Innehållsförteckning för #60 från TheKiteMag

Wow, where did that go… It is Issue #60 and – pretty much – the 10th anniversary of TheKiteMag. I know – where did it go, right?! I have a shot somewhere from 2014 (this was in the days before ‘the cloud’ so it could be anywhere) of me standing by a table I’ve set up outside my office which is holding several piles of 32-page ‘sample’ magazines, all ready to be sent out to the main kite brands. It was nervous times, having jumped over from a different magazine and decided to set off on my own. I was self-financed (mainly on credit cards!) and knew a lot about writing magazines but not a whole lot about publishing them… This was already well into the digital era so the…

Towards the end of August, the Flysurfer team confirmed the shoot was happening in New Zealand. We planned to shoot in the Queenstown Lake District, focusing on the Robrosa Range, which is near the Snow Farm, a popular ski touring destination. This area is widely regarded as one of the top snowkite locations in the Southern Hemisphere, if not the very best. After meticulous planning and checking the weather forecasts for ideal conditions, I flew down south to Queenstown from Auckland. We had a promising two-day weather window. There, I met up with Jonty Norton, a talented videographer, keen kiter, and adventurer based in Queenstown. Josh, another highly skilled videographer and photographer, also joined us, flying in from Auckland for the shoot. We dedicated an entire day in Queenstown to…

Where to start? Mauritius was just incredible. With two weeks of nonstop conditions, we really scored. I used to visit Mauritius so much as a kid to train waves and freestyle, it’s where I really progressed as a pro rider. The idea of heading there this year came about a few months back when I was in Sardinia at our Year 30 dealer meeting. While there I chatted to Roberto and my team manager Jacopo about putting a shoot together for our brand-new wave kite and really making a special release out of it. So, we got a small team together – myself, Roberto, team rider Ralf Bachschuster, and Sam behind the camera – and decided to go in search of the magic shots. It’s always a toss-up when you…

The third stop of the Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour in the Kite-Surf discipline landed in Dakhla, Morocco, marking almost a decade since the first call at the desert surf break. The rankings of the leaders had shifted after the second stop in Sylt, Germany, in August, when the mixed format of strapless freestyle and wave shook up the order. Cape Verdean Matchu Lopes was ranked fourth overall going to Dakhla, and his early exit did not help his quest for the world title. Brazil’s Sebastian Ribeiro also went out in the quarter-final after an epic heat that he lost by a small margin. Bulgaria’s Nicola Abadjiev exited at the same stage, but built on his fourth place finish in Sylt. In the women’s draw, Moona Whyte won the…

The Copa Kitley GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup Cauipe, in Brazil, was the tour’s second stop of the season. The Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour’s Freestyle season’s mid-point was a crucial stop in the perfect conditions of Cauipe’s lagoon. The flat waters and consistent, strong breezes blowing over a stadium-like setting made it ideal for the very best action the discipline has to offer. The men’s field was stacked with talent. Tour leader Arthur Guillebert found his groove as the contest progressed. Maxime Chabloz, and former world champion Gianmaria Coccoluto, looked dangerous. But Coccoluto went out in the semi-final and finished fifth. Brazilian newcomer, 16-year-old Davi Ribeiro, was remarkable but he made a surprising exit in the semi-final. The Brazilians Erick Anderson and João Lucas were in excellent form,…

scan to watch This past year, the Kite Park League (KPL) celebrated its 10th birthday, a decade of pioneering and thriving at the forefront of progression and innovation within the competitive sphere of kiteboarding. For those who have been along for the journey as a competitor, organizer, sponsor or fan, the entire KPL would like to cordially thank you for your support because you are the true essence of our efforts. If you are just now being introduced to the KPL for the first time, welcome, and thanks for tuning in! We are confident you will be entertained. Over the last 10 years, the industry, competitions, disciples, brands and riders have experienced quite a lot of change, and as a result, the KPL has done its best to acknowledge transitions…

RIDER WILLOW-RIVER TONKIN PHOTO JACK LAKEY LOCATION INDONESIA WT: After many, many years of hearing about this perfect barreling slab in Indonesia, I finally ended up making my way there to see what I could find. I initially planned to stay two weeks, which quickly changed to three weeks, then to four. I just couldn’t get enough of this perfect gem of a wave. This shot ended up being my last evening session with one of the biggest swells of the year. I think it’s safe to say that we scored it “all time” that day. But I’ll definitely be back one day for more. RIDER LANA HERMAN PHOTO ANDY TROY LOCATION BRAZIL LH: This photo was taken near Ilha do Guajiru, during the shoot for Harlem’s new twintip, the…

