With so many disparate events, PKRA and KPWT tour, national and international one day event and so on, a unified world ranking system is long overdue. It seems like there is a work in progress going on at the IKA (International Kiteboarding Association) that might produce some good news in the coming months. PKRA have not embraced IKA so far but that might change soon.

Here is what I believe is the good idea behind IKA:

The International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) has been founded to bring the development of international kiteboarding activities under the well respected umbrella of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

Starting in 2006, preparations begun to build a boat owners (riders) association taking over the administration of the sport and to make an end with the rivalry of the two professional tour operators PKRA and KPWT. In the future, there shall be only one world champion in each discipline, and one worldcup winner.

This doesn't mean that PKRA and KPWT will stop their tours. In contrary, the idea is to combine all worldwide events into one ranking, the existing tours as well as new event organizers.

In the end, kiteboarding will grow, and will be as respected as any other sailing discipline.

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Monday, 08 December 2008 14:59

This new series is intended to bring you more information about the most asked for topics around the new kiteboarding era. We are starting with the one of the biggest interest at the moment: the unified world ranking. While the details are still under development, we want to give you a brief overview what will come up in the near future.

First of all, to make an end with all the guessing around the world: there is no exclusivity to anyone or anything to run a world tour, world cup, world championship or whatsoever. This means, neither the KPWT through the broad agreement we have with them, nor anybody else has an "exclusive tour". In contrary, all events that will be sanctioned in the future will count towards the unified ranking, and in the expression disciplines (freestyle and wave) the winner of the world ranking is crowned the world champion.
Sanctioned events are graded depending on their importance and - of course - their price money. This goes from international open events (for which every nation can apply) over grand prix events, continental championships, up to grand slams and super grand slams. In racing and speed, an additional one-off world championship event will be held to determine the world champion.

Brad Benz and Ryan Lamb went up to Russian Ridge (Borel Hill, 2400 feet) off of skyline at the intersection of Page Mill and Skyline drive. The winds ranged from 8 to 11.5 mph. Ryan was able to fly his new 09 12m Bandidos easily - including jumps and getting pulled back to the top of the hill after fooling around on the mountain. To date, they are the first to have done it. Congrats!

Kite Clinic with Etienne Lhote:

Improve your freestyle with F-one pro-rider Etienne Lhote in La Ventana, Baja California Sur, Mexico - Jan 22-30, 2009

For more info, contact info@kitemasters.com

Minimum level: intermediate to expert.

Just unbelievable how the speed record does more to promote kitesurfing than any other freestyle event, like PKRA and KPWT for example. After the New York Times, Le Monde. Et c'est en Francais...


C'est l'histoire, plutôt cocasse, d'une douche écossaise. Voilà comment Alexandre Caizergues est passé du ravissement à l'abattement, avant de retrouver son sourire. Tout cela en l'espace de deux mois. "Maintenant, je trouve ça rigolo. Mais franchement, au début, ça ne m'a pas fait marrer du tout", confie-t-il.

Depuis des années, ce jeune homme de 29 ans se bat avec une poignée de fondus pour décrocher le record du monde de vitesse à la voile et franchir la barre des 50 noeuds (92,6 km/h), le Graal du milieu. Un objectif double qu'il a enfin atteint le 4 octobre, sur une côte africaine, à Lüderitz, en Namibie, loin de sa Camargue natale. Le chronomètre s'est montré formel : 50,57 noeuds de moyenne sur 500 mètres. Dans les règles. Il n'y avait plus qu'à graver la marque dans les tablettes officielles.

If you like it cold, here is where you need to go:

Dec 5-7 Snowkite Summit Skyline, UT, USA www.snowkitesummit.com
Dec 5-7 Georgetown Open II Georgetown Lake, MT, USA www.undergroundkitesports.com
Dec 20 Intermountain Snowkite Rally Island Park, ID, USA www.windzup.com
Jan 3-4 Swede Lake Rally Watertown, MN, USA www.northstarkiteboarding.com
Jan 24-25 Kiters Winterfest Green Lake, Spicer, MN, USA www.feet8.com
TBA Tugg Hill Snowkite Rally Tugg Hill, NY, USA www.windzup.com
Feb 14-16 Montana Snowkite Rodeo Mt. Haggin, MT, USA www.windzup.com
Feb 21-22 Kitestorm Burlington, VT, USA www.stormboarding.com
Feb 21-22 Snowkite Soldier Hill City, ID, USA www.windzup.com
Feb 26-Mar 1 US Open Snowkite Masters Skyline, UT, USA www.windzup.com
March 7-8 Therapy Sessions Lake Dillon, CO, USA www.coloradokiteforce.com
March 6-8 Kite Crossing Mille Lacs Lake, MN, USA www.fleet8.com
March 6-9 Freestyle Attraction La Baie City, CAN www.conceptair.com
March 13-15 SuperFly Open Powder Mtn, UT, USA www.utahkiteaddiction.com
April 22-28 Juneau Icefiled Snowkite Event Juneau, AK, USA TBD

Sizes have changed a bit since our first samples to provide the widest range possible, for all styles and conditions.

