the VIPs as our reporter<br />
Michelle Sky Hayward is a 25-year-old<br />
professional kitesurfer. She lives in Cape<br />
Town, South Africa with her husband<br />
Neil. She is passionate about kitesurfing<br />
but besides that, she enjoys going to the<br />
gym, spending time at the beach, travelling<br />
and of course writing. This is what<br />
she had to say about her experience reporting<br />
at the King of the Air:<br />
I had an amazing time reporting at the<br />
Red Bull King of the Air! <strong>Kitesoul</strong> is a<br />
great magazine to work for and it allowed<br />
me to gain VIP media access during the<br />
event. This way, I could meet some of<br />
the riders and people in the media and<br />
I got to have the best view! The conditions<br />
were perfect, the event is well run<br />
and the whole vibe was electric. This is a<br />
world-class event and I was so happy to<br />
be able to experience it first hand.
48<br />
EVENTS<br />
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
50<br />
Nick Jacobsen<br />
The winner’s words<br />
The winner’s words<br />
We reached the winner of the Red Bull King of the Air 2017<br />
Nick Jacobsen in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) where he<br />
flew straight after the competition and here is what he<br />
told us about his amazing victory.
52<br />
Nick Jacobsen<br />
The winner’s words<br />
"I just got to Dubai to shoot a project I have been working<br />
on for quite some time now. Thank you so much<br />
for all the kind words about King of the Air. Here is an<br />
update on what went down: I went to Cape Town in the<br />
middle of October 2016 to train for King of the Air and<br />
to shoot with Cabrinha for the switch blade and all that<br />
went really well. And just by riding every day in strong<br />
conditions with the switch blade I chose to ride that<br />
kite for the event. I felt comfortable on it and everything<br />
about the switch blade just felt right. I had great expectations<br />
about myself this year for King of the Air<br />
because I really wanted to win it but I thought it was<br />
quite impossible for me! I would just have been happy<br />
to make it onto the podium. The day just went extremely<br />
well and all of a sudden, I was in the finals against<br />
two legends in the industry, two guys that I have always<br />
been looking up to. I have been following Ruben<br />
Lenten and Aaron Hadlow since they started, they were<br />
my great inspirations. I know everything about them<br />
and now we are great friends and it was so great to ride<br />
with them. They are both Red Bull riders and I was with<br />
them in the Red Bull finals so I was pretty stoked. When<br />
I won it, I was so happy, it still hasn't sunk in yet and<br />
it was a week ago. My main focus right now is this project<br />
I am doing in Dubai so this whole thing with win-
54<br />
Nick Jacobsen<br />
The winner’s words
ning the King of the air just went into the sand in a way<br />
which I am a bit bummed about. But when this project<br />
is done in a few weeks I'll go to either Bora Bora or Bali<br />
or something for a few weeks just by myself without my<br />
phone, without my laptop and then just let everything<br />
sink in and I'll go on a small holiday. It looks like I'm<br />
on holiday all the time but I'm actually not, I do a lot of<br />
different things all the time".
56<br />
ITW<br />
Ruben Lenten, happy to be back but my ribs failed me<br />
R U B E N<br />
happy to be back<br />
but my ribs failed me<br />
Still in Cape Town working on new gear,<br />
Ruben Lenten answers to Michelle<br />
Hayward’s questions and comments about<br />
the competition and his fantastic third<br />
place.
58<br />
ITW<br />
Ruben Lenten, happy to be back but my ribs failed me<br />
How do you feel about the event?<br />
Well every year I’m looking super forward<br />
to see this event take place. Last year<br />
I couldn’t compete due to my battle<br />
against cancer but this year I made<br />
sure I was strong and confident enough<br />
to compete with the world’s best again.<br />
This event is definitely the most exciting<br />
event on the calendar and probably the<br />
only event that really pushes the big air<br />
riding to new levels. And the Megaloop<br />
Challenge in the Netherlands of course.<br />
It was my mission to enjoy riding with all<br />
the boys and showcasing my style of riding<br />
to the world. I managed to keep my<br />
head cool and make it through my heats<br />
with some of my signature moves and<br />
eventually made it to the final. Unfortunately,<br />
I took a big hit on my ribs in heat<br />
1 and in the beginning of the final I had a<br />
big crash right on it again and this just<br />
put me out of it… I was in pain and super<br />
emotional for some reason, I just couldn’t<br />
pull myself together. Coming in 3rd<br />
is not a shame but for next year, I’ve got<br />
my eyes on the prize. :-D The crown! Bring<br />
on some more wind and waves please!
60<br />
ITW<br />
Ruben Lenten, happy to be back but my ribs failed me<br />
What do you have planned next?<br />
My plans are falling into place pretty<br />
nicely and the year is filling up quickly<br />
with all sorts of happenings. From<br />
extreme projects, travelling for shoots,<br />
demos and events to public speaking<br />
and coaching around the world. My main<br />
mission remains to push and promote<br />
the sport globally to make people just as<br />
happy as kitesurfing makes me. And of<br />
course taking it to the next level by some<br />
outstanding projects. For now, we still<br />
have some time in Cape Town to work on<br />
gear. I am building some insane carbon<br />
boards with a local shaper and I’ll sell<br />
these through my web shop soon. Exciting<br />
times! :-)
62<br />
EVENTS<br />
Last stop: Ragnarok
Last stop:<br />
Ragnarok<br />
From 30th March to 2nd April, the<br />
Hardangervidda mountain plateau in<br />
Norway will welcome more than 300<br />
athletes from around the world that<br />
will compete in the Red Bull Ragnarok,<br />
an extreme marathon dedicated<br />
to snowkiting. It doesn’t matter<br />
whether with skis or a snowboard: the<br />
fatigue, the bravery and the desire<br />
for adventure are the same for every<br />
competitor.<br />
Testo: David Ingiosi<br />
Photo: Red Bull Courtesy
64<br />
EVENTS<br />
Last stop: Ragnarok<br />
The snowkiting heroes are about to return to the<br />
fighting arena. In fact, according to the Scandinavian<br />
mythology, the term Ragnarǫk refers to<br />
the final battle between the powers of light and<br />
order, which challenged the powers of darkness<br />
and chaos and following which the entire world<br />
would be destroyed and only the greatest would<br />
survive. That's how the Red Bull Ragnarok<br />
event, a snowkite competition, scheduled from<br />
30th March to 2nd April 2017 in Haugastøl, Norway,<br />
borrows the epic from that ancient myth<br />
to pay tribute to the men and women of today.<br />
Competitors similar to warriors who in this extreme<br />
trial on ice challenge themselves and the<br />
elements with just one objective: be the first to<br />
cross the finishing line.
A t t h e f i n i s h i n g<br />
l i n e t h r o u g h t h e<br />
g r e a t e s t e f f o r t s<br />
The 6th edition is ready to start<br />
This year more than 300 athletes from 30 countries<br />
will gather at the starting line of this great<br />
competition that smacks of adventure, fatigue,<br />
bravery and which now rates as one of the most<br />
anticipated events in the international snowkite<br />
circuit. At its 6th edition, the event will take<br />
place on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau,<br />
a large snow-capped area, about 260 kilometres<br />
Northwest of Oslo and which between wintertime<br />
and springtime offers fantastic conditions<br />
for this discipline.
66<br />
EVENTS<br />
Last stop: Ragnarok<br />
The racetrack is a lap circuit about 15-20 kilometres<br />
long to be repeated five times. The competitors,<br />
who will all line up at the starting line,<br />
must complete the course by using only their kite<br />
and either skis or a snowboard at their choice.<br />
There will be four categories: Men skis, Women<br />
skis, Men snowboard and Women snowboard.<br />
Lastly, along the track the athletes must follow<br />
specific "gates" set up by the organizers to record<br />
the passing of each participant through a<br />
gps device.<br />
The cold, the fatigue and the meteorological aspects<br />
represent the unknown elements of the<br />
race<br />
A specific and tested race formula for a unique<br />
competition which offers a lot of fun, show and<br />
thrill both for those who actually do it and grit<br />
their teeth to give their best to get to the end,<br />
and for the audience that follows the race supporting<br />
anyone of the competitors.<br />
It goes without saying that it's not a picnic on<br />
the snow. It is a backbreaking trial lasting normally<br />
longer than 6 hours. It strains muscles and<br />
mind of the athletes who have to deal with the<br />
cold, the fatigue and especially with the sudden<br />
change of weather conditions, which often mark<br />
the divide between those who can cross the<br />
finishing line and those who have to walk back<br />
to the base camp. The wind in these expanses<br />
of snow and ice can be a friend or an enemy.<br />
Who's been there knows it well.
A d v e n t u r e f a t i g u e<br />
b r a v e r y
68<br />
EVENTS<br />
Last stop: Ragnarok
Susi May: "once in a lifetime"<br />
Over the years, many world champions and outstanding<br />
athletes from kitesurfing and snowkiting<br />
took part to this competition. Everyone keeps<br />
a strong memory of that experience and a great<br />
source of inspiration whether it was a victory or<br />
a withdrawal. The German champion Susi May,<br />
at the end of the 2016 edition said: "No matter<br />
how frustrated you feel, when you push yourself<br />
to the limits you always learn something about<br />
kitesurfing. It's one of those "once in a lifetime"<br />
experiences in one of the wildest and most fascinating<br />
places in the world".<br />
On the other hand, the three time world champion<br />
Steph Bridge who was able to win the Red<br />
Bull Ragnarok race warns those who are about<br />
to do this extreme race: "Choose the right equipment.<br />
Before the start eat carbohydrates and be<br />
well hydrated. You must persist and be positive.<br />
I wasn't able to finish the race twice, but at the<br />
third time, I won it". The Canadian champion<br />
Peter Martel, a regular in Haugastøl, echoes her:<br />
"Nothing will go as planned. But trust yourself<br />
and don't give up".
70<br />
EVENTS<br />
Last stop: Ragnarok<br />
For sure, things do get serious at Ragnarok. You<br />
do not know how you will leave that arena but<br />
one thing is certain: you will enter as a warrior.<br />
Enjoy the battle everyone!
N o t a p i c n i c<br />
o n t h e s n o w
72<br />
EVENTS<br />
Last stop: Ragnarok<br />
PROGRAM & INFO<br />
• Thursday March 30th<br />
16:00 – 21:00 Registration - Haugastøl Turistsenter<br />
- You must show up for accreditation or your place will be given away. No exceptions. .<br />
• Friday March 31st<br />
09:00 am Pre-race meeting - Haugastøl Turistsenter<br />
- In case the race is postponed to Saturday, a notice will be texted to each competitor.<br />
10:00 am Transfer to the race course<br />
12:00 pm Race starts<br />
- In case the weather conditions prevent the race from taking place on Friday, it will be postponed<br />
to Saturday.<br />
• Saturday April 1st<br />
09:00 am - If the race will not be completed on Friday, it will continue on Saturday<br />
20:00 Banquet dinner - Haugastøl Turistsenter<br />
22:00 Awards ceremony & after party<br />
• Sunday April 2nd<br />
Return<br />
- The timetable can be subject to change<br />
- In case the weather conditions prevent the race from taking place on Saturday, it will be<br />
postponed to Sunday.<br />
www.redbull.com/no/no/snow/events/1331603570189/red-bull-ragnarok
74<br />
EVENTS<br />
Banga Foil<br />
itw Roberta Pala<br />
photo Alexandru Baranescu & Courtesy Banga Foil
The Formula Kite World Championship<br />
took place in Weifang,<br />
China. Sixty athletes took part<br />
to the competition. For the Men<br />
category, the Monegasque<br />
Maxime Nocher conquered the<br />
victory using a "made in Italy"<br />
foil, the Banga BF016WA. As<br />
far as Women are concerned,<br />
the title went to the American<br />
Daniela Moroz. First one among<br />
the Italians, in sixth place,<br />
Mario Calbucci, and in second<br />
place Axel Mazella both from<br />
Banga team just like Nocher.<br />
As is known, there are high<br />
probabilities that kiteboarding<br />
will become an Olympic<br />
sport, with the foil discipline,<br />
already in 2020. Banga foil is<br />
the result of a project started<br />
in spring 2015, which aimed at<br />
developing in 12 months the<br />
fastest hydrofoil for Formula<br />
Kite competitions. The aerodynamic<br />
design was entrusted<br />
to a project team with great<br />
experience over the America’s<br />
Cup and cat C-Class foil. The<br />
design of the structure and the<br />
making of it was supervised by<br />
Luca Filippi. Banga Foil comes<br />
as a branch of PROtect Tapes<br />
using the same logics and the<br />
pursuit of excellence. The initiator<br />
of both activities is Pietro<br />
Parmeggiani who takes care<br />
of the operational aspect, the<br />
management and marketing.<br />
Banga foil production is 100%<br />
Italian, it has specialized suppliers<br />
and partners, since Italy<br />
is an excellence for composite<br />
materials. Banga foil placed<br />
five athletes in the top 10 positions<br />
at the Weifang World<br />
Championship (and in 10th<br />
place, there is the other Italian<br />
Riccardo Andrea Leccese).<br />
Besides Calbucci there are the<br />
French Julien Kerneur (7th)<br />
and Theo Lhotis (8th) and the<br />
Russian Elena Kalinina second<br />
for Women. Next event for Foil<br />
Kite will be the Gold Cup final<br />
to be held in Qatar from 15th to<br />
19th November. Prize money:<br />
€ 20.000.