The GKA’s Kite-Surf discipline season closed out its fourth and final stop in a new location in Brazil: Ibiraquera. The waves that form on a rocky point and build on sand bar, break to the left in most conditions. That favored goofy-foot riders on the tour for once. But in Ibiraquera, in mid-competition, the wind switched and a new location for the closing heats meant it was concluded in a right-hand break. In the men’s competition the race for the world title was tight heading into Ibiraquera. James Carew had won two tour stops on his comeback from injury, but had missed the opening stop. In Brazil he finished ninth, after he was put out early by Pedro Matos. Carew finished second overall and missed out on another world title.…

1 // RRD Gold Religion Y30 The new Y30 Gold version takes everything you love about the Religion and enhances it with the latest available advancements in kite technology. For an extremely stiff yet lightweight structure, the new kite features Aluula across the leading edge, Rectex Dacron on the tips and struts, and 1.2mm Dyneema lines, for added responsiveness, reactivity and tighter turns. 2 // Appletree Luke’s Leaf Small, loose, easy to rotate and perfect for those big airs, the Luke’s Leaf is a no-nonsense freestyle kiteboard design, a perfectly tuned combination of outline, rocker and bottom contour. Advanced riders will love this freestyle monster. A thicker middle section and lack of channels or grab rails give the board more strength – and as Luke McGillewie’s signature board it needs…

Andre: As the winds die down and Brazil’s kiteboarding hotspots return to their quiet coastal fishing villages, the riders reflect on yet another unforgettable season. From nail-biting competitions to personal milestones, this season had a little bit of everything. Two events on the freestyle side of things, the GKA in Cumbuco and the Kite Park League (KPL) Team Battle in Taiba, kept everyone busy and focused. From world-class freestyle to epic rail sessions, Brazil’s kite season delivered once again. This season was a bit different for me as it was the first time I didn’t go to Cumbuco to shoot. But Taiba delivered! This season the lagoon formed very differently from the last few years. There was the usual freshwater lagoon but we also had two tidal saltwater lagoons. They…

LIKE SNOWBOARD BINDINGS, IS HYPERLOCK ADJUSTABLE ON THE MOVE? AND DOES THIS GIVE IT AN ADVANTAGE OVER YOUR PREVIOUS HARNESS SYSTEMS? Hyperlock is heavily inspired by snowboard ratchets, but we quickly realized that adapting this concept for a kite harness required significant modifications to suit the unique conditions and demands of kiting. While the Unity System we introduced five years ago has been a fantastic innovation, Hyperlock takes harness functionality and performance to the next level. One major advantage of Hyperlock is its full adjustability, even on the water and while in motion. Beyond that, it features a system of four redundant ratchets and ladders, providing unmatched adjustability, secure spreader bar hold-down, reliability, and safety. WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN AND TESTING, AND ENSURING ALL THAT PLASTIC HOLDS UP…

STIG HOEFNAGEL ARE YOU THE LONGEST RUNNING ATHLETE WHO HAS STAYED WITH THE SAME BRAND IN OUR SPORT? IF NOT YOU AND NAISH, WHO WOULD IT BE? Good pickup! Honestly, it could be me. There are a few people who have been around for a long time, but I have noticed in the last 3-4 years a few long-term athletes leaving their brands, so I could be rivaling there, as I honestly can’t think of someone else. It’s been since 2008 on board now! Makes me feel old and boring, but maybe loyalty is good haha. I’ve been pretty stoked the whole time so no reason to leave! LOUKA PITOT HOW DO YOU STILL MANAGE TO EXCEL AT VARIOUS DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES, TAKING THE TOP SPOTS IN COMPETITION AND BANGING OUT…

TWINTIP HYDROFOIL SURF…

scan to watch I come from Itanhaém, on the coast south of São Paulo in Brazil. It is a super tricky spot for wind. We only have wind when a cold front comes in, and we can end up with two different wind directions on the same day. But I think having to kite in varying conditions helped me a lot to get where I am today. Anyway, well before kiting, I started surfing at home with my dad when I was only three years old. Then my “career” really kicked off when I was seven when some friends of mine started wakeboarding. I joined them and quickly got really into it. I had some good competition results: Junior World Champion and Brazil Champion. But when I was around 14…

Most of us know it’s important to wear sunscreen when we’re kiting, and those of us who also ski or snowboard will usually wear sunscreen and goggles or sunglasses when on the snow. But it’s not that common to see kiters wearing eye protection while on the water, and this is something the recently founded, non-profit organization SkinEye wants to address. To help promote the importance of wearing eye and skin protection when kiting, they set themselves the challenge of achieving the fastest ever tandem kite run… At the Prince of Speed 2024 Farrel Cup in Gruissan, southern France, SkinEye President Yann Derrien and Salim Ejnaini did just that, achieving 30.9 knots along a 500m run. We spoke to Salim, who is registered blind, having had eye cancer as a…