- Fish: 5.4
- Signature: 5.6 - 5.8 and 5.10
- Surf: 6.0
- Surf SL: 6.2 and 6.4
- Gun: 6.9



More at http://bayareakitesurf.com/boards

Paulo Rios from Mancora kite club finds the F-One Bandit is the kite of choice for wave riding in the endless lefts of Northern Peru. Mancora Kite Club teaches with F-One kites because of they are simply one of the best all around kites on the market. With great depower, stability and safety in mind these kites are fabulous for teaching and kiting in the breaks of Peru. If you ever want to get away for a killer wave focused kiting trip to a warm water heaven, with great wind, waves and food, then head to Mancora and look Paulo up!

More at http://www.mancorakiteclub.com/

Check out the nice posting Rick Lossi from Florida Kitesurfing Association did on Ella.

Ella Johnson out for a wave session at Waddell. Intense images and quite a talent in kiting. What were you doing at 16 years? This is what Ella has been up to. The day these pictures were taken the swell was averaging 5-8 feet, and the intervals in between them were unpredictable. Looks real relaxed to me, having fun.


Read more...

WSSR Newsletter No 168. Outright World Record. 07/12/08

The WSSR Council Sunday 7th December 2008

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We have been informed by the International Sailing Federation - ISAF - that they will support a decision by the WSSRC to ratify a claim for the Outright World Sailing Speed Record by a Kite-board. In accordance with this, the WSSRC announces the ratification of a new World Record:

Record: Outright World Sailing Speed Record.
Board: Fone Prototype Speed. Fone Bandit Dos Speed 7sq m kite.
Name: Alexandre Caizergues. FRA
Dates: 4th October 2008.
Start time: 15:35:00.84
Finish time: 15:35:20.06
Elapsed time: 19.22
Distance: 501m
Current: 0.1kts
Average speed: 50.57kts
Venue: Luderitz, Namibia.
Previous record: 2008. Sebastien Cattelan. 50.26 kts

John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council

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http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/content/view/102/3/

Sign and forward the petition to have ISAf (sailing.org) recognize the kite speed record. It looks like the WSSRC (World Sailing Speed Record Council) has recognized Alex record but that the real problem is the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) as they don't recognize kitesurfing as a sailing category.

http://www.petitiononline.com/kite50kn/petition.html

This is the petition text:

To: ISAF (sailing.org)
We are truly disappointed in your decision to not recognize the kitesurfer's speed records and breaking the 50 knots barrier.

All of your requirements for speed events and their rules have been kept.

Kitesurfers are driven by wind and ride on the surface, according to your rules. And kitesurfers are recognized worldwide as sailors.

The undersigned do hope you will change your position and give honor to the riders who broke the 50 knots barrier and holding the record for the speed on water, solely driven by wind.

Those on the west coast will surely appreciate that the new F-One Bamboo Surfboards are produced by Fire Wire, the well known and respected San Diego surf manufacturer.

They have their own factory in Asia operated by Australian management and they liked the Bamboo technology so much that they just released the RapidFire Hybrid Technology.

More at www.firewiresurfboards.com

World record set by Alex is currently in limbo. Check out this article from the New York Times.

November 25, 2008 - Save The Waves Coalition announces a groundbreaking new event, "The Value of Waves Roundtable," taking place Friday, December 5th, 2008, in Half Moon Bay, CA. The first-ever event will be at brand-new Oceano Hotel & Spa at Pillar Point Harbor, in the shadow of the word-famous big-wave break "Mavericks." The Roundtable will bring together thought leaders and experts from multiple fields to discuss wave and coastal protection within the context of Save The Waves' new global initiative, the World Wave Sites Program.

More at http://www.savethewaves.org

We just received this today. Check out the new graphics of the upcoming 09 F-One Twin-Tip. Prices and specifications to come soon. More about the 09 board collection here.