Latest Kitesurfing News

No doubt there will be a few of these coming out over the next few days! Good luck to all the riders!

Now that the news has sunk in and the dust has settled it’s time to reflect on the decision that will undoubtedly change the face of kiteboarding for the foreseeable future. All over the world kiters who weren’t previously into the kite racing scene are showing an interest, and the riders who have been involved with the discipline have questions that they want answered. We’ve spent the last couple of days speaking to the people involved and collating as much information as possible to bring you this article. It will hopefully answer most of the questions you have and perhaps educate you a little bit about what the coming months and years have in store ahead of Rio 2016!

Kiteboarding in Rio, you can count on us being there!

Some of the protagonists of this achievement have been saying that 2016 is too soon, indeed pretty much everyone in the Industry was thinking that 2020 would be the earliest that this would happen, so it was a surprise for most of us! But this is not something that happened overnight! The momentum to make this happen has been rolling forward for the last few years, so while the news came as a surprise, have faith that the sport of kitesurfing will be more than ready to take on the Olympics in Rio!

It all started when some speed sailors started posting some pretty impressive results, making them the fastest “sailors” on the planet. Naturally the sailing fraternity weren’t too happy these board short wearing guys on tea trays with kites posting times faster than their multi million pound yachts. The argument was that we couldn’t be ratified as the fastest sailors as we weren’t technically deemed to be “sailors”. Enter Markus Schwendtner and his brainchild the International Kiteboarding Association in late 2008, they lobbied to get kitesurfing recognised by ISAF, the International Sailing Federation. Once kiteboarding was recognised as a sailing class by ISAF then there could be no doubt who were the fastest sailors on the water. You could ask why did we need to do this, well it was the sailors competition the speed sailors were entering, so if they were ignored by ISAF they wouldn’t be able to claim the title. There wasn’t a kiter on the planet that wasn’t pleased to see the speed kiters hold the record! The IKA then went on to organise the various kitesurfing events around the world and to help unify the sport across the globe as far as competition was concerned. This then paved the way for the next move, could the sport be included in the Olympics?

Two years of painstaking process were followed, riders, racers and celebrity kitesurfers like Richard Branson were brought in to back the bid. Videos were put together to show ISAF the scope of the sport and how well it could cope with the 6knot minimum wind range imposed on all sailing classes to be considered for the Olympics.

Lastly once all the hard work had been done the kitesurfers were welcomed to an Olympic Trials event in Santander in Spain to showcase the sport to the ISAF officials so they could use the information and knowledge gained to make a decision about included Kitesurfing into the ISAF format and ultimately including it into the games. Obviously the team showed themselves to be professional, capable and essentially the superior class to be included under the ISAF umbrella and to be included in the Rio 2016 Games.

ISAF president Goran Petersson and vice president Teresa Lara getting detailed information about kite racing from the sailors / IKA KTA

So what happens now? The RSX Class of windsurfing has undoubtedly been cancelled, but the 2012 Games in London are still forging ahead and all attention should be turned to those athletes fighting for medals there. If they do well then that will increase the funding in each member country. So a lot of focus still needs to be on that. But as soon as the 2012 Games are done then the RSX Class is pretty much over. National Sailing Governing Bodies who are members of ISAF will be needing to take on the sport of kitesurfing and apply funding accordingly. It’s down to the riders in each country to ensure they are represented accordingly and the sailing associations work with the existing network of riders and kiting governing bodies that are in place.

The Equipment

This is a big question at the moment, will kite racing become a One Design fleet? Lets hope not, look at what One Design did for windsurfing, as the sport developed the racers at the Olympics were left behind riding out dated fleets of equipment. At the moment our Class Rules follow a box rule for the board and an open rule for the kites and fins. So there is lots of room for scope in terms of development. The box rule for boards was important to at least level the playing field somewhat and the new production rules have gone even further, a brand must produce a minimum of 30 boards in order to qualify to be able to race in any IKA/ISAF sanctioned events.