76<br />
KITEFOIL<br />
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high<br />
itw Roberta Pala<br />
photo Alexandru Baranescu & Courtesy Banga Fo<br />
the<br />
Italian brand<br />
flies high<br />
Following Maxime Nocher's worldwide<br />
success, the interest in Banga Foil has had<br />
a stunning growth. It's a young brand, born<br />
from the passion of two professionals, a<br />
Made in Italy product which whipped the<br />
others during the last Foil World circuit. We<br />
had a chat with Pietro Parmeggiani, one of<br />
the two creators of the idea that gained the<br />
top position in the foil world.
KS_How did you create the Banga Foil<br />
project?<br />
Pietro Parmeggiani_We started this project in<br />
spring 2015.<br />
Banga Foil is an idea of Luca Filippi and Pietro<br />
Parmeggiani, both 50 years old, with 40 years<br />
experience in various types of sailing. Luca's<br />
experience is related to sailing, sailmaking, catamarans,<br />
foil, advanced composite materials<br />
coupled with endless manual skills and creativity.<br />
I am the CEO of a major multinational group but<br />
I also have my own company that deals with advanced<br />
materials (PROtect Tapes) which among<br />
its customers rates the America's Cup team, the<br />
Imoca60, Olympic athletes, just to name a few,<br />
but we also range over other industries such as<br />
F1, motorcycles and wind power.<br />
KS_Where does the name Banga come from?<br />
PP_I could just tell you that Banga is the title of<br />
the eleventh album of Patty Smith or the name<br />
of my cat when I was a child but I would lie. Luca's<br />
son, Marco, used to repeat this word, we<br />
liked it and we used it.
78<br />
KITEFOIL<br />
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high<br />
KS_What was the main motivation that made<br />
you enter the Foil world?<br />
PP_We dreamt of creating the best performing<br />
foil in the market, light, with no compromises.<br />
We were also sure, that the foil would have become<br />
an Olympic sport and we had to be ready<br />
when that happened. We entrusted the best foil<br />
designers and structural engineers in order to<br />
achieve our goal.<br />
KS_Are Luca and yourself also two foil-kiters?<br />
PP_No, we aren't. We keep on saying that we<br />
should start but then we get caught in other priorities,<br />
but we will, because we both like speed.<br />
KS_What are the main features of your foil?<br />
PP_Our foil is 995mm long, with the front wing<br />
of 630mm. The materials used are high modulus<br />
prepreg carbon and oven cooked. To get the<br />
best quality we made carbon moulds. An important<br />
aspect is the hand-made finishing which takes<br />
a lot of time, attention and experience, the<br />
Banga product is not painted!<br />
The production is 100% Italian and it is carried<br />
out in an ultramodern factory.<br />
The front wing, fuselage and back wing are one<br />
single piece which connects to the mast.
KS_Where do you purchase the raw material<br />
and what can you tell us about the factory<br />
that manufactures the final product? How<br />
much time did it take before you found the<br />
right partners, suppliers and manufacturers?<br />
PP_Italy is a very innovative country in relation<br />
to composite materials, think for instance of industries<br />
such as aviation, car and all the production<br />
sites of the major multinational companies.<br />
In addition, there are a few independent<br />
Italian companies which manufacture very high<br />
quality products.<br />
I have 20 years of experience in manufacturing<br />
and I am an organization maniac so when we<br />
started the project, we designed a factory specifically<br />
for Banga.<br />
Product quality is a matter of method and regularity<br />
of production materials, process control<br />
and we tried to create the best conditions to<br />
achieve this objective.<br />
We work in a geographical area full of skilled<br />
workers, and finding the right staff for such an
80<br />
KITEFOIL<br />
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high<br />
exciting project wasn't difficult.<br />
KS_Who is behind the design of the Foil?<br />
PP_It was necessary to aim high for such an<br />
ambitious project, developing it with internal resources<br />
was unthinkable. Luca and I, each one<br />
for a different reason, have to do with the world<br />
of sailing and of the America's Cup, so we involved<br />
a group of people, both Italians and from<br />
abroad. The decision of Luna Rossa to leave the<br />
Cup helped us out as it freed valuable resources<br />
for our venture.<br />
KS_From the first version of Banga foil up to<br />
today, what are the aspects that you mostly<br />
had to keep into account?<br />
PP_The complexities are diverse, the choice of<br />
the profiles, the size of the wings, the length of<br />
the mast, geometries, in addition to these there<br />
are the rigidity and torsion related to the small<br />
size of our foil.<br />
Experience teaches that mathematical models<br />
and computer simulations can only partly simulate<br />
reality, therefore we had to create prototypes,<br />
but these can be made only once the<br />
moulds are realized. We made a few prototypes,<br />
tested them in the water for many hours and<br />
the final version began giving its results at the<br />
competition in Gizzeria. Since then it has been<br />
a boom.
KS_Who are the Banga Foil athletes in the<br />
world?<br />
PP_After Gizzeria, we have been rushed, everybody<br />
wanted Banga Foil but in early 2016 we<br />
only had a few athletes, both from Italy and from<br />
abroad, our brand was totally unknown, despite<br />
the fact that Maxime Nocher was already using<br />
Banga Foil. The World Cup in China and the final<br />
leg in Qatar represented our consecration.<br />
The rest is already history, Maxime Nocher wins<br />
the world circuit and six other athletes in the top<br />
ten positions (Maxime Nocher, Axel Mazella, Titouan<br />
Galea, Theo Lhostis, Julien Kerneur and<br />
Mario Calbucci), Simone Vannucci and Andrea<br />
Beverino in Italy, Alejandro Climent Hernandez<br />
in Spain, and the speed record-man, Alex Caizergues.<br />
In the Women ranking we are second<br />
with Elena Kalinina and I can’t go on without<br />
mentioning Jade O'Connor who helps us a lot in<br />
the development.<br />
KS_What is the contribution by the professional<br />
athletes to the design, development<br />
and testing phases?<br />
PP_Luca is in charge of the relations with external<br />
designers and testers. We are always there<br />
during competitions, to provide maximum support<br />
to the athletes, but also to gather important<br />
information for future developments. Professional<br />
athletes are essential to keep improving the<br />
product, they have a perception that allows us<br />
to make minor changes, but which do make the<br />
difference. I am only in charge of the commercial
82<br />
KITEFOIL<br />
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high
and organisational management.<br />
KS_Is Banga a foil only for the Pro circuit?<br />
PP_Absolutely not. We sell very well to the general<br />
public too; we have customers all over the<br />
world from Australia to the USA, from Denmark<br />
to South Africa. Banga is very easy to use, so<br />
every rider can have one and have fun.<br />
KS_After the boom in the past two years and<br />
the foilboard more and more present even in<br />
the quiver of sports enthusiasts, how do you<br />
see the development of your foil outside the<br />
professional sport competitions?<br />
PP_We are working on a freeride version and<br />
hopefully we will be able to talk about it soon.<br />
KS_The Foil Kite world is constantly evolving,<br />
on what does the research and development<br />
team mainly focuses its efforts? Choice of<br />
the materials? Advanced applied engineering?<br />
PP_I believe that this is only the beginning of a fascinating<br />
world. We work in different directions,<br />
and for sure, the most important aspect is the<br />
design of the foil, the profile, and the geometries.<br />
The materials are equally important, therefore<br />
although our consumption is reduced, we work<br />
with various companies to have what’s best on<br />
the market.
84<br />
KITEFOIL<br />
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high<br />
KS_What do you think about the introduction<br />
of kiteboarding at the Olympic Games?<br />
PP_Olympic Games? I think that kiteboarding<br />
has all the right characteristics to become an<br />
Olympic sport, maybe it's still a little early because<br />
kitefoil is not so common at global level<br />
yet and not so popular among girls. There is<br />
also a dispute related to the monopoly of the<br />
big brands.<br />
When we started this project, we did think of<br />
the Olympics and of the potential developments<br />
of this sport. We don't obviously have the same<br />
power as the major brands, but we do have the<br />
organizational and production capacity to potentially<br />
play the game.<br />
KS_What are your projects for the 2017? On<br />
which aspects of the design/manufacturing<br />
are you concentrating?<br />
PP_We are working on the evolution of the<br />
BF2016001WA which won everything in 2016. It<br />
won't be a Banga 2, but the outcome of a new<br />
project, this is why we have great expectations.<br />
First testing sessions in the water should already<br />
take place by the end of January 2017.
86<br />
Journeys<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
It is a journey she much longed for the one through which Kari<br />
Schibevaag takes us, the frozen lands of Spitsbergen Island, in<br />
the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Chasing the wind for<br />
snowkiting, with a group of friends riding snowmobiles, where at<br />
midnight the sun is still up in the sky and the polar bear is the<br />
undisputed lord.<br />
Text: Kari Schibevaag<br />
Photo: Tom Magne Jonassen & Trond Tyss
88<br />
Journeys<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
Let’s go North
The island of Spitsbergen is located<br />
so far up on the northern<br />
hemisphere that the sun actually<br />
never comes up or it never drops<br />
down, it just depends on the season.<br />
But either way, it’s an island<br />
that I’ve always been dreaming<br />
of in the back of my head.<br />
It’s winter outside, but it’s raining<br />
like it was autumn already.<br />
It’s sad to see that the winter<br />
is raining away and the winter<br />
wonderland I love so much is<br />
nearly gone. What is happening<br />
to the world? Normally it’s so<br />
cold that it’s hard to be outside,<br />
but temperatures have been<br />
changing rapidly and it’s pouring<br />
down with rain from the sky.<br />
In February 2016, I broke my<br />
nose in Cape Town, and the<br />
doctor told me to stay away<br />
from the winter and sun. But<br />
what to do when you can’t enjoy<br />
the 2 best things in the world?<br />
I planned for a quiet winter at<br />
home, but after customizing my<br />
goggles, I decided to try to go to<br />
the mountains to snowkite and<br />
get away from this sad rain.<br />
How to get to the<br />
ends of the earth<br />
When tourists think about Norway,<br />
they usually picture it dark,<br />
cold and full of snow and also<br />
some polar bears and reindeers<br />
walking around in the streets …<br />
Actually yes, we have this.<br />
This place where the polar bears<br />
are taking over is the archipelago<br />
of Svalbard. The population<br />
counts 2.000 people and 3.000<br />
polar bears. Situated north of<br />
mainland Europe, it is about<br />
midway between continental<br />
Norway and the North Pole. The<br />
islands of the group range from<br />
74° to 81° north latitude. The<br />
largest island is Spitsbergen.<br />
I always had a dream to go there,
90<br />
Journeys<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
At full blast on a snowmobile<br />
but it’s far from where I leave.<br />
It’s also good to know some local<br />
people when you decide to go.<br />
It’s an island far up north and I<br />
have been looking at the place<br />
for snowkiting for a long time.<br />
I´ve planned trips up there before,<br />
but something always came<br />
up, so I could not go.<br />
Luck was about to change. It<br />
was bad weather and not a lot of<br />
snow where I was planning to<br />
go. I was looking at the weather<br />
forecast and it predicted storms<br />
all over me. I was just looking<br />
at Svalbard like I always do<br />
and it looked like it was sunny<br />
for the next week. I was sitting<br />
dreaming that I could go there,<br />
but it was not planned and I<br />
did not have a place to stay so<br />
I was just dreaming.<br />
The next morning I woke<br />
up and saw a message on my<br />
phone. It was a friend asking<br />
me to go to Svalbard. They had<br />
a house and a guide waiting<br />
for them so I just had to take
the plane. I was right away looking<br />
at the tickets and booked<br />
one straightaway for the night.<br />
It’s easy to get there, it’s just<br />
direct flight from Oslo (with a<br />
pit stop in Tromsø). But the hard<br />
thing is to get a place to stay<br />
in the high season. I was lucky<br />
to stay with friends and also to<br />
know them so I could join them<br />
for trips. The airport is in Longyearbyen,<br />
a small city with some<br />
hotels and hostels so you really<br />
need to know where to stay before<br />
you book a trip.<br />
I waited too long to<br />
come up here!<br />
When I arrived, the sun was<br />
shining with powder in the<br />
mountains. It felt like I had<br />
landed on a white moon. My<br />
first thoughts were… why didn´t<br />
I come up here before? I saw<br />
white mountains with no trees<br />
around. It was just perfect for<br />
snowkite and skiing. I was in<br />
heaven.<br />
The first day I spent it around<br />
town with Tom and Christian<br />
waiting for the other ones to<br />
come. We went kiting a bit in<br />
an area overlooking the town. It<br />
was already midnight sun, so we<br />
could be outside 24/7.<br />
What a place and what a country.<br />
Norway never stops to impress<br />
me. There were reindeers<br />
walking around in the streets<br />
and Christian, the local, told us<br />
that they were walking around<br />
on the whole island and citizens<br />
on Svalbard, could hunt<br />
one each every year. They were<br />
so cute with their small legs.
