Kitesoul Magazine #16 English Edition

EVENTS
_Nick is the new King of the Air
_Ragnarok 2017
>> AdVENTURES
_A wild journey into Svalbard
>> ITW
_Michael Zomer
_Felipe Moure Lopez
>> TUTORIAL
_Strapless: The Straight Air
>> GEAR
_RRD Rigid Thread Lines
W W W . K I T E S O U L . C O M

WAVE | SURFSTYLE
Foto: Jason Wolcott
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Editor
David Ingiosi
david.ingiosi@kitesoul.com
Wave Thecnique Editor
Mitu Monteiro
Freestyle Thecnique Editor
Alberto Rondina
Thecnical Expert
Renato Casati
Photo & Video
Maurizio Cinti
Design
Giuseppe Esposito
Tradutions italian-english
Daniela Meloni
FEBRUARY 2017 - MARCH 2017
TWO-MONTHLY
Texts
Roberta Pala, Collen Carroll, Kari
Schibevaag, Noé Font, Felipe Moure
Lopez, Reo Stevens, Michelle Hayward.
Photos
Svetlana Romantsova, Chris Bobryk,
Andre Magarao, Matthew Fitchen, Red
Bull Courtesy, Tom Magne Jonassen,
Trond Tyss, Vincent Bergeron, Alexandru
Baranescu, Courtesy Banga Foil, Toby
Bromwich, Lukas Stiller, Tim Mckenna,
JT Pro Center, Gabriele Rumbolo, Todd
Glaser.
Cover:
Rider Keahi de Aboitiz
Photo Jason Wolcott
Publisher and advertising
VISU Media
Via Cavour, 20
24030 Ambivere (BG)
Amministratore Unico
Federico Sugoni
fs@kitesoul.com
Registration Tribunale
di Bergamo n°10/2014
del 15/04/2014.
Periodicità bimestrale
Copyright Kitesoul Magazine
All content is copyright of Kitesoul
Magazine / Visu Media Srl.
FEDERICO SUGONI
Publisher
He’s a manager and a businessman.
He fell in love with kiteboarding
almost 10 years ago in
the wild and amazing North
Shore of Oahu (Hawaii). Aside
from kiteboarding there is
only one other important
thing in his life: his baby
daughter.
He’s responsible for the 2014
launching of KiteSoul Magazine.
DAVID INGIOSI
Editor in Chief
Professional journalist and
video maker with a solid
experience in sailing, sea
adventures, travels and water
sports, he has been reported
the “blue world” from the
inside for more than 15 years.
He fell in love with kitesurf
several years ago in Sardinia,
then travelled all over the
world as Iko instructor.
MAURIZIO CINTI
Film-maker
Movie buff and keen photographer.
He’s a skater, snowboarder
and wakeboarder,
but he actually burns with
passion for kiteboarding. He
started off with freestyle a
few years ago, but nowadays
he’s more into chasing big
and powerful waves. This is
what he loves the most.
GIUSEPPE ESPOSITO
Art director
Kiter since he was in the baby
pram, he is a rider for RRD
Italia and he have a Bachelor
in Comunciation Design at
Politecnico di Milano.
With this assignment, he
finally has been able to put
together his two passions:
kite and design.

KITESOUL MAGAZINE
Feel The Flow
MITU MONTEIRO
Technical Editor-Wave Riding
He comes from Sal. Official
F-one and Manera rider.
2008 KPWT World Champion
and three-time Vice World
Champion. He started to surf
and windsurf as a kid and but
he definitively fell in love with
kitesurf as soon as he discovered
it.
ALBERTO RONDINA
Technical Editor-Freestyle
He’s the best Italian rider of
the competitive kiting world.
Cabrinha, Neil Pryde and
GoPro official team rider
and four-time Italian Champion.
Alberto has won the
2001 edition of the European
Championship and third
place in the 2012 PKRA World
Championship.
RENATO “DR. KITE” CASATI
Technical Expert
RRD Wave team rider. Kiteboarder
since 2000, he has
been PKRA athlete and judge.
He’s a professional sportswriter
for several technical
magazines. He lives between
Como Lake and Sardinia, but
he spends every winter in the
waves of Cabo-Verde.
DANIELA MELONI
Professional translator
Daniela mainly lived abroad
where she graduated
in Law and worked. She
discovered her passion for
water actvities back in 2007
when she moved back to the
Sardinian west coast and met
her husband, the kitesurfer
Enrico Giordano. Professional
translator since 2009. She is
a SUP lover and an amateur
photographer and never
misses to photo or video
shoot a Kite or Sup wave
session!

EDITORIAL
Rider Kelly Slater | Photo Todd Glaser
Kitesurfing still tastes of salt and
not of chlorine
Artificial waves parks for surfers are now spreading
all over the world. Increasingly big, accessible
and efficient. In January 2017, a Spanish Company
called Wavegarden specialized in pools and
water parks announced that it has just developed
a new technology capable of creating 1.029 waves
per hour that means over 16 waves per minute.
While they want to keep this patent still secret,
the Iberian technicians have added that the new
system would allow to have waves up to 2.10 metres
high, cutting through the pools for about 18
seconds. The project is called The Cove, and it will
debut in the upcoming months in Australia when
the first water parks for surfers, equipped with
this futuristic technology, will appear in Sydney,
Melbourne and Perth with the brand name Urbnsurf
(www.urbnsurf.co/media-coverage.html).
So then, how will the artificial surf evolve? One
could easily imagine that in the near future whole
surfers’ generations, perhaps living hundreds
kilometres away from the first beach overlooking
the ocean, will use these admission-fee simulating
facilities for training at any time, in spite of
weather conditions, seasons and culture of the
sea. Surfing will be like going to the gym. No more
days spent sounding out the weather reports searching
for the next swell, no more stacking up
kilometres along the coast searching for the best
wave, no more time spent practising the true surfer’s
art, which is patience. The new chlorine surfers
will enter any pool, for one or two hours they
will ride hundreds of waves, identical and perfect
and they will become extraordinary.
What will happen is what also happened to free
climbing with the advent of artificial walls and
indoor facilities thanks to which today a 12-year
old kid can climb VI grade walls, where bear
hands climbing times have halved and one year
of training is enough to climb the world rankin-

gs. Twenty years ago, anyone climbing a VI grade
wall would go directly on magazine covers. In
other words, the surfing technique will evolve by
the second. Even Kelly Slater has become a testimonial
for these water parks dedicated to comfy
surfers. Way to go, that's progress baby! As long
as one does not believe that things such as the
mystery of the ocean, the solitude in the pipe, the
hell in a wipe out can ever be removed from surfing.
Luckily, at least for now, kitesurfing is not at risk
of turning into a simulation sport. Those who choose
to surf pulled by a kite still have to consider
the weather conditions to go chasing wind and
waves, still have to get in the car and reach the
coast, and above all still have to enter the ocean
with the proper respect. And, once up there, on
the peak of a wave, always a different one, they
will remain amazed by the magic of nature.
David Ingiosi

SUMMARY
PORTFOLIO
RIDERS COLUMN
EVENTS + ITW
18 30 32
Portfolio
Colleen Carroll
Nick Jacobsen is the new
king of the air
+ Ruben Lenten
JOURNEYS
CHARACTERS
SCHOOLS
104
The Wall Ride
116
Michael Zomer:
I, extreme filmmaker
128
In the Canary Islands the
sons of the ocean are
raised
BASIC STRAPLESS
FOCUS
178
The straight air
182
F-one: Furtive V1/ Speed
Gun

EVENTS EVENTS JOURNEYS
62 74 88
Last stop: Ragnarok
Banga Foil
In the kingdom of the
polar bear
TRENDS
EQUIPMENT
VIDEO SAGA
138
How about learning kitefoil?
Slingshot launches
the Academy
148
Portfolio RRD lines: the revolution
is called ‘Rigid Thread
Lines’
160
Portfolio Felipe Moure Lopez and
his Blind Judge 5 Challenge

18
PORTFOLIO
Alex Neto
RIDER: Alex Neto
PHOTO: Andre Magarao

20 PORTFOLIO
Reo Stevens
RIDER: Reo Stevens
PHOTO: Tim Mckenna

22 PORTFOLIO
Jeremie Tronet
RIDER: Jeremie Tronet
PHOTO: JT Pro Center

24 PORTFOLIO
Ismail Adarzane
RIDER: Ismail Adarzane
PHOTO: Gabriele Rumbolo

26 PORTFOLIO
PATRI MCLAUGHING
RIDER: PATRI MCLAUGHING
PHOTO: Toby Bromwich

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30
RIDERS COLUMN
Colleen Carroll
Blue Palawan. Many might still
be largely unfamiliar. While
last year’s inaugural event was
deemed a huge success industry
wide, park riding and namely
park competitions, can sometimes
fly under most Kiteboarders’
radars.
Dubbed the most tropical kite
park on earth, Blue Palawan is
perfectly poised on the eastern
shoreline of Palawan Island, one
of the most famed islands out of
the over 7,000 islands that com-
prise the Philippines. Voted to
house some of the best beaches
in the world, it’s no wonder all of
the best park riders, myself included,
are eager to return to the
stunning atoll.
However, it is not only the easy
breezy lifestyle and luxury living
that we have to look forward to.
Hanging in the wake of this year’s
event, lies the likely trajectory
for the coming year of the Kite
Park League tour. Now of course
nothing will be set after only one
event yet, as we saw last year,
it can be a solid indicator as to
who are the real contenders for
the coming season.
Will Sam Light take another win
for the men, continuing his long
reigning dominance of kite park
events? Or, will Brandon Scheid
who has long nipped at his heals
finally take that top seat? However,
it is far from a two-man
race to the top this year and
looks like Light and Scheid will
have to work harder than ever if

RIDERS COLUMN
It’s coming in the trade winds…
× Colleen Carroll ×
Text Colleen Carroll | Photo Toby Bromwich, Lukas Stiller
they want to secure their usual
podium spots. With young riders,
Noe Font and Ewan Jaspan,
as well as other podium finishers
from the 2016 season such
as Craig Cunninghan and Christophe
Tackmore dedicated than
ever, in my opinion, no one’s fate
is sealed.
Not only has the men’s competition
heated up over the past
year of park riding but, new
comers to the women’s scene
have noticeably shaken things
up. It was world champion, Karolina
Winkowska who broke onto
the park scene adding 2016 KPL
Champion to her list of accolades.
Attempting to chase her
down for the title myself over the
past year after having a rough
start of the season, I can attest
that the competition is tougher
than ever before on the women’s
front. And it wasn’t only
Winkowska who made her mark
on the 2016 KPL, known park
competitor Sensi Graves came
in full force as well as household
name BrunaKajiya and up
and coming rider Annelous Lammerts
who all proved themselves
formidable competitors.
With more pro riders focusing
their efforts into the park than
ever before, the upcoming competition
is sure to be captivating.
Make sure to check back in the
next issue for a full recap of what
went down during the event and
who was able to prove themselves
better than the rest.

32
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
i s t h e n e w k i
Michelle Hayward
Photo credit: Red Bull Courtesy

n g o f t h e a i r
On January 2nd in the evocative frame of Big Bay in South Africa it took place
the Red Bull King of the Air 2017 which proved once again to be one of the most
successful and spectacular competitions in the world. The 18 competing athletes
expressed the state-of-the-art of the Big Air discipline. Three true legends
battled for the title in the final that was held just after the sunset: Ruben Lenten,
Aaron Hadlow and Nick Jacobsen. In the end, the King of the Air was the Danish
rider: insane, brave and lethal.