It took just three years for boards to develop this far. One Design would kill the development in its tracks!

Traditionally however ISAF likes a One Design, this eliminates the equipment gap between competitors and pits them purely against each other on a skill set rather than an arms race. The Olympics however is a little more open on this, Cycling, BMX, Snowboarding, they all use whatever equipment they deem necessary and the playing field is still fairly level.

Markus Schwendtner had this to say on the One Design concept: “No, we are box rule and we want to keep it exactly how it is – everybody brings his kit from his sponsor and races it. One Design is bullshit!”

Thats the man behind the bid and the guy closest to the ISAF committee at the moment. No one in the sport wants One Design, we all want to keep the box rule, the riders, the manufacturers and all the people making the decisions like the box rule. But that’s not to say that won’t change. ISAF is open to lobbying and no doubt Neil Pryde just had a considerable value wiped out with the loss of RSX. What’s to say they won’t start lobbying ISAF for a One Design Kitesurfing fleet? Well all we can do is rally around and make our voices heard to steer the sport in the direction we want it to go. And hope that guys like Markus still support our best interests.

Jonny Heineken at the Olympic Trials in Santander

Looking at the way Markus views things I would like to think the sport is in safe hands: “The class rules are our class rules – ISAF gave the clear signal not to change and not to become just another boat. But this is all stuff I need to work out with ISAF in the coming weeks – all the boys in the office are greatly behind us. We will definitely not go down the route of windsurfing but I need some time to get all the information together and present them to you guys.”

So what now? 

Well there are 4 long years to wait before Rio comes around, but there is much to do. Kite racers need to be working closely with their National Sailing Associations to ensure the best interests of the sport are maintained everywhere. Hopefully we will see even more development with the equipment, and also even more people getting into kite racing too. No doubt a few RSX sailors will be in the market for kite gear. Ultimately there is going to be even more funding for the sport even more interest and that has to add up to be a positive thing. If it is handled correctly!

As kite racing was thrust unexpectedly into the limelight this weekend this post seems all the more poignant. As the box rule has levelled the playing field with the board over the last year and with production kites being used perhaps the only place with a bit of room for creativity is arguably with the most important part of the set up. The fins…

New race fins from Italian firm JayFactory, available in a variety of shapes and sizes for both light and strong wind conditions.

Ever since the very first races kiters have been experimenting with different fin shapes, sizes and configurations. In the early days it was a 2 fin set up, then came the traditional quad fin that dominated the race scene for a couple of years. Offering excellent upwind ability, but putting a fair amount of pressure on the rider to control them, especially downwind. In recent years a tri fin configuration has emerged as being the most dominant, upwind ability is compensated, but larger fins are used to counteract this, downwind is faster, supposedly easier and obviously with 3 fins you have a lot less drag.

Fins work by generating lift and power, the foil shape separates the water as it passes through it and creates high and low pressures just like an wing, this in turn generates lift and allows the board to rise up out of the water onto the plane. Some of the board is still in contact with the water of course, but the drive and lift is all being generated by the fins. Too much lift and the board will become uncontrollable and be skittish on the water as the fins try and lift it clean out of the water. Too little lift and the board will be slow and sluggish and stick to the surface. The faster the fins travel, the more lift they generate and the power increases. Having the maximum amount of fin in the water for the conditions, and being able to control them will make the difference on the race course between winning and losing.

Fins from Bob at the world famous Tarifa Fin Company

The fins of a kite race board have a larger wetted surface area than the board itself, which is why they are so important. an average set up at the moment for moderate winds is two 42cm fins at the front and a 38cm fin at the rear. The smaller rear fin helps with control downwind, the larger front fins offer drive for the all important upwind leg. It has often been argued in kite racing that it is all about the upwind, but in recent years the ability to ride at full speed downwind has really come into play, especially as the upwind playing field has become more level. Riding fast downwind, and not crashing, is an art and having the right fin set up is crucial to your success, just as it is on the upwind leg.