92<br />
Journeys<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
The reindeers at Svalbard have<br />
smaller legs than the normal<br />
mainland reindeers and they are<br />
not afraid of people at all.<br />
Svalbard Islands have something<br />
that the mainland of Norway<br />
does not have and that´s polar<br />
bears. They are the biggest bears<br />
on this planet and the most<br />
dangerous predators, but they<br />
look so cute. I knew they were<br />
around, so the first day I was a<br />
bit afraid of walking around. I<br />
talked to the locals and they told<br />
me stories about the polar bears<br />
coming into town, but that was<br />
not something happening every<br />
day.<br />
When the bear<br />
comes to town<br />
We were kiting in Adventsdalen<br />
(close to town) and everyone told<br />
me that for sure there would not<br />
be any polar bears there. I had so<br />
much fun climbing the mountains,<br />
riding over the frozen<br />
water and jumping around. What<br />
a place! I forgot all about the<br />
polar bears and focused all on
the super cute reindeers and the<br />
amazing nature surrounding me.<br />
Two days later, a young hungry<br />
polar bear came into town. The<br />
local authorities tried to scare<br />
him away with a helicopter and<br />
snowmobile, but after several<br />
attempts, they had to shoot him<br />
with tranquilizer and fly him<br />
away to the other side of the<br />
island.<br />
I was a bit lucky not to meet<br />
him when I was out there kiting<br />
without a rifle. I went straight<br />
ahead to get a rifle so I could<br />
wear this when I went kiting.<br />
The polar bear came in just at<br />
the place I was kiting before so<br />
I found it safer to have one just<br />
in case another one decided to<br />
make a stop in town.
94<br />
Journeys<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
Last station: Isfjord<br />
Radio<br />
After some days, everyone arrived<br />
at Svalbard and it was time<br />
for a trip. We used snowmobiles<br />
fully packed with kite gear and<br />
ski gear. Gunvor had a friend<br />
working as a guide and we were<br />
lucky he wanted to join us. We<br />
were going to Isfjord Radio, a<br />
radio and weather station where<br />
we booked a place to stay. Gunvor<br />
used to work at Isfjord Radio<br />
before and was super excited to<br />
show us the place and also to get<br />
back to this amazing area.<br />
We started up in amazing sunny<br />
conditions with no wind and<br />
just moon landscape around us.<br />
The guide made a route we followed.<br />
We told him that if there<br />
was wind, we wanted to kite, so<br />
he knew that we all were looking<br />
for wind. It is crazy at Svalbard.<br />
It’s split in different areas and<br />
suddenly we came to a place that<br />
was Russian, Barentsburg. We<br />
had to stop and just look around.<br />
It was very different from the<br />
Norwegian town.<br />
This was Russia if you know<br />
what I mean. There were a hotel<br />
and a bar serving Russian beer<br />
and vodka.
Kite & Rifle
96<br />
Journeys<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
After some hours drive, we<br />
found wind at a glacier. It was<br />
powder, sun and wind and we<br />
all packed up the kite gear and<br />
some wind sails. It was so nice<br />
to kite around there with the<br />
amazing mountains around and<br />
also a bit scary to know the<br />
polar bears could be lurking<br />
around.<br />
A storm is coming<br />
up, let’s leave<br />
After some time the weather<br />
suddenly changed, fast like it<br />
often does and a big storm came<br />
up. We decided to pack down<br />
and drove fast down to Isfjord<br />
Radio. At Isfjord Radio it was<br />
really windy but we managed to<br />
get in and find our house.<br />
Ifjord Radio is located at Kapp<br />
Linne by the Isfjord on Spitsbergen<br />
Island. The station was
The polar bear king of Svalbard<br />
established in 1933, and has<br />
played an important role in the<br />
telecommunications between<br />
the Svalbard archipelago and the<br />
outside world. Now it’s a hotel<br />
where you can stay when you<br />
are visiting Isfjord Radio. It is<br />
reachable only by boat, snowmobile<br />
or dogsled.<br />
When we came to Isfjord, they<br />
had excellent food ready for us
98<br />
Journeys<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
and we got a good hot shower<br />
before we went to bed. We<br />
were all tired and it was a big<br />
storm outside. We all were<br />
wondering if it would stop,<br />
so we could return home the<br />
next day, but you never know<br />
at Svalbard. It is an island in<br />
the middle of nowhere, so you<br />
just have to cross your fingers.<br />
The next morning it was still<br />
stormy and the outside door<br />
in the house broke. It was full<br />
of snow in the hallway, but<br />
they told us that this was normal<br />
so they would fix it when<br />
the wind stopped a bit.
The charm of midnight<br />
sun<br />
We decided to start the trip<br />
back to Longyearbyen after<br />
a long good breakfast, but<br />
that was not so easy. It was<br />
one-meter powder and still<br />
snowing. The terrain was not<br />
easy and the snowmobiles<br />
went falling over all the time.<br />
However, it was super fun to<br />
drive in the snow, so maybe<br />
we were just playing too<br />
much in the powder and that<br />
made us fall over. Anyway, it<br />
was fun and so soft snow.<br />
Just before we reached back<br />
into Longyearbyen, the sun
100<br />
Journeys<br />
In the kingdom of the polar bear<br />
In the<br />
kingdom of<br />
the polar<br />
bear
came back and we got this super<br />
beautiful midnight sun in<br />
the town. In April, the sun is<br />
always up, so it’s hard to relax<br />
when you have the sun shining<br />
all the time. Going to bed<br />
was for sure easy to cancel.<br />
The next days we stayed<br />
around Longyearbyen. We did<br />
just small trips around with<br />
the kites and snowmobiles. It<br />
was beautiful and windy conditions<br />
so we did not need to<br />
travel too far in order to have<br />
great experiences.<br />
Svalbard is an amazing place<br />
to be. I was so sad when<br />
jumped on the plane back<br />
home, but I knew it was time<br />
to return home. But on the<br />
way home, I knew I would be<br />
back next winter and with<br />
even bigger plans for trips up<br />
there. Now we plan to cross<br />
Svalbard from South to North<br />
with a kite. I am so looking<br />
forward to this and I hope<br />
we will succeed to make this<br />
dream come true.<br />
See you all in April 2017<br />
when the “Green Wind” team<br />
(Svalbard Snowkite Expedition)<br />
will pack its gear and<br />
travel across the total length<br />
of Svalbard, only using the<br />
power of the wind. I can’t<br />
wait!:)
104<br />
Journeys<br />
The wall ride<br />
Text: Noé Font<br />
Photo Vincent Bergeron
In the Madeleine Islands, East of the Canadian coast,<br />
the North Kiteboarding team searches for a spot to<br />
do the Vegas 2017 photo shooting and they land on<br />
a beach studded with red cliffs. The scenery is ideal<br />
to set up a rail and try to climb those evocative walls.<br />
The wind though can play nasty tricks.
106<br />
Journeys<br />
The wall ride
The Madeleine Islands are a small chain of islands way out on the<br />
East Coast of Canada. During the summer months, the temperatures<br />
go up and the winds kick in which leads to very good conditions<br />
for kiting. I did a trip there with the rest of the North freestyle<br />
team for the 2017 Vegas photo shoot.<br />
The weather wasn’t what we expected during the first week, it<br />
was cold, very cold. The wind was blowing from the north, that’s<br />
why it was so cold. We all thought it was going to be much warmer;<br />
however, we scored epic sessions. Vince showed us many<br />
spots and all of them had potential. It was just the beginning of<br />
the trip so we kept exploring the area and dialing our tricks on the<br />
new features we built.<br />
There was this one spot that stuck in my mind for a few days. These<br />
10 to 15m cliffs along one of the inlets with rocky red walls were
108<br />
Journeys<br />
The wall ride<br />
Shall we set a wall ride up?
the perfect spot to set up a wall ride, but the only way that was<br />
going to work was with South West winds which unfortunately are<br />
very rare at this time a year. Apparently Craig and Vince had been<br />
there previously but didn’t get to ride them. We wanted to setup<br />
an incline rail up to the top part of one of the rock walls. The cliffs<br />
stick out and create little bays so it was just perfect to wall ride<br />
the top of the cliff and land on water downwind of it.<br />
A few days later, on a very cloudy and cold day Vince mentioned<br />
there was a chance of it blowing south west. That could be our<br />
only chance to ride that spot during our stay there so we headed<br />
to the beach. The wind was really light barely enough to ride but<br />
we still gave it a try. Drove the uHaul as close to the cliffs as possible<br />
and, carried the pipe and legs on knee-deep water all the way<br />
out there. It was very tricky to secure the pipe on the cliff. It was<br />
slippery and we were balancing it with a little rock we found. We<br />
went back to the truck and although we could tell it wasn’t windy<br />
enough I still decided to pump up my 14.5m Vegas and give it a try.<br />
To hit a set up like this you want to be powered and able to get<br />
more power out of your kite instantly in case anything goes wrong.
110<br />
Journeys<br />
The wall ride<br />
Waiting for South-West winds
There were a few puffs of wind and I was riding back and forth approaching<br />
the rail but I couldn’t get enough speed. I stuck around<br />
for quite a while, Craig even pumped his own kite and tried for a<br />
bit but there wasn’t enough wind for us to feel confident enough<br />
to hit it.<br />
I almost gave up so many times, but kept remembering that it<br />
could be the only chance I had to ride that feature. It was getting<br />
very frustrating, sometimes you work a lot to get everything lined<br />
up and the wind doesn’t cooperate. That’s what makes kite park<br />
riding so special. It’s never good, until you have an epic day that<br />
makes all the other bad ones worth it.<br />
That put things into perspective for myself, we were out there far<br />
away from contests, tours and judging trying to make something<br />
special. All the work you put by finding the location, building the<br />
rails, getting the crew together and setting up a feature like that<br />
pays off when you come up with photos like this.<br />
In the end, I only got about three hits on the feature, definitely not<br />
what I was hoping for after waiting for a gust for so long but that’s
112<br />
Journeys<br />
The wall ride<br />
Never give in<br />
how it is sometimes. We ended up getting one okay shot so it was<br />
worth it. Park riding itself is already very hard make happen, when<br />
you're trying to get shots like this one where you only have a handful<br />
of opportunities.