34
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air

After almost two weeks of no wind, or at
least not any wind strong enough for the
Red Bull Kind of the Air, the wind finally
blew! When the thick white cloud starts
to creep over Table Mountain, then you
know the wind is going to pump, and
that is exactly what it did on Thursday
2ndJanuary, just 3 days before the end of
the waiting period for the event. By 3 pm,
the wind had hit 25 knots and they decided
to start the competition, this gave
the organisers just enough time to finish
the event on the same day.
This year Red Bull chose only 18 of the
top competitors in the world to take
part in Big Bay, South Africa. The judg-

36
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air

ing criteria also changed slightly this
year as 70% of the score was determined
by height while 30% was determined by
the extremity of the moves. There was no
limitation to how many moves each rider
could do, though only the top 3 moves
were counted as part of the final result.
Riders were encouraged to go as extreme
as possible, and they did not disappoint!
Though the wind was strong, and picked
up to 30 knots throughout the afternoon,
there were not many waves and riders
had to be careful to select the right
wave to boost off. There were more waves
downwind but each rider decided to stay
upwind, clearly careful not to get stuck

38
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
too far downwind and out of the competition
area.
One of the crowd favourites was Aurelien
Petreau, a French rider who was new to
the event. He stunned the spectators with
his huge board off dead man. The youngest
rider, Willem van der Meij, who is just
19, genuinely showed that his age is not
a hindrance by also proving himself as a
crowd pleaser. The Megaloop Late Backroll
was a firm favourite of many of the
riders. Gijs Wassenaar, Jerrie Van de Kop,
Lasse Walker and Ryan Siegelberg were
just a few of the riders who named it

as their signature move. We also saw a
lot more riders doing a "one-footer" and
combining it with high jumps and even
Megaloops. This year there were also a
lot more riders unhooking during their
heats.
Of course the legends of the sport really
stood out and made it right through to
the finals. Ruben Lenten was hungry to
make his comeback and did so stylishly
with his signature move, the "Boogie
Loop" (Megaloop Front Roll). Aaron Hadlow
did also not disappoint, as he effortlessly
showed off his signature high

40
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air

handle-passes and impressive loops.
The one legend that could not compete,
however, was Kevin Langeree who unfortunately
broke his ankle just weeks before
the event. But, although he was on
crutches, and still recovering from an
operation, he was there to support his
fellow riders!
Thankfully, there were no major injuries
this year and none of the riders had to be
rescued or taken to hospital. Of course,
there were a few riders that crashed
their kites like Stuart Downey and Lewis
Crathern, but they managed to quickly
launch them and continue their heats.
Lewis Crathern then even went on to do

42
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air

the highest jump of the day. Most of the
riders had two of the same kites and a
few boards, as seen when Graham Howes
lost his board and soon enough had
another one given to him so that he did
not have to body drag to try to retrieve it.
Oswald Smith’s old ankle injury caused
him a bit of pain, though he still managed
to claim the Mystic Move of the Day
award. Ruben Lenten also complained of
a sore rib, though he rightfully made it
into the finals. The finals took place just
after sunset but that did not stop the
crowd from going crazy: whistling, clap-

44
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
ping and cheering the riders on. Fuelled
by all the Red Bull that was being handed
out, they did not mind watching the riders
compete in the dark.
The finals were really close but Nick
Jacobsen truly stood out with his variation
and all over extremity, placing him
in first place.

46
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air
The new King of the Air! Aaron Hadlow
came in second place and Ruben Lenten
made his comeback with a well-deserved
third place.

THE KITESOUL CORRESPONDENT
Michelle Sky Hayward, amongst the VIPs as our reporter
Michelle Sky Hayward is a 25-year-old
professional kitesurfer. She lives in Cape
Town, South Africa with her husband
Neil. She is passionate about kitesurfing
but besides that, she enjoys going to the
gym, spending time at the beach, travelling
and of course writing. This is what
she had to say about her experience reporting
at the King of the Air:
I had an amazing time reporting at the
Red Bull King of the Air! Kitesoul is a
great magazine to work for and it allowed
me to gain VIP media access during the
event. This way, I could meet some of
the riders and people in the media and
I got to have the best view! The conditions
were perfect, the event is well run
and the whole vibe was electric. This is a
world-class event and I was so happy to
be able to experience it first hand.

48
EVENTS
Nick Jacobsen is the new king of the air

50
Nick Jacobsen
The winner’s words
The winner’s words
We reached the winner of the Red Bull King of the Air 2017
Nick Jacobsen in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) where he
flew straight after the competition and here is what he
told us about his amazing victory.

52
Nick Jacobsen
The winner’s words
"I just got to Dubai to shoot a project I have been working
on for quite some time now. Thank you so much
for all the kind words about King of the Air. Here is an
update on what went down: I went to Cape Town in the
middle of October 2016 to train for King of the Air and
to shoot with Cabrinha for the switch blade and all that
went really well. And just by riding every day in strong
conditions with the switch blade I chose to ride that
kite for the event. I felt comfortable on it and everything
about the switch blade just felt right. I had great expectations
about myself this year for King of the Air
because I really wanted to win it but I thought it was
quite impossible for me! I would just have been happy
to make it onto the podium. The day just went extremely
well and all of a sudden, I was in the finals against
two legends in the industry, two guys that I have always
been looking up to. I have been following Ruben
Lenten and Aaron Hadlow since they started, they were
my great inspirations. I know everything about them
and now we are great friends and it was so great to ride
with them. They are both Red Bull riders and I was with
them in the Red Bull finals so I was pretty stoked. When
I won it, I was so happy, it still hasn't sunk in yet and
it was a week ago. My main focus right now is this project
I am doing in Dubai so this whole thing with win-

54
Nick Jacobsen
The winner’s words

ning the King of the air just went into the sand in a way
which I am a bit bummed about. But when this project
is done in a few weeks I'll go to either Bora Bora or Bali
or something for a few weeks just by myself without my
phone, without my laptop and then just let everything
sink in and I'll go on a small holiday. It looks like I'm
on holiday all the time but I'm actually not, I do a lot of
different things all the time".

56
ITW
Ruben Lenten, happy to be back but my ribs failed me
R U B E N
happy to be back
but my ribs failed me
Still in Cape Town working on new gear,
Ruben Lenten answers to Michelle
Hayward’s questions and comments about
the competition and his fantastic third
place.

58
ITW
Ruben Lenten, happy to be back but my ribs failed me
How do you feel about the event?
Well every year I’m looking super forward
to see this event take place. Last year
I couldn’t compete due to my battle
against cancer but this year I made
sure I was strong and confident enough
to compete with the world’s best again.
This event is definitely the most exciting
event on the calendar and probably the
only event that really pushes the big air
riding to new levels. And the Megaloop
Challenge in the Netherlands of course.
It was my mission to enjoy riding with all
the boys and showcasing my style of riding
to the world. I managed to keep my
head cool and make it through my heats
with some of my signature moves and
eventually made it to the final. Unfortunately,
I took a big hit on my ribs in heat
1 and in the beginning of the final I had a
big crash right on it again and this just
put me out of it… I was in pain and super
emotional for some reason, I just couldn’t
pull myself together. Coming in 3rd
is not a shame but for next year, I’ve got
my eyes on the prize. :-D The crown! Bring
on some more wind and waves please!

60
ITW
Ruben Lenten, happy to be back but my ribs failed me
What do you have planned next?
My plans are falling into place pretty
nicely and the year is filling up quickly
with all sorts of happenings. From
extreme projects, travelling for shoots,
demos and events to public speaking
and coaching around the world. My main
mission remains to push and promote
the sport globally to make people just as
happy as kitesurfing makes me. And of
course taking it to the next level by some
outstanding projects. For now, we still
have some time in Cape Town to work on
gear. I am building some insane carbon
boards with a local shaper and I’ll sell
these through my web shop soon. Exciting
times! :-)

62
EVENTS
Last stop: Ragnarok

Last stop:
Ragnarok
From 30th March to 2nd April, the
Hardangervidda mountain plateau in
Norway will welcome more than 300
athletes from around the world that
will compete in the Red Bull Ragnarok,
an extreme marathon dedicated
to snowkiting. It doesn’t matter
whether with skis or a snowboard: the
fatigue, the bravery and the desire
for adventure are the same for every
competitor.
Testo: David Ingiosi
Photo: Red Bull Courtesy

64
EVENTS
Last stop: Ragnarok
The snowkiting heroes are about to return to the
fighting arena. In fact, according to the Scandinavian
mythology, the term Ragnarǫk refers to
the final battle between the powers of light and
order, which challenged the powers of darkness
and chaos and following which the entire world
would be destroyed and only the greatest would
survive. That's how the Red Bull Ragnarok
event, a snowkite competition, scheduled from
30th March to 2nd April 2017 in Haugastøl, Norway,
borrows the epic from that ancient myth
to pay tribute to the men and women of today.
Competitors similar to warriors who in this extreme
trial on ice challenge themselves and the
elements with just one objective: be the first to
cross the finishing line.

A t t h e f i n i s h i n g
l i n e t h r o u g h t h e
g r e a t e s t e f f o r t s
The 6th edition is ready to start
This year more than 300 athletes from 30 countries
will gather at the starting line of this great
competition that smacks of adventure, fatigue,
bravery and which now rates as one of the most
anticipated events in the international snowkite
circuit. At its 6th edition, the event will take
place on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau,
a large snow-capped area, about 260 kilometres
Northwest of Oslo and which between wintertime
and springtime offers fantastic conditions
for this discipline.

66
EVENTS
Last stop: Ragnarok
The racetrack is a lap circuit about 15-20 kilometres
long to be repeated five times. The competitors,
who will all line up at the starting line,
must complete the course by using only their kite
and either skis or a snowboard at their choice.
There will be four categories: Men skis, Women
skis, Men snowboard and Women snowboard.
Lastly, along the track the athletes must follow
specific "gates" set up by the organizers to record
the passing of each participant through a
gps device.
The cold, the fatigue and the meteorological aspects
represent the unknown elements of the
race
A specific and tested race formula for a unique
competition which offers a lot of fun, show and
thrill both for those who actually do it and grit
their teeth to give their best to get to the end,
and for the audience that follows the race supporting
anyone of the competitors.
It goes without saying that it's not a picnic on
the snow. It is a backbreaking trial lasting normally
longer than 6 hours. It strains muscles and
mind of the athletes who have to deal with the
cold, the fatigue and especially with the sudden
change of weather conditions, which often mark
the divide between those who can cross the
finishing line and those who have to walk back
to the base camp. The wind in these expanses
of snow and ice can be a friend or an enemy.
Who's been there knows it well.

A d v e n t u r e f a t i g u e
b r a v e r y

68
EVENTS
Last stop: Ragnarok

Susi May: "once in a lifetime"
Over the years, many world champions and outstanding
athletes from kitesurfing and snowkiting
took part to this competition. Everyone keeps
a strong memory of that experience and a great
source of inspiration whether it was a victory or
a withdrawal. The German champion Susi May,
at the end of the 2016 edition said: "No matter
how frustrated you feel, when you push yourself
to the limits you always learn something about
kitesurfing. It's one of those "once in a lifetime"
experiences in one of the wildest and most fascinating
places in the world".
On the other hand, the three time world champion
Steph Bridge who was able to win the Red
Bull Ragnarok race warns those who are about
to do this extreme race: "Choose the right equipment.
Before the start eat carbohydrates and be
well hydrated. You must persist and be positive.
I wasn't able to finish the race twice, but at the
third time, I won it". The Canadian champion
Peter Martel, a regular in Haugastøl, echoes her:
"Nothing will go as planned. But trust yourself
and don't give up".

