After the suspenseful, week-long wait for the unseasonably absent ‘Cape Doctor’, 24 of the world’s best big air kiteboarders hit the water and the skies in Cape Town’s Big Bay on Saturday 14 and 15 February to see who would claim the title of Red Bull King of the Air 2015. Facing Jesse Richman (USA), Kevin Langeree (NED), and Jerrie van de Kop (NED) in the final, the capacity crowd watched on as Aaron Hadlow (GBR) pulled out all the stops to win the title and be crowned king of the air.

Hadlow was solid and consistent throughout the competition and easily had the performance of the day, landing two massive megaloop KGB’s twice during Sunday’s semis and finals to claim the top spot on the podium. This intricate move entails completing a back-roll megaloop, then unhooking and passing the bar behind your back.

“We waited all this time and we finally got the conditions we were waiting for. I know the conditions here in Cape Town well and I knew I had a good chance but you never know how it’s going to go. Once I went out there I was just full of adrenaline and managed to pull some pretty sick moves so I’m really happy now.”

“Big Air is a discipline I don’t always focus on, but it’s something that I always have in the back of my mind. I know this event will grow the sport of kiteboarding. The atmosphere here at Big Bay is like nothing else – the crowd loves it. It’s the one event in kiteboarding that really is for kiteboarding and I’m so happy to be on top!”

Hawaiian Jesse Richman, the 2013 King, made the most of the straps he’s been favouring over bindings, pulling big board-off’s but unfortunately experienced a few crashes leading to his flag being the first lowered in the final. Jerrie van der Kop was in the hunt throughout the heat, and laid it all out on the line for a well-deserved third.

Defending champ Kevin Langeree started strong, showing no ill-effect from the eight stitches in his hand from a cut sustained in training earlier in the week. For a long time he looked like he was going to defend his title but eventually placed second.

Hadlow was also awarded the ‘Mystic Move of the Day’ for his Megaloop KGB whilst runner-up Langeree claimed the ‘biggest air of the day’ with 13,5metres, recorded with the WOO Sports height measurement tool.

Final Results

1. Aaron Hadlow (GBR)
2. Kevin Langeree (NED)
3. Jerrie van de Kop (NED)
4. Jesse Richman (USA)
5. Nick Jacobsen (DEN) & Steven Akkersdijk (NED)
6. NA
7. Ruben Lenten (NED) & Sam Light (GBR)
8. NA
9. Antonin Rangin (FRA), Billy Parker (USA), Lewis Crathern (GBR) & Tom Hebert (FRA)

Over the course of the 3 days that the event ran over, 17,000 spectators came down to Big Bay to watch the action.

Sportive director Sergio Cantagalli, was pleased with how the competition ended on a high:

“Cape Town eventually delivered the best conditions to crown a Red Bull King of the Air and all the effort from the riders and team involved paid off.”

No Wind Does Not Mean No Action

In case you are wondering what the kiteboarders got up to during the two week windless holding period, the Dirty Habits crew made sure there was plenty of action to go around!

DJ’ing and Drone flying with Ruben Lenten and Kevin Langeree, ambushing Jesse Richman, Tom Hebert and Sam Medysky at the WOO house with a paintball gun, Braaing and ‘training’ with Sam Light, kiting and crashing with Lewis Crathern and naked roof jumping with Nick Jacobsen and Graham Howes are just some of the no-good antics the boys got up to while they were waiting for the ‘Cape Doctor’ to return. Watch the video below to get a glimpse of the action.

Dirty Habits Behind the Scenes at King of the air

They also interrogated the kiteboarders on a number of interesting topics… Tinder, Erections, Wake kiting, Bruna or Hannah? Straps or Boots? Viagra and wearing woman’s clothes… Check out the dirty interviews with Ruben Lenten, Kevin Langeree, Nick Jacobsen, Aaron Hadlow, Jesse Richmna, Sam Light, Sam Medysky, Oswald Smith, Reno Romeu and many others…

Filthy Interview Questions by Dirty Habits

Photos

Kolesky / Nikon / Red Bull Content Pool
Ydwer van der Heide / Red Bull Content Pool
Nick Musik / Red Bull Content Pool

Aaron Hadlow Wins the 2015 Red Bull King of the Air was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

The Red Bull King of the Air will see the world’s best kitesurfers take to the skies in an attempt at the crown. They’ll go head-to-head in the ‘flag out’ big air competition format that will see big moves and huge airs performed with style, height, and speed.

In February 2014, 12,000 people watched on as Kevin Langeree (NED) edged out his compatriots Ruben Lenten (NED) and Steven Akkersdijk (NED) in a high-pressure event that saw huge winds and even bigger wipe-outs.

“I just can’t wait for the KOTA 2015 to kick off!! To me this event is the most extreme, fun and the best way to show what kiteboarding is all about. The vibe around the event is just magical – 24 of the best big air kiteboarders in the world pushing themselves and each other to go bigger and bigger. Just thinking about that again gets me so fired up. I’ve been training a bunch this year to prepare myself even better than last year so I can hopefully defend my title in 2015,” said Langeree.

Cape Town is a hot spot for kiteboarding during January and February, where the ‘Cape Doctor’ (the south-easterly wind that presides over the city in its summer months) and sun-soaked beaches make for a kiteboarder’s dream.

Twelve of the best from 2014 will return to the event, and 12 wildcards, selected from online entries and social voting at www.redbullkingoftheair.com will round up the 24 participant line-up.

Invited Riders

Kevin Langeree (NED), Ruben Lenten (NED), Steven Akkersdijk (NED), Andries Fourie (RSA), Aaron Hadlow (GBR), Jesse Richman (USA), Tom Herbert (FRA), Billy Parker (USA), Nick Jacobsen (DEN), Reno Romeu (BRA), Gianni Aragno (ESP), Jerrie van de Kop (NED).

Since its return in 2013, Red Bull King of the Air has had 2 different winners in 2 events in Cape Town. Do you think you have what it takes to reign in 2015? Head to www.redbullkingoftheair.com and upload your video to enter.

In order to ensure the best wind conditions possible for Red Bull King of the Air to take place, the event window period extends from 31 Jan to 15 Feb 2015.

Red Bull King of the Air 2015 Coming to Cape Town Again was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

After narrowly missing last year’s title in Soma Bay, Florian Gruber went on to win 3 world championships in China and Australia. As number one in the world, Gruber’s competitors are keen to take his ranking away from him. Most notably is Italy’s Riccardo Leccese who placed fourth in last year’s championship.

We will be updating this article with the latest competition results and news from Soma Bay on a daily basis. As always, we won’t be sending out daily emails regarding the event, so remember to refer back to this page each day, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ to keep up to date with this world championship kitesurfing event.

Kite Africans 2014 The Movie: Complete Event Summary

African Kite Racing Championships Daily Updates

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Finals & Results

Day 1 (24 June)

The first day of the African Kite Championship 2014 kicked off with an exciting start at 7Bft Kite House in Soma Bay. In the men’s division, German world champion Florian Gruber faced off with his toughest competitor Riccardo Leccese. While in the women’s division, UK’s Steph Bridge, last year’s contending champion, raced to defend her title against Russia’s emerging talent Elena Kalinina.

Leccese and Kalinina, who both came 4th in last year’s African Kite Championship in Soma Bay, have made stunning comebacks on their first day of racing. Leccese dominated the first day placing first in all 4 rounds, followed closely by Gruber in second place. Likewise, Kalinina grabbed first place throughout the day with Steph Bridge close on her tail.

The riders each had the following to say:

Florian Gruber (Germany)

“We finished the first race day and I am currently runner-up, not far away from Ricardo. It is possible to beat him. The next few days will be a tight race for the title.”

Riccardo Leccese (Italy)

“With the champ, Florian ‘the flow’, I have a good relation outside the water but in the water we are warriors. If you are a fish you have to have a shark in your tank, otherwise you sleep. Florian is my shark and I am his, we are always battling for the first position. I like that healthy rivalry. I have been training a lot, I am really committed to do well this year, I won 4 rounds today and I am fully prepared.”

Steph Bridge (United Kingdom)

“I did not have such a great race day but hopefully tomorrow I will find some new speed and some news feeling in my head to continue to perform like last year.”

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Finals & Results

Day 2 (25 June)

The African Kite Race Championship 2014 stayed true-to-form on the second race day at 7Bft Kite House in Soma Bay with more exciting competition between some of the world’s top kite racers.

The winds were strong again and gave the kiters the chance to really show off their skills. Following the first day’s races, indisputably dominated by Riccardo Leccese and Elena Kalinina, Florian Gruber and Steph Bridge, their top competitors, plotted their strategy for Day 2. Everyone’s been watching their fellow kiters’ strategies and today they came well prepared to match them.

Leccese came in first in every race on day 2, leaving him with a perfect score. While confident in his skill, he knows Gruber is serious about winning this championship and would not make it an easy race today. Florian Gruber is currently holding second place but is confident that with 3 days to go in Soma Bay he is still primed to reach his goal.

Riccardo Leccese (Italy)

“Today was another amazing day for me. Usually your competitors always watch what you do so you have to compensate your strategy. Today I noticed they were playing my game and it was working. I’ve been training and I was committed to what I had to do today so I changed my game as well. It worked. Catching up from behind is really important for me and it builds my confidence.”

Florian Gruber (Germany)

“The first 2 days are over and I am currently on a solid second rank. This is super as it was my overall goal to occupy at least one of the first three places. Now we will see if I can attack Riccardo who is currently first, I am going into doing some fine-tuning and it will be a tough couple of days ahead for me.”

Likewise, Kalinina from Russia was pleased with today’s results. After a successful morning, she briefly fell behind only to emerge victorious in the final race and is enjoying the rivalry with last year’s defending champion, Steph Bridge, who does not deny that Kalinina is a tough and worthy competitor.

Elena Kalinina (Russia)

“Today were good races for me. I have a great fight with another girl from England, Steph Bridge, and it was good because we were racing together.”

Steph Bridge (United Kingdom)

“For me I got 2 better results and 2 OK results against Elena the Russian girl who seems to be kicking my butt here in this event and I think we are fighting harder and its getting tougher.”

This year’s top riders are familiar with Soma Bay’s kite conditions which provided them with an amazing race in 2013. It seems tomorrow will take an interesting turn as the winds will become lighter and the racers will have to change their strategy once again, a challenge they are looking forward to.

Video Update: Day 2

“The forecast says tomorrow and the day after tomorrow the winds will be lighter. I train a lot on such conditions so I hope it will be a good race for me.” says Kalinina.

Leccese: “When I left Egypt last year I said I had to come back to this amazing place because the conditions were epic. Last year there were some strong wind and some light wind days. I think that is very important for the competitors. I hope to run through all the conditions. I will prepare my formula to keep leading.”

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Finals & Results

Day 3 (26 June)

The third day of the 2014 African Kite Racing Championship saw the possible come-back of Florian Gruber and offered some surprising twists, proving this championship is still any man’s game.

Florian Gruber was determined to reclaim the course and grabbed first place in two of Day 3’s races. Riccardo Leccese was not far behind, placing first in the third race of the day. Slowly sneaking up on Gruber and Leccese is emerging young talent Oliver Bridge, son of last year’s defending champion Steph Bridge. Oliver Bridge landed in third by the end of Day 2 and surprised everyone by effortlessly winning the second race of Day 3.

In the women’s division, Elena Kalinina began to lag behind Steph Bridge who dominated the day, winning three out of four races. After some serious defeats by Kalinina earlier in the week, it seemed Bridge was about to accept her fate of placing second to Kalinina, but with two race days left to go, she clearly isn’t giving up this championship without a fight.

Day 3 was risky from the start as Gruber had fallen ill and Leccese decided to make some unconventional choices with his kites, opting for an 8 meter kite which proves to be more challenging on lighter wind days. Still, both found themselves thriving in these unfavourable conditions.

Video Update: Day 3

The riders had the following to say after today’s racing…

Florian Gruber (Germany)

“The 3rd day of the African Championships had not started so well, I had a bit of an ear- and headache but as soon as I got myself on the water I was fine. I won twice, which gives me a push for tomorrow and I came third another 2 times. I know that I can be on top of the race and will put even more wood on the fire tomorrow.”

Riccardo Leccese (Italy)

“In the third race, all my other competitors were on a 10 meter and I finished neck and neck with Florian. That means even if I’m underpowered I can keep the rhythm and I don’t back off: I always push to the limit.”

Midway through the race, it is clear there is still a lot of tough competition between these riders and the championship title. Adding another twist to the week’s events is the introduction of the TwinTip:Racing challenges on Day 4.

It was an eventful race day in Soma Bay and after really pushing to prove themselves on the course, the riders are happy to round the day off with some rest and relaxation.

“I’m looking forward to going back to The Breakers. A swim in the pool would be great and to sit around the bar” says Riccardo Leccese.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Finals & Results

Day 4 (27 June)

The African Kite Race Championships 2014 saw some dramatic moments on Day 4 at 7Bft Kite House in Soma Bay as only two more race days remained. The competition is getting tougher as Florian Gruber still has a chance to defeat Riccardo Leccese, but Leccese’s drive to win is only getting stronger.

Riccardo Leccese (Italy)

“Since I came here I had the podium on my mind. I want to win this competition. Last year I was injured and I have been getting ready for this. I have been telling to myself that this year is my year. I haven’t backed off, I am pushing it every day and it has not been easy but 11 bullets on the score make me feel that I can win this competition. I have good scores and tomorrow I will make it harder for my opponents so I think I can win this and I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

Florian Gruber (Germany)

“Ricky has gained a big lead in the first 2 days, it is hard to catch up with him now, but not impossible. I will give it a 100 % and if he makes a couple of mistakes, everything is possible. If he presents a solid race then I have to accept the 2nd rank and that one I will not give away.”