Charming Hotels<br />
and Constant Winds.<br />
Let this<br />
Brazil<br />
surprise<br />
you.<br />
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The EXO has been developed to optimize load distribution and thus prevent the rider from having misplaced<br />
pressure points such as on the floating ribs or lower back. The body no longer has to compensate for pressure<br />
on the wrong areas with muscle contractions or taking unnatural positions. This reduces the fatigue and pain<br />
of the rider, allowing him or her to ride longer and with more comfort.<br />
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116<br />
Characters<br />
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker<br />
Text:David Ingiosi<br />
Photo: Michael Zomer Courtesy
Michael Zomer<br />
I, e x t r e m e f i l m m a k e r<br />
The young dutch video-maker has just finished filming Ruben<br />
Lenten chasing storms. He had already worked together with the<br />
“king of megaloop” back in 2015 when they produced the innovative<br />
web series called Ten Days with Len10. Here, he tells us<br />
about himself, about his passion for action sports and about<br />
his friendship with Lenten. He expresses his impressions about<br />
kiteboarding video productions but above all, he explains what<br />
it means today, to be a video-maker who constantly deals with<br />
extreme situations.<br />
One of Ruben Lenten 2016<br />
latest works is Code Red,<br />
a captivating video project<br />
where this dutch athlete<br />
just few months from<br />
his victory against cancer<br />
got hold of his life again<br />
and started doing what<br />
he does best: the extreme<br />
kiter. The video focuses on<br />
an adventurous journey<br />
during which Ruben chases<br />
storms across three<br />
European countries. Not<br />
only wind blowing at over<br />
50 knots, but during the<br />
filming, the "master of extreme"<br />
had to put up with<br />
the cold and ice in Iceland,<br />
through snow-capped<br />
lands where also his jeep<br />
broke down. He endured<br />
the currents along the<br />
dutch coast, which he<br />
knows by heart but yet he<br />
had never encountered so<br />
strong before. Lastly, he<br />
had to find his way out of<br />
the Irish rocks, looking for<br />
remote spots and even entering<br />
the water at dusk.<br />
In such adverse conditions<br />
Michael Zomer was<br />
there to capture those impressive<br />
images; a young<br />
but yet already well known<br />
Dutch video-maker specialised<br />
in action sports<br />
who had already worked<br />
with Lenten when filming<br />
the innovative web series<br />
Ten days with Len10. We<br />
reached Michael who had<br />
just landed in Cape Town<br />
where he will be staying<br />
during 2017 and he granted<br />
us this interesting interview<br />
in which he tells<br />
us a little bit about himself,<br />
of his relationship<br />
with Ruben Lenten and especially<br />
about his job as<br />
video-maker of extreme<br />
situations.
118<br />
Characters<br />
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker<br />
KS_Michael, when have you decided to<br />
become a professional video-maker?<br />
I think I’ve always been fascinated by<br />
cameras and video. From a very young<br />
age (10), I ‘borrowed’ my dad’s handy<br />
cam and started to film my mates during<br />
skateboarding and other stupid stuff. In<br />
that time I didn’t believe this was an actual<br />
job, everybody could just apply for<br />
but over the years, I developed my skills<br />
and upgraded my equipment and people<br />
and brands started to see that I was doing<br />
something unique. I guess from that<br />
point my passion for filmmaking turned<br />
into a daily job.<br />
KS_What kind of filming education<br />
have you received and is there any
"master" that inspires your works?<br />
I actually went to an art school, but I<br />
didn’t attend many classes in filming<br />
there, I just went on doing it myself. On<br />
top of that, I’ve watched so many skateboard<br />
and snowboard movies so this is<br />
definitely where my inspiration is coming<br />
from. So if it comes to action sports<br />
productions Ty Evans and the whole<br />
Brainfarm crew are true legends for me.<br />
If it comes to storytelling I got really inspired<br />
by the way Vice magazine does<br />
this.
120<br />
Characters<br />
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker<br />
How far can you get?
KS_What do you like to shoot the most<br />
and what's your favourite filming style?<br />
‘Cause I’m a real thrill seeker and my<br />
roots are in action sports I just really<br />
love to capture things that involve risk<br />
and adventure. I like to go beyond average<br />
to capture that one unique shot or<br />
situation I got in mind. This is something<br />
you cannot learn in film school or<br />
wherever; I think it has to do with your<br />
own personality and commitment, how<br />
far will you go? Over the time I’ve created<br />
my own style by mostly shooting run and<br />
gun and just anticipate on the situation<br />
or setting so you know where to be to record<br />
that shot in the most beautiful way.<br />
Unfortunately, this is also how I always<br />
end up standing in water or hanging outside<br />
driving verticals ha-ha.<br />
When did you meet Ruben Lenten and<br />
how did your professional collaboration<br />
with him start?<br />
I met Ruben 3 years ago for the first time<br />
in Cape Town. I was asked to create a web<br />
series about his daily life and around<br />
the King of the Air. For over a month, I’ve<br />
shared the same square meter with Ruben<br />
which have been really intense at<br />
times for the both of us. After all, I think<br />
this has created such unique moments<br />
and the love-hate relation Ruben and I<br />
share is the core of our friendship.<br />
KS_In the 10 Days with Len10 web series,<br />
there is a behind-the-scenes style<br />
that shows Ruben not just as a professional<br />
kiteboarder but also as a real<br />
guy who wants to enjoy life. That personal<br />
and sometimes self-ironic approach<br />
was shared between you both?<br />
Because I’m quite down to earth and<br />
never really treat Ruben as a professional<br />
kitesurfer or somebody with an image<br />
he eventually has become more himself<br />
to me. In the beginning we had such a<br />
hard time to get used to each other and<br />
he used to call me a farmer ‘cause I can<br />
be quite straight to him and do not always<br />
agree with his behaviour or arguments.<br />
Over the time, we started to accept<br />
our differences in personalities and<br />
even learned from each other at times. I
122<br />
Characters<br />
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker<br />
think this made me able to get to his real<br />
personality and capture him in the most<br />
pure way.<br />
In Code Red, you went along Ruben<br />
searching for storms. How is it shooting<br />
in those conditions? Do you have<br />
any special gear?<br />
Shooting in extreme weather<br />
conditions is always a challenge<br />
and there are many risks involved,<br />
not only for yourself but<br />
also for the expensive equipment.<br />
I’ve learned a lot from<br />
experience and shoots where<br />
things got damaged or even totally<br />
destroyed. I try to prevent<br />
risk and damage to a minimum<br />
to be always connected with<br />
my crew and Ruben by waterproof<br />
walkie-talkies and wrapping<br />
all camera gear up in rain<br />
covers and plastic bags. Still I<br />
can’t avoid sand and salt that<br />
goes everywhere so after every<br />
shoot I’ve to take my tripod with<br />
me under the shower and clean<br />
my 30.000 euro RED Epic-W and<br />
lenses with air dust, wet wipes, brushes<br />
and other special stuff. Having a good<br />
insurance is key!.<br />
KS_Are you a kitesurfer too? If so, does<br />
it help when you work with Ruben?<br />
What do you think about the movies<br />
this sport has expressed until now?<br />
To be honest I’m not a kitesurfer, hahaha.<br />
But I think if you compare kiteboarding<br />
with other action sports it’s quite new. I<br />
think it hasn’t showed it’s full limits yet<br />
and this is what makes the sport really<br />
challenging, it triggers riders to keep<br />
pushing it and to be more creative. So<br />
by thinking this there will be a whole lot<br />
more new crazy things and locations to<br />
capture in the future.
KS_Nowadays kitesurf movies are not<br />
just about action, but the storytelling<br />
is getting much more space in it. As a<br />
storyteller, do you like this trend?<br />
I think storytelling in action sports has<br />
become a really important thing because<br />
nowadays not only the people that do<br />
the same sport are interested in these<br />
movies but there is a way bigger audience<br />
interested as well. They might not<br />
be as interested in the technical tricks<br />
and skills but they like to know more<br />
about the lifestyle around the sport or<br />
the personality of the riders that travel<br />
the whole world. I personally like to add<br />
this kind of volume to my movies ‘cause
124<br />
Characters<br />
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker<br />
Ruben, love & hate<br />
it reaches a way bigger audience and it’s<br />
also a more challenging way of filmmaking<br />
instead of just capturing the action.<br />
KS_Who is the best kitesurf filmmaker<br />
out there in your opinion?<br />
Eyeforce did an insane job on Chapter<br />
One but I also really like what Andy Gordon<br />
did in the video he shot with Aron<br />
Headlow, this is what being creative is<br />
about!.<br />
KS_In the movies history there are few<br />
films that were able to represent the<br />
beauty and the real spirit of surfing.<br />
Can you imagine a great kitesurf movie?<br />
Yeah I think Chapter One is a good first<br />
example. If the sport keeps growing there<br />
might appear some more.
Chapter One revolution
126<br />
Characters<br />
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker<br />
KS_What are the projects you are working<br />
to at the moment and what about<br />
your 2017 plans?<br />
I decided to go wherever the wind might<br />
blow in 2017. On the first of January I’ve<br />
left my home country and went on an exciting<br />
new adventure. Together with all<br />
my equipment, I’ve moved to Cape Town<br />
and for the time being this will be home.<br />
Now I’m working on several film projects,<br />
one of them with Lasse Walker and<br />
another Red Bull project around the King<br />
of The Air. Besides that, I’ve no specific<br />
plans or any film projects lined up for<br />
the near future. I like to believe that as<br />
long as I follow my passion it will all find<br />
it’s way eventually! I’ll might even start<br />
kiteboarding myself this year, ahahah!
128<br />
Schools<br />
In the Canary Islands the sons of the ocean are raised<br />
In the Canary Islands the<br />
sons of the ocean are raised<br />
On the Island of Fuerteventura, at playa Sotavento, since a<br />
couple of years there has been a sea and water sports school<br />
dedicated to young riders, aged 3 up to 23 years old. It's called<br />
Club Hijos del Mar and it was created by an Italian couple<br />
who moved to the Canary Islands with an ambitious dream: to<br />
teach the ocean to children.
