From Will Taggart:

On the Snake River Plain in Idaho there exists a microculture of windsport enthusiasts. Mud Lake has a less than desirable shoreline. Windsurfers have been going to Mud Lake for over 20 years from all over SE Idaho and cut a path to the water.

My friends and I from Jackson, Wyoming have begun to seek out the same wind for kitesurfing. Now we are becoming a part of the Mud Lake microculture. This is a short edit that tries to show our perspective on such a unique kitesurfing location.

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Tacking on a surfboard is a great way to change quickly change directions without loosing any ground downwind.

Tacking is not as difficult as it looks, but it does take quite a bit of practice to get the timing right.

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Check this video of North Kiteboarding team rider Luke Whiteside’s trip down under.

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HR Sports Resorts and Pryde Group America announced that PGA has purchased the Vela Windsurf Resorts and Vela Kitesurf Resorts brands from HR Sports and will be expanding the number of destination resort facilities. The Pryde Group has served as the primary supplier of windsurfing and kitesurfing equipment for Vela resort centers for more than 20 years and the two companies have a long history of multi-faceted cooperation.  Vela now supports nine resort operations located throughout the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean.  Pryde Group Americas intends to rapidly expand the number of Vela operations, particularly Vela Kitesurf Resorts featuring its leading brand, Cabrinha Kitesurfing.

The acquisition was negotiated jointly by Kent Marinkovic, President of PGA, and Mr. Neil Pryde founder and Managing Director of the Hong Kong based Neil Pryde Ltd.  The deal is expected to have a positive impact on Pryde Group brands globally.

“I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to put together this deal with Vela.  Buck Lyons and Vela have been partners with Pryde Group for over 20 years and this new structure will make it easier for us to provide access to enthusiasts wishing to enter our sports and in the long term, this will have a positive influence on the development of both windsurfing and kitesurfing. Travel is an important part of the action sports scene today and the Pryde Group is now firmly invested in travel through Vela.” – Neil Pryde

HR Sports, under the direction of managing partner Karl Williams, will continue to administer the marketing and booking functions under contract with Pryde Group Americas.  Customers should find the transition seamless and will enjoy an expanding number of locations along with more Pryde Group clinics and other special events.   Vela resort centers will benefit from the expanding array of Pryde products including Cabrinha Kitesurfing, Neilpryde Windsurfing, Imagine Surf, JP Australia, and newly introduced NP including Water Wear, performance SUP paddles, and accessories.

Kent Marinkovic described the acquisition as “a connecting of the dots, it’s a natural evolution of our relationship with the Vela Resort operations and our partnership with HR Sports. We have the world’s most innovative and exciting brands for wind and wave sports, Vela is the premier wind and wave sports resort operator.  I can’t think of anything better than having the best gear available in the best locations world-wide.”

HR Sports owner and Vela founder Buck Lyons was also very positive about the changes.  “Neil and I envisioned this day 20 years ago.  I am very proud of creating Vela but it’s been many years since I was instrumental day to day.   Its Kent and Karl’s show and this new structure should allow them to maximize the strengths of their respective organizations.”

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La Ventana Classic Asociacion Civil Begins Summer Projects

Thanks to everyone who helped in the event this year – below are the first round of projects you helped raise money for -and there are more to come! For 2012, the Asociacion decided to help every school so this year’s projects are mostly small to medium sized versus the larger projects that have een tackled in past years.

• El Sargento Primary -paint job
• La Ventana Kindergarten -window and door protections and tile floor
• Health Center -get the defibrillator working
• El Sargento Telesecundaria -1 AC units in classroom
• Town Ambulance – medical supplies
• El Sargento Kindergarten -paint job (finished first half last weekend with volunteers)
• La Ventana Primary School -sporting equipment and AC maintenance
• Los Planes High School -1 AC unit
• Los Planes Primary School – paint job
• Science Center – funding for half of dolphin display and touch tank remodel
• BECA scholarship  fund -funded 3 high school students to stay in school for one year
• BAJA PAWS – paid to neuter and spay 8 animals with Dr Thomas Vet -
• Marineros Baseball team – set of bats, gloves, and balls
• Police station caseta – enough money to build the walls up 2 meters if the ejido can get the building permit, if no permit in 2 months funds will be reassigned to other school projects

If you would like to volunteer to help administer a project please contact tim@palapasventana.com – they need project managers!