70
EVENTS
Last stop: Ragnarok
For sure, things do get serious at Ragnarok. You
do not know how you will leave that arena but
one thing is certain: you will enter as a warrior.
Enjoy the battle everyone!

N o t a p i c n i c
o n t h e s n o w

72
EVENTS
Last stop: Ragnarok
PROGRAM & INFO
• Thursday March 30th
16:00 – 21:00 Registration - Haugastøl Turistsenter
- You must show up for accreditation or your place will be given away. No exceptions. .
• Friday March 31st
09:00 am Pre-race meeting - Haugastøl Turistsenter
- In case the race is postponed to Saturday, a notice will be texted to each competitor.
10:00 am Transfer to the race course
12:00 pm Race starts
- In case the weather conditions prevent the race from taking place on Friday, it will be postponed
to Saturday.
• Saturday April 1st
09:00 am - If the race will not be completed on Friday, it will continue on Saturday
20:00 Banquet dinner - Haugastøl Turistsenter
22:00 Awards ceremony & after party
• Sunday April 2nd
Return
- The timetable can be subject to change
- In case the weather conditions prevent the race from taking place on Saturday, it will be
postponed to Sunday.
www.redbull.com/no/no/snow/events/1331603570189/red-bull-ragnarok

74
EVENTS
Banga Foil
itw Roberta Pala
photo Alexandru Baranescu & Courtesy Banga Foil

The Formula Kite World Championship
took place in Weifang,
China. Sixty athletes took part
to the competition. For the Men
category, the Monegasque
Maxime Nocher conquered the
victory using a "made in Italy"
foil, the Banga BF016WA. As
far as Women are concerned,
the title went to the American
Daniela Moroz. First one among
the Italians, in sixth place,
Mario Calbucci, and in second
place Axel Mazella both from
Banga team just like Nocher.
As is known, there are high
probabilities that kiteboarding
will become an Olympic
sport, with the foil discipline,
already in 2020. Banga foil is
the result of a project started
in spring 2015, which aimed at
developing in 12 months the
fastest hydrofoil for Formula
Kite competitions. The aerodynamic
design was entrusted
to a project team with great
experience over the America’s
Cup and cat C-Class foil. The
design of the structure and the
making of it was supervised by
Luca Filippi. Banga Foil comes
as a branch of PROtect Tapes
using the same logics and the
pursuit of excellence. The initiator
of both activities is Pietro
Parmeggiani who takes care
of the operational aspect, the
management and marketing.
Banga foil production is 100%
Italian, it has specialized suppliers
and partners, since Italy
is an excellence for composite
materials. Banga foil placed
five athletes in the top 10 positions
at the Weifang World
Championship (and in 10th
place, there is the other Italian
Riccardo Andrea Leccese).
Besides Calbucci there are the
French Julien Kerneur (7th)
and Theo Lhotis (8th) and the
Russian Elena Kalinina second
for Women. Next event for Foil
Kite will be the Gold Cup final
to be held in Qatar from 15th to
19th November. Prize money:
€ 20.000.

76
KITEFOIL
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high
itw Roberta Pala
photo Alexandru Baranescu & Courtesy Banga Fo
the
Italian brand
flies high
Following Maxime Nocher's worldwide
success, the interest in Banga Foil has had
a stunning growth. It's a young brand, born
from the passion of two professionals, a
Made in Italy product which whipped the
others during the last Foil World circuit. We
had a chat with Pietro Parmeggiani, one of
the two creators of the idea that gained the
top position in the foil world.

KS_How did you create the Banga Foil
project?
Pietro Parmeggiani_We started this project in
spring 2015.
Banga Foil is an idea of Luca Filippi and Pietro
Parmeggiani, both 50 years old, with 40 years
experience in various types of sailing. Luca's
experience is related to sailing, sailmaking, catamarans,
foil, advanced composite materials
coupled with endless manual skills and creativity.
I am the CEO of a major multinational group but
I also have my own company that deals with advanced
materials (PROtect Tapes) which among
its customers rates the America's Cup team, the
Imoca60, Olympic athletes, just to name a few,
but we also range over other industries such as
F1, motorcycles and wind power.
KS_Where does the name Banga come from?
PP_I could just tell you that Banga is the title of
the eleventh album of Patty Smith or the name
of my cat when I was a child but I would lie. Luca's
son, Marco, used to repeat this word, we
liked it and we used it.

78
KITEFOIL
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high
KS_What was the main motivation that made
you enter the Foil world?
PP_We dreamt of creating the best performing
foil in the market, light, with no compromises.
We were also sure, that the foil would have become
an Olympic sport and we had to be ready
when that happened. We entrusted the best foil
designers and structural engineers in order to
achieve our goal.
KS_Are Luca and yourself also two foil-kiters?
PP_No, we aren't. We keep on saying that we
should start but then we get caught in other priorities,
but we will, because we both like speed.
KS_What are the main features of your foil?
PP_Our foil is 995mm long, with the front wing
of 630mm. The materials used are high modulus
prepreg carbon and oven cooked. To get the
best quality we made carbon moulds. An important
aspect is the hand-made finishing which takes
a lot of time, attention and experience, the
Banga product is not painted!
The production is 100% Italian and it is carried
out in an ultramodern factory.
The front wing, fuselage and back wing are one
single piece which connects to the mast.

KS_Where do you purchase the raw material
and what can you tell us about the factory
that manufactures the final product? How
much time did it take before you found the
right partners, suppliers and manufacturers?
PP_Italy is a very innovative country in relation
to composite materials, think for instance of industries
such as aviation, car and all the production
sites of the major multinational companies.
In addition, there are a few independent
Italian companies which manufacture very high
quality products.
I have 20 years of experience in manufacturing
and I am an organization maniac so when we
started the project, we designed a factory specifically
for Banga.
Product quality is a matter of method and regularity
of production materials, process control
and we tried to create the best conditions to
achieve this objective.
We work in a geographical area full of skilled
workers, and finding the right staff for such an

80
KITEFOIL
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high
exciting project wasn't difficult.
KS_Who is behind the design of the Foil?
PP_It was necessary to aim high for such an
ambitious project, developing it with internal resources
was unthinkable. Luca and I, each one
for a different reason, have to do with the world
of sailing and of the America's Cup, so we involved
a group of people, both Italians and from
abroad. The decision of Luna Rossa to leave the
Cup helped us out as it freed valuable resources
for our venture.
KS_From the first version of Banga foil up to
today, what are the aspects that you mostly
had to keep into account?
PP_The complexities are diverse, the choice of
the profiles, the size of the wings, the length of
the mast, geometries, in addition to these there
are the rigidity and torsion related to the small
size of our foil.
Experience teaches that mathematical models
and computer simulations can only partly simulate
reality, therefore we had to create prototypes,
but these can be made only once the
moulds are realized. We made a few prototypes,
tested them in the water for many hours and
the final version began giving its results at the
competition in Gizzeria. Since then it has been
a boom.

KS_Who are the Banga Foil athletes in the
world?
PP_After Gizzeria, we have been rushed, everybody
wanted Banga Foil but in early 2016 we
only had a few athletes, both from Italy and from
abroad, our brand was totally unknown, despite
the fact that Maxime Nocher was already using
Banga Foil. The World Cup in China and the final
leg in Qatar represented our consecration.
The rest is already history, Maxime Nocher wins
the world circuit and six other athletes in the top
ten positions (Maxime Nocher, Axel Mazella, Titouan
Galea, Theo Lhostis, Julien Kerneur and
Mario Calbucci), Simone Vannucci and Andrea
Beverino in Italy, Alejandro Climent Hernandez
in Spain, and the speed record-man, Alex Caizergues.
In the Women ranking we are second
with Elena Kalinina and I can’t go on without
mentioning Jade O'Connor who helps us a lot in
the development.
KS_What is the contribution by the professional
athletes to the design, development
and testing phases?
PP_Luca is in charge of the relations with external
designers and testers. We are always there
during competitions, to provide maximum support
to the athletes, but also to gather important
information for future developments. Professional
athletes are essential to keep improving the
product, they have a perception that allows us
to make minor changes, but which do make the
difference. I am only in charge of the commercial

82
KITEFOIL
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high

and organisational management.
KS_Is Banga a foil only for the Pro circuit?
PP_Absolutely not. We sell very well to the general
public too; we have customers all over the
world from Australia to the USA, from Denmark
to South Africa. Banga is very easy to use, so
every rider can have one and have fun.
KS_After the boom in the past two years and
the foilboard more and more present even in
the quiver of sports enthusiasts, how do you
see the development of your foil outside the
professional sport competitions?
PP_We are working on a freeride version and
hopefully we will be able to talk about it soon.
KS_The Foil Kite world is constantly evolving,
on what does the research and development
team mainly focuses its efforts? Choice of
the materials? Advanced applied engineering?
PP_I believe that this is only the beginning of a fascinating
world. We work in different directions,
and for sure, the most important aspect is the
design of the foil, the profile, and the geometries.
The materials are equally important, therefore
although our consumption is reduced, we work
with various companies to have what’s best on
the market.

84
KITEFOIL
Banga Foil, the Italian brand flies high
KS_What do you think about the introduction
of kiteboarding at the Olympic Games?
PP_Olympic Games? I think that kiteboarding
has all the right characteristics to become an
Olympic sport, maybe it's still a little early because
kitefoil is not so common at global level
yet and not so popular among girls. There is
also a dispute related to the monopoly of the
big brands.
When we started this project, we did think of
the Olympics and of the potential developments
of this sport. We don't obviously have the same
power as the major brands, but we do have the
organizational and production capacity to potentially
play the game.
KS_What are your projects for the 2017? On
which aspects of the design/manufacturing
are you concentrating?
PP_We are working on the evolution of the
BF2016001WA which won everything in 2016. It
won't be a Banga 2, but the outcome of a new
project, this is why we have great expectations.
First testing sessions in the water should already
take place by the end of January 2017.