David Ingiosi<br />
photo Hijos de Mar Courtesy<br />
Their names are Alexandra,<br />
Pedro, Mario, Sara and<br />
Jakue. They have happy<br />
faces and smiling eyes beneath<br />
their wet hair, they<br />
joke around whilst going<br />
up and down the beach in<br />
their tight neoprene wetsuits,<br />
always with a board<br />
under their arm, no matter<br />
whether it is a surf board<br />
or a sup or a kitesurf one.<br />
They are the sons of the<br />
sea, or better of the ocean<br />
as here in Fuerteventura,<br />
in the Canary Islands,<br />
the waves that endlessly<br />
break on the coast come<br />
from the Atlantic. And<br />
those children love playing<br />
with waves all the day<br />
long just like they see dolphins<br />
do it, they want to<br />
surf them, slide over them<br />
and ride them as much<br />
as possible, challenging<br />
their balance. A primordial
130<br />
Schools<br />
In the Canary Islands the sons of the ocean are raised<br />
instinctive and very formative<br />
game for the kids of<br />
Club Hijos del Mar school,<br />
an association which was<br />
founded a couple of years<br />
ago by Roberta Trocchio<br />
and Roberto Caruso, an<br />
Italian couple who decided<br />
to move to Fuerteventura.<br />
The school is dedicated<br />
to raising young people,<br />
from children to teenagers,<br />
with the culture of the<br />
sea.<br />
"My husband and I have always<br />
been fond of the sea<br />
and water sports - Roberta<br />
explains - and all our holidays<br />
were dedicated to<br />
the practice of windsurfing,<br />
surfing and kitesurfing.<br />
When our children Alessandro<br />
and Virginia were born,<br />
quite naturally they too<br />
wanted to practice these<br />
activities. Then a few years<br />
ago, we bought a house<br />
in Fuerteventura and we<br />
looked for a sea school designed<br />
especially for children,<br />
but there wasn't any.<br />
This was pretty peculiar<br />
for an island like this one<br />
which represents a Mecca<br />
all over the world for water<br />
sports enthusiasts. So we<br />
decided to move there and<br />
to open one ourselves".<br />
An arduous dream,<br />
but René Egli believed<br />
in it
Sea school for<br />
kids<br />
This is how Roberta e<br />
Roberto thought of building<br />
a multidisciplinary<br />
sport centre to do with<br />
the ocean and dedicated<br />
to kids from 3 to 23<br />
years old. A school fully<br />
dedicated to sports, training<br />
and sessions in the<br />
sea but which would also<br />
spread the culture and respect<br />
for the blue planet.<br />
At first, the couple tries<br />
to cooperate with some<br />
already existing surfing<br />
centre along the beaches<br />
of Fuerteventura, but it is<br />
not easy to convince them.<br />
"They would tell us that a<br />
kitesurf school for children<br />
would never work - says<br />
Roberta - that tourism on<br />
the island had a more adult<br />
target, but we didn't give<br />
up, because we believed in<br />
the project".<br />
God job they didn't give up<br />
because after a short while<br />
they meet someone who<br />
considers their idea a bit<br />
ambitious, but definitely<br />
interesting. That person is<br />
not Mr. nobody, but René<br />
Egli in person, a gentleman<br />
who arrived in Fuerte<br />
in 1984 aboard a wrecked<br />
Golf car and laid the foundations<br />
of what is now the<br />
world's largest windsurf<br />
and kitesurf school which<br />
welcomes every year more<br />
than 25.000 sportsmen.<br />
"Rene immediately took<br />
to heart the project - tells<br />
Roberta - and made available<br />
its Cabrinha equipment<br />
and some space inside the<br />
Pro Centre 1 on Sotavento<br />
Beach and that's how we<br />
started".<br />
Learning sports<br />
and ocean safety by<br />
playing<br />
This how the married couple<br />
founded the Club Hijos<br />
del Mar, registered it as a<br />
non-profit sports association<br />
and required membership<br />
to both the Federación<br />
Canaria de Surf and<br />
the Federación Canaria de<br />
Vela. This way the Centre<br />
begins to offer surf, wind-
132<br />
Schools<br />
In the Canary Islands the sons of the ocean are raised<br />
Fun and safe<br />
lessons<br />
surf, sup and especially<br />
kitesurf lessons to children<br />
and during its first<br />
year gets nearly 100 membership<br />
requests both by<br />
local families and by visitors<br />
on holiday. Roberta<br />
and Roberto hold the first<br />
lessons, as they are two<br />
Iko kitesurfing instructors,<br />
then a team of collaborators<br />
slowly shapes<br />
up, Sergio Ruiz (kitesurf),<br />
Emilio Marquéz (Surf),<br />
Paolo Mazzoli and Giorgia<br />
Quattuzzo (sailing), all of<br />
them capable to devote<br />
themselves to the young<br />
budding surfers who have<br />
special needs and want to<br />
have fun in total safety.<br />
Working with children involves<br />
great responsibility<br />
and a specific focus aimed<br />
at making every sport activity<br />
absolutely fun and<br />
safe. "During our lessons<br />
we favour the practical aspect<br />
both on the beach and<br />
in the water - continues<br />
Roberta - and we always try<br />
to use a simple language,<br />
full of figurative references<br />
linked to their world in<br />
order to make everything<br />
perfectly understandable.<br />
So even when we explain<br />
manoeuvres and technical<br />
topics, such as safety procedures,<br />
the imperative is<br />
never dramatizing, but get<br />
them involved and responsible<br />
by playing games".<br />
Once the lessons finish,<br />
the fun continues in collateral<br />
activities, such as<br />
equipment maintenance,<br />
cleaning the beach, but<br />
also with walks along the<br />
coast and trips on the island.<br />
Playa Sotavento, an<br />
amazing gym<br />
You can play with the<br />
ocean, but you cannot<br />
mess around with it. The<br />
sea is a dynamic element<br />
subject to many unknown<br />
factors, first of all the<br />
meteorological ones and<br />
must be addressed with<br />
the right preparation,
training and awareness<br />
of the risks involved. The<br />
spot of Sotavento is certainly<br />
a terrific gym to<br />
face the ocean. Here the<br />
wind blows all year round,<br />
often with an intensity of<br />
3-4 on the Beaufort scale,<br />
it comes from the shore<br />
and sometimes it is extremely<br />
gusty. «For the<br />
very first lessons we take<br />
advantage of the large lagoon<br />
that arises with the<br />
high tide near the coast<br />
- explains Roberta - then<br />
once the kids master the<br />
technique we take them<br />
in the sea with the supervision<br />
of the instructors<br />
and the support of rescue<br />
boats. Currently, we are<br />
trying to perfect the training<br />
activities through debriefing<br />
video of the sessions<br />
and the creation of a<br />
freestyle simulator on the<br />
ground.<br />
Since last year, Club Hijos<br />
del Mar has also been<br />
organizing swimming<br />
lessons, an absolutely<br />
necessary step to enter<br />
the ocean and tackle the<br />
waves safely. For the time<br />
being swimming pools are<br />
made available to the association<br />
by some resorts<br />
and hotels on the island,<br />
but maybe in the future<br />
there could be ad hoc facilities<br />
for the kids.<br />
Competitions and clinics<br />
by top riders<br />
Therefore, there are swimming<br />
courses, athletic<br />
training, stretching and<br />
training sessions in the<br />
water for the Hijos del<br />
Mar, as well as competitions.<br />
Every year Fuerteventura<br />
hosts a rich season<br />
of events such as<br />
world circuit events of<br />
windsurf and kitesurf,<br />
stand up paddle and surf<br />
competitions, this way<br />
young kids in the island<br />
become familiar with the<br />
competitive dimension of<br />
sports. «The number of international<br />
competitions<br />
for young kids is increas-
134<br />
Schools<br />
In the Canary Islands the sons of the ocean are raised<br />
ing - says the Iko instructor<br />
- we try to lead them<br />
to competitions with the<br />
right attitude, encouraging<br />
them to compete with<br />
each other in a playful climate.<br />
So far we have taken<br />
part to the Manga Xperience,<br />
the Campeonato de<br />
España Kiteboarding Wkt<br />
Junior and the Championnat<br />
de France de Kitesurf<br />
Boarder Cross.<br />
Among the most promising<br />
"sea children" chasing<br />
victories there are Alexandra<br />
Torres, Alessandro Caruso,<br />
Pedro Reyes, Jakue<br />
Rodriguez, Alejandro Munoz,<br />
Mario Wirz, Sara Ruiz<br />
and Joan Mir. During competitions,<br />
all of them make<br />
use of the advice of some<br />
top riders that often hang<br />
out at the school, such as<br />
the Spanish kiteboarders<br />
Julia Castro and Nina Font<br />
or the Cape Verdean Luis<br />
Brito.<br />
Children of today are<br />
the riders of tomorrow<br />
As water sports always<br />
come with travelling even<br />
just for the sake of experiencing<br />
new spots and<br />
different conditions, Club<br />
Hijos del Mar also organizes<br />
kitecamps around the<br />
world. «During the winter
Kids go travelling,<br />
parents stay at home<br />
we managed take the kids<br />
to Brazil, about twenty of<br />
them and they could not<br />
wait to leave - says Roberta<br />
- these are also very<br />
formative experiences,<br />
not only sportswise, but<br />
help develop the team<br />
spirit, adaptability qualities<br />
and getting to know<br />
different cultures. That's<br />
why parents do not take<br />
part to these trips».<br />
The ocean represents a<br />
school of life for children<br />
and this is the principle<br />
on which Roberta and<br />
Roberto decided to make<br />
their bet. But children represent<br />
the future and this<br />
is why Club Hijos del Mar<br />
this year has launched<br />
the project named Kids<br />
Are the Future, to spread<br />
the culture of the sea and<br />
water sports to as many<br />
children as possible. Children<br />
who today play with<br />
the waves and practice<br />
sports, but tomorrow, also<br />
thanks to the ocean, will<br />
certainly be better people.
136<br />
Trends<br />
How about learning kitefoil? Slingshot launches the Academy<br />
How about learning kitefoil?<br />
Slingshot<br />
launches the Academy<br />
The famous brand, created in 1999 by the Logosz<br />
brothers, Jeff and Tony, has created a series of<br />
online video tutorials completely free and designed<br />
like a real and complete basic course for those who<br />
want to approach the kitefoil discipline.<br />
Text: David Ingiosi<br />
Photo: Matthew Fitchen
138<br />
Trends<br />
How about learning kitefoil? Slingshot launches the Academy<br />
As it picks up speed, the<br />
board gets off the water<br />
and the silence begins. All<br />
around us only the sound<br />
of the wind blowing and<br />
pushing our kite. That's<br />
what it feels like to glide<br />
aboard a kitefoil. Those<br />
of you who still haven't<br />
heard of this spectacular<br />
discipline of kitesurfing,<br />
it's probably because they<br />
live in a cave. In fact, over<br />
the past two years, kitefoiling<br />
has spread like an<br />
avalanche sweeping the<br />
tribe of riders, enlarging<br />
this way the boundaries of<br />
this sport toward horizons<br />
that today are still evolving<br />
and far from being defined.<br />
Boards equipped with<br />
futuristic fins<br />
Basically, in kitefoiling<br />
the rider uses a board<br />
with special hydrodynamic<br />
appendages called hydrofoil,<br />
with the shape<br />
of an inverted T, through<br />
which the gliding board<br />
rises completely off the<br />
water so as to greatly reduce<br />
friction and navigate<br />
at incredible speeds. As<br />
for the kites, you can use<br />
regular inflatable kites or<br />
better foil kites. The advantages<br />
of kitefoiling are<br />
various. Apart from the<br />
amazing feeling of gliding<br />
half a meter above the water,<br />
you can already navigate<br />
with just 5-6 knots<br />
of wind intensity, you can<br />
get in the water even if it<br />
is chopped as the board<br />
glides over the breakers<br />
and finally it's possible to<br />
ride up-wind with an up to<br />
40 degrees angle.<br />
Experienced riders actually<br />
do anything with<br />
a kitefoil: breathtaking
carvings, gigantic jumps<br />
and freestyle manoeuvres.<br />
What is certain is that<br />
this sport will continue to<br />
spread like wild fire, especially<br />
now that the World<br />
Sailing looks at kitefoil as<br />
a possible candidate for<br />
the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.<br />
Kitefoil, safety first<br />
and foremost<br />
Meanwhile, the number of<br />
foil-kiters is increasing all<br />
over the world, new materials<br />
are being tested, the<br />
number of competitions<br />
increase and of course, as<br />
it happens when a sport<br />
becomes a trend, new enthusiasts<br />
approach this<br />
discipline. Kitefoiling apprenticeship<br />
isn't however<br />
an easy one at all, not even<br />
for an experienced kiter.<br />
It takes time, dedication<br />
and patience as well as<br />
qualified instructors and<br />
possibly focus-on lessons.<br />
And it is with the objective<br />
of making the approach to<br />
this new disciple as easy<br />
as possible, reduce the<br />
learning times and practice<br />
it safely, that recently<br />
the famous brand Slingshot<br />
has launched the<br />
Slingshot Kite Foil Academy,<br />
an educational project<br />
with online video tutorials<br />
completely free and progressive.<br />
Ten lessons: from<br />
zero to hero<br />
10 lessons (plus two bonus<br />
ones) are available<br />
at www.foil-academy.com.<br />
On top of explaining what<br />
kitefoil is, what it can be<br />
done with it, these lessons<br />
are a proper basic course,<br />
which includes the neces-
140<br />
Trends<br />
How about learning kitefoil? Slingshot launches the Academy
sary quiver to be used, the<br />
assembly of the appendages,<br />
safety procedures,<br />
the body drag, water start,<br />
riding, changes of direction<br />
and jumps. Special<br />
attention is devoted to the<br />
control of the board lift<br />
over the water, the body<br />
posture and the proper<br />
weight balance.<br />
Slingshot invests in<br />
foil: from equipment<br />
to team riders<br />
The Slingshot Kite Foil<br />
Academy follows the introduction<br />
by the American<br />
Brand of the first<br />
Multi-Mast Flight School<br />
system dedicated to foil<br />
neophytes through which<br />
the discipline can be<br />
learnt progressively using<br />
three different must sizes.<br />
Furthermore, on January<br />
4th Slingshot Kiteboarding<br />
announced the entry<br />
of two new riders among<br />
the ranks of its team, and<br />
for the first time in the<br />
history of the brand, they<br />
are foil specialists.<br />
We are talking about the<br />
Mexican athlete Adam<br />
Withington who is currently<br />
taking the foil to<br />
its maximum acrobatic<br />
expression at global level<br />
and the young American<br />
rider Fred Hope who although<br />
being only 15 years<br />
old has made himself<br />
known all over the world<br />
for his aggressive style<br />
and his extraordinary talent.
