Table of contents for Issue #91 February - March 2018 in Kiteworld Magazine

It’s not just about kissing the British winter goodbye for a while, although it’s an obvious attraction. It’s mainly because the wind here is just so well tuned for adaptive freeriding. We come out here to back-to-back test a stack of equipment and, fortunately, the last few seasons have seen kites and boards evolve to have such comparatively huge wind ranges and secure handling that it really allows riders to tackle all sorts of conditions with more confidence. When you match that with a growth in confidence from spending more time on the water as the season goes by, it’s an addictive mix, but whether it’s the first sessions we’re taking here or back home, there’s always something a bit more special about getting back out after a break. I’ll…

We kept our kites high as we went, sometimes having to backtrack to avoid small cliffs and occasionally having no other option than to venture into the hollows that permeated the icy, precipitous landscape. While kitesurfing takes place on beaches all over the world, snowkiting, remains a relatively niche activity, most practiced by a small circle of committed mountain men and women, or those who live near wintry snow plains. Snowkiting indeed requires the practitioner to go beyond the limits of familiar spots and to be comfortable with, and competent in, the dangers that are inherent in harsh winter environs. The accumulated experience to gain the required set of skills to be able to comfortably explore the alpine environment can be a barrier for many, but the potential of the…

I remember my first real kite-mare. It was at Kite Beach in Maui where I was learning to ride a surfboard and Brandon Scheid and I were the only two kiters there that day, stoked to have the place to ourselves. About an hour into the session, dark clouds began to form and a light rain started to fall. You could tell a shift was coming but, despite that, I decided to go for one last run to squeeze the most out of the session. As I made the turn on the outside, the wind shut off and my kite immediately fell out of the sky and I found myself in the water with waves crashing on my head. I began self-rescuing and, as I finally got to my kite,…

During our journey the people we met made a real impression on us. Whether it was hard-learned tips on making your #vanlife more comfortable, lengthy discussions on solar power, culinary tips or even hour-long demonstrations on how to tackle the need for an outdoor toilet, we were always entertained and there was always something new to learn and experience. Here are a few of the people that we got to know and welcomed into the Airush Van Camp clan. SUSANNE AND MAT ‘The friendly neighbours’ Susanne and Mat really embodied the van life dream of getting away from it all, enjoying their holidays far from crowds and amongst nature. FROM: Austria VAN MODEL: VW Caddy. VAN NAME: Caddy Carlo. OCCUPATIONS: Both physiotherapists. YEARS KITING: Mat had learnt to kite earlier…

THE TEST TEAM Our testers don’t set out to find the best products for pro riders, but instead focus on what’s important for every day riders. This issue we have senior tester Chris Bull who is 47, has been kiting for 18 years and tested more gear than anyone we know, outside of gear developers themselves. He runs CBK-Hayling Island (www.CBK-haylingisland.com), a lively school, club and shop and understands what riders really need from their purchases. Jim Gaunt is 38, editor of Kiteworld, has been kiting for 14 years and rarely rides the same gear for more than a couple of sessions, so has a detailed understanding of current directions / trends. Kiteworld associate editor Matt Pearce is 28, 6’2’’ and 95 kilos, so adds weight to the team. He’s…

STRETCH MORE TO SHRED HARDER Stretching is probably the most important part of any fitness routine, but it’s often overlooked. Doing sports like kitesurfing, training in the gym, the general strains of life and plain old dehydration all cause tightness and muscle dysfunction, but adding a simple stretching routine will help alleviate that. You’ll also benefit from increased movement efficiency, better balance, decreased risk of injury as well as increased blood supply and flow of nutrients to joint structures. There are two types of stretches; dynamic and static. Dynamic stretching involves moving the targeted joints and muscles through their full range of motion and the stretch is not held for any length of time. During a static stretch, muscles and joints are stretched in a fixed position and held for…