86
Journeys
In the kingdom of the polar bear
In the kingdom of the polar bear
It is a journey she much longed for the one through which Kari
Schibevaag takes us, the frozen lands of Spitsbergen Island, in
the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Chasing the wind for
snowkiting, with a group of friends riding snowmobiles, where at
midnight the sun is still up in the sky and the polar bear is the
undisputed lord.
Text: Kari Schibevaag
Photo: Tom Magne Jonassen & Trond Tyss

88
Journeys
In the kingdom of the polar bear
Let’s go North

The island of Spitsbergen is located
so far up on the northern
hemisphere that the sun actually
never comes up or it never drops
down, it just depends on the season.
But either way, it’s an island
that I’ve always been dreaming
of in the back of my head.
It’s winter outside, but it’s raining
like it was autumn already.
It’s sad to see that the winter
is raining away and the winter
wonderland I love so much is
nearly gone. What is happening
to the world? Normally it’s so
cold that it’s hard to be outside,
but temperatures have been
changing rapidly and it’s pouring
down with rain from the sky.
In February 2016, I broke my
nose in Cape Town, and the
doctor told me to stay away
from the winter and sun. But
what to do when you can’t enjoy
the 2 best things in the world?
I planned for a quiet winter at
home, but after customizing my
goggles, I decided to try to go to
the mountains to snowkite and
get away from this sad rain.
How to get to the
ends of the earth
When tourists think about Norway,
they usually picture it dark,
cold and full of snow and also
some polar bears and reindeers
walking around in the streets …
Actually yes, we have this.
This place where the polar bears
are taking over is the archipelago
of Svalbard. The population
counts 2.000 people and 3.000
polar bears. Situated north of
mainland Europe, it is about
midway between continental
Norway and the North Pole. The
islands of the group range from
74° to 81° north latitude. The
largest island is Spitsbergen.
I always had a dream to go there,

90
Journeys
In the kingdom of the polar bear
At full blast on a snowmobile
but it’s far from where I leave.
It’s also good to know some local
people when you decide to go.
It’s an island far up north and I
have been looking at the place
for snowkiting for a long time.
I´ve planned trips up there before,
but something always came
up, so I could not go.
Luck was about to change. It
was bad weather and not a lot of
snow where I was planning to
go. I was looking at the weather
forecast and it predicted storms
all over me. I was just looking
at Svalbard like I always do
and it looked like it was sunny
for the next week. I was sitting
dreaming that I could go there,
but it was not planned and I
did not have a place to stay so
I was just dreaming.
The next morning I woke
up and saw a message on my
phone. It was a friend asking
me to go to Svalbard. They had
a house and a guide waiting
for them so I just had to take

the plane. I was right away looking
at the tickets and booked
one straightaway for the night.
It’s easy to get there, it’s just
direct flight from Oslo (with a
pit stop in Tromsø). But the hard
thing is to get a place to stay
in the high season. I was lucky
to stay with friends and also to
know them so I could join them
for trips. The airport is in Longyearbyen,
a small city with some
hotels and hostels so you really
need to know where to stay before
you book a trip.
I waited too long to
come up here!
When I arrived, the sun was
shining with powder in the
mountains. It felt like I had
landed on a white moon. My
first thoughts were… why didn´t
I come up here before? I saw
white mountains with no trees
around. It was just perfect for
snowkite and skiing. I was in
heaven.
The first day I spent it around
town with Tom and Christian
waiting for the other ones to
come. We went kiting a bit in
an area overlooking the town. It
was already midnight sun, so we
could be outside 24/7.
What a place and what a country.
Norway never stops to impress
me. There were reindeers
walking around in the streets
and Christian, the local, told us
that they were walking around
on the whole island and citizens
on Svalbard, could hunt
one each every year. They were
so cute with their small legs.

92
Journeys
In the kingdom of the polar bear
The reindeers at Svalbard have
smaller legs than the normal
mainland reindeers and they are
not afraid of people at all.
Svalbard Islands have something
that the mainland of Norway
does not have and that´s polar
bears. They are the biggest bears
on this planet and the most
dangerous predators, but they
look so cute. I knew they were
around, so the first day I was a
bit afraid of walking around. I
talked to the locals and they told
me stories about the polar bears
coming into town, but that was
not something happening every
day.
When the bear
comes to town
We were kiting in Adventsdalen
(close to town) and everyone told
me that for sure there would not
be any polar bears there. I had so
much fun climbing the mountains,
riding over the frozen
water and jumping around. What
a place! I forgot all about the
polar bears and focused all on

the super cute reindeers and the
amazing nature surrounding me.
Two days later, a young hungry
polar bear came into town. The
local authorities tried to scare
him away with a helicopter and
snowmobile, but after several
attempts, they had to shoot him
with tranquilizer and fly him
away to the other side of the
island.
I was a bit lucky not to meet
him when I was out there kiting
without a rifle. I went straight
ahead to get a rifle so I could
wear this when I went kiting.
The polar bear came in just at
the place I was kiting before so
I found it safer to have one just
in case another one decided to
make a stop in town.

94
Journeys
In the kingdom of the polar bear
Last station: Isfjord
Radio
After some days, everyone arrived
at Svalbard and it was time
for a trip. We used snowmobiles
fully packed with kite gear and
ski gear. Gunvor had a friend
working as a guide and we were
lucky he wanted to join us. We
were going to Isfjord Radio, a
radio and weather station where
we booked a place to stay. Gunvor
used to work at Isfjord Radio
before and was super excited to
show us the place and also to get
back to this amazing area.
We started up in amazing sunny
conditions with no wind and
just moon landscape around us.
The guide made a route we followed.
We told him that if there
was wind, we wanted to kite, so
he knew that we all were looking
for wind. It is crazy at Svalbard.
It’s split in different areas and
suddenly we came to a place that
was Russian, Barentsburg. We
had to stop and just look around.
It was very different from the
Norwegian town.
This was Russia if you know
what I mean. There were a hotel
and a bar serving Russian beer
and vodka.

Kite & Rifle

96
Journeys
In the kingdom of the polar bear
After some hours drive, we
found wind at a glacier. It was
powder, sun and wind and we
all packed up the kite gear and
some wind sails. It was so nice
to kite around there with the
amazing mountains around and
also a bit scary to know the
polar bears could be lurking
around.
A storm is coming
up, let’s leave
After some time the weather
suddenly changed, fast like it
often does and a big storm came
up. We decided to pack down
and drove fast down to Isfjord
Radio. At Isfjord Radio it was
really windy but we managed to
get in and find our house.
Ifjord Radio is located at Kapp
Linne by the Isfjord on Spitsbergen
Island. The station was

The polar bear king of Svalbard
established in 1933, and has
played an important role in the
telecommunications between
the Svalbard archipelago and the
outside world. Now it’s a hotel
where you can stay when you
are visiting Isfjord Radio. It is
reachable only by boat, snowmobile
or dogsled.
When we came to Isfjord, they
had excellent food ready for us

98
Journeys
In the kingdom of the polar bear
and we got a good hot shower
before we went to bed. We
were all tired and it was a big
storm outside. We all were
wondering if it would stop,
so we could return home the
next day, but you never know
at Svalbard. It is an island in
the middle of nowhere, so you
just have to cross your fingers.
The next morning it was still
stormy and the outside door
in the house broke. It was full
of snow in the hallway, but
they told us that this was normal
so they would fix it when
the wind stopped a bit.

The charm of midnight
sun
We decided to start the trip
back to Longyearbyen after
a long good breakfast, but
that was not so easy. It was
one-meter powder and still
snowing. The terrain was not
easy and the snowmobiles
went falling over all the time.
However, it was super fun to
drive in the snow, so maybe
we were just playing too
much in the powder and that
made us fall over. Anyway, it
was fun and so soft snow.
Just before we reached back
into Longyearbyen, the sun

100
Journeys
In the kingdom of the polar bear
In the
kingdom of
the polar
bear

came back and we got this super
beautiful midnight sun in
the town. In April, the sun is
always up, so it’s hard to relax
when you have the sun shining
all the time. Going to bed
was for sure easy to cancel.
The next days we stayed
around Longyearbyen. We did
just small trips around with
the kites and snowmobiles. It
was beautiful and windy conditions
so we did not need to
travel too far in order to have
great experiences.
Svalbard is an amazing place
to be. I was so sad when
jumped on the plane back
home, but I knew it was time
to return home. But on the
way home, I knew I would be
back next winter and with
even bigger plans for trips up
there. Now we plan to cross
Svalbard from South to North
with a kite. I am so looking
forward to this and I hope
we will succeed to make this
dream come true.
See you all in April 2017
when the “Green Wind” team
(Svalbard Snowkite Expedition)
will pack its gear and
travel across the total length
of Svalbard, only using the
power of the wind. I can’t
wait!:)

104
Journeys
The wall ride
Text: Noé Font
Photo Vincent Bergeron

In the Madeleine Islands, East of the Canadian coast,
the North Kiteboarding team searches for a spot to
do the Vegas 2017 photo shooting and they land on
a beach studded with red cliffs. The scenery is ideal
to set up a rail and try to climb those evocative walls.
The wind though can play nasty tricks.

106
Journeys
The wall ride

The Madeleine Islands are a small chain of islands way out on the
East Coast of Canada. During the summer months, the temperatures
go up and the winds kick in which leads to very good conditions
for kiting. I did a trip there with the rest of the North freestyle
team for the 2017 Vegas photo shoot.
The weather wasn’t what we expected during the first week, it
was cold, very cold. The wind was blowing from the north, that’s
why it was so cold. We all thought it was going to be much warmer;
however, we scored epic sessions. Vince showed us many
spots and all of them had potential. It was just the beginning of
the trip so we kept exploring the area and dialing our tricks on the
new features we built.
There was this one spot that stuck in my mind for a few days. These
10 to 15m cliffs along one of the inlets with rocky red walls were

108
Journeys
The wall ride
Shall we set a wall ride up?

the perfect spot to set up a wall ride, but the only way that was
going to work was with South West winds which unfortunately are
very rare at this time a year. Apparently Craig and Vince had been
there previously but didn’t get to ride them. We wanted to setup
an incline rail up to the top part of one of the rock walls. The cliffs
stick out and create little bays so it was just perfect to wall ride
the top of the cliff and land on water downwind of it.
A few days later, on a very cloudy and cold day Vince mentioned
there was a chance of it blowing south west. That could be our
only chance to ride that spot during our stay there so we headed
to the beach. The wind was really light barely enough to ride but
we still gave it a try. Drove the uHaul as close to the cliffs as possible
and, carried the pipe and legs on knee-deep water all the way
out there. It was very tricky to secure the pipe on the cliff. It was
slippery and we were balancing it with a little rock we found. We
went back to the truck and although we could tell it wasn’t windy
enough I still decided to pump up my 14.5m Vegas and give it a try.
To hit a set up like this you want to be powered and able to get
more power out of your kite instantly in case anything goes wrong.

110
Journeys
The wall ride
Waiting for South-West winds

There were a few puffs of wind and I was riding back and forth approaching
the rail but I couldn’t get enough speed. I stuck around
for quite a while, Craig even pumped his own kite and tried for a
bit but there wasn’t enough wind for us to feel confident enough
to hit it.
I almost gave up so many times, but kept remembering that it
could be the only chance I had to ride that feature. It was getting
very frustrating, sometimes you work a lot to get everything lined
up and the wind doesn’t cooperate. That’s what makes kite park
riding so special. It’s never good, until you have an epic day that
makes all the other bad ones worth it.
That put things into perspective for myself, we were out there far
away from contests, tours and judging trying to make something
special. All the work you put by finding the location, building the
rails, getting the crew together and setting up a feature like that
pays off when you come up with photos like this.
In the end, I only got about three hits on the feature, definitely not
what I was hoping for after waiting for a gust for so long but that’s

112
Journeys
The wall ride
Never give in
how it is sometimes. We ended up getting one okay shot so it was
worth it. Park riding itself is already very hard make happen, when
you're trying to get shots like this one where you only have a handful
of opportunities.