142<br />
Trends<br />
How about learning kitefoil? Slingshot launches the Academy<br />
www.foil-academy.com<br />
<strong>Kitesoul</strong> gives it a try<br />
However, Slingshot does<br />
not restrict the Academy<br />
project only to foiling<br />
for the discipline of kiteboarding.<br />
In fact, it is already<br />
working on lessons<br />
dedicated also to windsurfing,<br />
wakeboarding<br />
and stand up paddle. In<br />
short, it’s foiling mania.<br />
That’s why <strong>Kitesoul</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
too, certain of the<br />
increasing success that<br />
kitefoiling will have in<br />
the future of our sport,<br />
accepts the challenge<br />
launched by Slingshot and<br />
its Academy. In the next<br />
issue of the magazine in<br />
fact it will be published<br />
an interesting report of<br />
the kitefoil self-learning<br />
test by the editors of <strong>Kitesoul</strong><br />
who will follow step<br />
by step the video lessons<br />
of the American Brand and<br />
will try to experience the<br />
magic of gliding in midair.<br />
Stay tuned!
Alex Fox:<br />
thanks to Slingshot foiling<br />
is today within everyone’s<br />
reach<br />
Slingshot brand manager and team rider explains in this<br />
interesting interview how the Foil Academy project was<br />
created and what riding level can be reached by attending<br />
every lesson. And, above all, the work carried out by<br />
the American brand in terms of design and materials<br />
aimed at spreading this fantastic discipline that will revolutionize<br />
the world of kiteboarding and not just that.
144<br />
Interview<br />
Alex Fox: thanks to Slingshot foiling is today within everyone’s reach<br />
KS_When and how the Foil Academy's idea came up<br />
and what's the long term goal with it?<br />
Foil Academy came about because of the success of the<br />
multi-mast Foiling Flight School package we launched<br />
in early 2016. The concept of being able to learn with<br />
three different mast lengths- starting small and graduating<br />
in length as you improve- was an instant hit all<br />
over the world. It didn’t take long for us to realize why:<br />
as kite foiling exploded in recent years, a huge number<br />
of kiters remained hesitant to invest in gear because<br />
they were intimidated and didn’t have the right learning<br />
tools.<br />
I guess you could say we inspired ourselves. As soon as<br />
we saw how well received the Flight School system was,<br />
we realized we were providing the right tools for learning,<br />
but there was still a huge opportunity, and need,<br />
for teaching people how to use those tools properly.<br />
There are plenty of tutorials out there on foiling, but<br />
until Foil Academy, there has never been one cohesive<br />
resource where riders can find everything they need in<br />
an easy-to-follow format.<br />
Our vision for the future is to have continually evolving<br />
content, for Kite Foil Academy as well as for the other<br />
full courses we are developing for other facets of foiling,<br />
like Windsurf, Surf, SUP and Wake.<br />
KS_How long did it take to complete the project and<br />
who in your team has been involved?<br />
From planning and developing scripts and content,<br />
filming (both in studio and in the field), editing and<br />
producing video, creating support text and narration,<br />
developing graphics and branding, uploading and organizing<br />
everything in the online software, adding fin-
ishing touches and marketing the course, the project<br />
was a huge undertaking that took team effort.<br />
In all, it took a good few months of work shared by our<br />
very talented Slingshot crew.<br />
KS_Starting from zero and with a good approach<br />
which level is supposed to be reached for who follows<br />
all the lessons of your course?<br />
Of course, this really depends on the individual rider,<br />
their skills and their learning curve, but in general we<br />
think average riders who follow the course material<br />
and use our Flight School package and Hover Glide Foil,<br />
will be up and riding confidently with a full-sized mast<br />
and will have the skills to start learning tacks, gibes<br />
and transitions.<br />
The course features some amazing advanced content<br />
as well, but for the most part that is designed as a teaser,<br />
or motivator, to highlight what is possible with foiling.<br />
The step-by-step instruction we provide is aimed<br />
at teaching the basics and getting riders foiling confidently<br />
as quickly and safely as possible.<br />
Beyond the basics, it’s time on the water, repetition<br />
and developing muscle memory that will take riders to<br />
the next level.<br />
KS_The concept of a video course for free sounds like<br />
a great expression of customer care philosophy for a<br />
brand like yours. This can be the start of a new phase?<br />
With kites as safe and user-friendly as they are these<br />
days, foiling is one of the few disciplines in kiteboarding<br />
that people are still genuinely intimidated by. From<br />
a brand perspective, we see a couple direct benefits to<br />
providing the course to anyone who wants it, for free.
146<br />
Interview<br />
Alex Fox: thanks to Slingshot foiling is today<br />
First, as you said, it is a great expression<br />
of customer service. Slingshot<br />
has always prided itself on excellent<br />
and personal customer service and<br />
this is our way of addressing a need<br />
we heard from many of our customers.<br />
Second, and just as important, is that<br />
we are in the business of getting people<br />
out on the water and having fun<br />
on all types of Slingshot gear. Foiling<br />
as an amazing aspect of kiteboarding<br />
and we are confident it is going to continue<br />
to grow in popularity. There’s no<br />
benefit to us if people are intimidated<br />
by foiling and are unwilling to try it, or give up because<br />
they have a bad experience. By providing a free learning<br />
resource, we are investing in foiling as a whole, and<br />
in the possibility of creating customers who see value<br />
in the course and decide to invest in the equipment it<br />
utilizes.<br />
KS_The kitefoil discipline is growing up all over the<br />
world and Slingshot is knee deep into this movement.<br />
What's the best innovation in your hydrofoil gear?<br />
If we’re using “knee deep” as the metaphor, I’d say<br />
we are free and clear and racing ahead, while others<br />
are knee deep in the rearview.<br />
If you look at what we’ve innovated over the last couple<br />
of years, and what we have coming in the near future,<br />
it’s clear that Slingshot carving out a name as a premier<br />
foil brand, and not just in kiteboarding. Tony Logosz,<br />
our chief designer, has his ear to the ground and is<br />
very in tuned to the future of all types of foiling. This
is an exciting and rapidly changing movement, and it’s<br />
safe to say we have one of the most innovative and forward-thinking<br />
designers in the industry on our side.<br />
To answer your question specifically, I think our multi-mast<br />
Flight School system and Hover Glide foil is<br />
our best innovation to date. Flight School instantly<br />
made foiling more achievable and accessible to riders<br />
around the world. The fact that every manufacturer in<br />
the industry is scrambling to create their own version<br />
is a testament to its efficacy.
148<br />
Equipment<br />
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’<br />
RRD lines: the revolution is called<br />
Rigid Thread Lines<br />
After years of study and research Roberto Ricci<br />
Designs developed the Rigid Thread Lines, an innovative<br />
formula for lines made of synthetic, rigid<br />
and high modulus fibre which represent the state<br />
of the art of this product at global level. Roberto<br />
Ricci explains it in an interesting interview.<br />
Text: David Ingiosi<br />
Photo: Svetlana Romantsova, Andre Magarao e Chris Bobryk
150<br />
Equipment<br />
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’<br />
Dyneema is the innovative synthetic fibre<br />
In the past recent years, the evolution of kitesurfing equipmenthas<br />
made great strides in terms of materials, design and concept. A continuous<br />
research that sees the various brands in the market constantly<br />
committed to developing products increasingly effective in<br />
terms of performance, lines, ergonomics, appearance and style. Design<br />
studies and manufacturers are mainly focused on kites, boards<br />
and bars. It appears that not as much attention is dedicated to another<br />
part of the equipment, just as important: the lines of the bar.<br />
These represent a crucial factor for the control of a kite through the<br />
control bar and they greatly influence its performance, as well as being<br />
subject to heavy loads both whilst navigating as well as during<br />
the maneuvers. This shows how the lines are the part of the equip-
1.5 million m RRD lines all over the world<br />
ment most exposed to wear and tear and,in the worst case, to breakage.<br />
Nowadays, those manufacturers who want to offer efficient lines,<br />
highly-performing, up to date and to technology, have no other choice<br />
but to start from the specific needs of this sport and of its practitioners<br />
and avoid to recycle concepts, materials and production<br />
systems borrowed from other disciplines. These principles are the<br />
basis on which the Roberto Ricci Designs team developed the Rigid<br />
Thread Lines, new concept lines made of synthetic fibre with fantastic<br />
features and technical properties. We get a detailed explanation<br />
by Roberto Ricci, owner of RRD, who we contacted for this interesting<br />
interview.
152<br />
Equipment<br />
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’<br />
KS_Every year RRD makes some changes<br />
to bars as well as to the kites. The<br />
lines however have been the same for<br />
6 years. Tell us how the development of<br />
the RigidThread Lines came to be...<br />
The Rigid Thread Lines were entirely developed<br />
by Werther Castelletti, the RRD<br />
designer, who put together this idea<br />
with an Italian manufacturer of lines. Together<br />
we created an exclusive formula<br />
to develop a kite bar which shows to be<br />
the biggest evolution for kite bars worldwide.<br />
It took us a long time before we<br />
decided to change the lines because we<br />
wanted to be 100 percent sure, actually<br />
1.000 percent sure, to create an effective<br />
product capable of meeting our needs.<br />
Currently after producing about 1.5 million<br />
meters of lines in the world we are<br />
confident that our product represents<br />
without a doubt a reference which allows<br />
us to fly high in the global market .
KS_Could you describe in detail the<br />
materials with which these lines are<br />
made of?<br />
The lines are entirely built in Dyneema,<br />
a high load synthetic fibre patented<br />
by the company Dupont here in Europe<br />
and which in the United States is called<br />
Spectra, the name of the company which<br />
patented itoverseas. The characteristic<br />
of this material is its high resistance to<br />
traction and an elongation percentage<br />
close to zero. Also, it is quite rigid and<br />
very resistant to cuts and abrasions. We<br />
used these technical qualities to create<br />
unidirectional fibre lines from the<br />
attachment point on the bar up to the<br />
tips of the kite. This natural and perfect<br />
position of the fibres prevents the lines<br />
from losing any tension, as if they were<br />
electric wires, to avoid twists and perfectly<br />
follow the direction of the forces<br />
involved between the kite and the bar.<br />
Another extremely important part of the<br />
work was the creation of a special external<br />
hard sock of Dyneema with a compact<br />
and micrometric structure which<br />
protects the lines from cuts and friction,<br />
it prevents the creation of that sort of<br />
fluff that covers traditional lines after<br />
a while, reduces the formation of knots<br />
and extends the lifespan of the lines.
154<br />
Equipment<br />
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’<br />
KS_How do these lines react to the prolonged<br />
exposure to sunrays and salt?<br />
Sun, sand and salt are the lines’ worst<br />
enemies because they affect the physical<br />
and technical properties of the fibres<br />
by reducing the load resistance, increasing<br />
the wear and tear and compromising<br />
the lifespan of the lines. Salt influences<br />
the stretching properties of the lines<br />
as it crystallizes within them and when<br />
the lines stretch, for example during a<br />
kiteloop, these salt crystals prevent the<br />
line from returning to the initial position.<br />
As opposed to normal threaded lines in<br />
the market which over time are subject<br />
to the opening of the strands, our lines<br />
are fully protected by the outer sock,<br />
just like that plastic cover that protects<br />
the copper wires inside electric cables.<br />
This way the Dyneema fibres don't ever<br />
get in contact with atmospheric agents.<br />
There are many Brands which systematically<br />
announce fantastic bars evolutions<br />
which however have threaded lines<br />
easily prone to wear and tear. I believe<br />
that a serious approach to the evolution<br />
of the bars cannot be separated from an<br />
equally thorough designing for effective<br />
lines, strictly designed for the needs of<br />
this sport. During these 6 years in RRD<br />
we focused on how to make the most out<br />
of technology, materials and the evolution<br />
in this field.