In the men’s division, the three main players – Leccese, Gruber and Oliver Bridge – are still in the lead. In the women’s division, Elena Kalinina is ranking first just above Steph Bridge. None of these kiters are ready to let their competitors take their place on the podium on the final day and are using every ounce of skill to make sure of that.

Steph Bridge (United Kingdom)

“I got beaten today in all of the races by Elena who was on her 11 meter kite which seems to be pretty quick in these winds. However, we still got a final day tomorrow which is gonna see slightly lighter winds and it’s the medal races, anything can happen and for sure I will give it 110 percent.”

The morning rounds ended with a dramatic scene when several kiters crashed early in the race, including Leccese, who made a miraculous recovery and raced to finish second, just behind Gruber taking first.

Gruber: “The 4th day today went well, I am happy that I could win 2 races. At the second race there was a big crash at the start but I got out of this and could catch a lead. That gives me a lot of motivation for tomorrow, tomorrow is the last day and all the 10 top racers get together. My 2 wins give me a huge push. I will see how I can grill Ricky and will give my best.”

The UK’s Oliver Bridge, at just 16 years old, competed in the 2013 championship in Soma Bay and has since become a contender for races around the world. After ranking 23rd in last year’s race, he’s currently close on Gruber’s tail in third place.

Oliver Bridge: “Last year in the African Kite Championships I was still quite young and not very experienced. After that I did a lot of training and practicing a lot and in July I won the Men’s European Championships which I was very happy with, later that year I kept on training a lot in Hainan for the World Championships so I came 4th which I was very happy with too, and also managed to win the Youth World Championships. For this year, hopefully, I am gonna be able to win the World Championships in Turkey in August.”

The top kiters in 2014 are already very familiar with Egypt as a prime kitesurfing destination and Soma Bay as a perfect venue. With the participation and sponsorship of the Egyptian Sailing and Waterski Federation for the African Kite Race Championships 2014, everyone is looking to improve sports tourism in Egypt through this wonderful collaborative effort.

Video Update: Day 4

Commander Hassan Luxor / Chairman of Jury Committee / Egypt Sailing and Waterski Federation: “The area and the wind make the competition – without wind, no competition. The Egypt Sailing and Waterski Federation has chosen this place and the organizing committee (IKA) has also chosen this place because it is wonderful for the participants to come here. The Federation is helping very much with all our ability, all our efforts, all our facilities.”

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Finals & Results

Day 5 (28 June): Final Results

The African Kite Race Championship 2014 began its fifth and final day with one last twist: with a significant drop in wind, the kiters seized their last opportunity to defeat their top rivals with a new challenge.

It had been a tough four days between German world champion Florian Gruber and his rival Riccardo Leccese. Leccese’s determination to take the title from Florian Gruber was his drive in this competition and on Day 5 he achieved his goal.

Riccardo Leccese (Italy)

“We just finished the African Championships and I am stoked I won the event, I can’t be more happy than I am right now. This event was very important for me and for my sponsors because it was the first event of the year where we are using the new gear. Soma Bay gave us the best conditions because we went through all the sizes and all the situations, like pretty strong and gusty winds and on the last day on the finals, we got pretty light wind, so we went through all the sizes and everybody had the chance to ride in their conditions and I managed to keep my head clear, the excitement down and I am pretty stoke that my scores were almost pretty clean all the way, 11 bullets, and then I was consistently second and now I am happy that I got the title and hopefully good things are coming from now.”

Florian Gruber (Germany)

“Today was the last day, and it was going great for me. I won the first race and in the second race I came 4th, my final result is runner-up, I am super happy with that, now we are going to the award ceremony and straight afterwards I will start training for the next races. I had a great time here.”

In the women’s division, Steph Bridge found herself thriving in the light wind conditions of Day 5 and overtook Elena Kalinina in both medal races. Overall, the week’s challenges and conditions proved to be in Kalinina’s favor and she defeated seasoned pro Steph Bridge placing first.

Elena Kalinina (Russia)

“The African Championships are finished now, it was a really good competition. We had a lot of good races. I was racing with Steph Bridge and Aga from Poland and we were always fighting but finally I won. I am very happy about this and I wish that next year we will have this competition in the same place here.”

Steph Bridge (UK)

“After five days of racing we finished today with two medal races. The girls were in the platinum fleet. I was really happy because the wind was about 7 knots. I was on a tube kite and won the first race and I got second in the second medal race. That brought me closer to Elena but it wasn’t enough to beat her so I’m overall second with Aga in third. To be honest it’s been the most fantastic event because we’ve had a mixture of wind and light wind so it’s been really good training for the world championship.”

Oliver Bridge, who came in 23rd in 2013, made an amazing comeback in 2014 and held a steady 3rd place for a majority of the week. However, the light winds did not favor Bridge on the final day. Spain’s Alejandro Climent Hernandez had been close on Bridge’s tail and finally overtook him and landed himself in the third rank overall.

Alejandro Climent Hernandez (Spain)

“I am 5th in the world ranking, I worked really hard towards this event, I finished third in the African Kite Championships and I am very happy about that because in the first days I did not feel so well and came on the 5th or 6th position and then I did all my best to take the podium.”

Oliver Bridge (UK)

“Today we had some light winds so we were using big kites. I had some OK results. I got one 5th place and one 7th place. It wasn’t too good for my ranking, I dropped down on to 4th in the overall ranking, I was not really able to keep up with the guys on the big foil kites so I got pushed down to the 4th place.”

It has been an exciting week in Soma Bay as The Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge, 7Bft Kite House, the IKA and the Egyptian Sailing and Water Ski Federation came together to take advantage of the incomparable kiting conditions of Egypt and the world-renowned skill of some of the world’s top kiters to create an amazing week of heavy competition and pave the way to the World Cup final.

Markus Schwendtner (IKA)

“It’s the second time we are in Soma Bay for the African Championships. It has been a fantastic event. Four days full of wind, the last day was unfortunately a little bit light but it was good racing: the top riders in the world are here. Everyone was very excited and everyone wants to come back. This year we have a very nice event together with the Egyptian Sailing and Water Ski Federation and again we had great support from Soma Bay. Logistics, boats, everything worked out well.”

Stefan Reichl (GM The Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge)

“Five days of racing are now over and we consider this as a really successful week for the racers, for Soma Bay and for sure Egypt. There was a lot of wind and it was a lot of fun and I think this is the most important part for all. I want to say thank you to the Egyptian Sailing Federation, Tourism Ministry, Ministry of Youth and Sports, and for sure to 7Bft Kite House and The Breakers for hosting the event and to all the riders. We will have the prize ceremony tonight and we are looking forward, with the band and the DJ, to have a nice evening together.”

Video Update: Finals & Competition Wrap Up

Soma Bay: One of the World’s Best Kite Spots

At Soma Bay, the best elements of the sea and desert converge at 7Bft Kite House’s world-famous kite spot. Not only naturally beautiful, the spot offers flat-water conditions and side-shore and off-shore winds perfect for world-class kitesurfing events. Soma Bay’s five resort hotels, luxury spa, championship golf course, and vast house reef are what define it as an ultimately relaxing and exciting destination.

Organizers & Patronage

Organized by the Egypt Sailing and Waterski Federation and the International Kiteboarding Association, chaired by the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Formula Kite Class and the TwinTip:Racing invite kiteboarders to take part in the 2014 Formula Kite Course Racing African Championships under specified conditions laid down by the International Kiteboarding Class Association in co-operation with the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

If you’re lucky enough to be in Soma Bay at the African Kite Racing Championships, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below… Let us know what you think of the event so far and who you think is going to dominate.

Images: © Copyright Soma Bay, SeaStar & Icarus Sailing Media

African Kite Racing Championships in Soma Bay 2014 Results was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

For the second year in a row, Cape Town’s Big Bay hosted 24 of the world’s best kiteboarders as they went head-to-head in a unique ‘flag out’ competition format in South Africa. It all came down to the final in which Dutchman Kevin Langeree managed to edge out his compatriots Ruben Lenten (second) and Steven Akkersdijk (third) to become the Red Bull King of the Air 2014 champion in front of a 12 000-strong crowd.

“The conditions picked up during the day and I couldn’t have hoped for anything better! The final was definitely tough and every one of us was so close to winning. I definitely had my best heat of the day in the final. This is the third Red Bull King of the Air I’ve competed in and was a title that I didn’t have yet so I was hungry for it. I’m so stoked!”

Judged on height, creativity and style, the participants’ manoeuvres were judged by Alex Vliege (NED), William Bogaards (NED), Greg Thijsse (RSA), Arkadiusz Jerzelkowski (POL), Reinier Korstanje (NED), Ralf Bachsuster (GER) who had their work cut out for them.

An innovative tool available to the judges was Xensr technology. The application measures the height, speed, airtime, gravity loading, location and the 3D motion of the athlete with all data captured at 400 times a second and is accurate to within 3mm, as soon as they land a jump. All jump data is immediately relayed to the judges and the live stream. Frenchman Tom Herbert recorded the highest jump of the day – a lofty 25.04m.

Head judge Alex Vliege was pleased with how the event played out in the end:

“What an epic day! We had the best riders in the world here today with Cape Town and Mother Nature delivering great conditions. We finally got what we were waiting for. Kevin was completely deserving of the title – he did the same moves as the others plus more, with variation and went higher than the others. “

Blouberg local Andries Fourie was the highest placed South African in 4th place and landed the second highest jump of the day at 23.37m.

Final Results

1. Kevin Langeree (NED)
2. Ruben Lenten (NED)
3. Steven Akkersdijk (NED)
4. Andries Fourie (RSA)
5. Aaron Hadlow (GBR)
6. Jesse Richman (USA)
7. Tom Herbert (FRA)
8. Billy Parker (GBR)

Recap Video: Go BIG or go Home

Photography Credits

Craig Kolesky / Nikon / Red Bull Content Pool
Nick Muzik / Red Bull Content Pool

Kevin Langeree Crowned Red Bull King of the Air in Cape Town was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

Smith is excited about taking part in the competition:

“Of course I’m a bit nervous competing against the best kiters in the world and there’s definitely a bit of pressure on me as a local but I’m going to go out there and go as big as I can! I’ve been trying to kite every day and make sure I’m ready to take them on. It’d be really cool if everyone came down to Big Bay to support the local guys on the day!”

There have been a few changes to the participants with PKRA 2013 World Champ Alex Pastor renouncing himself from the competition. Luke McGillewie (RSA) will take his spot in the lineup.

Participants

• Aaron Hadlow (GBR)
• Andries Fourie (RSA)
• Billy Parker (USA)
• Gianni Aragno (ESP)
• Graham Howes (RSA)
• Jandre Fraser (RSA),
• Jerrie van de Kop (NED)
• Jesse Richman (USA),
• Johnno Scholte (NED)
• Kevin de Smidt (NED)
• Kevin Langeree (NED)
• Lewis Crathern (GBR)
• Linus Erdmann (GER)
• Luke McGillewie (RSA)
• Nick Jacobsen (DEN)
• Oswald Smith (RSA)
• Reno Romeu (BRA)
• Ruben Lenten (NED),
• Sam Light (GBR),
• Sam Medysky (CAN)
• Shawn Richman (USA)
• Steven Akkersdijk (NED)
• Stuart Downey (RSA)
• Tom Hebert (FRA)

The event will take place at Big Bay, Cape Town – the date and time completely dependent on weather conditions. The window period for the event will extend to February 9, 2014 and a 24 hour warning will be given ahead of the event taking place. Unfortunately current conditions are not favourable for the event to run this weekend.

Red Bull King of the Air Teaser Video

If you are reading this article in an email or RSS reader, click here to watch the video.

Make sure you keep up with all the news at www.redbullkingoftheair.com or follow the hashtag #redbullkingoftheair on your favourite social channels.

Photo Credits: Kolesky / Nikon / Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull King of the Air 2014 Window Period Opens Tomorrow was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

The competition was put on hold for the first two days due to light northerly winds, but got under way on day three as the easterly trade winds set in.

We will be updating this article with the latest competition results and news from Ho’okipa Beach on a daily basis. As always, we won’t be sending out daily emails regarding the event, so remember to refer back to this page each day, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ to keep up to date with this world championship kitesurfing event.

Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Daily Updates

Jump to: Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Finals & Results

Day 3 (24 November)

The qualification rounds and round 1 of the men’s main event were run in head high surf and around 15-18 knots of wind.

“With the trades back, Ho’okipa delivered today. The riders were stoked with the wind and wave conditions” said KSP live stream commentator Ben Meyer, “we were able to complete the qualification round as well as the entire men’s first round of the main event with the conditions looking favorable to complete the men’s and women’s championship in the next few days.”

Advancing from the morning’s qualification rounds were Jesse Richman (HI), Jeremy Lentz (FRA, F-One), Rafal Maleszyk (POL), Kai Lenny (HI), Tiago Candelot (BRA) and Devin Moody (HI, North).

The highest two-wave heat score of the men’s main event belonged to defending World Champion Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha) with a 14.83. Local Maui newcomer Cruser Putnam (HI, Cabrinha) surprised with the second highest heat score of the day (14.37) with a blazing back-hand attack at his local spot. 2011 KSP World Champion Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North) battled with fellow countryman Matchu Almeida (CPV, North) to advance on to round 2. Other standouts included Mitu Monteiro (CBV, F-One), Filippe Ferreira (BRA, F-One), Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) and local boy Patri McLaughlin (HI, North). Kai Lenny (HI), fresh off his recent SUP World Championship victory in France, displayed powerful and fluid surfing, establishing himself as a serious contender for the Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Maui.

The women’s heat 1 of round 1 was started late in the afternoon, but called off due to deteriorating wind conditions.

Video: Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Day 3

If you are reading this in an email or RSS feed, click here to watch the video.