Charming Hotels
and Constant Winds.
Let this
Brazil
surprise
you.
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116
Characters
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker
Text:David Ingiosi
Photo: Michael Zomer Courtesy

Michael Zomer
I, e x t r e m e f i l m m a k e r
The young dutch video-maker has just finished filming Ruben
Lenten chasing storms. He had already worked together with the
“king of megaloop” back in 2015 when they produced the innovative
web series called Ten Days with Len10. Here, he tells us
about himself, about his passion for action sports and about
his friendship with Lenten. He expresses his impressions about
kiteboarding video productions but above all, he explains what
it means today, to be a video-maker who constantly deals with
extreme situations.
One of Ruben Lenten 2016
latest works is Code Red,
a captivating video project
where this dutch athlete
just few months from
his victory against cancer
got hold of his life again
and started doing what
he does best: the extreme
kiter. The video focuses on
an adventurous journey
during which Ruben chases
storms across three
European countries. Not
only wind blowing at over
50 knots, but during the
filming, the "master of extreme"
had to put up with
the cold and ice in Iceland,
through snow-capped
lands where also his jeep
broke down. He endured
the currents along the
dutch coast, which he
knows by heart but yet he
had never encountered so
strong before. Lastly, he
had to find his way out of
the Irish rocks, looking for
remote spots and even entering
the water at dusk.
In such adverse conditions
Michael Zomer was
there to capture those impressive
images; a young
but yet already well known
Dutch video-maker specialised
in action sports
who had already worked
with Lenten when filming
the innovative web series
Ten days with Len10. We
reached Michael who had
just landed in Cape Town
where he will be staying
during 2017 and he granted
us this interesting interview
in which he tells
us a little bit about himself,
of his relationship
with Ruben Lenten and especially
about his job as
video-maker of extreme
situations.

118
Characters
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker
KS_Michael, when have you decided to
become a professional video-maker?
I think I’ve always been fascinated by
cameras and video. From a very young
age (10), I ‘borrowed’ my dad’s handy
cam and started to film my mates during
skateboarding and other stupid stuff. In
that time I didn’t believe this was an actual
job, everybody could just apply for
but over the years, I developed my skills
and upgraded my equipment and people
and brands started to see that I was doing
something unique. I guess from that
point my passion for filmmaking turned
into a daily job.
KS_What kind of filming education
have you received and is there any

"master" that inspires your works?
I actually went to an art school, but I
didn’t attend many classes in filming
there, I just went on doing it myself. On
top of that, I’ve watched so many skateboard
and snowboard movies so this is
definitely where my inspiration is coming
from. So if it comes to action sports
productions Ty Evans and the whole
Brainfarm crew are true legends for me.
If it comes to storytelling I got really inspired
by the way Vice magazine does
this.

120
Characters
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker
How far can you get?

KS_What do you like to shoot the most
and what's your favourite filming style?
‘Cause I’m a real thrill seeker and my
roots are in action sports I just really
love to capture things that involve risk
and adventure. I like to go beyond average
to capture that one unique shot or
situation I got in mind. This is something
you cannot learn in film school or
wherever; I think it has to do with your
own personality and commitment, how
far will you go? Over the time I’ve created
my own style by mostly shooting run and
gun and just anticipate on the situation
or setting so you know where to be to record
that shot in the most beautiful way.
Unfortunately, this is also how I always
end up standing in water or hanging outside
driving verticals ha-ha.
When did you meet Ruben Lenten and
how did your professional collaboration
with him start?
I met Ruben 3 years ago for the first time
in Cape Town. I was asked to create a web
series about his daily life and around
the King of the Air. For over a month, I’ve
shared the same square meter with Ruben
which have been really intense at
times for the both of us. After all, I think
this has created such unique moments
and the love-hate relation Ruben and I
share is the core of our friendship.
KS_In the 10 Days with Len10 web series,
there is a behind-the-scenes style
that shows Ruben not just as a professional
kiteboarder but also as a real
guy who wants to enjoy life. That personal
and sometimes self-ironic approach
was shared between you both?
Because I’m quite down to earth and
never really treat Ruben as a professional
kitesurfer or somebody with an image
he eventually has become more himself
to me. In the beginning we had such a
hard time to get used to each other and
he used to call me a farmer ‘cause I can
be quite straight to him and do not always
agree with his behaviour or arguments.
Over the time, we started to accept
our differences in personalities and
even learned from each other at times. I

122
Characters
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker
think this made me able to get to his real
personality and capture him in the most
pure way.
In Code Red, you went along Ruben
searching for storms. How is it shooting
in those conditions? Do you have
any special gear?
Shooting in extreme weather
conditions is always a challenge
and there are many risks involved,
not only for yourself but
also for the expensive equipment.
I’ve learned a lot from
experience and shoots where
things got damaged or even totally
destroyed. I try to prevent
risk and damage to a minimum
to be always connected with
my crew and Ruben by waterproof
walkie-talkies and wrapping
all camera gear up in rain
covers and plastic bags. Still I
can’t avoid sand and salt that
goes everywhere so after every
shoot I’ve to take my tripod with
me under the shower and clean
my 30.000 euro RED Epic-W and
lenses with air dust, wet wipes, brushes
and other special stuff. Having a good
insurance is key!.
KS_Are you a kitesurfer too? If so, does
it help when you work with Ruben?
What do you think about the movies
this sport has expressed until now?
To be honest I’m not a kitesurfer, hahaha.
But I think if you compare kiteboarding
with other action sports it’s quite new. I
think it hasn’t showed it’s full limits yet
and this is what makes the sport really
challenging, it triggers riders to keep
pushing it and to be more creative. So
by thinking this there will be a whole lot
more new crazy things and locations to
capture in the future.

KS_Nowadays kitesurf movies are not
just about action, but the storytelling
is getting much more space in it. As a
storyteller, do you like this trend?
I think storytelling in action sports has
become a really important thing because
nowadays not only the people that do
the same sport are interested in these
movies but there is a way bigger audience
interested as well. They might not
be as interested in the technical tricks
and skills but they like to know more
about the lifestyle around the sport or
the personality of the riders that travel
the whole world. I personally like to add
this kind of volume to my movies ‘cause

124
Characters
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker
Ruben, love & hate
it reaches a way bigger audience and it’s
also a more challenging way of filmmaking
instead of just capturing the action.
KS_Who is the best kitesurf filmmaker
out there in your opinion?
Eyeforce did an insane job on Chapter
One but I also really like what Andy Gordon
did in the video he shot with Aron
Headlow, this is what being creative is
about!.
KS_In the movies history there are few
films that were able to represent the
beauty and the real spirit of surfing.
Can you imagine a great kitesurf movie?
Yeah I think Chapter One is a good first
example. If the sport keeps growing there
might appear some more.

Chapter One revolution

126
Characters
Michael Zomer: I, extreme filmmaker
KS_What are the projects you are working
to at the moment and what about
your 2017 plans?
I decided to go wherever the wind might
blow in 2017. On the first of January I’ve
left my home country and went on an exciting
new adventure. Together with all
my equipment, I’ve moved to Cape Town
and for the time being this will be home.
Now I’m working on several film projects,
one of them with Lasse Walker and
another Red Bull project around the King
of The Air. Besides that, I’ve no specific
plans or any film projects lined up for
the near future. I like to believe that as
long as I follow my passion it will all find
it’s way eventually! I’ll might even start
kiteboarding myself this year, ahahah!

128
Schools
In the Canary Islands the sons of the ocean are raised
In the Canary Islands the
sons of the ocean are raised
On the Island of Fuerteventura, at playa Sotavento, since a
couple of years there has been a sea and water sports school
dedicated to young riders, aged 3 up to 23 years old. It's called
Club Hijos del Mar and it was created by an Italian couple
who moved to the Canary Islands with an ambitious dream: to
teach the ocean to children.

David Ingiosi
photo Hijos de Mar Courtesy
Their names are Alexandra,
Pedro, Mario, Sara and
Jakue. They have happy
faces and smiling eyes beneath
their wet hair, they
joke around whilst going
up and down the beach in
their tight neoprene wetsuits,
always with a board
under their arm, no matter
whether it is a surf board
or a sup or a kitesurf one.
They are the sons of the
sea, or better of the ocean
as here in Fuerteventura,
in the Canary Islands,
the waves that endlessly
break on the coast come
from the Atlantic. And
those children love playing
with waves all the day
long just like they see dolphins
do it, they want to
surf them, slide over them
and ride them as much
as possible, challenging
their balance. A primordial

130
Schools
In the Canary Islands the sons of the ocean are raised
instinctive and very formative
game for the kids of
Club Hijos del Mar school,
an association which was
founded a couple of years
ago by Roberta Trocchio
and Roberto Caruso, an
Italian couple who decided
to move to Fuerteventura.
The school is dedicated
to raising young people,
from children to teenagers,
with the culture of the
sea.
"My husband and I have always
been fond of the sea
and water sports - Roberta
explains - and all our holidays
were dedicated to
the practice of windsurfing,
surfing and kitesurfing.
When our children Alessandro
and Virginia were born,
quite naturally they too
wanted to practice these
activities. Then a few years
ago, we bought a house
in Fuerteventura and we
looked for a sea school designed
especially for children,
but there wasn't any.
This was pretty peculiar
for an island like this one
which represents a Mecca
all over the world for water
sports enthusiasts. So we
decided to move there and
to open one ourselves".
An arduous dream,
but René Egli believed
in it

Sea school for
kids
This is how Roberta e
Roberto thought of building
a multidisciplinary
sport centre to do with
the ocean and dedicated
to kids from 3 to 23
years old. A school fully
dedicated to sports, training
and sessions in the
sea but which would also
spread the culture and respect
for the blue planet.
At first, the couple tries
to cooperate with some
already existing surfing
centre along the beaches
of Fuerteventura, but it is
not easy to convince them.
"They would tell us that a
kitesurf school for children
would never work - says
Roberta - that tourism on
the island had a more adult
target, but we didn't give
up, because we believed in
the project".
God job they didn't give up
because after a short while
they meet someone who
considers their idea a bit
ambitious, but definitely
interesting. That person is
not Mr. nobody, but René
Egli in person, a gentleman
who arrived in Fuerte
in 1984 aboard a wrecked
Golf car and laid the foundations
of what is now the
world's largest windsurf
and kitesurf school which
welcomes every year more
than 25.000 sportsmen.
"Rene immediately took
to heart the project - tells
Roberta - and made available
its Cabrinha equipment
and some space inside the
Pro Centre 1 on Sotavento
Beach and that's how we
started".
Learning sports
and ocean safety by
playing
This how the married couple
founded the Club Hijos
del Mar, registered it as a
non-profit sports association
and required membership
to both the Federación
Canaria de Surf and
the Federación Canaria de
Vela. This way the Centre
begins to offer surf, wind-