A corner of the office at kitesurfingfins.co.uk they stock a range of fins and can get hold of just about anything for you.

Dave Gollick set up Kitesurfing Fins three years ago, a website dedicated to helping you choose the right fins for your board, and offering you the opportunity to buy from stock as well. He has deals with most of the big fin manufacturers, and if there is a specific fin you are after from someone else then he can source those for you as well. Dave has contacts with some of the best fin manufactures in the world and has devoted a lot of time to learning about the fine art of foils in water. He can help you with suggested set ups, choosing the right brand and can ensure they reach you well packaged and with a fast turnaround.

The website gives you the option to order from stock by choosing the size, cant angle and fin box needed. Dave then processes the order and if the fins are in stock (they hold over £40,000 of stock!) they get sent straight out, if not then he likes to keep the waiting time to a minimum, on average expect to wait a couple of weeks for custom fins.

Choosing the right fins can be a bit of a minefield, but here are some basics to consider:

Size: Obviously the bigger the fin, the more power it will create, but equally the more drag it will produce. It’s a compromise between having the right size and keeping the drag as low as possible. You need large front fins to help the board drive upwind, most riders are using between 38-44cm fins in the front, smaller riders using smaller fins plus smaller fins can also be of use when it is really windy. Larger fins are  more suited for light winds and heavier riders who need more lift. Having a smaller fin at the rear really adds to the control on the downwind leg, and makes the board much more manageable. Most riders are opting for a fin between 2 and 4 cm’s smaller at the rear than the front fin set up.

42cm Carbon Canefire's from Vector Fins Maui, a snip at £320 each with a 38cm Volt in the rear in standard G10, priced at a slightly more reasonable £195...

Rake: This terms refers to the vertical angle of the fin towards the for and aft of the board, IE how upright the leading edge of the fin is. A more swept back fin will allow greater control at speed and when gybing. A more upright fin will allow the board to point higher upwind, but as the board angle changes especially when gybing at speed the tip of the fin can overtake the top of the fin and cause it to trip. Again it is a payoff between control and upwind pointing ability. Upright front fins with a low rake of between 2 and 6 are a must for light wind pointing ability. More swept back rear fins with a higher rake will add to your control.

The combinations of shape, size and cant angle are endless...

Cant: The cant is the angle at which the fins point out towards the edges of the board. In years gone by boards had quite agressive cant angles, the old boards sometimes boasting 15cm angles! The Cant angle offers more lift as the fin is working to push the board up out of the water. But equally it loses drive when you push against the fin as it is angled. There is no definite winner in terms of cant angle at the moment, it depends on the board being ridden and the rider. Certainly nothing more than 5 degrees with a modern set up is needed, 3 degrees is probably more favourable as it offers good lift and drive. In lighter winds and for heavier riders cant angle can help to promote early planing and lift. Stronger winds the fins will be powerful enough to not need it.

Box: Most modern raceboards use a Tuttle Box, which thankfully has become a standard, so your fins can be used in your new board next year or whenever you upgrade. We have a limit on the maximum size of our fins, which is 50cm according to the box rule, after about 46cm you are getting into the realms of needing a deep tuttle box, which gives the fin a stiffer connection to the board. We haven’t gone down this route yet in kiting, so for the moment, Tuttle is the way to go if that is the box your board has.

The surface finish on a fin is critically important to ensure good water release.

Other Factors: There are many other factors that go into making the perfect kite racing fin, stiffness, flex, leading edge and trailing edge finish, surface finish etc. But these are all elements that a good kite racing fin manufacturer will have spent countless hours testing and developing to offer you the best performance, so don’t worry too much about it yourself, trust the shaper is doing a good job!

Lastly and this goes without saying really, it is no use spending upwards of £500 on a fin set up if you then mistreat them and smash them of some rocks! We never launch our race boards until we are at least in thigh deep water and have asked about under water hazards if we are riding a new spot. It’s just not worth it! If you do ding your fins, you can reshape them but of course once reshaped they will have lost some of the shape and size that they had before. If you treat them like they really are made of “glass” and be careful then they will be well worth the investment!