Jump to: Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Finals & Results

Day 4 (25 November)

The fourth day of the Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro started with strong winds and medium size surf for the beginning of the women’s main event. The first heat of round 1 for the women – which had been canceled yesterday afternoon – started an action packed day for all of the riders.

“The waves were really fun today – the conditions lined up for a great day of competition” said highest heat score of the day rider Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) „I’m really looking forward to the quarter finals tomorrow and riding Ho’okipa in what looks to be epic conditions.”

Also joining Ribeiro in the quarter finals are Mitu Monteiro (CPV/F-One), Airton Cozzolino (ITA/North), Keahi Aboitiz (AUS/Cabrinha), Paulino Perreira (POR/Cabrinha), Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA), Pedro Henrique (BRA), Kai Lenny (HI) and Cruser Putnam (HI, Cabrinha) continuing his amazing run in the event as the Cabrinha wild card.

On the women side, the quarterfinal ladder includes defending event champion Moona Whyte (HI/Cabrinha) as well as defending world champion Jalou Langeree (NED) along side Skylar Lickle (HI), Ines Correia (POR/RRD), Kristin Boese (GER), Milla Ferreira (BRA/F-One), Kalia Agueira (HI), Suzanne Kuiper (NED/F-One).

Continuing from the previous years’ performance, Moona Whyte and Jalou Langeree showed outstanding rides battling for the next round.

Video: Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Day 4

Jump to: Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Finals & Results

Day 5 (26 November)

The fifth and final day of the Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Maui kicked off with blasting trade winds and overhead surf. Men’s and Women’s champions were crowned today on Maui’s north shore following an intense day of competition.

The women’s quarterfinalists were up first in a building northwest swell and solid trade winds. Advancing into the semi-finals were Moona Whyte (HI/Cabrinha), Ines Correia (POR/RRD), Jalou Langeree (NED) and Milla Ferreira (BRA/F-One). Whyte and Langeree went on to dominate their semi-final heats to set up an epic re-match of last year’s world tour finals.

Surviving the quarterfinal rounds on the men’s side were Airton Cozzolino (ITA/North), Keahi DeAboitiz (AUS/Cabrinha), Kai Lenny (HI) and Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA). Cozzolino and DeAboitiz battled in the first semifinal with DeAboitiz keeping his world championship dreams alive by narrowly defeating the young Italian. In the second semifinal, Maui local Kai Lenny beat an on-fire Ribeiro with his consistent and committed riding.

Between the semi finals and finals of the world championships a heat of legendary proportions was run. Pete Cabrinha (USA/Cabrinha), Robby Naish (USA), Flash Austin (USA), Elliot Leboe (USA/Cabrinha), Alex Aguera (HI/Ozone) and Brett Lickle (USA/Cabrinha) hit the water in a showcase featuring the founding pioneers of the sport on Maui. A huge crowd lined the shore to witness the 20-minute super-heat featuring the heroes of the sport.

“It was fun to get out there in a heat with a select few guys who have been instrumental in the development and progression of the sport of kiteboarding on Maui”, said Pete Cabrinha. “We all had a blast out there.”

The Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro finals were held in epic Ho’okipa conditions. On the men’s side, reigning KSP World Champion Keahi DeAboitiz (AUS/Cabrinha) met local Maui hero Kai Lenny (HI) to determine who would be the 2013 KSP World Champion. By the time the final horn sounded, no one on the beach knew who had won the heat. It wasn’t until the prize giving ceremony that De Aboitiz learned that he had successfully defended his world title narrowly defeating the young Hawaiian.

“I was really stoked to take the win for the second year in a row,” said DeAboitiz. “I couldn’t be happier, really. We had some really fun waves and I had a great time out there.”

The women’s final was contested in equally epic surf and the highly anticipated rematch between Whyte and Langeree was a battle for the ages. Both riders were powerful and fluid but in the end, Whyte defeated Langeree to defend her title here at Ho’okipa and claim the 2013 World Championship title.

“It was really close in the final against Jalou and it could have gone either way, but I’m stoked it went my way,” said new KSP World Champion Whyte.

Video: Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Day 5

Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Men’s Final Results

1st Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha)
2nd Kai Lenny (HI)
3rd Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA)
4th Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North)
5th Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One)
5th Cruser Putnam (HI, Cabrinha)
5th Paulino Pereira (PRT, Cabrinha)
5th Pedro Henrique (BRA)
9th Matchu Lopes (CPV, North)
9th Jeremy Lentz (FRA, F-One)
9th Enrico Giordano
9th Sky Solbach (HI, North)
9th Filippe Ferreira (BRA, F-One)
9th Djo Silva (CPV, F-One)
9th Patri McLaughlin (HI, North)
9th Etienne Lhote (FRAU, F-One)
17th Sergey Mysovskiy (RUS)
17th Jesse Richman (HI)
17th Johnny Berger (USA, Cabrinha)
17th Devin Moody (HI, North)
17th Rafal Malezyk (POL)
17th Tiago Candelot (BRA)
17th Matthew Elsassar (USA, Cabrinha)
17th Ralph Boelen (FRA, North)

Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Women’s Final Results

1st Moona Whyte (HI, Cabrinha)
2nd Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish)
3rd Milla Ferreira (BRA, F-One)
4th Ines Correia (POR)
5th Kristin Boese (GER)
5th Skylar Lickle (HI)
5th Suzanne Kuiper (NED, F-One)
5th Kalia Aguera (HI)
9th Erika Lindberg (SWE)
9th Rawuel Lima (BRA)
9th Isa Cohen (USA)
9th Carol Bolstad (USA)

Following the KSP world championship finals the focus shifted to the Xensr Big Air Invitational. The 12 invited male and 3 female riders were sent out on the water with a gps based Xensr measuring device that measures the height of each riders jumps to within 3mm. The Xensr Big Air Invitational final was won by Jon McCabe (Hi/Ozone) with Jesse Richman (HI) in second and Charles Edwards (HI/North) in third. The highest jump of the day, however, belonged to Shawn Richman (HI) with a height of 45.42 feet.

The women’s Big Air was won by Jalou Langeree (NED) over second place finisher Raquel Lima (HI) with Skylar Lickle (HI) in third.

Wrapping up the final day’s action were the men’s and women’s finals of the Kama’aina Throwdown. Rafal Malezyk took top spot in the Kama’aina men’s division over second place Garfield King with Wes Anderson in third. In the women’s division it was youngster Skylar Lickle taking the win with Michelle Crompton in second and Tatiana Howard in third place.

Cabrinha Kitesurf Pro Maui 2013 Wrap Up Video

The Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro is supported by the County Of Maui, ION, Xensr, HEVN, Maui Solar Project, Hotel Wailea, Bluesmiths Clothing, Tramontana Grafixx, FinallyPainFree.com, Adventure Sports Maui, Courtyard Marriott, Second Wind Maui, Maui Beach Hotel, Strini Art Glass, Wholefoods Maui, MKC, Bob’s Dogs of Maui, Boardriding Maui, Mana Foods and Kitefinder.

If you’re lucky enough to be on Maui at the Cabrinha Kitesurf Pro, or if you’ve been following the action via the live broadcast, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the event in the comments below…

Images by Richard Hallman courtesy of the KSP World Pro Tour.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the share buttons below.

KSP Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Hawaii 2013 Results was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

Off the back of a successful event in early 2013, the world’s best kiters will again descend on Cape Town’s Big Bay to compete in their big air competition and will have to prove their mettle in a spectacular new format for the contest. Spectators are bound to be treated to radically high jumps, various tricks and kite-loops combined with style, height, and speed in the one-day showcase of big air prowess.

Cape Town is known for its prime kitesurfing conditions during January and February – with the south easterly wind, dubbed ‘Cape Doctor’, almost guaranteeing big airs and even bigger moves.

Twelve of the best from 2013 will return and 12 wildcards, selected from online entries at www.redbullkingoftheair.co.za, will round up the 24 participant line up.

Video: Red Bull King of the Air Teaser

If you are reading this article in an email or RSS reader, click here to watch the video.

Defending champion, Jesse Richman (USA) is already training hard in the lead up to the event:

“Big Bay in Cape Town is possibly the best kiteboarding arena I have ever seen, the place is made to send us flying. The Red Bull King of the Air is kiteboarding at its highest level of extreme! I am really pumped to come back this year and see how far we can push it past the limits.”

 Invited Riders

Jesse Richman (USA), Nick Jacobsen (DEN), Sam Light (GBR), Gianni Aragno (ESP), Ruben Lenten (NED), Lewis Crathern (GBR), Oswald Smith (RSA), Shawn Richman (USA), Billy Parker (USA), Kevin de Smidt (NED), Kevin Langeree (NED), Andries Fourie (RSA).

Judges

Judges William Bogaards (NED), Greg Thijsse (RSA), Arek Jerzelkowski (POL), Reinier Korstanje (NED), Ralf Bachschuster (GER) and Jim Gaunt (GBR) are bound to have a tough time in the judge’s tower adjudicating the aerial masters.

In order to ensure the best wind conditions possible for Red Bull King of the Air to take place, the event window period extends from 25 January 2014 to 9 February 2014.

Red Bull King of the Air is Coming Back to Cape Town in 2014 was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

The inaugural wave riding event at One Eye, Mauritius in 2011 simply blew our minds, and had us and many of our readers glued to our computer screens watching the live broadcasts! We could barely contain ourselves as we reported the results to our readers at the end of each day. Stunning images and videos of the world’s best kitesurfers riding massive clean waves… mostly strapless… made building our unique all-in-one competition reports a truly enjoyable task.  

And it didn’t end there… Over the past two years we’ve seen thrilling KSP action in Hawaii, Mauritius, Ireland, Portugal, Cape Verde, Peru and more…

So it goes without saying, and I’m sure I speak for many other wave riding enthusiasts around the world, that we had great expectations from this year’s KSP tour.

Sadly, things haven’t gone according to plan. Mostly due to the financial crisis many of the chosen host countries have been experiencing this year, the first two events for 2013 had to be cancelled. And now the remaining two events are in danger of sharing the same fate as well.

What the KSP Needs & What You’ll Get in Return

In short, the KSP needs around $ 30 000 in funds to make the last two events of the season happen so they can crown a 2013 Word Kite Surf Champion.

To facilitate this, they’ve set up a fund raising campaign on Indiegogo where fans and supporters can donate money or show their support by sharing the campaign with others. Not only will you be helping the KSP reach their goals, but your generosity will be rewarded with very cool perks and KSP memorabilia such as a post card signed by at least 5 of the world’s best wave kiters, a KSP T-Shirt signed by at least 5 of the world’s best kiters, a custom made surf board, or even the opportunity to live with the KSP riders at either of the next two events and attend the event as a VIP guest, plus receive a 2 hour wave clinic with one of the pros, and much more!

So what are you waiting for? Head over to the campaign page and get in on the action by clicking the link below today! The campaign ends on October 02, 2013 at 11:59pm PT, and all funds received go directly to the KSP, a rider driven non profit organization.

Here’s a teaser video…

…to remind you why we all love the KSP!

If you are reading this article in an email, click here to watch the video.

The KSP Needs Your Help & Support

There’s no doubt the KSP Tour has had a hugely positive impact on our sport not only from a publicity point of view, but also on the development side of kitesurfing. To win the KSP Tour, riders have to invent new moves and push the boundaries, which in turn motivates other riders around the world to keep pushing themselves harder. It’s a win, win for the entire industry!

If you can’t afford to donate money, no worries, you can still help by sharing this article or the campaign page with your friends and fans. Help us get the word out to all kitesurfers around the world, and let’s keep the KSP alive!

Thank you.

The inMotion Kitesurfing Team

PS: Feel free to express your thoughts and support in the comments below.

Save the KSP Kite Surf Pro Tour was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

After an eight year hiatus since the last running of the Red Bull King of the Air in Maui, USA, the event finally returns to kiteboarding, this time in Cape Town, South Africa. Wind patterns are currently looking favourable for the window period of 1 – 15 February at Big Bay, Blouberg on Cape Town’s sunny coastline.

Sixteen invited kiteboarders from around the world will be joined by eight wildcards who secured their entry by sending in a video of themselves in action on the water.

Included in the lineup are extreme kiteboarder Ruben Lenten (NED), compatriot and world number 1 in 2012 Youri Zoon and local wildcard Oswald Smith who goes into the competition having just won SA Champs.

The judging panel consisting of fearless female kiteboarder Susi Mai, editor of Kiteworld Magazine and presenter of ‘The Kite Show’ Jim Gaunt and South African original Red Bull King of the Air alumnus Greg Tijsse will be watching the water to gauge the height, style and creativity each kiteboarder executes their movement with.

The newly developed ‘flag out’ competition format is unlike any others – it gives each kiteboarder the opportunity to pull their best moves and score high. Four riders hit the water wearing different colour rash vests that match a corresponding flag on the beach. After an allocated time, the rider with the lowest score will be flagged out (flag will be lowered) and must leave the water. The last man standing is the winner.

The event will also feature the godfather of wind-based watersports, Robby Naish, who will be in Cape Town to put the title hopefuls through their paces in the lead up to the event. Robby has multiple World Titles across windsurfing and kiteboarding disciplines and still competes internationally, at the tender age of 49.

Invited Kiteboarders

• Ruben Lenten (NED)
• Kevin Langeree (NED)
• Youri Zoon (NED)
• Nick Jacobsen (DEN)
• Billy Parker (USA)
• Sam Light (GBR)
• Lewis Crathern (GBR)
• Kevin de Smidt (NED)
• Steven Akkersijk (NED)
• Jesse Richman (USA)
• Tom Court (GBR)
• Luke Whiteside (GBR)
• Gianni Aragno (ESP)
• Shawn Richman (USA)
• Luke McGillewie (RSA)
• Reno Romeu (BRA)

Wildcards

• Sam Medysky (CAN)
• Oswald Smith (RSA)
• Johnno Sholte (NED)
• Andries Fourie (RSA)
• Graham Howes (RSA)
• Jandre Fraser (RSA)
• Alan Steele (RSA)
• Nicolas Falcou (FRA)

For more updates on contest conditions visit www.redbullkingoftheair.co.za or #RedBullKingoftheAir on Twitter.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the share buttons below.