132
Schools
In the Canary Islands the sons of the ocean are raised
Fun and safe
lessons
surf, sup and especially
kitesurf lessons to children
and during its first
year gets nearly 100 membership
requests both by
local families and by visitors
on holiday. Roberta
and Roberto hold the first
lessons, as they are two
Iko kitesurfing instructors,
then a team of collaborators
slowly shapes
up, Sergio Ruiz (kitesurf),
Emilio Marquéz (Surf),
Paolo Mazzoli and Giorgia
Quattuzzo (sailing), all of
them capable to devote
themselves to the young
budding surfers who have
special needs and want to
have fun in total safety.
Working with children involves
great responsibility
and a specific focus aimed
at making every sport activity
absolutely fun and
safe. "During our lessons
we favour the practical aspect
both on the beach and
in the water - continues
Roberta - and we always try
to use a simple language,
full of figurative references
linked to their world in
order to make everything
perfectly understandable.
So even when we explain
manoeuvres and technical
topics, such as safety procedures,
the imperative is
never dramatizing, but get
them involved and responsible
by playing games".
Once the lessons finish,
the fun continues in collateral
activities, such as
equipment maintenance,
cleaning the beach, but
also with walks along the
coast and trips on the island.
Playa Sotavento, an
amazing gym
You can play with the
ocean, but you cannot
mess around with it. The
sea is a dynamic element
subject to many unknown
factors, first of all the
meteorological ones and
must be addressed with
the right preparation,

training and awareness
of the risks involved. The
spot of Sotavento is certainly
a terrific gym to
face the ocean. Here the
wind blows all year round,
often with an intensity of
3-4 on the Beaufort scale,
it comes from the shore
and sometimes it is extremely
gusty. «For the
very first lessons we take
advantage of the large lagoon
that arises with the
high tide near the coast
- explains Roberta - then
once the kids master the
technique we take them
in the sea with the supervision
of the instructors
and the support of rescue
boats. Currently, we are
trying to perfect the training
activities through debriefing
video of the sessions
and the creation of a
freestyle simulator on the
ground.
Since last year, Club Hijos
del Mar has also been
organizing swimming
lessons, an absolutely
necessary step to enter
the ocean and tackle the
waves safely. For the time
being swimming pools are
made available to the association
by some resorts
and hotels on the island,
but maybe in the future
there could be ad hoc facilities
for the kids.
Competitions and clinics
by top riders
Therefore, there are swimming
courses, athletic
training, stretching and
training sessions in the
water for the Hijos del
Mar, as well as competitions.
Every year Fuerteventura
hosts a rich season
of events such as
world circuit events of
windsurf and kitesurf,
stand up paddle and surf
competitions, this way
young kids in the island
become familiar with the
competitive dimension of
sports. «The number of international
competitions
for young kids is increas-

134
Schools
In the Canary Islands the sons of the ocean are raised
ing - says the Iko instructor
- we try to lead them
to competitions with the
right attitude, encouraging
them to compete with
each other in a playful climate.
So far we have taken
part to the Manga Xperience,
the Campeonato de
España Kiteboarding Wkt
Junior and the Championnat
de France de Kitesurf
Boarder Cross.
Among the most promising
"sea children" chasing
victories there are Alexandra
Torres, Alessandro Caruso,
Pedro Reyes, Jakue
Rodriguez, Alejandro Munoz,
Mario Wirz, Sara Ruiz
and Joan Mir. During competitions,
all of them make
use of the advice of some
top riders that often hang
out at the school, such as
the Spanish kiteboarders
Julia Castro and Nina Font
or the Cape Verdean Luis
Brito.
Children of today are
the riders of tomorrow
As water sports always
come with travelling even
just for the sake of experiencing
new spots and
different conditions, Club
Hijos del Mar also organizes
kitecamps around the
world. «During the winter

Kids go travelling,
parents stay at home
we managed take the kids
to Brazil, about twenty of
them and they could not
wait to leave - says Roberta
- these are also very
formative experiences,
not only sportswise, but
help develop the team
spirit, adaptability qualities
and getting to know
different cultures. That's
why parents do not take
part to these trips».
The ocean represents a
school of life for children
and this is the principle
on which Roberta and
Roberto decided to make
their bet. But children represent
the future and this
is why Club Hijos del Mar
this year has launched
the project named Kids
Are the Future, to spread
the culture of the sea and
water sports to as many
children as possible. Children
who today play with
the waves and practice
sports, but tomorrow, also
thanks to the ocean, will
certainly be better people.

136
Trends
How about learning kitefoil? Slingshot launches the Academy
How about learning kitefoil?
Slingshot
launches the Academy
The famous brand, created in 1999 by the Logosz
brothers, Jeff and Tony, has created a series of
online video tutorials completely free and designed
like a real and complete basic course for those who
want to approach the kitefoil discipline.
Text: David Ingiosi
Photo: Matthew Fitchen

138
Trends
How about learning kitefoil? Slingshot launches the Academy
As it picks up speed, the
board gets off the water
and the silence begins. All
around us only the sound
of the wind blowing and
pushing our kite. That's
what it feels like to glide
aboard a kitefoil. Those
of you who still haven't
heard of this spectacular
discipline of kitesurfing,
it's probably because they
live in a cave. In fact, over
the past two years, kitefoiling
has spread like an
avalanche sweeping the
tribe of riders, enlarging
this way the boundaries of
this sport toward horizons
that today are still evolving
and far from being defined.
Boards equipped with
futuristic fins
Basically, in kitefoiling
the rider uses a board
with special hydrodynamic
appendages called hydrofoil,
with the shape
of an inverted T, through
which the gliding board
rises completely off the
water so as to greatly reduce
friction and navigate
at incredible speeds. As
for the kites, you can use
regular inflatable kites or
better foil kites. The advantages
of kitefoiling are
various. Apart from the
amazing feeling of gliding
half a meter above the water,
you can already navigate
with just 5-6 knots
of wind intensity, you can
get in the water even if it
is chopped as the board
glides over the breakers
and finally it's possible to
ride up-wind with an up to
40 degrees angle.
Experienced riders actually
do anything with
a kitefoil: breathtaking

carvings, gigantic jumps
and freestyle manoeuvres.
What is certain is that
this sport will continue to
spread like wild fire, especially
now that the World
Sailing looks at kitefoil as
a possible candidate for
the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Kitefoil, safety first
and foremost
Meanwhile, the number of
foil-kiters is increasing all
over the world, new materials
are being tested, the
number of competitions
increase and of course, as
it happens when a sport
becomes a trend, new enthusiasts
approach this
discipline. Kitefoiling apprenticeship
isn't however
an easy one at all, not even
for an experienced kiter.
It takes time, dedication
and patience as well as
qualified instructors and
possibly focus-on lessons.
And it is with the objective
of making the approach to
this new disciple as easy
as possible, reduce the
learning times and practice
it safely, that recently
the famous brand Slingshot
has launched the
Slingshot Kite Foil Academy,
an educational project
with online video tutorials
completely free and progressive.
Ten lessons: from
zero to hero
10 lessons (plus two bonus
ones) are available
at www.foil-academy.com.
On top of explaining what
kitefoil is, what it can be
done with it, these lessons
are a proper basic course,
which includes the neces-

140
Trends
How about learning kitefoil? Slingshot launches the Academy

sary quiver to be used, the
assembly of the appendages,
safety procedures,
the body drag, water start,
riding, changes of direction
and jumps. Special
attention is devoted to the
control of the board lift
over the water, the body
posture and the proper
weight balance.
Slingshot invests in
foil: from equipment
to team riders
The Slingshot Kite Foil
Academy follows the introduction
by the American
Brand of the first
Multi-Mast Flight School
system dedicated to foil
neophytes through which
the discipline can be
learnt progressively using
three different must sizes.
Furthermore, on January
4th Slingshot Kiteboarding
announced the entry
of two new riders among
the ranks of its team, and
for the first time in the
history of the brand, they
are foil specialists.
We are talking about the
Mexican athlete Adam
Withington who is currently
taking the foil to
its maximum acrobatic
expression at global level
and the young American
rider Fred Hope who although
being only 15 years
old has made himself
known all over the world
for his aggressive style
and his extraordinary talent.

142
Trends
How about learning kitefoil? Slingshot launches the Academy
www.foil-academy.com
Kitesoul gives it a try
However, Slingshot does
not restrict the Academy
project only to foiling
for the discipline of kiteboarding.
In fact, it is already
working on lessons
dedicated also to windsurfing,
wakeboarding
and stand up paddle. In
short, it’s foiling mania.
That’s why Kitesoul Magazine
too, certain of the
increasing success that
kitefoiling will have in
the future of our sport,
accepts the challenge
launched by Slingshot and
its Academy. In the next
issue of the magazine in
fact it will be published
an interesting report of
the kitefoil self-learning
test by the editors of Kitesoul
who will follow step
by step the video lessons
of the American Brand and
will try to experience the
magic of gliding in midair.
Stay tuned!

Alex Fox:
thanks to Slingshot foiling
is today within everyone’s
reach
Slingshot brand manager and team rider explains in this
interesting interview how the Foil Academy project was
created and what riding level can be reached by attending
every lesson. And, above all, the work carried out by
the American brand in terms of design and materials
aimed at spreading this fantastic discipline that will revolutionize
the world of kiteboarding and not just that.

144
Interview
Alex Fox: thanks to Slingshot foiling is today within everyone’s reach
KS_When and how the Foil Academy's idea came up
and what's the long term goal with it?
Foil Academy came about because of the success of the
multi-mast Foiling Flight School package we launched
in early 2016. The concept of being able to learn with
three different mast lengths- starting small and graduating
in length as you improve- was an instant hit all
over the world. It didn’t take long for us to realize why:
as kite foiling exploded in recent years, a huge number
of kiters remained hesitant to invest in gear because
they were intimidated and didn’t have the right learning
tools.
I guess you could say we inspired ourselves. As soon as
we saw how well received the Flight School system was,
we realized we were providing the right tools for learning,
but there was still a huge opportunity, and need,
for teaching people how to use those tools properly.
There are plenty of tutorials out there on foiling, but
until Foil Academy, there has never been one cohesive
resource where riders can find everything they need in
an easy-to-follow format.
Our vision for the future is to have continually evolving
content, for Kite Foil Academy as well as for the other
full courses we are developing for other facets of foiling,
like Windsurf, Surf, SUP and Wake.
KS_How long did it take to complete the project and
who in your team has been involved?
From planning and developing scripts and content,
filming (both in studio and in the field), editing and
producing video, creating support text and narration,
developing graphics and branding, uploading and organizing
everything in the online software, adding fin-

ishing touches and marketing the course, the project
was a huge undertaking that took team effort.
In all, it took a good few months of work shared by our
very talented Slingshot crew.
KS_Starting from zero and with a good approach
which level is supposed to be reached for who follows
all the lessons of your course?
Of course, this really depends on the individual rider,
their skills and their learning curve, but in general we
think average riders who follow the course material
and use our Flight School package and Hover Glide Foil,
will be up and riding confidently with a full-sized mast
and will have the skills to start learning tacks, gibes
and transitions.
The course features some amazing advanced content
as well, but for the most part that is designed as a teaser,
or motivator, to highlight what is possible with foiling.
The step-by-step instruction we provide is aimed
at teaching the basics and getting riders foiling confidently
as quickly and safely as possible.
Beyond the basics, it’s time on the water, repetition
and developing muscle memory that will take riders to
the next level.
KS_The concept of a video course for free sounds like
a great expression of customer care philosophy for a
brand like yours. This can be the start of a new phase?
With kites as safe and user-friendly as they are these
days, foiling is one of the few disciplines in kiteboarding
that people are still genuinely intimidated by. From
a brand perspective, we see a couple direct benefits to
providing the course to anyone who wants it, for free.