SCHOOLS 1 ATLANTIC RIDERS Newquay, Cornwall info@atlanticriders.co.uk +44 (0)7791 937 207 www.atlanticriders.co.uk 2 BLAST KITEBOARDING Porthcawl, South Wales info@blastkiteboarding.co.uk +44 (0)7712 831 951 www.blastkiteboarding.co.uk 3 EXTREME ACADEMY Watergate Bay, Cornwall sports@watergatebay.co.uk +44 (0)1637 860 840 www.extremeacademy.co.uk 4 EDGE WATERSPORTS, Exmouth, Devon info@edgewatersports.com +44 (0)1395 222 551 www.egdewatersports.com 5 EASYRIDERS KITEBOARDING Whitecliffe, Poole, Dorset info@easyriderskiteboarding.com +44 (0)1202 744 055 www.easyriderskiteboarding.com 6 ESSEX KITESURF SCHOOL Southend-On-Sea, Essex lessons@essexkitesurfschool.co.uk +44 (0)775 170 5558 www.essexkitesurfschool.co.uk 7 CBK THE KITESURF SCHOOL Hayling Island, Hants rosemary@cbk-haylingisland.com +44 (0)2392 422570 www.cbk-haylingisland.com 8 PASTY ADVENTURES Gwithian & Marazion,Cornwall info@pastyadventures.co.uk 07814 501 920 www.pastyadventures.co.uk 9 PURE MAGIC KITESURFING Dublin/Achill Island, Ireland francois@puremagic.ie +353 (0)18054912 www.puremagic.ie 10 WINDHUNTERS Llandudno, Conwy info@windhunters.co.uk +44 (0)7704 452 782 www.windhunters.co.uk 11 GENXSPORTS New Romney, Kent info@genxsports.co.uk +44 (0)1797 458 070 +44 (0)7808 548 070…

“…I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE; IT’S JUST ABOUT BELIEVING AND CONTINUING TO WORK HARD FOR WHAT YOU REALLY WANT.” 01 > Enjoy the simplicity of life and be who you are, not what the world wants you to be. You will be more comfortable in yourself and perform better at everything. 02 > Smiling is the only language that everyone in the world understands. Before I could speak other languages I communicated through smiling and got by through giving good vibes and energy. Growing up on a small island that people come to visit on holiday, all they want is to have fun with good people around them. A smile goes a long way. 03 > Never stop and never conform until your good is better and your…

AIRUSH The Airush Core Foil V2 range will guide you through your freeride-foil progression. Four mast height options (40, 60, 80 and 95cm) are fixed to the board with a double box system that’s compatible with most foils on the market. There’s a standard freeride wing set, ideal for everyday freeride use, and a high-lift set which will help beginners and riders who want to take their foil into the waves or out in lighter winds. There are three boards options; a 145 x 51cm for those just starting out, a 145 x 41cm for lighter or more advanced riders and a compact 120 x 46cm design for experienced riders looking for a skatey, freeride feel. www.airush.com CABRINHA Cabrinha have a stacked twin-tip line for 2018. Favoured by Nick Jacobsen,…

“THE GENERAL RECOMMENDATION IS TO RIDE ONE SEVERAL INCHES SHORTER THAN A NORMAL CLASSIC SHAPE AND ON SMALLER WAVES YOU CAN REALLY HAMMER TURNS IN THE POCKET AS THERE’S LESS NOSE LENGTH TO DIG INTO THE WAVE AS YOU RIDE OUT OF YOUR TURN.” THE SHAPE I personally love the look of a stub-nosed board but, to a surfing purist, I’m aware that they may be too much of a deviation. The most obvious difference is the shorter, ‘stubbier’ outline that looks like the board has had its nose chopped off. There is of course much more to it, as Robby Naish explained to me. He still designs every Naish kitesurf board as well as most of their SUPs, surfboards and foil boards (yes, that’s a lot of boards!). “There…

THE AMERICAS EXOTIKITE BAJA Baja, Mexico Beach Vacation Rentals info@exotikite.com +521 624 165 2612 www.exotikite.com SEALANE CONDOS Cabarete, DR Rentals info@oceandreamcabarete.com + 1 305 600 0849 www.sealanecabarete.com ANCHORAGE YACHT CLUB Clifton, St. Vincent & Grenadines stay@aycunionisland.com +1 784 458 8221 www.aycunionisland.com COCONUT BAY RESORT Eau Piquant, St Lucia coconutbay@group-promotions.com +44 (0)1582 792 260 www.cbayresort.com WINDHOEK RESORT Windhoek, Bonaire info@windhoekbonaire.com +599 777 5483 www.windhoekbonaire.com WAVES VILLAGE Nag’s Head, Hatteras sales@wavesvillage.com +1 252 305 2629 www.wavesvillage.com BARRA GRANDE KITE CAMP Barra Grande, Piauí, Brazil contato@barragrandekitecamp.com.br +55 (86) 3369 8019 www.barragrandekitecamp.com.br KITEWORLDWIDE BRAZIL Tatajuba, Brazil +44 2036 085 777 www.kiteworldwide.com HURRICANE JERI Jericoacoara, Brazil reservas@hotel-hurricane-jericoacoara.com +55 (88) 9766 5968 www.hotel-hurricane-jericoacoara.com VILAREJO Barra Grande, Piauí, Brazil vilarejobarragrande@gmail.com www.vilarejobarragrande.com RANCHO DO PEIXE Praia do Preá, CE, Brazil reservas@ranchodopeixe.com.br +55 88 3660.3118 / 4353 www.ranchodopeixe.com.br VILA…