The Red Bull King of the Air 2013 Sees the World’s Top Kiteboarders in Cape Town was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

CAPE TOWN (South Africa) – The new concept, a big air format, proposes a “mega airtime” contest with radically high jumps, various tricks and kite-loops combined with style, height, and speed. Sixteen of the world’s best plus eight wildcards, selected from video entries at www.redbullkingoftheair.co.za, will descend on Cape Town.

Big Bay, part of the pristine Cape Peninsula, is probably the best spot in the world for holding an event with these criteria. The legendary ‘Cape Doctor’ will certainly play its part – the South Easterly wind guarantees big airs and even bigger moves! Judges Jim Gaunt, Susi Mai and Greg Thijsse will have their work cut out for them.

Video: Red Bull King of the Air 2013 Teaser

Ruben Lenten (NED), a formidable name in kiteboarding is stoked Red Bull King of the Air is back: “It’s going make a big impact on kiteboarding once again! Normally I don’t compete as most contests are aimed at really technical tricks but the format of the Red Bull King of the Air is right up my street. This contest is all about big airs and I think I am just as stoked as I was back in 2005 when I won the last event in Hawaii. With the Red Bull King of the Air we’ll have the world’s best riders come out to battle it out in Cape Town’s extreme winds.”

The window period for the event starts on the 1st of February and will extend to the 15th of February 2013. For more updates on contest conditions visit www.redbullkingoftheair.co.za or #RedBullKingoftheAir on Twitter.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the share buttons below.

Red Bull King of the Air in Cape Town was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

Note: Lay days were called for the first five days of the ten day holding period, so feel free to skip straight to Day 6, which is where the kitesurf action started. Be sure to watch the interviews with Pete Cabrinha (Day 2) and Robby Naish (Day 5) though…

If you are looking for the 2013 Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Results & Updates, click here.

We will be updating this article with the latest competition results and news from Ho’okipa Beach on a daily basis. As always, we won’t be sending out daily emails regarding the event, so remember to refer back to this page each day, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ to keep up to date with this action packed kitesurfing event.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Watch the Live Broadcast

The KSP world championship title race, which sees 36 riders from 18 countries competing for this prestigious award, remains too close to call heading into the final event at Ho’okipa Beach, Maui. Hometown favourite and current men’s points leader Patri Mclaughlin (HI, North) aims to snatch his first ever world title at home on Maui with Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North) and Sebeastian Ribeiro (BRA) not far behind. The female race between front-runner Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish), Ninja Bichler (GER, North) and Ines Correia (POR, RRD) is also pretty tight.

Day 1 (29 November)

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Update 1

Following the opening ceremony at Ho’okipa Beach Park on Maui’s North Shore, an official lay day was called due to light and variable winds.

Hawaii’s Kumu Keli’i Tau’a led a traditional Hawaiian blessing to open the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro followed with a speech by Rod Antone, Communications Director for the County Of Maui, who welcomed the KSP riders. Lois Leinani Whitly wrapped up the beautiful beach ceremony by performing the National Anthem and Hawaiian Pono’i.

“It’s was a beautiful opening ceremony with perfect waves breaking out on the reef at Ho’okipa,” said Kristin Boese, KSP World Championship Tour President. “Unfortunately, we are just in a bad wind pattern at the moment. The wind forecast right now is not looking great for the next few days, but that can change quickly. We are still early in the holding period and are looking forward to what the following week will bring.”

Video: Day 1 Opening Ceremony Highlights

Check out the Photos from Day 1.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 2 (30 November)

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Update 2

Advisory level swells greeted competitors at Ho’okipa Beach Park this morning, but contest directors called another lay day at the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro due to continued light and variable winds.

“Anything can happen”, said KSP Head Judge Brad Price during this morning’s live broadcast. “Starting Tuesday there’s an outside chance we’ll have wind. But, Thursday for sure, Friday for sure. So we’ll have to see how it goes.”

Video: Interview with Pete Cabrinha

If you are reading this in an email or RSS feed, click here to watch the video.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 3 (1 December)

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Update 3

Contest officials declared another lay day at the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro today. The wind forecast looks like it will improve early next week.

“It’s another beautiful day on Maui”, said KSP competitor and live stream commentator Sky Solbach. “The forecast is looking great for waves throughout the rest of the holding period and it looks like the trade winds will return to the islands next week.”

Tune in at 9am to watch the live call and morning show at 9am.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 4 (2 December)

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Update 4

Kona wind flow has forced the fourth consecutive lay day at the KSP World Championship tour final on Maui. International competitors from 18 countries remain on standby for the first possible start of the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro as soon as wind conditions permit.

“The wave is really good here in Ho’okipa,” said reigning KSP World Champion Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North) following his interview in this morning’s live broadcast. “The forecast looks better for the end of the week and I really hope we make the finals in the best conditions.”

Tune in at 9am each morning to watch the live call and morning show.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 5 (3 December)

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Update 5

Unfortunately, the unpredictable Kona Winds prevented the Ho’okipa Kitesurf Pro from getting underway again this morning. A solid swell forecast and the improving wind direction promise contestable conditions as soon as tomorrow and holding strong for the remainder of the competition window.

KSP contest director Ian Ponting states: “It’s unusual for Maui to be windless for long periods of time. The forecast continues to look really promising for the end of the holding period. In the meantime Maui continues to offer amazing surf and hopefully the competitors are still functional in both body and equipment when the real action starts.”

Video: Interview with Robby Naish

With an outside chance of the trade winds kicking in tomorrow, contest officials will reconvene tomorrow morning to assess the conditions for a possible start.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 6 (4 December)

World Tour Finals Get Underway in Pumping Surf

Finally the light and variable winds gave way to the returning trades earlier than expected for the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro. Local wildcard qualification heats were run in near flawless conditions, setting the stage for an action packed world tour final and the commencement of men’s round 1.

“Anytime there’s an easterly component in the wind, you have to expect that Maui will deliver”, said KSP live stream commentator Ben Meyer. “It was great to finally see the guys and girls out there ripping at the point. The forecast looks very promising to finish the event in stellar conditions.”

Advancing from the men’s local wildcard qualification rounds were Tiago Candelot 1st, Olivier Sautet 2nd, and Kevin “Top Hat” Senn 3rd. On the women’s side, Oahu native Moona Whyte turned heads with an outstanding performance in her wildcard qualification heat and will join 2nd place local wildcard qualifier Kalia Aguera in the main women’s draw.

Following the action-packed qualification rounds, the men’s round 1 got underway. Heat 1 saw world number 3 and world title contender Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) advance over Tiago Candelot (LWC) and Bastien Bollard (FRA, Ozone) with precisely executed turns and flowing rides, earning him the highest heat score of the competition thus far, a 14.93 combined two-wave total.

The Men’s heat 2 between Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One), Sky Solbach (USA, North) and Shawn Richman (HI, Naish) was abandoned due to deteriorating winds. Following a brief holding pattern, the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro was called off for the day to wait for better conditions to resume competition tomorrow.

Video: Highlights Day 6

Check out the Photos of the Day.

Tune in for the 9am call, a 10am first possible start and the live broadcast.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 7 (5 December)

Epic Surf Continues on Day 7 at Ho’okipa

Following another windless morning on Maui’s North Shore, the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro World Championship final got underway in the early afternoon in gusty wind and clean, overhead surf. Today saw incredible action and the near-completion of men’s round 1.

“The wind conditions were not ideal with the wind being lighter than usual and slightly offshore”, said local rider and hometown favorite Cruser Putnam (HI, Cabrinha) following his second place finish in his round 1 heat. “But that was still definitely the best kitesurfing I’ve seen at Ho’okipa.”

Today’s highest heat score came from tour standout Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One) with a 16.17 two-wave total. Riding forehand on his natural stance, Monteiro dominated his round 1 heat with solid hacks and vertical top to bottom surfing. Other heat winners in round 1 included Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA), Guilly Brandao (BRA), Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North), Stephan De Figueiredo (BRA), Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha), Filippe Ferreira (BRA, F-One).

The final heat of Men’s round 1 was abandoned due to deteriorating wind conditions late in the afternoon. All forecasts point to a significant increase in wind strength heading into the weekend and a slight decrease in swell height. When competition resumes, hometown favorite and current KSP World Tour points leader Patri Mclaughlin (HI, North) will face Kevin “Top Hat” Senn (HI) and Jakop Appel (DEN).

Check out the Photos of the Day.

Video: Highlights Day 7

Tune in for the 9am call, a 10am first possible start and the live broadcast.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 8 (6 December)

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Update 8

The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro saw strong side-offshore winds and consistent head high surf today on day 8 of the 10-day holding period. Men’s and women’s round 1 were completed as well as 7 heats of men’s round 2.

In a 10AM rider’s meeting, contest directors officially announced the implementation of the KSP’s alternate “short dingle elimination” ladder. Used for the first time in a KSP competition today, the short dingle elimination was originally designed in conjunction with the riders to reduce competition time to ensure an event result when conditions do not permit the use of the standard double consolidation ladder.

The competition kicked off in the early afternoon with the last remaining heat of men’s round 1, pitting local Maui boy and current KSP World Championship Tour points leader Patri Mclaughlin (HI, North) against Kevin “Top Hat” Senn (HI) and Jakop Appel (DEN). With his world title hopes on the line, Mclaughlin prevailed in a nerve-racking, but relatively low scoring heat.

Women’s round 1 saw some hotly contested battles, but no major upsets in the world title race. Local wildcard Moona Whyte (HI, Cabrinha) continued to impress with the highest heat score total of the women’s competition so far, a 14.17. Other riders advancing from women’s round 1 included Ninja Bichler (GER, North), Kirsty Jones (GBR, North) and Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish).

In round 2 of the men, reigning KSP World Champion Airton Cozzolino later (ITA, North) nailed the highest heat score of the day with a 15.83 two-wave combined total. Male riders advancing out of round 2 included world number 3 Sebastain Ribeiro (BRA), (CPV, F-One) as well as Guilly Brandao (BRA), Stephan De Figueiredo (BRA), Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha) and Filippe Ferreira (BRA, F-One). Competition was called off for the day falling short of just one heat of men’s round 2.

Check out the Photos of the Day.

Video: Highlights Day 8

Tune in for the 9am call, a 10am first possible start and the live broadcast.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 9 (7 December)

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Update 9

The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro was put on hold this morning before eventually being called off at 3PM due to light and variable winds. Contest directors are optimistic that the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Champions and overall World Tour Champions will be crowned tomorrow in classic Ho’okipa conditions.

“We knew today was a bit of a toss-up in terms of wind,” said KSP head judge Brad Price. “Tomorrow looks much better and we will be crowning the champions by tomorrow afternoon.”

With a stellar forecast on the charts and the KSP World Championship title on the line, tomorrow promises to be an incredible day of world-class kite surfing. The first heat on deck tomorrow between world number 1 Patri Mclaughlin (HI, North) and world number 4 Luke McGillewie (RSA, RRD) will be the first of many do-or-die heats in the road to the finals at the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 10 (8 December)

2012 KSP World Champions Crowned on Maui’s North Shore

The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro winners and overall KSP World Champions were crowned on Maui’s north shore today! The final day of the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro delivered classic Ho’okipa conditions and saw major upsets in the world title race.

The competition got underway in building surf and returning trade winds. The first major upset of the day came early this morning in the final heat of men’s round 2 between points leader Patri McLaughlin (HI, North) and world number 4 Luke McGillewie (RSA, RRD). McGillewie crushed McLaughlin’s world title hopes with a narrow defeat in their early morning clash at Ho’okipa.

The upsets continued in the men’s elimination when world number 2 Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North), world number 3 Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) and world number 4 Luke McGillewie (RSA, RRD) all failed to advance to the semi-finals, effectively opening up the title race to riders Guilly Brandao (BRA), Keahi De Aboititz (AUS, Cabrinha) and Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One), all tied for 5th place in the world ranking.

In the men’s semi-finals, Monteiro advanced in a high-scoring affair over Brandao and De Aboitiz defeated Ferreira, setting the stage for a riveting final showdown. With the Ho’okpa Kite Surf Pro event title and the world championship crown on the line, Monteiro and De Aboitiz had the crowd on the edge of their seats, exchanging the lead several times throughout the final in exceptional conditions. De Aboitiz emerged victorious, taking home his first ever KSP World Championship title in an emotional victory.

In the women’s bracket, round 2 saw fierce matchups in world-class conditions. Milla Ferreira (BRA, F-One), Moona Whyte (HI, Cabrinha), Kari Schibevaag (NOR, Ozone) and Jalou Langerees (NED, Naish) all advanced through to the semi-final round with stellar performances in the building northwest swell and increasing winds.

The womens’ semi-final saw Whyte post the highest two wave total of the entire event, a 17.67, against Brazillian powerhouse Ferreira. Ferreira’s defeat effectively secured the title for Langeree, putting her competitors out of points’ reach. Elated after winning her first ever KSP World Championship title, Langeree went on to advance in semi-final number 2 in a narrow victory over Schibevaag.

The women’s final hit the water in pulsing northwest swell and finely groomed over-head waves. Whyte, in her first ever KSP World Championship tour event, continued her charge to victory, posting big scores, displaying fluid style, and defeating points leader Langeree.