146
Interview
Alex Fox: thanks to Slingshot foiling is today
First, as you said, it is a great expression
of customer service. Slingshot
has always prided itself on excellent
and personal customer service and
this is our way of addressing a need
we heard from many of our customers.
Second, and just as important, is that
we are in the business of getting people
out on the water and having fun
on all types of Slingshot gear. Foiling
as an amazing aspect of kiteboarding
and we are confident it is going to continue
to grow in popularity. There’s no
benefit to us if people are intimidated
by foiling and are unwilling to try it, or give up because
they have a bad experience. By providing a free learning
resource, we are investing in foiling as a whole, and
in the possibility of creating customers who see value
in the course and decide to invest in the equipment it
utilizes.
KS_The kitefoil discipline is growing up all over the
world and Slingshot is knee deep into this movement.
What's the best innovation in your hydrofoil gear?
If we’re using “knee deep” as the metaphor, I’d say
we are free and clear and racing ahead, while others
are knee deep in the rearview.
If you look at what we’ve innovated over the last couple
of years, and what we have coming in the near future,
it’s clear that Slingshot carving out a name as a premier
foil brand, and not just in kiteboarding. Tony Logosz,
our chief designer, has his ear to the ground and is
very in tuned to the future of all types of foiling. This

is an exciting and rapidly changing movement, and it’s
safe to say we have one of the most innovative and forward-thinking
designers in the industry on our side.
To answer your question specifically, I think our multi-mast
Flight School system and Hover Glide foil is
our best innovation to date. Flight School instantly
made foiling more achievable and accessible to riders
around the world. The fact that every manufacturer in
the industry is scrambling to create their own version
is a testament to its efficacy.

148
Equipment
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’
RRD lines: the revolution is called
Rigid Thread Lines
After years of study and research Roberto Ricci
Designs developed the Rigid Thread Lines, an innovative
formula for lines made of synthetic, rigid
and high modulus fibre which represent the state
of the art of this product at global level. Roberto
Ricci explains it in an interesting interview.
Text: David Ingiosi
Photo: Svetlana Romantsova, Andre Magarao e Chris Bobryk

150
Equipment
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’
Dyneema is the innovative synthetic fibre
In the past recent years, the evolution of kitesurfing equipmenthas
made great strides in terms of materials, design and concept. A continuous
research that sees the various brands in the market constantly
committed to developing products increasingly effective in
terms of performance, lines, ergonomics, appearance and style. Design
studies and manufacturers are mainly focused on kites, boards
and bars. It appears that not as much attention is dedicated to another
part of the equipment, just as important: the lines of the bar.
These represent a crucial factor for the control of a kite through the
control bar and they greatly influence its performance, as well as being
subject to heavy loads both whilst navigating as well as during
the maneuvers. This shows how the lines are the part of the equip-

1.5 million m RRD lines all over the world
ment most exposed to wear and tear and,in the worst case, to breakage.
Nowadays, those manufacturers who want to offer efficient lines,
highly-performing, up to date and to technology, have no other choice
but to start from the specific needs of this sport and of its practitioners
and avoid to recycle concepts, materials and production
systems borrowed from other disciplines. These principles are the
basis on which the Roberto Ricci Designs team developed the Rigid
Thread Lines, new concept lines made of synthetic fibre with fantastic
features and technical properties. We get a detailed explanation
by Roberto Ricci, owner of RRD, who we contacted for this interesting
interview.

152
Equipment
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’
KS_Every year RRD makes some changes
to bars as well as to the kites. The
lines however have been the same for
6 years. Tell us how the development of
the RigidThread Lines came to be...
The Rigid Thread Lines were entirely developed
by Werther Castelletti, the RRD
designer, who put together this idea
with an Italian manufacturer of lines. Together
we created an exclusive formula
to develop a kite bar which shows to be
the biggest evolution for kite bars worldwide.
It took us a long time before we
decided to change the lines because we
wanted to be 100 percent sure, actually
1.000 percent sure, to create an effective
product capable of meeting our needs.
Currently after producing about 1.5 million
meters of lines in the world we are
confident that our product represents
without a doubt a reference which allows
us to fly high in the global market .

KS_Could you describe in detail the
materials with which these lines are
made of?
The lines are entirely built in Dyneema,
a high load synthetic fibre patented
by the company Dupont here in Europe
and which in the United States is called
Spectra, the name of the company which
patented itoverseas. The characteristic
of this material is its high resistance to
traction and an elongation percentage
close to zero. Also, it is quite rigid and
very resistant to cuts and abrasions. We
used these technical qualities to create
unidirectional fibre lines from the
attachment point on the bar up to the
tips of the kite. This natural and perfect
position of the fibres prevents the lines
from losing any tension, as if they were
electric wires, to avoid twists and perfectly
follow the direction of the forces
involved between the kite and the bar.
Another extremely important part of the
work was the creation of a special external
hard sock of Dyneema with a compact
and micrometric structure which
protects the lines from cuts and friction,
it prevents the creation of that sort of
fluff that covers traditional lines after
a while, reduces the formation of knots
and extends the lifespan of the lines.

154
Equipment
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’
KS_How do these lines react to the prolonged
exposure to sunrays and salt?
Sun, sand and salt are the lines’ worst
enemies because they affect the physical
and technical properties of the fibres
by reducing the load resistance, increasing
the wear and tear and compromising
the lifespan of the lines. Salt influences
the stretching properties of the lines
as it crystallizes within them and when
the lines stretch, for example during a
kiteloop, these salt crystals prevent the
line from returning to the initial position.
As opposed to normal threaded lines in
the market which over time are subject
to the opening of the strands, our lines
are fully protected by the outer sock,
just like that plastic cover that protects
the copper wires inside electric cables.
This way the Dyneema fibres don't ever
get in contact with atmospheric agents.
There are many Brands which systematically
announce fantastic bars evolutions
which however have threaded lines
easily prone to wear and tear. I believe
that a serious approach to the evolution
of the bars cannot be separated from an
equally thorough designing for effective
lines, strictly designed for the needs of
this sport. During these 6 years in RRD
we focused on how to make the most out
of technology, materials and the evolution
in this field.

No risks of breakage

156
Equipment
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’
KS_The lines are produced in Italy,
and surely, this is a choice in favour of
quality. Who are your developers and
who are the manufacturers?
Werther develops every aspect, whereas
in relation to the manufacturing all I can
say is that it is internal to the RRD factory.
KS_What are the benefits of these lines
in radical conditions, for instance during
kiteloops at the King of the Air?
In relation to that I wouldn't say there
are that many differences in terms of
performance compared to other lines on
the market. Let's say that the rider may
experience a more direct feeling with the
kite than with other bars because our
lines have a very reduced stretch therefore
a more immediate and precise response
of the kite to the movements on
the bar. The benefits are really the result
of a personal appreciation. What's sure
is that those who ride in radical conditions
won't need to check whether the
lines have stretched or broke after each
session because this is absolutely unlikely.

158
Equipment
RRD lines: the revolution is called ‘Rigid Thread Lines’
KS_In Freestyle are there any differences
in the feeling for example when
performing the pop?
Here again, I would say that it's about a
more direct feeling with the bar and the
fact that the kite responds much more
precisely, without any delay and dispersion
of power, especially when changing
direction of the kite.
KS_Do you think there is still some
room for improvement in a product already
so successful? Are you considering
some new solution?
No, we were trying lines with a different
diameter, thinner lines, and we got
to the point of reducing them by over a
millimetre so the lines were still strong
enough, but we felt that the benefit of
thinner lines would have been just the
weight, only useful for super light wind
condition for foiling for example. Therefore,
for now, as far as the lines are concerned
we are super happy to have such
an outstanding and unrivalled product
worldwide.

160
Video saga
Felipe Moure Lopez and his Blind Judge 5 Challenge
Is it possible that a nearly 40 years
old rider can land one of the most
difficult and spectacular manoeuvres
in Freestyle, the Blind Judge 5? This
is the bet of Felipe Moure Lopez, a
Spanish enthusiastic rider who created
a funny video saga about his personal
challenge hoping to inspire those who
wish to fully enjoy kitesurfing despite
the age.
and his Blind Jud

ge 5 Challenge

162
Video saga
Felipe Moure Lopez and his Blind Judge 5 Challenge
This is the story about a
rider born in 1978. A man
who learnt kiteboarding
when he was 30 years old,
it’s not a bad moment in
life, in general. You can be
in good shape, you have
more money than when
you are younger, sex is better
when you are 30 than
when you are 20 and your
willpower is stronger than
when you were a teenager
and just having a shower
was something so hard
to do when you were lying
on the sofa Thirties are a
good moment in general,
maybe alopecia can concern
a bit, you may have it
or not but the concerning
is always around you. So,
except for that, thirties
are great!
This man who learnt to
go upwind in his thirties
didn’t know the mess
he was about to get in,
he didn’t know that he
was starting to play the
most addictive videogame
in history. That thing,
the kiteboarding, which
seemed harmless and
even healthy (it is a sport
in the end, sport is good),
became a hard drug.
Kitesurf like a
videogame: passing
the levels
At the beginning, kiting
was just something else
between all his hobbies,
it was just another videogame.
He passed the first
stage (going upwind), then
jumping, then rotations,
second stage passed!
Then he went for the bonus
stage (grabs hooked in,
easy and fun, the same as
when you have to destroy
a car in Street Fighter II).
Then he changed level
from easy to intermediate
and started to unhook. And
just then, when everything
seemed to get stuck, it
was the moment when the
real craziness started, the
most addictive stage of
the videogame. If you pass
this stage, there is no way

164
Video saga
Felipe Moure Lopez and his Blind Judge 5 Challenge
back! We are talking about
the handle pass! Apparently,
it seems a kid’s thing,
easy: ride fast, go downwind,
unhook, pop with
kite at 45 degree and pass
the bar behind your back
from one hand to the other
one, then look at the water
again and land as you can.
Easy? Bullshit! The poor
guy we are dedicating this
lines spent one year trying
to pass this stage of
the simple handle pass
in the air (the Blind Judge
trick). But he got it. It was
at the end of 2012 in Brazil
when he was able to pass
this stage. And, as we said
lines before, there was no
way back, that trick which
looked impossible at the
beginning came true and
a new World appeared in
front of his eyes, a world
of possibilities wider than
King Kong’s penis!
My rider buddies are
all younger than I am
In that moment, 34 years
old, he didn’t realize that

he had put off all his previous
projects and he had
left aside the piano, the
pencil and his drawings,
the gym, the Step classes,
the PlayStation and the
Tekken, the Rollerblades,
he even gave up his habit
of watching Fight Club
(amazing movie) once per
week. His old life had disappeared,
everything was
kiteboarding. Everything
in his life became trying
new tricks and talking
about them with his kite
friends: Hey, man, yesterday
I got a new trick!
The Hinterberger! Hinter
what? Hitler? Ana Frank?
Where? Burger? What
the hell are you talking
about?. Yes, this was the
typical answer of anybody
of his age. Why? Obvious!
Because the people who
knew what a Hinterberger
is, are pretty much younger!
(usually).
The Freestyle 30+: it
can be done!
He felt alone so he decided
to make a video to encourage
people of his age
to try freestyle tricks. The
Freestyle 30+ video saga
and its famous shout... Excuses!
or Gallina! (chicken
in Spanish). He wanted to
say that age doesn’t matter,
he wanted to inspire
people of every age to play
at the same level of the
videogame, he wanted to
show that it was possible
to do nearly all the freestyle
tricks you can see in
competitions, even when
you are not a young boy.
And he did it! You can see it
in that saga: blind judge3,
heart attack, Smobe, Hinterberger,
315, KGB... All
this videos are full of
sense of humour, provocation
and inspiration
for people of about 35-40
years of age who still feel
more or less young but
who start to feel too old for
trying tricks or facing the
Newtons of a hard landing
riding boots. He inspired
them and soon, some old-

166
Video saga
Felipe Moure Lopez and his Blind Judge 5 Challenge
Watch th
web cana
episodes
Challeng

e Felipe Moure Lopez
l with the three
of The Blind Judge 5
e:
ies started to be seen in
the lagoons, grandpas like
him trying to pass the bar,
riding hard with C-kites
and boots and shouting
Excuses! when any of their
friends talked about pain
in the knees, in the back
or in the forearms.
Double Handle Pass:
the going gets tough
But this was not enough
for him, he still wanted to
draw more attention! He
wanted to inspire more
and more people; he still
wanted to shout louder
age doesn’t matter. So, he
came up with and idea.
The simple handle pass
appeared to be impossible
years ago, ok, but it
was possible in the end,
it’s possible now. So, if
the double handle pass
seems to be impossible
now, it has to be possible
someday. This man about
to be 40 wanted to go for
a double handle pass! The
Blind Judge 5 became his
next goal, a powered double
handle pass (Backside
315 is the real name) only
performed by legends and
professional riders of the
World Championship. It’s
not an easy trick, less than
100 people in the world
are able to do it nowadays
and, moreover, there is
only a woman in the World
(Bruna Kajiya) able to get
it. So, now the videogame
is in the Final Stage, Extreme
difficulty Level is
on! The challenge for him
now is to become the oldest
man in the world able
to do a Blind Judge 5!
That’s The BJ5 Challenge.
Felipe Moure still hasn’t
overcome it, but he won’t
stop until he gets it and,
when he finally gets it, he
will make his message
clear: It’s not about age.
It’s about attitude.