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The basic frontside off the lip is every rider’s introduction to riding a wave with a kite. A good top turn involves a lot of timing between your kite, your board position, and the wave and it can take some time to pull it all together.

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Video summing up  North rider Stefan Spiessberger’s three months of winter training in Capetown, South Africa in the beginning of 2012.

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During the Red Bull Ragnarok 2012, professional kiter Ruben Lenten did a spectacular jump off a hundred meter high cliff on the Haugastøl plateau in Norway.

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Photo Clara Gudlielmi

Age: 26
Years Kiting: 3
Favorite Spots: Red Sea, Egypt; Paracas and Zárate, Peru
Sponsors: PeruKite and Slingshot Peru

GEAR

Boards: Klimax 5.6 and Crazy Fly Rocky Chatwell 130
Kites: Slingshot Rallys and RPMs
Harness: Mystic

TIPS:

•  Be patient when you are learning. If the conditions are not good for kiting, wait for them to be better.
• Don´t get obsessed and frustrated because you can’t seem to nail a certain trick. We all have good and bad days, so it’s more important to enjoy the ride.
• Learn from other riders, not only from kiteboarders but also from wakeboarders, surfers, and skaters.
• For girls: We can have the same level and style as the men, so think and act as an athlete and you will be respected as one.

Chelu grew up in Campana, about 50 miles from Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires. She got a degree in Advertising/Public Relations and worked various marketing jobs in the city for a few years but realized that being in an office was not what she wanted for her life.

When she discovered kiteboarding, she also discovered her calling.

How did you first get into kiteboarding?
In 2008, a friend was getting into kitesurfing and told me that I should learn too. I´d heard about it but didn´t really know what it was, so I started to search and came across Martin Vari´s video from the PKRA Chile and saw how girls were killing it on freestyle.

I knew right then that this is what I wanted to do. I took a course and loved it.

What first brought you to Peru? What made you want to stay?
Octavio, my boyfriend, and I first traveled to Peru for swell. We´d been working as kite instructors at different flat water spots and needed waves (we surf too).

When Jose Rosas from PeruKite offered us the opportunity to run his school, we jumped on it.

Your nickname is Chelu. Does it have any particular meaning?
In Argentina, a nickname for Cecilia is Chechu. As my name is Celina, my friends started to call me Chelu and I´ve had that nickname since I can remember.

You were involved with the KSP tour stop in Pacasmayo. What was that experience like?
I´d organized events before but it was my first time with a world tour. Kitesurfing in Peru is still young, so getting support from local sponsors was hard work.

As a competitor, riding with the best girls was a great way to start my competition career.

Photo John Bilderback

With one competition under your belt, do you plan on doing more?
Of course I want to keep competing, this is just the beginning! Competitions give you experience and you learn so much from other riders that motivate you to push yourself further.

You started offering Girls Camps last year which has grown into the launch of your new company Kite Sisters. Do you plan on expanding the concept into other countries?
After the Peru Kite and Yoga Camp last October I decided it was time to launch Kite Sisters Kite Trips for Girls (www.kite-sisters.com) and expand the program to different spots around the world.

The idea is that girls from all over and every riding level travel together to explore new spots while sharing experiences, progressing their riding abilities, and making new friends.

Our seven-day trips include meals and lodging, kiteboarding lessons, and extra activities depending on the destination.

What is your favorite style of riding?
Waves! I love feeling the power and energy of the waves. When I´m in the water, nothing else matters and I just enjoy what the sea has for me.

Where is your favorite place to ride?
Peru has an important quality: uncrowded beaches! For freestyle I choose Paracas which offers flat water, constant wind, and just a few other riders.

My favorite spot for waves is Zárate, which is in the National Reserve next to Paracas. It’s just you and the waves there.

Any words of wisdom you want to share?
If you want something, go for it. Don´t doubt because other people don’t believe in your dream. Whatever in life you do with passion and love, it´s going to work out one way or another.

The Kiteboarder Magazine

This is already in place and could affect access at your local beach. Don’t let this precedence be set for our sport and help out your fellow riders in New York! Please sign the petition and enlist the support of your other kiting friends to help out the cause.

http://www.change.org/petitions/new-york-state-parks-remove-the-ban-on-kitesurfing

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