Finals Wrap-up Video

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Men’s Final Results

1. Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha)
2. Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One)
3. Guilly Brandao (BRA, Best)
4. Filippe Ferreira (BRA, F-One)

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Women’s Final Results

1. Moona Whyte (HI, Cabrinha)
2. Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish)
3. Kari Schibevaag (NOR, Ozone)
4. Milla Ferreira (BRA, F-One)

2012 KSP Men’s World Championship Results

• World Champion – Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha)
• Vice World Champion – Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One)
• 3rd Airton Cozzolino (CPV, North)

2012 KSP Women’s World Championship Results

• World Champion – Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish)
• Vice World Champion – Ines Correia (POR, RRD)
• 3rd Ninja Bichler (GER, North)

Check out the Photos of the Day and award ceremony.

Ho’okipa Pro Live Web Broadcast

The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro is supported by the County Of Maui, Best Kiteboarding, Cabrinha Kites, Naish Kites, North Kiteboarding, Maui Kitesurfing Community, Eternal Riders, Second Wind, NeilPryde Maui, Maui Beach Hotel, Mana Foods, Whole Foods Maui, Pacific Millworks, Mama’s Fish House and KSP Tour Outfitter ION.

If you’re lucky enough to be on Maui at the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro, or if you’ve been following the action via the live broadcast, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below… Let us know what you think of the event so far and who you think is going to dominate.

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KSP Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Hawaii 2012 Results was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

It was a tough contest, with so many female kiters doing great things for their communities and our sport. We hope the exposure from this contest will see all the girls get a little more recognition for the good work they are doing.

The final moments of the competition were incredibly tense, and we had no idea who was going to win! In the end, it was Hannah Whiteley who was victorious, only 19 votes ahead of Katie Chandler.

Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer

1st place: Hannah Whiteley

2nd place: Katie Chandler

3rd Place: Sophie Chevalier

iMK Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year

Cynthia Brown (a.k.a. Cynbad)

It’s been a very exciting competition, with the leader-board changing a number of times as the vote’s poured in by the thousands, and it’s amazing that with over 9 000 votes, it would come down to only 19 votes seperating the first and second place.

Prizes

As winner of the “Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer”, Hannah Whiteley has won herself a 7 day Kitesurfing Vacation in the French Alps for two on the beautiful Lac de Serre Poncon courtesy of Tantrum Kitesurf, a 6 issue subscription and feature on the cover of KiteGirl Magazine, and a ‘Pray for Wind’ hoodie by KiteGirl and Deadman Kitesurfing.

For her second place, Katie Chandler will receive a Pink KiteGirl ‘Pray for Wind’ T-Shirt, a 6 issue subscription to KiteGirl Magazine, and an Eco friendly Beach Tote from Beach Girl Body Goods.

In third place, Sophie Chevalier also wins a 6 Issue subscription to KiteGirl Magazine and an Eco friendly Beach Tote from Beach Girl Body Goods.

Last, but not least, our “iMK Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year”, Cynthia Brown will be making her way to Mexico on an exciting 7 Day Kitesurfing Vacation courtesy of Kite Beach Yucatan.

Final Results

Congratulations to all the finalists:

Our top 10 finalists will also be featured in Kitegirl Magazine in March, so be sure to pick up a copy to read all about them!

Thank You

We couldn’t have run this competition without the support of our generous sponsors.

And a special thanks to everyone who voted and helped spread the word. With a total of 9,135 votes, we are blown away by the response from the kiting community! You have all played an important role in creating awareness and promoting girls in kitesurfing.

We also learned a lot through the running of the competition this year, and have taken the feedback we’ve received from the community, and have already developed a new and improved system for next year’s competition, so watch this space…

The inMotion Kitesurfing Team

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And the MIGK 2012 Winner is… was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

The KSP World Pro Tour Championship final is set to take place at Ho’okipa Beach Park on Maui in Hawaii from 29 November to 8 December 2012. The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro will see the world’s top 24 male and 12 female kitesurfers compete for the highly coveted world championship title at one of the sport’s most iconic venues.

Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Hawaii 2012: Full Results & Updates.

If you are looking for the 2013 Cabrinha Kite Surf Pro Results & Updates, click here.

“Ho’okipa is such an amazing venue for wind sports”, says Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro event coordinator Samantha Bittner. “We had such great success recently with the Maui Makani Classic windsurfing event and I am really looking forward to seeing what the best kitesurfers in the world can do out at the point.”

Heading into the final event of the season, current tour points leader and local Maui boy Patri Mclaughlin (HI, North) will look to secure his first world title in front of his home crowd following some hard-fought battles on tour this year in Portugal, Mauritius and Ireland. Reigning KSP World Champion and current world number 2 Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North) and world number 3 Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) remain hot on McLaughlin’s heels in a very tight world title race.

Following her first place finish at last month’s KSP event in Ireland, current female KSP World Tour frontrunner Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish) is intent on carrying her winning momentum into the final event of the season. Langeree is followed closely by 2011 World Champion Ines Correia (POR, RRD) and Ninja Bichler (GER, North) in a hotly contested world title race that will come down to the wire at Ho’okipa.

Fantasy KSP Round 4

The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro 2012 and the KSP also announce round 4 of the 2012 Fantasy KSP powered by Fantastar.com. The round will remain open until midnight on November 28, 2012 (GMT), just hours before the start of the KSP World Championship Tour Final and teams can now be selected from the confirmed riders list below. The Local Wild Cards for the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro will be determined in the Local Wild Card Qualifier taking place just before the first round of the main event.

Fantasy KSP enables fans and kitesurfers from around the world to participate in the KSP World Tour by assembling their own dream team of tour riders prior to each world championship tour event and “betting” on them to win awesome prizes. Fantasy KSP is free, fun, and open for all to play.

Prizes for the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro Fantasy Game

• 1st place: 2 nights for 2 at the Hotel Wailea on Maui, HI.
• 2nd place: Naish Kites backpack
• 3rd place: Best Kiteboarding Laptop Sleeve
• 4th place: Cabrinha Hoodie
• 5th place: North T-Shirt
• 6th place: ION T-Shirt

Confirmed Riders for the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro

Male Riders

• Abel Lago (ESP)
• Airton Cozzolino (ITA)
• Bastien Bollard (FRA)
• Etienne Lhote (FRA)
• Filippe Ferreira (BRA)
• Gonzalo Gomes (POR)
• Grant “Twig” Baker (RSA)
• Guilly Brandao (BRA)
• Jakob Appel (DEN)
• Jesse Richman (CHI)
• Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS)
• Luke McGillewie (RSA)
• Marciel (Matchu) Lopes Almeida (CPV)
• Mitu Monteiro (CPV)
• Patri McLaughlin (HI)
• Reo Stephens (HI)
• Ryan Coote (IRL)
• Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA)
• Shawn Richman (HI)
• Sky Solbach (USA)
• Stephan De Figueiredo (BRA)
• LWC 1
• LWC 2
• LWC 3

Female Riders

• Adriana Harlan (BRA)
• Erika Lindberg (SWE)
• Ines Correia (POR)
• Jalou Langeree (NED)
• Kari Schibevaag (NOR)
• Kirsty Jones (GBR)
• Kristin Boese (GER)
• Melissa Gil (CRC)
• Milla Ferreira (BRA)
• Ninja Bichler (GER)
• LWC 1
• LWC 2

Tune in to www.kspworldtour.com/live for the KSP World Championship Tour Finals at Ho’okipa Beach in Maui, HI from 29 Nov – 8 Dec.

The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro is supported by the County Of Maui, Best Kiteboarding, Cabrinha Kites, Naish Kites, North Kiteboarding, Maui Kitesurfing Community, Eternal Riders, Second Wind, Maui Beach Hotel, Mana Foods, Whole Foods Maui, Pacific Millworks, Mama’s Fish House and KSP Tour Outfitter ION Essentials.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the share buttons below.

KSP Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro & Fantasy KSP Round 4 Kick Off was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

Marcin, who’s a freelance web developer, recons that since he works from his office, home, coffee shop, car and even the beach, anyway, he might as well do it from incredible and unique kite spots… and the idea for a trip half way around the world in search of great kitesurfing spots was born.

The Trip

The plan is to start in Wrocław, Poland in May 2013 and visit over 50 kite spots in 31 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia, ending in Hong Kong, China. They will travel in a Land Rover Defender, interview local kitesurfers, take photos and shoot videos along the way. There are two seats available for guests in their Defender, so if you’d like to join them on their adventure, follow their Facebook page for updates on how to get onboard.

Kitelancers Infographic

A few Words from Kitelancers

We probably don’t need to explain to anyone who’s tried kitesurfing, that it’s an addictive sport. The feeling of having control over the wind, tearing up the water and water drops smashing all over your body, is just amazing! Another great thing about kitesurfing is the people. No matter if you’re under 20 or over 50, if you’re an architect, lawyer, graphic designer or web developer like me, kitesurfing connects us. We are open, willing to help each other at any time, and we all crave wind.

We check the wind forecasts a few times a day, and if there’s even a slight chance, we have no problem driving over 500 kilometres just to have two good days of kiteboarding. And even if the water is close to freezing and the forecast doesn’t come through… wait, that’s not good, we like it windy and warm! Which is why we came up with the idea for a trip in search of great places to kitesurf, meet awesome people and work at the same time. We called it KiteLancer, short for kitesurfing freelancers.

We are looking for sponsors and great kite spots on our route, so check our website, and if your kite spot or school is on our route, let us know if you can help, or just say hello.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the share buttons below.

Halfway Around the World with Kitelancers was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

…and you’re going to love these girls.

We received so many nominations from dedicated fans around the world, for girls all doing such amazing things in kitesurfing and for their communities. So choosing just ten was even more difficult than we could have imagined. They are all winners in our opinion!

But don’t take our word for it… click through to their profiles to see what these awesome ladies are up to, and then vote for the one you think is most deserving of the title! You only get one vote, so make it count. Voting closes on 27 November 2012.

Top 10 Finalists

In Alphabetical Order

• Kristin Boese
• Cynthia Brown
• Katie Chandler
• Sophie Chevalier
• Tatiana Howard
• Gretta Kruesi
• Claire Lutz
• Susi Mai
• Verda Marley
• Hannah Whiteley

Prizes

This year we’ve added a twist, with two first prizes up for grabs. The winner of “Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer” will walk away with a 7 day Kitesurfing Vacation in the French Alps by Tantrum Kitesurf, a 6 issue subscription and feature on the cover of KiteGirl Magazine, and a ‘Pray for Wind’ hoodie by KG and Deadman Kitesurfing. The winner of the “iMK Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year”, chosen by inMotion Kitesurfing, will win a 7 Day Kitesurfing Vacation in Mexico, courtesy of Kite Beach Yucatan. We also have fantastic 2^nd and 3^rd place prizes by Beach Girl Body Goods.

So, who’s the most influential girl kitesurfer? Who’s doing the most for her community and our sport? Who has the most passion and talent to encourage more girls to start kitesurfing?

The choice is in YOUR hands. It’s time for you to GET YOUR VOTE ON!

Our Sponsors

We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. And thanks, for helping us find these fantastic girls!

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the share buttons below.

Get Your Vote On: Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer 2012! was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

Update
Congratulations to Hannah Whiteley, winner of the “Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer 2012” and Cynthia Brown, our ”iMK Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year”!

There are fantastic prizes up for grabs this year thanks to our generous sponsors. The winner of the “Most Influential girl Kitesurfer” will win a 7 day Kitesurfing Vacation in the French Alps courtesy of Tantrum Kitesurf at the majestic Lac de Serre Poncon, while the “iMK Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year” will win a 7 Day Kitesurfing Vacation in Mexico thanks to Kite Beach Yucatan. 1st through to 3rd place will also win awesome prizes provided by Kitegirl Magazine, Deadman Kitesurfing and Beach Girl Body Goods. For more about the prizes, visit the official competition page.

Last year saw ten amazing girls battle it out in a nail biting final, with the leader board changing a number of times throughout the voting period. In the end, it was Kari Schibevaag who was crowned our 2011 winner after racking up 24% of the votes with over 1 000 to her name. Kari has gone on to have a very busy and successful year competing on the KSP World Pro Tour (currently ranking 6th overall), organizing camps for girls like the Dakhla Girls Camp 2012, and she even had time for a visit to South Africa.

Video: Kari Schibevaag in Africa

If you are reading this in an email or RSS feed, watch the video here.

However, Kari isn’t the only one who’s been busy. Michelle Smith, who placed 4th in last year MIGK competition, says she is in the process of signing with a sports agent who is interested in promoting her, plus Mystic SA has approached her for a sponsorship.

“The MIGK comp definitely helped with this. I’ve also set up a website – www.michellesky.com, I moved to Cape Town and I’m in the process of starting my own Pilates studio. I am planning a fundraiser to help a homeless shelter.”

As a result of the MIGK competition, Michelle has also been elected by Sport and Recreation South Africa for their “little green book” which features the top 100 most influential people in sport during the period of January to December 2011. The Little Green Book recognizes and acknowledges the contribution that has been made by sports men and women in the South African sporting fraternity. She also received quite a bit of media coverage on websites and even gave a radio interview.

Another top 10 finalist, Clémentine Bonzom says this year was really important for her kiteboarding career.

“First I joined the North Kiteboarding Team, which I’m really stoked about. Then I decided to take part in the PKRA events, unfortunately I wasn’t able to follow all the stops, but I did Morocco, France, Germany and I will go to China for the next one. I’m currently 6th overall in the freestyle ranking, and very HAPPY! More travels, more competitions, more tricks… I had an awesome year! This week-end I’m taking part to the French championships, then I’m flying to China and the Philippines and then… We’ll see! To be continued!!!!”

Clémentine says she thinks the MIGK competition gave her the motivation to follow her dreams and believe in herself! Well done girl, keep at it!

So if the awesome prizes aren’t enough to get you excited about taking part in this year’s competition, then hopefully the above success stories will do the trick. To enter yourself or someone else, just head over to the competition page and fill in the short entry form. It will take less than 1 minute. Remember, the more inspiring nominations you get, the greater your chances of making the finals so be sure to tell your friends and fans.