No risks of breakage
156<br />
Equipment<br />
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’<br />
KS_The lines are produced in Italy,<br />
and surely, this is a choice in favour of<br />
quality. Who are your developers and<br />
who are the manufacturers?<br />
Werther develops every aspect, whereas<br />
in relation to the manufacturing all I can<br />
say is that it is internal to the RRD factory.<br />
KS_What are the benefits of these lines<br />
in radical conditions, for instance during<br />
kiteloops at the King of the Air?<br />
In relation to that I wouldn't say there<br />
are that many differences in terms of<br />
performance compared to other lines on<br />
the market. Let's say that the rider may<br />
experience a more direct feeling with the<br />
kite than with other bars because our<br />
lines have a very reduced stretch therefore<br />
a more immediate and precise response<br />
of the kite to the movements on<br />
the bar. The benefits are really the result<br />
of a personal appreciation. What's sure<br />
is that those who ride in radical conditions<br />
won't need to check whether the<br />
lines have stretched or broke after each<br />
session because this is absolutely unlikely.
158<br />
Equipment<br />
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’<br />
KS_In Freestyle are there any differences<br />
in the feeling for example when<br />
performing the pop?<br />
Here again, I would say that it's about a<br />
more direct feeling with the bar and the<br />
fact that the kite responds much more<br />
precisely, without any delay and dispersion<br />
of power, especially when changing<br />
direction of the kite.<br />
KS_Do you think there is still some<br />
room for improvement in a product already<br />
so successful? Are you considering<br />
some new solution?<br />
No, we were trying lines with a different<br />
diameter, thinner lines, and we got<br />
to the point of reducing them by over a<br />
millimetre so the lines were still strong<br />
enough, but we felt that the benefit of<br />
thinner lines would have been just the<br />
weight, only useful for super light wind<br />
condition for foiling for example. Therefore,<br />
for now, as far as the lines are concerned<br />
we are super happy to have such<br />
an outstanding and unrivalled product<br />
worldwide.
160<br />
Video saga<br />
Felipe Moure Lopez and his Blind Judge 5 Challenge<br />
Is it possible that a nearly 40 years<br />
old rider can land one of the most<br />
difficult and spectacular manoeuvres<br />
in Freestyle, the Blind Judge 5? This<br />
is the bet of Felipe Moure Lopez, a<br />
Spanish enthusiastic rider who created<br />
a funny video saga about his personal<br />
challenge hoping to inspire those who<br />
wish to fully enjoy kitesurfing despite<br />
the age.<br />
and his Blind Jud
ge 5 Challenge
162<br />
Video saga<br />
Felipe Moure Lopez and his Blind Judge 5 Challenge<br />
This is the story about a<br />
rider born in 1978. A man<br />
who learnt kiteboarding<br />
when he was 30 years old,<br />
it’s not a bad moment in<br />
life, in general. You can be<br />
in good shape, you have<br />
more money than when<br />
you are younger, sex is better<br />
when you are 30 than<br />
when you are 20 and your<br />
willpower is stronger than<br />
when you were a teenager<br />
and just having a shower<br />
was something so hard<br />
to do when you were lying<br />
on the sofa Thirties are a<br />
good moment in general,<br />
maybe alopecia can concern<br />
a bit, you may have it<br />
or not but the concerning<br />
is always around you. So,<br />
except for that, thirties<br />
are great!<br />
This man who learnt to<br />
go upwind in his thirties<br />
didn’t know the mess<br />
he was about to get in,<br />
he didn’t know that he<br />
was starting to play the<br />
most addictive videogame<br />
in history. That thing,<br />
the kiteboarding, which<br />
seemed harmless and<br />
even healthy (it is a sport<br />
in the end, sport is good),<br />
became a hard drug.<br />
Kitesurf like a<br />
videogame: passing<br />
the levels<br />
At the beginning, kiting<br />
was just something else<br />
between all his hobbies,<br />
it was just another videogame.<br />
He passed the first<br />
stage (going upwind), then<br />
jumping, then rotations,<br />
second stage passed!<br />
Then he went for the bonus<br />
stage (grabs hooked in,<br />
easy and fun, the same as<br />
when you have to destroy<br />
a car in Street Fighter II).<br />
Then he changed level<br />
from easy to intermediate<br />
and started to unhook. And<br />
just then, when everything<br />
seemed to get stuck, it<br />
was the moment when the<br />
real craziness started, the<br />
most addictive stage of<br />
the videogame. If you pass<br />
this stage, there is no way
164<br />
Video saga<br />
Felipe Moure Lopez and his Blind Judge 5 Challenge<br />
back! We are talking about<br />
the handle pass! Apparently,<br />
it seems a kid’s thing,<br />
easy: ride fast, go downwind,<br />
unhook, pop with<br />
kite at 45 degree and pass<br />
the bar behind your back<br />
from one hand to the other<br />
one, then look at the water<br />
again and land as you can.<br />
Easy? Bullshit! The poor<br />
guy we are dedicating this<br />
lines spent one year trying<br />
to pass this stage of<br />
the simple handle pass<br />
in the air (the Blind Judge<br />
trick). But he got it. It was<br />
at the end of 2012 in Brazil<br />
when he was able to pass<br />
this stage. And, as we said<br />
lines before, there was no<br />
way back, that trick which<br />
looked impossible at the<br />
beginning came true and<br />
a new World appeared in<br />
front of his eyes, a world<br />
of possibilities wider than<br />
King Kong’s penis!<br />
My rider buddies are<br />
all younger than I am<br />
In that moment, 34 years<br />
old, he didn’t realize that
he had put off all his previous<br />
projects and he had<br />
left aside the piano, the<br />
pencil and his drawings,<br />
the gym, the Step classes,<br />
the PlayStation and the<br />
Tekken, the Rollerblades,<br />
he even gave up his habit<br />
of watching Fight Club<br />
(amazing movie) once per<br />
week. His old life had disappeared,<br />
everything was<br />
kiteboarding. Everything<br />
in his life became trying<br />
new tricks and talking<br />
about them with his kite<br />
friends: Hey, man, yesterday<br />
I got a new trick!<br />
The Hinterberger! Hinter<br />
what? Hitler? Ana Frank?<br />
Where? Burger? What<br />
the hell are you talking<br />
about?. Yes, this was the<br />
typical answer of anybody<br />
of his age. Why? Obvious!<br />
Because the people who<br />
knew what a Hinterberger<br />
is, are pretty much younger!<br />
(usually).<br />
The Freestyle 30+: it<br />
can be done!<br />
He felt alone so he decided<br />
to make a video to encourage<br />
people of his age<br />
to try freestyle tricks. The<br />
Freestyle 30+ video saga<br />
and its famous shout... Excuses!<br />
or Gallina! (chicken<br />
in Spanish). He wanted to<br />
say that age doesn’t matter,<br />
he wanted to inspire<br />
people of every age to play<br />
at the same level of the<br />
videogame, he wanted to<br />
show that it was possible<br />
to do nearly all the freestyle<br />
tricks you can see in<br />
competitions, even when<br />
you are not a young boy.<br />
And he did it! You can see it<br />
in that saga: blind judge3,<br />
heart attack, Smobe, Hinterberger,<br />
315, KGB... All<br />
this videos are full of<br />
sense of humour, provocation<br />
and inspiration<br />
for people of about 35-40<br />
years of age who still feel<br />
more or less young but<br />
who start to feel too old for<br />
trying tricks or facing the<br />
Newtons of a hard landing<br />
riding boots. He inspired<br />
them and soon, some old-
166<br />
Video saga<br />
Felipe Moure Lopez and his Blind Judge 5 Challenge<br />
Watch th<br />
web cana<br />
episodes<br />
Challeng
e Felipe Moure Lopez<br />
l with the three<br />
of The Blind Judge 5<br />
e:<br />
ies started to be seen in<br />
the lagoons, grandpas like<br />
him trying to pass the bar,<br />
riding hard with C-kites<br />
and boots and shouting<br />
Excuses! when any of their<br />
friends talked about pain<br />
in the knees, in the back<br />
or in the forearms.<br />
Double Handle Pass:<br />
the going gets tough<br />
But this was not enough<br />
for him, he still wanted to<br />
draw more attention! He<br />
wanted to inspire more<br />
and more people; he still<br />
wanted to shout louder<br />
age doesn’t matter. So, he<br />
came up with and idea.<br />
The simple handle pass<br />
appeared to be impossible<br />
years ago, ok, but it<br />
was possible in the end,<br />
it’s possible now. So, if<br />
the double handle pass<br />
seems to be impossible<br />
now, it has to be possible<br />
someday. This man about<br />
to be 40 wanted to go for<br />
a double handle pass! The<br />
Blind Judge 5 became his<br />
next goal, a powered double<br />
handle pass (Backside<br />
315 is the real name) only<br />
performed by legends and<br />
professional riders of the<br />
World Championship. It’s<br />
not an easy trick, less than<br />
100 people in the world<br />
are able to do it nowadays<br />
and, moreover, there is<br />
only a woman in the World<br />
(Bruna Kajiya) able to get<br />
it. So, now the videogame<br />
is in the Final Stage, Extreme<br />
difficulty Level is<br />
on! The challenge for him<br />
now is to become the oldest<br />
man in the world able<br />
to do a Blind Judge 5!<br />
That’s The BJ5 Challenge.<br />
Felipe Moure still hasn’t<br />
overcome it, but he won’t<br />
stop until he gets it and,<br />
when he finally gets it, he<br />
will make his message<br />
clear: It’s not about age.<br />
It’s about attitude.
