The final countdown!!! Kite Tour Asia – China

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A week before round four of the KTA, I found myself on Pingtan Island – the location of the contest – alone. Seeing as I was in China already I thought why not suss out the comp zone and go early for some training.

Pingtan was unlike any of the places on the tour in the fact that it wasn’t usual to spend a season kitesurfing here – this might be down to the somewhat European-like weather or the somewhat Chinese lifestyle. So for the whole week I was there I didn’t see another western face, or for that matter hear anyone speak English – this meant when all the competitors turned up I found myself saying things like “I go kite now. Yes?”. I was staying in a funny little hotel, with a mahjong table next to my bed and a panicky girl at reception; who phoned her 17 year old brother every time I tried to talk to her. He was studying English at school and said his teacher let him leave class to talk to me –  I was his “homework” apparently. Hmmm

The first afternoon I was there I had a bit of a shocker, it was windy, I had all my kit with me, after a month of no kiting I was ready to go out…but I didn’t have a pump – slightly awkward!

The next day, mum and dad received the message “No pump. Bought a bicycle instead”. And  indeed I had – a twenty pound beauty, which needed the screws tightening each day. If there was no pump coming until the event then I had decided to cycle around  the whole Island. I sadly never got the chance to realise this dream because of what happened when I started my cycle along the beach. At first I thought I might be hallucinating, so I peddled a little closer, until I could definitely see it – a kite!!! I reversed my wheels, and picked up my gear, leapt in to my wetsuit (impressively fast considering I hadn’t used it for four months) and peddled furiously towards the kite. When I got there, it was Yue and the rest of team China, who I had met in Thailand, and sure enough they had a pump!!

I spent the rest of the week training, eating and drinking Chinese wine (a 52% spirit) with them. It was a great week for wind and I was on the seven or nine most days, it was so nice to finally be in some little waves, and when it was overcast it reminded me rather strongly of riding in the UK!!!

Unfortunately, the strong winds didn’t stick around for the competition and for the first few days we had only light winds, so the racers went out. On day four however we had just enough to run the freestyle (again, I felt so lucky to have a Cabrinha Chaos in a 13m). My first heat was with Ali Dudfield, who I had never won against before. The conditions were on my side as they were quite similar to the UK (cold and wavey) and I landed every trick, putting me through to the next round. I was up against Aya Oshima; who opened the heat with a beautiful Railey to Blind, I had some kite loop issues, which meant my next heat was for 3/4 place rather than the final. I was due to be up against fellow Cabrinha team-mate Rachel Baumeister, but sadly the wind never came through. It was so great to get on the podiumfor this event, the 3rd place gives me 4th place overall in Asia for the 2013 season – happy as larry.

Thank you to Willy, Neil, Stephan, David for organising such wonderful events and to the other half of Team UK, Sukie Robertson for looking after me.

Snaps – thanks Alex Baranescu and Anny Barlow!!!

More shots of the freestyle from Alex

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151591613263879.1073741863.107842408878&type=

Freestyle action from Day Four

https://vimeo.com/65994147

Last day of racing and prizegiving

https://vimeo.com/66495035

Kite Tour Asia – Philippines

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It has been quite a small gap between Thailand and here so day one of the comp came super fast. At the mo, the wind in Boracay is a bit different from when I was there at the beginning of the season. The wind seems to be early in the morning and dies after a just few hours.

So freestyle ran for a little bit each morning. In the singles Paula and I had some good wind for our first heat and I think it’s safe to say we both kited the best we had so far on the tour. Paula was styling out on her boots and we finally had enough wind to get off the water with our loops!!! I landed my first Downloop S-bend, it was only my third attempt; so I was pretty content. Next, I was against current champion Kristiin Oja, and despite losing it was actually my favourite heat of the competition, I tried everything I could think of including an interesting attempt at a kiteloop 3.

On the final day of the event we finally had the wind we had all been waiting for – 7m weather!! I was so excited to be on a kite smaller than a 13m that I almost forgot how to fly it. I won my first heat, but it was close… then, I was against local rider Ali Dudfield and this time my Downloop S-bend didn’t go quite as well (see wipe out photos)… but I still had so much fun.

Before the event I helped out with the kitekids programme which Kathrin Bogwart organises, which involved flying trainer kites with several of the local kids.

With one event left I am currently lying fifth on the tour..

Thanks to Anny Barlow for some cracking snaps!!!

Boracay Revisited

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My trip has taken me a full circle and I’m back in Boracay. It’s seems like a different island at the end of the season, with far less kiters, wind from the opposite direction and some crazy tides. The wind, which can be pretty unpredictable at this time of year, is looking good for the comp… so far. And t seems to be an early-morning wind gig most of the days.

It’s also scorching at the mo, especially during these breeze-less afternoons (I’m not sure how much more my sunburnt nose can take!!). We had a trip to the mainland this afternoon and went to some cold springs for a refreshing dip!!!