How you can Help

Even if you don’t have anyone to nominate, you can still help us make a difference in kitesurfing by spreading the word throughout your network. Share the competition page on Facebook, Twitter, your website / blog, or any other social network you engage in, and help us promote girls in kitesurfing, and kitesurfing to girls…

We appreciate your support.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the share buttons below.

Last Call for MIGK 2012 Nominations was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

We will be updating this article with the latest competition results and news from Achill Island on a daily basis. As always, we won’t be sending out daily emails regarding the event, so remember to refer back to this page each day, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ to keep up to date with this action packed kitesurfing event.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Watch the Live Broadcast

This 3rd stop on the KSP World Tour will incorporate a unique mobile format, capable of showcasing each day’s action at the choicest of locations on the country’s wild and swell-abundant west coast.

The competitors and contest officials are based at Pure Magic Lodge on Achill Island in the county of Mayo. From here, a number of prime wave spots are within close reach, enabling the riders to experience the real power behind the heavy swell of the frigid Atlantic waters.

Day 1 (19 October)

Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Update 1

The Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Ireland was called off for the day due to small waves and light wind.

“The forecast was not looking great for wind or waves today,” said Brad Price, Head Judge for the KSP world championship tour. “We are working closely with our dedicated team of locals and monitoring the forecast charts carefully. Conditions are looking very promising at the moment for a possible start tomorrow afternoon or Sunday.”

Video: Day 1 Highlights

If you are reading this in an email or RSS feed, watch the video here.

Aer Lingus Kitesurf Pro Men’s Round 1 Match-ups

• Heat 1: Patri McLaughlin (HI, North), Luke McGillewie (RSA, RRD), Ryan Coote (IRL)
• Heat 2: Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One), Juan Pablo Diban (CHI), Jakop Appel (DEN)
• Heat 3: Mauricio Pedreira (BRA), Lee Harvey (GBR, North), Pedro Henrique (BRA, Best)
• Heat 4: Guilly Brandao (BRA), Gonzalo Gomes (POR), Keith McGeown (IRL)
• Heat 5: Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA), Matchu Almeida (CPV, North), Cameron Biehl (USA)
• Heat 6: Filippe Ferreira (BRA), Bastien Bollard (FRA), Mark Moore (CAN)
• Heat 7: Sky Solbach (USA, North), Etienne Lhote (FRA, F-One), Abel Lago (ESP, RRD),
• Heat 8: Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North), Keahi De Aboitiz, (AUS, Cabrinha), Mark Barry (IRL)

Aer Lingus Kitesurf Pro Women’s Round 1 Match-ups

• Heat 1: Ninja Bichler (GER, North), Suzanne Kuiper (NED, F-One), Celina Guardati (ARG)
• Heat 2: Ines Correia (POR, RRD), Melissa Gil (USA, Cabrinha), Jade O’Connor (IRL)
• Heat 3: Kirsty Jones (GBR, North), Kristin Boese (GER, Best), Kari Schibevaag (NOR, Ozone)
• Heat 4: Milla Ferreira (BRA), Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish), Lilian Malschaert (NED)

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 2 (20 October)

Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Update 2

Wind and swell maps are forecasting a potentially ideal scenario of strong winds and large surf starting early Sunday morning, day 3 of the 10 day holding period of the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Ireland.

“Local riders like Ryan Coote are saying that this is exactly the type of forecast they normally look for,” said KSP live stream commentator Ben Meyer. “We anticipate starting the contest as early as possible tomorrow to take advantage of the expected conditions.”

A small expression session was held for local media and the public at Keel Beach, Achill Island’s most popular kite spot, to get a glimpse of what can be expected when the main competition begins. On the men’s side, Matchu Almeida Lopez (CPV, North) took the win with a big un-hooked full rotation 360 over Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha) and Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North). Kari Schibevaag (NOR, Ozone) beat fellow female competitors Milla Ferreira (BRA) and Lilian Malschaert (NED) with a big strapless air to secure first place.

Check out the Photos from Day 1 & 2.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 3 (21 October)

Brazilians Dominate Men’s Round 1 of the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro!

Day 3 of the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro’s 10 day holding period was graced by solid 4 foot surf, sunshine and moderate wind. The Brazilian riders dominated the action today, as contest directors finished the first 7 heats of men’s round 1.

“This is some of the best that Ireland has to offer”, said local contest organizer Eoin O’Connell. “The waves are pumping, the sun is out and we’re really happy to be able to share it with the best riders in the world.”

Standouts today included Brazilian riders Sebastian Ribeiro, Guilly Brandao and Felippe Ferreira who all scored 14 plus point heat score totals. Brandao, who was on-fire today, not only scored the highest single wave, but also the highest heat total of the event so far of 15.9 with his vertical back hand attack in the clean side-offshore wind conditions.

The opening heat of the day saw a highly anticipated rematch of the semi-finals of the second stop of the KSP World Tour in Mauritius between Luke McGillewie (RSA, RRD) and current KSP points leader Patri McLaughlin (HI, North). The young South African took down the tour leader to secure a spot in the 4th round of the event. Mitu Montiero (CPV, F-One) dominated the second heat of the day and yet again established himself as one of the riders to beat on tour this year.

The Brazilian rampage through the first round began in heat 3, which saw Ribeiro, Brandao, Ferreira as well as Pedro Henrique (BRA, Best) take home a Round 1 victory, ensuring a strong presence from Brazil in the later rounds of the event.

Wind speeds were unreliable in the afternoon, resulting in delays and heat postponements. Etienne Lhote (FRA, F-One) took home the victory in the final seconds of heat number 7 to end the day.

Video: Day 3 Highlights

Check out the Photos from Day 3.

Aer Lingus Kitesurf Pro Men’s Round 1 Match-ups

• Heat 8: Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North), Keahi De Aboitiz, (AUS, Cabrinha), Mark Barry (IRL)

Aer Lingus Kitesurf Pro Women’s Round 1 Match-ups

• Heat 1: Ninja Bichler (GER, North), Suzanne Kuiper (NED, F-One), Celina Guardati (ARG)
• Heat 2: Ines Correia (POR, RRD), Melissa Gil (USA, Cabrinha), Jade O’Connor (IRL)
• Heat 3: Kirsty Jones (GBR, North), Kristin Boese (GER, Best), Kari Schibevaag (NOR, Ozone)
• Heat 4: Milla Ferreira (BRA), Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish), Lilian Malschaert (NED

Tune in to the live broadcast for the riders meeting at 10:00am Ireland time tomorrow.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 4 (22 October)

Lay Day on Day 4 of the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro

Due to decreasing swell, Day 4 of the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro was called off today following a 3 hour holding pattern in the hopes that conditions would become contestable.

“The forecast called for declining swell throughout the day, but we wanted to be on site and ready to roll if and when the conditions became contestable,” said KSP Head Judge Brad Price. “Unfortunately the wind only lasted for a brief period and the swell declined even quicker than anticipated.”

Forecast models and local experts suggest that conditions will improve as the week goes on and that the competition should be able to resume in the coming days.

Check out the Photos from Day 4.

As soon as the competition resumes again, we’ll see Australian phenom Keahi De Aboitiz (Cabrinha) do battle against reigning world champion Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North) and local wildcard Mark Barry (IRL).

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 5 (23 October)

Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Update 5

Another lay day was called today at the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro due to the lack of contestable conditions.

“We are looking at improving conditions over the next couple of days and a potentially big swell towards the end of the holding period,” said KSP Tour Manager Kristin Boese. “Hopefully we can get a lot of heats done this week and hold the finals in the best conditions over the weekend.”

Video: Day 5 Highlights

Tune in to the live broadcast for the riders meeting at 10:00am Ireland time tomorrow.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 6 (24 October)

Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Update 6

Another lay day was called today at the Are Lingus Kite Surf Pro. However, the forecast is looking good for the days ahead and into the weekend.

“The wind returned today after a few days of light breeze”, said contest director Mark Wardt. “We’re closely watching the forecast for anywhere within driving distance and are confident we will be in the right place when conditions allow us to continue the event.”

The wave heights and wind speeds are expected to increase from tomorrow and continue to build through to the end of the ten day holding period. Event organizers and competitors are optimistic they will be able to complete the early rounds in the coming days and finish the finals in what looks to be classic Irish conditions this weekend.

Tune in to the live broadcast for the riders meeting and the morning show at 10:00am Ireland time tomorrow.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 7 (25 October)

Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Update 7

Another official lay day was declared today by contest organizers at the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro. Competitors and organizers remain optimistic for the recommencement of competition tomorrow.

“The wind is back and the weather is absolutely gorgeous today”, said KSP Tour Manager Kristin Boese. “Now we are looking for that wind swell to build up to allow us to hopefully get underway tomorrow and set ourselves up for a great finish in the bigger ground swell expected this weekend.”

KSP Competitors took advantage of the beautiful autumn weather today on and around the mobile event’s home base of Achill Island by hiking and sampling some of the flat-water kiteboarding locations on offer. Contest directors will evaluate conditions at dawn tomorrow to determine a possible competition venue for the day.

Tune in to the live broadcast for the morning show at 10:00am Ireland time tomorrow.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 8 (26 October)

Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Update 8

Today saw the 5th consecutive lay day for the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro due to small surf. A decent forecast for the weekend promises a strong finish though.

“The swell was really small in the morning, but we waited to see if the wind swell would fill in to the afternoon,” KSP head judge Brad Price said. “Saturday afternoon and Sunday, the final two days of the holding period, are still looking like our best option to finish the event.”

Tune in to the live broadcast for the morning show at 10:00am Ireland time tomorrow.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 9 (27 October)

Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Update 9

Heading into the final day of the holding period, KSP contest directors anticipate an early start tomorrow. The world’s top kitesurfers look forward to an action packed final day in strong wind, stormy surf and cold, rainy weather.

“The wind hasn’t really been an issue for us over the past week, but the waves have just been too small to be contestable”, said local organizer Kieran Sammon of Freeride Ireland. “But that’s all going to change tomorrow as this swell approaches. It will be interesting to see how the weather affects the surf conditions, but we’re hoping to get a full day of action and crown the champions tomorrow night.”

Tune in to the live broadcast for the morning show at 10:00am Ireland time tomorrow.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10: Finals & Results

Day 10 (28 October)

Full Day of Action at Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro Finals

The final day of the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro got underway before daybreak when the 6am call was made to move the mobile event to an alternate location north of Achill Island. Overhead surf and 30 plus knot winds with intermittent rainsqualls marked the early morning heats.

Men’s round 2 and 3 standouts included Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS,Cabrinha), who threw some of the biggest airs of the entire competition and Matchu Almeida (CPV, North) who cruised through his early round heats with fluid style. On the women’s side Kirsty Jones (GBR, North) and Milla Ferreira (BRA) battled through the middle rounds, eventually meeting in the 3rd place final with Ferreira taking the podium position.

The women’s final saw reigning KSP world champion Ines Correia (POR, RRD) come up against tour rookie and in-form rider of the event Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish). However, deteriorating conditions in the late afternoon prevented the final from being completed, forcing Correia and Langeree to share the event title and world ranking points.

Fading conditions halted the men’s competition at round 5, just one heat after attaining an official result for the men’s ladder. When asked about the erratic conditions on offer today, KSP tour rider and current world number 3 Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) said, ”The conditions were super hard out there, but we are here to compete and do our best even if it’s not the perfect dream conditions.”

The remaining 12 men still left in the competition will split equal points in the already hotly contested KSP world title race heading into the 4th and final stop of 2012 in Maui, HI next month.

Video: Day 10 Highlights & Wrap-up

Check out the Photos from Day 10.

Final Mens Results for the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro

Men’s Equal 1st

• Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA)
• Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North)
• Luke McGillewie (RSA, RRD)
• Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha)
• Guilly Brandao (BRA)
• Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA)
• Pedro Henrique (BRA, Best)
• Filippe Ferreira (BRA, F-One)
• Etienne Lhote (FRA, F-One)
• Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One)
• Mauricio Pedreira (BRA)
• Matchu Almeida Lopez (CPV, North)
• Patri McLaughlin (HI, North)

Final Woman’s Results for the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro

• 1st place Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish)
• 1st place Ines Correia (POR, RRD)
• 3rd place Milla Ferreira (BRA, F-One)
• 4th place Kirsty Jones (GBR, North)

Don’t miss our coverage of the KSP World Championship Tour Finals at Ho’okipa Beach in Maui, Hawaii from Nov. 29 – Dec. 8.

Aer Lingus Pro Live Web Broadcast

The Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro 2012 is organized by Freeride Ireland, and sponsored by Aer Lingus, ION Essentials, Pure Magic, Hertz, Achill Tourism, Cully & Sully, IKSA, Leader, NDP, EAFRD, SW Mayo Development, DECLG, The Strand Hotel and the Teach Cruachan B&B.

If you’re lucky enough to be on Achill Island at the Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro, or if you’ve been following the action via the live broadcast, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below… What do you think of the event so far and who do you think is going to dominate?

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the share buttons below.

KSP Aer Lingus Kite Surf Pro 2012 Results was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

Kari Schibevaag | 2011 MIGK Winner

Update
Congratulations to Hannah Whiteley, winner of the “Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer 2012” and Cynthia Brown, our ”iMK Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year”!

Following the huge success of last year’s inaugural competition, we are pulling out all the stops this year to ensure we reach even deeper into the kiteboarding community and general public.

So what’s different this year? Well for one, our prizes (which we think you’re going to love btw), but more about that later… plus there’s a twist…

But Why?

For those who didn’t follow last year’s MIGK competition, you might be wondering why we are doing this.

Well first and foremost, we designed this competition to promote kitesurfing to woman. We find that far too many woman are under the false impression that kitesurfing or kiteboarding is too difficult, or worse yet, too dangerous for them to try. So by showcasing ladies from all walks of life, size and age excelling at kitesurfing, we hope to inspire more girls to get involved in our sport.