168<br />
Interview<br />
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path
A lot of irony, great<br />
motivation, nasty<br />
accidents. But I enjoy<br />
the path<br />
Let’s find out, through his own words,<br />
something more about Felipe Moure Lopez’<br />
story and about what this rider has to tell<br />
the world:
170<br />
Interview<br />
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path<br />
KS_Why do you want to make the buzz with your challenge?<br />
As many things in life, it’s all about marketing, how many<br />
people are out there doing amazing things? Millions! But,<br />
if they don't make the buzz, they won’t inspire anybody, all<br />
that amazing things will be lost in time like tears in the rain<br />
(Blade Runner, hehehe...). If I got the Blind Judge 5 alone in a<br />
remote lagoon, for me it would have been an orgasm anyway,<br />
it’s a personal goal and the first being pleasured is I. But if I<br />
do it alone, I won’t inspire anybody! I don’t want to die alone<br />
in a lagoon! I want to die inspiring people! Hahaha!.<br />
KS_Little Summary about the Evolution of the Challenge?<br />
Episode I: Egypt. July 2015. Lots of Pushups. Just two Blind<br />
Judge 5 attempts. Very difficult, not high enough to rotate,<br />
not fast enough to spin This trip was just an approach to the<br />
trick.<br />
Episode II: Brazil. November 2015.<br />
Lots of Pullups. Several attempts of<br />
Blind Judge 5. Hard work improving<br />
my pop. The trick is closer but I go<br />
too high and hard and I broke my<br />
meniscus. What a bummer!<br />
Episode III: Brazil. August 2016. Lots<br />
of Squats. I recovered from my knee<br />
injury and I got closer to the trick<br />
than ever! I do lots of attempts and<br />
everyone is closer than the last one.<br />
But I broke my femoral biceps in the<br />
same lagoon I broke my meniscus<br />
months ago! I have to stop my attempts.<br />
Currently, I have totally recovered
from the meniscus and the femoral biceps injuries but I still<br />
haven’t got the Blind Judge 5. Grrr!.<br />
KS_How did you come up with the idea of the pushups in<br />
the First Episode?<br />
It was because a great friend of mine (Phil Larcher, rider from<br />
Liquid Force) and myself were drunk one night, talking about<br />
being fit and we made the typical bet let’s see who is more in<br />
shape by the 1st of October of this year. So, the bet gave me<br />
an excuse to do pushups anywhere and anytime: at a party,<br />
at the high school where I work (actually, I’m a computer science<br />
teacher) while I teach, waiting for the lift or even in the<br />
boarding queue. Everything because I wanted to be stronger<br />
than my friend Phil and, at the same time, I didn’t realize I<br />
was getting a stronger chest to prevent shoulder injuries (in<br />
the end, shoulder is weak for handle passes). During those<br />
days, I would get close to somebody and would tell him/her<br />
give me a number (he/she didn’t know what was the purpose<br />
of the number) and after they told me the number I would<br />
do as many pushups as the number they had told me. It was<br />
so funny and people always laughed a lot about that stupid<br />
thing. I still try to follow that habit which I named Random<br />
Pushupping, you do a lot of pushups randomly along the<br />
day and sometimes, when you make counts before going to
172<br />
Interview<br />
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path<br />
bed you realize you’ve<br />
done 500 reps! Bloody<br />
Hell! Flipping hard! After<br />
this crazy (and very<br />
healthy) habit, including<br />
so many pushup<br />
scenes (pyramids, Luxor<br />
temple, airplane corridor,<br />
boarding queue,<br />
etc.) it was something<br />
I didn’t decide. It came<br />
naturally by itself. The<br />
same as it happened<br />
with the scene of the<br />
pushups over the car<br />
roof. We didn’t decide<br />
that scene at the beginning,<br />
it was something<br />
like... Hey, look<br />
what a beautiful light right now, Hey, look at the desert, such<br />
a beautiful frame, Hey, look at the car, Pushups?, Pushups<br />
over the car?, Pushups over the car running?, Yeees, let’s<br />
do it... It was something like that. Planning things in life is<br />
something good, but you always have to leave -at least- half<br />
of the plan open for improvisation. That’s the way of letting<br />
the real good things happen...<br />
KS_What about the naked scene with the cows in Episode<br />
II?<br />
One of the greatest moments in my life, hahaha! I went to a<br />
secret lagoon... (nothing is secret using Google earth) with<br />
Manel Arpa (North), Bas Koole (Airush), Sergio Turégano<br />
(Best) and Pau Gisbert (Cabrinha). We went there because
Manel was running out of time to film his video, he was about<br />
to leave Brazil and he needed an empty lagoon with no kiters<br />
around. And so it was. No kiters and no people around, that<br />
was not a secret lagoon, it was a ghost lagoon! So I decided<br />
to go around naked because it was really funny being there<br />
with nobody around, running and kiting with my Big George<br />
swinging at the sun, hahaha! Then, I suddenly saw a group of<br />
cows, I put the tripod in a good place, the cows looked at me,<br />
we felt the love and we flowed together! It was another scene<br />
that I didn’t decide. It was a great moment! No planning, no<br />
cameraman, just me, the tripod and the cows. Unforgettable!<br />
KS_And what happens when you fail a BJ5 attempt?<br />
It depends on how close you are to the Blind Judge 5. You<br />
can see the progression along the 3 episodes. In Egypt, Episode<br />
I, I still hadn’t tried it very much. So, instead of a 540<br />
degree rotation I did a 450 rotation, that’s a heelside edge,<br />
board crossed to wind direction. A big crash, as if the board<br />
gets stuck in the water and you get thrown backwards like<br />
Indiana Jones whip. The result is a neck contracture, which<br />
needs 2 days to recover. That’s nothing. In Episode II in Brazil,<br />
I was more committed for the BJ5, my pop was harder so<br />
I got higher with time enough to do a 540 degree rotation.<br />
The heelside edge (and the flipping 2 days neck contracture)<br />
disappeared from my life, the crashes were not so painful<br />
anymore. I progressed on my Blind Judge 5 adventure! Then<br />
the only thing I was focused on was to go higher and higher<br />
so as to have more time to complete the rotation and catch
174<br />
Interview<br />
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path<br />
the bar in the second handle pass, but I ignored the fact that<br />
the higher and more powered you go, the harder the landing<br />
is… And I got injured in the last attempt (the last attempt of<br />
Episode II is the real moment of the injury). Broken meniscus,<br />
Bone contusion, blah, blah, blah!<br />
KS_And how did you recover? Did you need surgery?<br />
At the beginning I was a bit scared. It was the first injury in<br />
my life and I was 37. And it was not the typical ankle little<br />
thing, was something in the knee. The Knee! So important! So<br />
big! “our knees, our wheels” (my mother always says that) I<br />
did an RMI and they said Broken meniscus, maybe you need<br />
surgery. But… I kept myself positive trying to think as less as<br />
possible about it. I did cycling like a sick, I stretched a lot<br />
and got my left leg stronger than King Kong’s rocket. In the<br />
end, I didn’t need surgery. Yahoo!<br />
KS_After being injured, during the recovery, did you think<br />
about giving up the challenge?<br />
No, of course I didn’t. And the reward for keeping on trying is<br />
than I can go on answering what happens now when I fail the<br />
Blind Judge 5. Nothing happens! After recovering from the<br />
knee injury, I worked a lot on the trick and now I get higher<br />
enough to do the whole rotation so I don’t suffer the heelside<br />
edge and at the same time, I don’t go so high that my legs
cannot stand it. Now<br />
I’m even closer! Check<br />
it in the Episode!<br />
KS_What happens<br />
with Liam Whaley,<br />
what does he have<br />
to do with your challenge?<br />
He’s been a good<br />
friend since 2012,<br />
when I was in Brazil<br />
trying to do my first<br />
handle pass, he was<br />
16 and I was 34. Yes,<br />
I know, big age difference,<br />
but I’m used<br />
to it. Since I started<br />
kiteboarding, some<br />
of my best friends are<br />
pretty much younger<br />
than I am. Moreover,<br />
I usually kite in Tarifa<br />
with all these kids<br />
(they were kids when I<br />
first met them): Maxi<br />
Gómez, Liam, Jerome<br />
Cloetens, Manu de Pfyffer The thing is that, Liam is the Freestyle<br />
World Champion; he is an influent person in the kite<br />
world. He helps me to make the buzz with this story and we<br />
have real fun together filming and inventing stupid things<br />
and stupid advices like doing lots and lots of pushups, lots<br />
and lots of pullups or inflating the kite using my anus. In<br />
that sense, it’s just fun for making people laugh and, in the<br />
end, reaching more people to inspire!<br />
KS_Why so much nudity in your videos?<br />
Really, I don’t know... Do you remember what I told you before<br />
about plans in life and let some place for improvisation.
176<br />
Interview<br />
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path<br />
Well, I don’t know why but<br />
when I start improvising<br />
I always end up naked,<br />
hahaha! Anyway, being<br />
naked is always funny<br />
and always makes people<br />
smile.<br />
KS_So, what’s next?<br />
You still haven’t got the<br />
Blind Judge 5, what are<br />
you going to do now?<br />
Obvious! I will make another<br />
Episode! Episode IV!<br />
Where? Still don’t know.<br />
Exercise? Still don’t<br />
know. Pushups, Pullups,<br />
Squats, and the next is...<br />
maybe naked handstand,<br />
who knows? Will I get the<br />
Blind Judge 5 in the next Episode? Who knows... At the moment,<br />
I’m going to Coche Island in Venezuela next week just<br />
for training, winter was not very windy here in Spain this<br />
year and I have to get my skills back, I feel as if I’m not able<br />
to do a simple Blind Judge 3, so I have to recover my confidence.<br />
Maybe I film my Episode IV in Coche, let’s see.<br />
KS_And just to finish how do you know there is nobody<br />
older than you who is able to do the Blind Judge 5?<br />
I don’t know. That was one of the reasons to make the videos,<br />
just to find out. But at the moment, nobody has complained<br />
about it so I suppose there isn’t any oldie like me able to do<br />
it. Let’s see if I can be the first. But, the most import of all<br />
is that: it doesn’t matter if I can get it or not. Anyway, I’m<br />
inspiring people to create their own challenges, their own<br />
goals and go for them! Go for your goals and enjoy the path,<br />
even if you blow your knee, enjoy the path...<br />
Big hug to everybody!
178<br />
Wave strapless<br />
Lo straight air<br />
Everything must have<br />
a beginning and the<br />
beginning of strapless<br />
freestyle tricks starts<br />
with the straight air, as<br />
this trick is the start to<br />
all other tricks. Having<br />
the ability and being able<br />
to recognize when the<br />
board is secure to your<br />
feet without straps is<br />
essential to progressing<br />
your strapless abilities.<br />
B y R e o S t e v e n s
1.<br />
Like any jump, whether it’s strapped or<br />
strapless, to leave the water you must<br />
load up the kite and board by setting a<br />
rail and edging against the kite. This creates<br />
added tension in the lines that you<br />
will use to lift you off the water.<br />
2.<br />
As you load up your board, turn the nose<br />
of the board slightly into the wind, just<br />
enough so as you leave the water the<br />
bottom of the board is faced into the<br />
wind. You may point the toes of your feet<br />
to help you do this if you feel necessary.<br />
3.<br />
Though out the air, make sure to keep<br />
the bottom of the board facing into the<br />
wind; if the upwind rail goes low enough<br />
for the wind to hit the top of the board,<br />
the board will fly off your feet.<br />
4.<br />
Spot your landing and land like you<br />
would a normal strapped jump.<br />
TIPS<br />
Take your back hand off the bar, it is easier<br />
to rotate your body to a position that<br />
allows you to get the bottom of the board<br />
up and facing the wind.<br />
Use the chicken loop to speed up or slow<br />
down to stay connected with your board<br />
in the air.<br />
If possible, time your take off with a<br />
‘kicker’ such as a small wave or chop to<br />
help you initiate your jump.
Conquer<br />
Every Set<br />
MAD DOG SERIES<br />
PERFORMANCE WAVE<br />
Get one step closer to pro. Born from the DNA of our pro-model boards—which are ridden by the world’s<br />
top watermen, such as Kai Lenny—the Mad Dog series fuses elite shaping and constructions with<br />
accessible design. With low-profile rails, significant volume and approachable widths, Mad Dog boards<br />
strike the perfect balance between stability and responsiveness, so you can carve with confidence.<br />
CARBON PRO<br />
LIGHTWEIGHT & STIFF<br />
CRISP & DIRECT FEEL<br />
BAREBONES<br />
CLASSIC, SURF-STYLE FLEX PATTERN<br />
EASY ON THE WALLET<br />
LENGTH<br />
WIDTH<br />
VOLUME<br />
7’10”/238.8 cm<br />
29”/73.7 cm<br />
101L<br />
8’1”/246.4 cm<br />
29”/73.7 cm<br />
111L<br />
8’6”/259.1 cm<br />
29”/73.7 cm<br />
121L<br />
7’10”/238.8 cm<br />
29”/73.7 cm<br />
101L<br />
8’1”/246.4 cm<br />
29”/73.7 cm<br />
111L<br />
8’6”/259.1 cm<br />
29”/73.7 cm<br />
121L<br />
Agenzia per l’Italia: Ocean Avenue<br />
.<br />
info@oceanavenue.it<br />
naishsup.com NaishStandUpPaddling NaishSUP<br />
.<br />
+39 328 6442519<br />
frankiebees.com, Rider: Kai Lenny
182<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
F-One<br />
Product focus<br />
F-ONE Furtive V.1<br />
www.f-onekites.com<br />
Testo e foto courtesy F-One<br />
SIZE: 5m² 6.4m² 8m² 10m² 12m²<br />
WIND RANGE: +30 knts +25 knts 20 > 35 knts 1 2 > 26 knts 8 > 22 knts<br />
Comfortable and fast, this kite<br />
has a fantastic flying range<br />
which provides great tolerance<br />
to wind variations, especially in<br />
the high range. Its high aspect<br />
ration and its 5 struts, control<br />
the profile. It ensure maximum<br />
traction at the edge of the window.<br />
Its W5 bridle is innovative<br />
and brings together the function<br />
of the bridle and a 5th line!<br />
The FURTIVE is ideal for long-distance<br />
racing, speed riding and<br />
hang-time sessions.
F-ONE Trax HRD<br />
Carbon Series<br />
F-ONE's Trax has an unrivalled<br />
shape. This board offers smooth<br />
riding, incredible drive, earlier<br />
planning as well as better<br />
upwind performances.<br />
Its carbon construction considerably<br />
improves the board's<br />
strength and weight.
184<br />
PRODUCT FOCUS<br />
F-One<br />
Product focus<br />
Speed Gun - Alex Caizergues<br />
Pro Model - Carbon Series<br />
The new AC21 Speed board<br />
pro Model has a unique shape<br />
designed for speed and pure<br />
adrenaline. Using a narrow and<br />
asymmetrical outline for a maximum<br />
top end speed, the board's<br />
secret lies in its rocker line<br />
combined with a single concave<br />
and flex distribution for an optimum<br />
balance between control<br />
and speed. This board tears up<br />
the spots as soon as the wind<br />
blows.
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