168
Interview
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path

A lot of irony, great
motivation, nasty
accidents. But I enjoy
the path
Let’s find out, through his own words,
something more about Felipe Moure Lopez’
story and about what this rider has to tell
the world:

170
Interview
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path
KS_Why do you want to make the buzz with your challenge?
As many things in life, it’s all about marketing, how many
people are out there doing amazing things? Millions! But,
if they don't make the buzz, they won’t inspire anybody, all
that amazing things will be lost in time like tears in the rain
(Blade Runner, hehehe...). If I got the Blind Judge 5 alone in a
remote lagoon, for me it would have been an orgasm anyway,
it’s a personal goal and the first being pleasured is I. But if I
do it alone, I won’t inspire anybody! I don’t want to die alone
in a lagoon! I want to die inspiring people! Hahaha!.
KS_Little Summary about the Evolution of the Challenge?
Episode I: Egypt. July 2015. Lots of Pushups. Just two Blind
Judge 5 attempts. Very difficult, not high enough to rotate,
not fast enough to spin This trip was just an approach to the
trick.
Episode II: Brazil. November 2015.
Lots of Pullups. Several attempts of
Blind Judge 5. Hard work improving
my pop. The trick is closer but I go
too high and hard and I broke my
meniscus. What a bummer!
Episode III: Brazil. August 2016. Lots
of Squats. I recovered from my knee
injury and I got closer to the trick
than ever! I do lots of attempts and
everyone is closer than the last one.
But I broke my femoral biceps in the
same lagoon I broke my meniscus
months ago! I have to stop my attempts.
Currently, I have totally recovered

from the meniscus and the femoral biceps injuries but I still
haven’t got the Blind Judge 5. Grrr!.
KS_How did you come up with the idea of the pushups in
the First Episode?
It was because a great friend of mine (Phil Larcher, rider from
Liquid Force) and myself were drunk one night, talking about
being fit and we made the typical bet let’s see who is more in
shape by the 1st of October of this year. So, the bet gave me
an excuse to do pushups anywhere and anytime: at a party,
at the high school where I work (actually, I’m a computer science
teacher) while I teach, waiting for the lift or even in the
boarding queue. Everything because I wanted to be stronger
than my friend Phil and, at the same time, I didn’t realize I
was getting a stronger chest to prevent shoulder injuries (in
the end, shoulder is weak for handle passes). During those
days, I would get close to somebody and would tell him/her
give me a number (he/she didn’t know what was the purpose
of the number) and after they told me the number I would
do as many pushups as the number they had told me. It was
so funny and people always laughed a lot about that stupid
thing. I still try to follow that habit which I named Random
Pushupping, you do a lot of pushups randomly along the
day and sometimes, when you make counts before going to

172
Interview
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path
bed you realize you’ve
done 500 reps! Bloody
Hell! Flipping hard! After
this crazy (and very
healthy) habit, including
so many pushup
scenes (pyramids, Luxor
temple, airplane corridor,
boarding queue,
etc.) it was something
I didn’t decide. It came
naturally by itself. The
same as it happened
with the scene of the
pushups over the car
roof. We didn’t decide
that scene at the beginning,
it was something
like... Hey, look
what a beautiful light right now, Hey, look at the desert, such
a beautiful frame, Hey, look at the car, Pushups?, Pushups
over the car?, Pushups over the car running?, Yeees, let’s
do it... It was something like that. Planning things in life is
something good, but you always have to leave -at least- half
of the plan open for improvisation. That’s the way of letting
the real good things happen...
KS_What about the naked scene with the cows in Episode
II?
One of the greatest moments in my life, hahaha! I went to a
secret lagoon... (nothing is secret using Google earth) with
Manel Arpa (North), Bas Koole (Airush), Sergio Turégano
(Best) and Pau Gisbert (Cabrinha). We went there because

Manel was running out of time to film his video, he was about
to leave Brazil and he needed an empty lagoon with no kiters
around. And so it was. No kiters and no people around, that
was not a secret lagoon, it was a ghost lagoon! So I decided
to go around naked because it was really funny being there
with nobody around, running and kiting with my Big George
swinging at the sun, hahaha! Then, I suddenly saw a group of
cows, I put the tripod in a good place, the cows looked at me,
we felt the love and we flowed together! It was another scene
that I didn’t decide. It was a great moment! No planning, no
cameraman, just me, the tripod and the cows. Unforgettable!
KS_And what happens when you fail a BJ5 attempt?
It depends on how close you are to the Blind Judge 5. You
can see the progression along the 3 episodes. In Egypt, Episode
I, I still hadn’t tried it very much. So, instead of a 540
degree rotation I did a 450 rotation, that’s a heelside edge,
board crossed to wind direction. A big crash, as if the board
gets stuck in the water and you get thrown backwards like
Indiana Jones whip. The result is a neck contracture, which
needs 2 days to recover. That’s nothing. In Episode II in Brazil,
I was more committed for the BJ5, my pop was harder so
I got higher with time enough to do a 540 degree rotation.
The heelside edge (and the flipping 2 days neck contracture)
disappeared from my life, the crashes were not so painful
anymore. I progressed on my Blind Judge 5 adventure! Then
the only thing I was focused on was to go higher and higher
so as to have more time to complete the rotation and catch

174
Interview
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path
the bar in the second handle pass, but I ignored the fact that
the higher and more powered you go, the harder the landing
is… And I got injured in the last attempt (the last attempt of
Episode II is the real moment of the injury). Broken meniscus,
Bone contusion, blah, blah, blah!
KS_And how did you recover? Did you need surgery?
At the beginning I was a bit scared. It was the first injury in
my life and I was 37. And it was not the typical ankle little
thing, was something in the knee. The Knee! So important! So
big! “our knees, our wheels” (my mother always says that) I
did an RMI and they said Broken meniscus, maybe you need
surgery. But… I kept myself positive trying to think as less as
possible about it. I did cycling like a sick, I stretched a lot
and got my left leg stronger than King Kong’s rocket. In the
end, I didn’t need surgery. Yahoo!
KS_After being injured, during the recovery, did you think
about giving up the challenge?
No, of course I didn’t. And the reward for keeping on trying is
than I can go on answering what happens now when I fail the
Blind Judge 5. Nothing happens! After recovering from the
knee injury, I worked a lot on the trick and now I get higher
enough to do the whole rotation so I don’t suffer the heelside
edge and at the same time, I don’t go so high that my legs

cannot stand it. Now
I’m even closer! Check
it in the Episode!
KS_What happens
with Liam Whaley,
what does he have
to do with your challenge?
He’s been a good
friend since 2012,
when I was in Brazil
trying to do my first
handle pass, he was
16 and I was 34. Yes,
I know, big age difference,
but I’m used
to it. Since I started
kiteboarding, some
of my best friends are
pretty much younger
than I am. Moreover,
I usually kite in Tarifa
with all these kids
(they were kids when I
first met them): Maxi
Gómez, Liam, Jerome
Cloetens, Manu de Pfyffer The thing is that, Liam is the Freestyle
World Champion; he is an influent person in the kite
world. He helps me to make the buzz with this story and we
have real fun together filming and inventing stupid things
and stupid advices like doing lots and lots of pushups, lots
and lots of pullups or inflating the kite using my anus. In
that sense, it’s just fun for making people laugh and, in the
end, reaching more people to inspire!
KS_Why so much nudity in your videos?
Really, I don’t know... Do you remember what I told you before
about plans in life and let some place for improvisation.

176
Interview
A lot of irony, great motivation, nasty accidents. But I enjoy the path
Well, I don’t know why but
when I start improvising
I always end up naked,
hahaha! Anyway, being
naked is always funny
and always makes people
smile.
KS_So, what’s next?
You still haven’t got the
Blind Judge 5, what are
you going to do now?
Obvious! I will make another
Episode! Episode IV!
Where? Still don’t know.
Exercise? Still don’t
know. Pushups, Pullups,
Squats, and the next is...
maybe naked handstand,
who knows? Will I get the
Blind Judge 5 in the next Episode? Who knows... At the moment,
I’m going to Coche Island in Venezuela next week just
for training, winter was not very windy here in Spain this
year and I have to get my skills back, I feel as if I’m not able
to do a simple Blind Judge 3, so I have to recover my confidence.
Maybe I film my Episode IV in Coche, let’s see.
KS_And just to finish how do you know there is nobody
older than you who is able to do the Blind Judge 5?
I don’t know. That was one of the reasons to make the videos,
just to find out. But at the moment, nobody has complained
about it so I suppose there isn’t any oldie like me able to do
it. Let’s see if I can be the first. But, the most import of all
is that: it doesn’t matter if I can get it or not. Anyway, I’m
inspiring people to create their own challenges, their own
goals and go for them! Go for your goals and enjoy the path,
even if you blow your knee, enjoy the path...
Big hug to everybody!

178
Wave strapless
Lo straight air
Everything must have
a beginning and the
beginning of strapless
freestyle tricks starts
with the straight air, as
this trick is the start to
all other tricks. Having
the ability and being able
to recognize when the
board is secure to your
feet without straps is
essential to progressing
your strapless abilities.
B y R e o S t e v e n s

1.
Like any jump, whether it’s strapped or
strapless, to leave the water you must
load up the kite and board by setting a
rail and edging against the kite. This creates
added tension in the lines that you
will use to lift you off the water.
2.
As you load up your board, turn the nose
of the board slightly into the wind, just
enough so as you leave the water the
bottom of the board is faced into the
wind. You may point the toes of your feet
to help you do this if you feel necessary.
3.
Though out the air, make sure to keep
the bottom of the board facing into the
wind; if the upwind rail goes low enough
for the wind to hit the top of the board,
the board will fly off your feet.
4.
Spot your landing and land like you
would a normal strapped jump.
TIPS
Take your back hand off the bar, it is easier
to rotate your body to a position that
allows you to get the bottom of the board
up and facing the wind.
Use the chicken loop to speed up or slow
down to stay connected with your board
in the air.
If possible, time your take off with a
‘kicker’ such as a small wave or chop to
help you initiate your jump.

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182
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184
PRODUCT FOCUS
F-One
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