At the same time though, we know there are so many girls out there already doing really awesome things for kitesurfing and/or their community, so we hope to give these girls some well deserved exposure and recognition for all their hard work and achievements.

You can also read Jessica’s inspiring story.

The Twist

To make it fairer, and to ensure anyone has a chance of winning, we’ve got two BIG first prizes! One for the “Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer” and one for a new title we are introducing called the “iMK Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year”. The winner of this title will be chosen from the top ten finalists by the inMotion Kitesurfing team and our partners.

Who Can Enter?

Any female kitesurfers over the age of 16 can enter this competition. You don’t have to be a pro kitesurfer, or even a good kitesurfer for that matter. You just need to be passionate about kiteboarding and doing something extraordinary, such as excelling at competitions, helping your community or the environment, or helping others get into our sport safely.

How to Enter

It’s simple really… just nominate yourself or someone you think deserves recognition for their work by submitting this short entry form.

The ten girls with the most nominations and most inspiring stories will enter into the finals, where the public will vote for the winner.

The nomination round closes on 1 November 2012 at 23:00pm GMT. The top 10 nominees will be announced on 13 November 2012, and voting will run from 13 to 27 November 2012 at 12:00pm GMT. The winners will be announced on 27 November 2012.

Prizes

Now for the exciting bit… and as promised earlier, we’ve got awesome prizes, including two all inclusive kitesurfing holiday packages generously sponsored by Tantrum Kitesurf and Kite Beach Yucatan! And in case that isn’t enough, KiteGirl Magazine has generously provided us with very cool first, second and third place prizes, and Beach Girl Body Goods has very nice beach goodies for second and third place.

1st Place (Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer)

A 7 day Kitesurfing Vacation in the French Alps

6 nights / 7 days total immersion kitesurfing camp, courtesy of Tantrum Kitesurf. Set on the Lac de Serre Poncon, nestled in the peaks of the French High Alps, this kitesurfing camp will be an experience you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

With glass flat water in the mornings…which of course we take full advantage of, wakeboarding behind one of our Mastercraft ski boats, the wind picks up around 10:30 and by 1 is blowing a prefect force 4/5. Flat, open water and acres of space allow you all the freedom you could possibly want…and just in case that’s not enough for you, we throw in some extra goodies like white water rafting, mountainside BBQ’s and the legendary Via Ferrata as well.

Includes:

• Accommodation (in tents…nice big ones!)
• Breakfast and lunch every day
• 3 days of wakeboarding
• White Water Rafting
• Via Ferrata
• BBQ’s at 2000m
• As much kitesurfing as you can handle

Find out more about this fantastic package by Tantrum Kitesurf here.

Feature on the cover of March 2013 KiteGirl Magazine

Green KiteGirl ‘Pray For Wind‘ Hoodie

6 Issue Subscription to KiteGirl Magazine

1st Place (iMK Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year)

7 Day Kitesurfing Vacation in Mexico

Our Inspirational Kitesurfer of the Year, chosen from the top 10 finalists by the iMK team, will win a 6 night / 7 day all inclusive kite vacation in the beautiful Yucatan in Mexico, courtesy of Kite Beach Yucatan.

You will be staying in an ocean front room in the Kite Beach Yucatan villa where you can kite right off the patio! With wind nearly all year round, you will have the time of your life. Their private New York chef will pamper you with delicious healthy meals to keep you riding all day long.

Find out more about this fantastic package by Kite Beach Yucatan here.

2nd Place

• A Pink KiteGirl ‘Pray For Wind’ T-Shirt
• 6 Issue Subscription to KiteGirl Magazine
• An Eco friendly Beach Tote courtesy of Beach Girl Body Goods

3rd Place

• 6 Issue Subscription to KiteGirl Magazine
• An Eco friendly Beach Tote courtesy of Beach Girl Body Goods

Find out more about Beach Girl Body Goods’ stylish, eco friendly beach wear and water sports apparel here.

Not too shabby hey? So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the competition page and nominate yourself!

And remember; only the ten girls with the highest number of inspiring nominations will make it to the finals, so share this with your friends, family and fans and tell them to nominate you.

Sponsors

A huge thank you to our generous sponsors, without whom this competition wouldn’t be possible. Thank you for supporting our campaign to promote woman in kiteboarding!

Good luck!

The inMotion Kitesurfing Team

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Subscribe to iMK, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer 2012 Launch was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

I’m not sure if this category already exists, and I’m pretty sure it will never be in the Olympics, but it does seem to be the best way to describe the trip we just finished, kiting 420 km from Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique to Durban, South Africa.

The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition

When Zack and I began hatching the plan, we decided early on that the objective of the trip was primarily to have an adventure, and have fun. This pretty much became our guiding philosophy for the trip and allowed us to really enjoy the journey. Record breaking was never part of the plan, but taking in some of the most beautiful coastline on the African continent, and spending time doing something we love, always was.

We are incredibly lucky as kitesurfers to live where we do; warm water, great waves, and most importantly, very few restrictions. There is no way you could try something like this in Spain, where kiting is all but banned on most beaches. The fact that a trip like this had never been done before and most of the coastline had never been kited, did hold a lot of appeal for us, and luckily for our sponsors as well.

With relatively little organising, we got permission to cross the international border and kite through the spectacular Isimangaliso marine reserve, which is also a world heritage site. The reserve runs for about 200 km from the border with Mozambique to Cape St Lucia, and apart from the two stops at Sodwana and Cape Vidal, is pretty much uninhabited. This part of the coast is truly wild, with high dunes covered in beautiful lush bush. The coast is characterised by big sweeping bays with rocky points and sandy beaches. What’s more, the wind here is usually a consistent 18+ knots.

August is also a great time of year to be on the north coast, with the humpback whales moving north, breaching out of the water as they go. We got pretty close to a mother and calf who were just rolling about on the surface, but we didn’t want to get too close in case she decided to help us break the highest air record. This part of the ocean is full of life, and we saw lots of turtles, who don’t seem bothered by kitesurfers, and often had whole schools of flying fish soaring out of the water in front of and all around us.

In total we spent 6 days on the water, but due to wind issues, they were spread out over two weeks. It turns out August isn’t such a windy month after all. The first 2 days were awesome, wind wise. We took off in the beautiful bay of Ponta do Ouro, and rounded the point into the unknown with 18 knots, at our backs. And it just got better throughout the day. Five and a half hours later we were surfing the waves into Sodwana, 89 km down the coast. The next day was similar to start with and by the time we got into Cape Vidal, 70 km further south, it was gusting 38 knots. But no trip like this is as they say, “just plain sailing”, as that night a cold front came up from the South. So we got to put our feet up for a couple of days in the beautiful Cape Vidal nature reserve, and enjoy some of our sponsored Hansa beer. We also enjoyed fine food and wine prepared by our Dads who were our support crew, following us down the coast in a Land Rover. Cape Vidal is a very special place, with loads of game, including bush pig that were in our camp every night, and Zack even saw a leopard early one morning.

The cold front passed and we got back on the water aiming for Richards Bay. A real highlight of the day was stopping off for lunch at the Jolly Rabino, an old ship that ran aground on the beach just south of Cape St Lucia. The wreck is fairly inaccessible from the land and forms a nice point break. So we got to ride some nice waves on a very unique landmark. We were joined for lunch on the beach by Andrew G.I. and Clinton who pulled in on a jet ski to get some footage of our trip.

As we headed further South after lunch, the angle of the coastline started to change and the wind got very inconsistent, becoming a cross off shore, and very bumpy as it came off the dunes. In the space of under 2 hours it went from gusting 35 knots to nothing. We ended up coming in 20 km short of our goal, with my kite falling out the sky in some seriously pitchy and bitching surf. I took a few solid waves on the head and was getting seriously zapped by the Shark Shield on my board (more on that later), so I jettisoned my board and kite and started a heavy swim in. I got seriously worked again by the shore break and eventually got spat up on the beach, only to discover that my board had ended up going through my kite in the shore break…

From here on it became seriously challenging, with the wind just not coming to the party. We had to really start hunting for the wind, and often ended up going very far out to sea trying to stay in clean wind. We must have been well over 3 km offshore at times. I worked out that often the wind seemed to work in narrow bands, almost like an invisible street, with little or no wind on either side. Often I would get stuck in a lull and end up drifting downwind in the lull, struggling to stay on the plain. The trick seems to be to recognise when you are in a bit of lousy air and get out of it. When doing this kind of kiting in light winds, you have to use your imagination and try to visualise what the wind is doing. Luckily I have quite a bit of experience flying hang gliders, which helped with trying to understand what the wind was doing.

We had a few hard days of kiting without covering much distance and ended up getting stuck in Mtunzini for over a week. Highlights included seeing a massive shark fin while my ass was bobbing in the water about a km and a half out to sea. I was very grateful for my shark shield then, and the occasional electrical shocks became more of a reassuring comfort.

The week off in Mtunzini gave us a chance to rest up and explore the area, as well as Iain’s wine collection. We also got a chance to meet some of the locals, who kindly showed us what serious drinking is all about. Our bodies were taking a bit of a beating. Zack’s knee was poked, my ankle was creaking, and both our livers had shrivelled up in fear. After a week in Mtunzini, and a couple of botched attempts to get out of there, the wind finally gave us a bit of a break. So in the interests of avoiding alcohol poisoning, we snivelled out on marginal wind, and managed to get 20 km further down the coast. The wind completely died again and I ended up having another long swim in to Amatikulu. Once again the pulsing shock of my shark shield was a great comfort, despite the cursing and swearing every time I got zapped. After a good 15 min swim, I eventually managed to drag my sorry ass up the beach, where Zack gave me the news that our support vehicle had broken down. We managed to lump ourselves and our gear up the main road and were rewarded by an angel who took pity on us and bought us quarts of cold beer. So the afternoon was spent on the side of the road waiting for a recovery vehicle, getting hammered in the sun. So, as they say in classics, “‘all’s well that ends well.”

A couple of days later, we got another weather window, so with 110 km to go, we pumped up, swam our kites across the Amatikulu lagoon, and jumped in the sea with steady 17 kts at our backs. The ocean was beautiful, with smooth clean water, and we started making good progress, averaging about 27 km per hour. Crossing the Tugela River mouth was spectacular and the coastline started to change thereafter. The shore becomes quite rocky, with more towns and buildings as we headed south. We also had some nice little waves along the way, and were making good progress, so we stopped off for a break at Salt Rock where we were met by our parents and some family. The wind was still pumping and our spirits were high, so we popped a few pain killers and set our sights on home. We had awesome encounters with two big pods of dolphins, but they disappeared as we got really close, so it turns out they are not that keen on shark shields either.

As we passed Umhloti, with about 35 km to go, we were joined out on the water by a whole group of our kiting mates, which was really great. We were feeling super confident, and having a great time, really enjoying the last day of our epic adventure. Just as Durban came into to view, and we could almost taste the beer at the finish, the wind died again. Kites started falling out of the sky and Zack and most of our mates had a bit of a swim back to shore. Talk about frustration! We had less than 20 km to go and we were told that all our mates, family, and the press were waiting for us at the Dew Catcher where we had planned to finish. Luckily we managed to borrow a couple of 14 meter kites, and a late puff of wind came through, so we headed out again. The sun was going down as we crossed Durban Bay, and once again our spirits soared as it looked as if we might just make it. We rounded the piers without any problems, and saw a nice crowd on the beach in front of the Dew Catcher. I came in with Zack just behind me, to a great welcome from friends, family and dogs.

Needless to say, and in the true spirit of the trip we celebrated late into the night.

Our Gear & Equipment

Kites

We kited 90 % of the trip on the Ozone Reo 10 m kites, which were excellent.

Light bar pressure is a serious plus when doing long distances, and the turning speed and drift ability of the Reo is fantastic on the waves. The Reo also has a massive top end and our 10 handled + 30 knot winds with ease.

The only criticism is that there is not much bottom end for its size, but it more than makes it up in other areas.

Boards

We both had F-one, 6 ft boards, although mine is a few years old and quite heavy due to a previous repair. I think the extra weight actually helped in the choppy conditions, as the board tended to plough through the chop, whereas Zack felt the bumps a bit more, especially on his knees.

Shark Shields

Shark Shields were often, quite literally a pain in the ass. When sitting in the water, the tail can give you quite a shock if it touches you, but it’s well worth it for the peace of mind when in sharky waters, with no wind. The shock isn’t too bad, when the tail touches you, but it is fairly debilitating.

Clothing & Accessories

Gloves and booties are an absolute must. Short finger sailing gloves worked great, and thin booties are the way to go. We tried various types of booties but the thin diving types were by far the best.

20 litre karrimor back pack, with minimal padding, worked well. I had 2 camel packs, 2 litres for energy juice and 2-3 litres for water.

Tracking & Communication

We tried various tracking systems, so our support crew could keep track of us, but the best was the iPhone / iPad combo. I also recommend the life proof covers for the phones.

Our Uniden VHF radios were okay for coms between Zack and me, but were more or less useless for coms with our support crew. The cheap licence free radios would probably work just as well.

Emergency Repair Kit

We carried basic repair kits, including sail tape, duct tape, and spare fins. Luckily we didn’t need to repair any kites on the go, but we both lost fins. A small hand pump is also a good idea although we didn’t need it.

Watch the Video

If you are reading this in an email or RSS feed, click here to see the video.

Support

A special thanks to The Unlimited, who were our headline sponsor, and helped a lot with the logistics, and getting permission for us to cross the border. Thank you also to Sin from Kitesports Africa for supplying us with great kites and support, to Hansa who gave us a lot of free beer, and to Dew Water who kept us hydrated.