Kite Tour Asia – Thailand

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After kiting here for a few weeks, it was great to have a ‘home crowd’ at the event. Kitezone was our base at Pak Nam Pran. Thank you to the amazing Karl and Michelle for having us… and for your wonderful bacon.
The beach was perfect for spectating as the comp zone was so close compared to Bintan, there were a whole load of plastic chairs and MC Sukie Robertson was commentating like a boss. This was a good comp for seeing everyone’s progression since Bintan and I was majorly impressed with the final between Estefania and Kristiin with passes being whipped out left right and centre.
In my heats the wind was quite light but I ended up fifth in the singles. On the last day the first half of the doubles was run, but I ended up going down several places as I lost my heat with Aina Renolen. But after this event I am lying fifth overall; which is pretty cool.
As the mornings were predictably light wind, the KTA had some freestyle paragliders entertain us with us their skills. Half way through the week Graham gave in to my massive hints (basically requests) and I got a turn!! It was incredible, we were towed up to 800m by a boat before being let loose to glide (or freestyle tumble) down as you please.
Before the Philippines, we squeezed in a little cable session at Hua Hin cable. Ok, so I had some mixed results with my pop; some spectacular backloop failures but also my first landed railey. I DID feel a bit sore during my sleep in the Hong Kong airport departure lounge the following night.
Check out Lom T-shirts designed and made by Gum, Yo and Guy. They are local kiters at Pak Nam Pran and have some hilarious designs including my personal faves ‘In the Pump we Trust’ and the ‘Flying Postman’, Chief Manu’s signature Tee.
Thank you to the beautiful Anny Barlow of Kinn Team for your gorge shots as well as the not-quite-as-beautiful Alex Baranescu

Thailand

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Sukie and I are staying a scooter-ride away from the beach at Pak Nam Pran with frenchman, Jim. The wind has been super light the past week – so glad I have my 13m Chaos. Sadly, Sukie has is beach-ridden due to a knee injury, but I am very lucky to have my very own coach and personal trainer!!! This weekend, a last minute decision took us to the Thai Championships just up the road in Hua Hin; where I ended up coming third in the women’s freestyle!! Well done to Fawn and Aina for some great heats.. see you at the KTA!!!

Kiteboard Tour Asia – Indo style

Wow. I loved this event. It was held in the next door bay to where Sukie and I were staying; there was a section of super flat shallow water protected by the reef. It started off a little slow on the freestyle side of things as there was not enough wind for the first two days. But on Day Three it kicked in and the single eliminations were run. I was in the first heat of the comp and the wind was looking light so Fawn and I headed out with big kites, the heat began and I was heading downwind with my 13m. Fast!!! The heat ended up being abandoned and re-run outside the reef where there was more wind… a lot more wind in fact!!! And I ended up changing down to my 9m!! I won this one which put me in a great mood and also put me through the next round. I had a fun next heat with Ali Dudfield but I didn’t make it through. So instead I was put to good use and did some commentating of the remaining girl’s heats; which were pretty impressive to watch, especially Kristiin and Victoria’s final. I have learnt a lot, met such great people and loving the Cabrinha Chaos more than ever… round two here I come!!!

Thanks Alex Baranescu for the shots!!

Exploring Bintan, Indonesia

For the first round of the Kiteboard Tour Asia, I headed to Bintan in Indonesia, I have a new companion in the form of my adopted sister and fellow BKSA competitor and judge, Sukie Robertson!! We arrived on the Island a week before the event began so we had plenty of time to “roam”.

When we arrived we stayed in these amazing -if not, slightly rickety- huts on stilts on the beach, the beach in question was a super empty and long one. And as soon as we arrived we pumped up and hit the water, with no other kiters in sight, the sun setting and our little hut in view, it was a session to remember. The only trouble here was the shallow water with rocks and chunks of reef sticking out – a magnet for fins (and Sukie’s freshly painted white kiteboard).

On a rainy, non-windy day we met Andi and the wonderful Bintan kite riders at Trikora beach club. We were just strolling in the terential rain as you do (or as most Indonesians do not) and we spotted a Neil Pryde flag. It turned out that it was linked with a Cabrinha Distributer in Singapore and Sukie and I moved in there for free (despite the fact that they aren’t due to open until May!!)

The Trikora beach Club has an amazing set up with outdoor wooden seating, a platform to watch people on the water, and a big lawn for rigging and launching kites – really important on Trikora as the actual beach is very narrow, especially at high tide. We stayed in one of their brand-new huts that was a little more substantial than the previous one that was held together by rusty nails.

As the tide was higher here, there was less of a fear of being impaled on a rock so for tricking it was a better spot. There were also some fun little waves to play in, the Bintan Kite riders led the way!! They are a group of local riders who are genuinely the happiest people on the water I have ever met, their enthusiam for kiting and surfing is unending and they took Sukie and I under their wing. On the non-windy days we surfed, swam in the rain (and felt like we were in a film) or used the school’s SUP boards.. there was always an “activity”.

After a week, we (slightly reluctantly) moved from our little paradise over to the Bintan Agro Resort for the event. We loved our time at Trikora.. thank you Andi and Cindy for the great food and letting us borrow your moped so many times!!!