Dave at Kitesurfing Fins ships worldwide and can help you choose your perfect set up too, he also sells fins for surfboards and twin tips. Click Here to check out the site.

Check out this movie from the Naish Crew and Jesse Richman and Florian Daubos on the Mediterranean Island of Corsica. Some great wakestyle freestyle going down and also some pretty chunky sized waves for the Med! It’s refreshing to see a movie shot in a new location for once! Enjoy!

On his way home from Mauritius, Jesse is kidnapped by Florian Daubos and chucked over the edge in Corsica…where they find great conditions for freestyle and some pretty rad surf.

Director: debile pictures
Filmer: Sharkeye
Kites: Torch, Park
Boards: Momentum, Money Shot, Alaia, Skater, The Skate
Harnesses: Mission
Soundtrack: Legs to Sin by O’death, When the Winter Comes by Damu

More on naishkites.com/tv

After just 12 short years kitesurfing has been recognised by ISAF and is to be included as an Olympic Discipline at Rio in 2016!

Kite racing is fast, exciting and dynamic!

Well done to Markus Schwendtner and all the team at the IKA who have been working really hard for the last few years to pull this off. This is what the President of ISAF had to say:

ISAF Website, Presidents statement:

“Kiteboarding has proven to us that it is ready to be included into the list of prestigious ISAF Events and it is a fantastic addition to the sailing programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.”

The events to be contested at the 2016 Olympic Games are confirmed as:
Men’s Kiteboarding
Women’s Kiteboarding
Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser
Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial
Men’s One Person Dinghy (heavy) – Finn
Men’s Two Person Dinghy – 470
Women’s Two Person Dinghy – 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s skiff – 49er FX
Mixed Two Person Multihull – Nacra 17

The RSX Windsurfing Class will no longer be an Olympic discipline and this has some major repercussions for the windsurfing industry. The good news is that no doubt there will be a lot of windsurfers who will no doubt want to transfer to the new kitesurfing class. We’re not sure whether the Olympic committee will keep the current box rule for racing, or go down a One Design route similar to the RSX Class. The ISAF Committee were all in attendance at the recent Santander Trials and the Box Rule was in place there and they seemed happy with it. But the Olympics is all about the skill of the individual rather than the equipment so we wouldn’t be surprised if a One Design kitesurfing fleet was developed.

This is great news for the sport, more exposure means more money, more money means more development and while the Olympic Kitesurf Racing will be very far removed from what most of us do at the beach it will no doubt filter down to all levels of the sport.

No doubt the podium at the Games will be a little better...

Finally kitesurfing has come away from the fringes and moved into the limelight, we all know what a great sport it is, now at last the rest of the world can see for themselves in Rio 2016.

Read the full ISAG news release HERE

Check out this great little edit from the recent PKRA race event in Mexico! Your chance to see how the riders are pushing the limits of the sport…

Some great riding here, video quality could be a lot better though…

Check out this fun little edit with friend of the mag Mallory!

We’ve been hearing whisperings about this project for sometime. Tom Court has been keeping us in the loop and now it has finally been released.

The Free Ride Project is a full length DVD style production running at just under 30 minutes, hence you will need the cup of tea and some time to fully appreciate it. Put together by the UK Crew of Tom Court, Aaron Hadlow, Sam Light and James Boulding it features the guys riding and having fun on their various trips over the last year. It’s a great movie with footage from all the major Kicker and Slider style comps, plenty of boot radness and locations such as Australia, USA, Caribbean and the Philippines, plus a few more to boot.

What a great concept and for the lads to put this out off their own backs and let you watch it for free, well you can’t ask for more than that can you?

Check out this profile of the race master John Heineken from the US. Filmed at the recent PKRA Racing event in Mexico.