The absolute must have on a trip like this, is a great support crew! Massive thanks to both of our Dads, Peter and Iain, my Uncle Ian, and Alec, who were always positive and supportive, and ready with cold beers at the end of every day, and great food and fine wine every night. They embraced the philosophy of the trip with great gusto, and had an adventure and a lot of fun. And that, at the end of the day, was what it was all about…

If you have any questions about the expedition, or you are planning an expedition of your own and would like our input, please feel free to post them in the comments below. If you would like to republish this story, please contact the editor.

Written by

Ross Walters

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons, or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe to iMK, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

An Epic African Kitesurfing Adventure was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.

We will be updating this article with the latest competition results and news from One Eye on a daily basis. As always, we won’t be sending out daily emails regarding the event, so remember to refer back to this page each day, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ to keep up to date with this action packed kitesurfing event.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Watch the Live Broadcast

Day 1 (7 September)

One Eye Kite Surf Pro Update 1

As expected, day one of the 2012 One Eye Kite Surf Pro started off with a bang today in solid surf, blustery weather and strong winds in excess of thirty knots. Round one of the men’s and women’s elimination were completed during the full day of competition.

At the 10am riders meeting, the call was made to get the competition underway, which saw competitors nervously pumping their smallest kites in the near extreme wind and wave conditions. Intermittent rain, gusty wind and unpredictable set waves made for an exciting day of competition. During the live stream broadcast, Patri Mclaughlin (North, HI) said:

“It’s pretty crazy out there, but I had one of the best sessions I’ve ever had at One Eye”.

Standouts on day one included the winner of last year’s One Eye Pro, Ninja Bichler (North, GER) and Mitu Monteiro (F-One, CPV), both scoring the highest heat scores of the day for men and women respectively. Bichler, a Mauritian resident, used her local knowledge of the break at One Eye to secure a 16-point heat score total, the highest of the event so far, with committed turns on the biggest set waves. On the men’s side, Monteiro demonstrated why he is a favourite at this event with flowing turns and a stylish repertoire of manoeuvres earning him the second highest heat score total of 15.66 on day one in his opening heat.

Check out the Photos of the Day.

Contest directors expect similar conditions tomorrow with a slight decrease in wave height. The first call of the day will be made at 10AM local time and the competition will resume shortly thereafter, weather permitting. Organizers and riders are looking forward to an action packed weekend with stellar conditions.

Video: Day 1 Highlights

If you are viewing this in an email or RSS reader, click here to watch the EPIC video. It will be worth it!

Tune in to the KSP Live Broadcast to watch all the action as it unfolds, brought to you by Emtel.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 2 (8 September)

One Eye Kite Surf Pro Update 2

Solid 4 to 6 foot surf (8′ to 12′ faces), strong wind and clearing skies… this is what riders were treated to on day 2 of the One Eye Kitesurf Pro. A total of 20 heats were completed in another action packed day that saw some incredibly narrow victories.

The highlight heat of the day on the men’s side came in heat 2 of round four, which pitted Patri Mclaughlin (USA, North) against Mitu Monteiro (F-One, CPV) against each other. Both riders laid it all on the line, holding nothing back as they pulled into the cleanest barrels of the event. Monteiro emerged the victor with the best barrel of the event thus far, earning him the single highest wave score of the entire competition so far, a 9.8 out of a possible 10.

The women’s competition saw some of the closest scoring heats in KSP history. Milla Ferreira (BRA) narrowly defeated Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR) in their tight scoring round two heat, 12.17 to 12.1. Another close women’s heat came in round four with Jalou Langeree (Naish, NED) defeating reigning KSP World Champion Ines Correia (POR) by a mere 0.01 of a point.

Video: Day 2 WrapUp

Check out the Photos from Day 2.

Wave conditions are expected to hold strong through most of the day tomorrow and slowly decrease into the afternoon. With around 6 hours of heats remaining in the competition and a stellar swell on the horizon for next weekend, KSP officials will make the official call at 10AM tomorrow to continue running heats or to hold off in anticipation of bigger surf for the final rounds.

Tune in to the KSP Live Broadcast to watch all the action as it unfolds, brought to you by Emtel.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 3 (9 September)

One Eye Kitesurf Pro Update 3

We have our finalists!

The day got off to a rather uncertain start at the One Eye Pro, with overcast skies and all forecasts pointing towards a rapid decline in surf and failing winds. KSP officials assessed conditions and made the call to resume competition late in the morning, which resulted in an afternoon of unforgettable performances.

Round 5 of the men’s draw began with pumping overhead surf and cranking winds. On a day defined by upsets, the men’s bracket was shaken up in the quarterfinal when young gun Luke McGillewie (RSA) took out event favorite Mitu Montiero (F-One, CPV) in a hotly contested battle. In another quarter final matchup, Patri Mclaughlin (North, USA), pulling into seemingly un-makeable barrels, defeated Guilly Brandao (Best, BRA) to advance into the semi-finals and continue the upset trend.

Airton Cozzolino (North, ITA) took down Keahi De Aboittiz (AUS) and Sebastian Ribiero (Best, BRA) on his way to the men’s final and will face the white-hot Hawaiian rider Mclaughlin in the finals of the One Eye Kite Surf Pro World Championship Tour Event when competition resumes.

On the women’s side, round 5, the semi-finals, and the 3rd place final were all contested in some of the best conditions seen on tour this year. Though the men began the day’s heats charging, the women did not disappoint in some of the most committed riding of the day. The increasing swell and strong wind did not intimidate standouts Ninja Bichler (North, GER) and Jalou Langeree (Naish, NED) who soundly defeated Ines Correia (POR) and Kirsty Jones (North, GBR), respectively, in the women’s semi-finals. Bichler and Langeree will meet in the final as soon as conditions allow. Jones handily defeated Correia in the 3rd place final to secure her position on the podium.

Video: Day 3 Highlights

Check out the Photos from Day 3.

First call is at 10am tomorrow morning to continue the men’s and women’s finals to crown the champions of the 2012 One Eye Kite Surf Pro Mauritius, so tune in to the KSP Live Broadcast to watch all the action as it unfolds.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 4 (10 September)

One Eye Kitesurf Pro Update 4

The first lay day was called at the One Eye Kitesurf Pro today. However, the forecast is calling for increasing swell and winds later in the week.

“Today was projected to be declining surf and marginal wind during the waiting period and, as expected, the conditions are just not contestable,” Brad Price, KSP International Head Judge, said. “We still have 6 days remaining in the window, and the forecast calls for bigger surf and stronger winds during the week.”

When competition resumes, the men’s 3rd place final will get under way, featuring Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) versus young gun Luke McGillewie (RRD, RSA) for a coveted spot on the podium.

Next up will be the women’s final between Ninja Bichler (North, GER) and Jalou Langeree (Naish, NED) in a battle for first and second place.

The final heat of the 2012 One Eye Kite Surf Pro will feature upset king Patri McLaughlin (North, USA) against reigning KSP World Champion Airton Cozzolino (North, ITA) in the men’s final.

Check out the Photos from Day 4.

Event organizers will convene at 10am to assess conditions for a possible 10:30am start tomorrow. Tune in to the KSP Live Broadcast to watch all the action as it unfolds.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 5 (11 September)

One Eye Kitesurf Pro Update 5

Due to small waves and inconsistent sets, the One Eye Kitesurf Pro in Mauritius has been called off for the day.

“The swell is still taking a bit of a break out here at One Eye and so are the riders and event officials.” says Kristin Boese, tour manager and president of the KSP world championship tour. “We are not worried though and forecasts promise great conditions for the final three heats of the event as well as a couple of supersession’s that we are planning for later this week.”

Up first will be the men’s 3rd place final featuring Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) and Luke McGillewie (RRD, RSA), when competition resumes again.

Video: Mauritian Livestyle

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 10:00am to assess the conditions for a possible 10:30am start.

You’ll find video highlights from the One Eye Kite Surf Pro here.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 6 (12 September)

One Eye Kitesurf Pro Update 6

Another lay day was called today, but that didn’t stop the KSP riders from having a good time….

“There was no swell this morning,” Bruno DeWannemaker, KSP Contest Director, said. “But with the forecast for the next day’s being what it is we are simply holding off for another day and come back tomorrow to assess conditions.”

Video: Sea Kart Action with Fun Adventure Mauritius

Check out the Photos from Today.

The event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 10:00am to assess the conditions for a possible 10:30am start.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 7 (13 September)

One Eye Kitesurf Pro Update 7

Competition has been called off for the day primarily due to small waves and inconsistent sets at One Eye.

“The swell has yet to fill in today and we’ve called another lay day” Brad Price, KSP Head Judge, said. “Forecasts are showing a slight increase in size late today, which could see us resume the competition as early as tomorrow. We’ll be back tomorrow morning to assess the situation.”

When competition resumes, up first will be the men’s 3rd place final featuring Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) and Luke McGillewie (RRD, RSA).

Check out the Photos from Today.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 10:00am to assess the conditions for a possible 10:30am start.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 8 (14 September)

One Eye Kite Surf Pro Update 8

Contest officials have called the 5th and final lay day at the One Eye Kite Surf Pro this morning and expect competition to continue tomorrow.

The first 3 days of second stop on the KSP World Championship Tour saw the world’s top 24 male and top 12 female riders battle it out in 51 heats. Big swell and strong winds provided the perfect contest conditions and riders delivered incredible action highlighted by deep barrels and powerful, committed surfing.

After 5 days with small to medium size waves, the swell is predicted to increase overnight and the wind will continue to be strong, virtually guaranteeing that the final three heats of competition will be finished tomorrow. The remaining finals will be followed by a “Supersession” that will see all KSP riders out at One Eye once again.

Check out the Photos from Today.

When competition resumes, up first will be the men’s 3rd place final featuring Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) and Luke McGillewie (RRD, RSA).

First call will be made tomorrow at 10:00am with a first possible start at 10:30am start.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 9 (15 September)

One Eye Kite Surf Pro Finals & Results

The finals of the second leg of the 2012 KSP World Championship Tour came to a close today. Congratulations to Patri McLaughlin (HI/North ) and Ninja Bichler (GER/North), the overall winners of the KSP One Eye Kite Surf Pro 2012!

Epic conditions graced day 9 of the One Eye Pro. The women’s final saw a repeat victory from local ripper Ninja Bichler (GER, North), dominating her home break. The men’s side saw underdog Patri McLaughlin (HI, North) take down reigning world champion Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North) nailing the only perfect 10 of the competition in the dying moments of the final.

In the marquee matchup of the day, the men’s final promised to be the best heat of the event and it did not disappoint. The powerful Cozzolino was pitted against the barrel-hunting McLaughlin in a final that saw several lead changes and some of the best tube rides of the event. McLaughlin got off to a great start with an opening wave score of 6.83 to Cozzolino’s 4.5. However, Cozzolino answered back with an 8.5 to give him the lead at the midpoint of the final.

McLaughlin’s never-say-die attitude finally paid off in the final moments of the heat with the event title on the line. Pulling into a seemingly un-makeable barrel, McLaughlin emerged claiming the first 10-point ride of the competition. Cozzolino scored a 7.5 late in the heat, but was unable to overtake McLaughlin for the title of the One Eye Kite Surf Pro.

“I’m so stoked right now I don’t even know what to say”, said the overwhelmed McLaughlin. “I got the biggest closeout barrel of my life in that final, and I am just so happy to be here.”

The men’s 3rd place final featured Luke McGillewie (RSA, RRD) against Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) in a battle that saw the momentum of the young McGillewie finally stopped by the powerful, flowing backside riding of the on-fire Brazilian.

Livestream Recording: One Eye Kite Surf Pro – Day 3 / Part 2

On the women’s side, the much-anticipated battle between the local knowledge of Bichler and the hotshot riding of Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish) was a nail biter right down to the wire. In the end, Bichler’s superior wave selection proved to be the difference in a final that highlighted her relationship with the intricacies of the break at One Eye.

“I felt more pressure this year trying to defend my title, but I was able to catch some good waves and felt in tune with the ocean today. I am just so happy to win the event again here at my home spot in front of my local crew,” said Bichler.

Men’s Results

1. Patri McLaughlin (HI/North)
2. Airton Cozzolino (ITA/North)
3. Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA)
4. Luke McGillewie (RSA/RRD)

Woman’s Results

1. Ninja Bichler (GER/North)
2. Jalou Langeree (NED/Naish)
3. Kirsty Jones (GBR/North)
4. Ines Correia (POR/RRD)

Following the completion of the main event, the 6-heat Expression Session began in exceptional conditions. Mauricio Pedreira (BRA), Milla Ferreira (BRA), and local rider Max Bonieux (MRU) won top honors for best barrel rides in their respective categories.

Video: Day 9 Highlights!

Check out the Photos from Today.

Jump to: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9: Finals & Results | Day 10

Day 10 (16 September)

KSP One Eye Kite Surf Pro WrapUp Video!

This brings us to the end of the ten day holding period at the 2012 KSP One Eye Kitesurf Pro in Mauritius, and our daily updates. If you missed any of the action, be sure to watch the highlight videos from each of the days above, and click on the player below to view the Live Broadcast archives on the KSP’s website.

If you have any feedback on the format of our coverage of the event, please leave a comment below.

One Eye Pro Live Web Broadcast

The KSP would like to thank the sponsors of the 2012 One Eye Kite Surf Pro; MTPA, St. Regis Hotel, Monster and North Kiteboarding as well as event partners Emtel, Ion, Adamas, Club Mistral, Le Gall, Enso, Afix, GoPro, Multibox, Habit, Silent Partners, Hydro Energy, St Aubin and media partners Radio One, L’ Express and Equipe.

If you are lucky enough to be in Mauritius at the One Eye Pro, or if you have been following the action via the live broadcast, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below… What do you think of the event so far and who do you think is going to win this second leg of the KSP world tour?

Image credits: John Bilderback

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KSP One Eye Kite Surf Pro 2012 Results was published by inMotion Kitesurfing.