Get a glimpse of what’s going on in the world of kite. This issue, we go beyond the cover with Ozzy, behind the design with Airwave, and check in on the event scene to keep you up to date and in the know! Read all about it in IKSURFMAG’s On The Fly!

AIRUSH // Behind the Cover

OSWALD SMITH: Believe it or not, but this is Lithuania, and yes, you can kite there! 

Although the country is small, it has a little freestyle haven that should not be underestimated. Mint had told me about this spot quite a few times, but come on, why would I believe him? 

Then again, why not? So, I hopped in the car for a long drive to the seaside and was greeted with flat water perfection. The spot was covered with freshwater coves made from grassy patches creating that desirable flatwater spit. I was stacked on an 11m Razor and eager for something different. 

It was my first time shooting with Mint, and from the start, there was a telepathic understanding of the “money shot”. We came, we scored, and we made it happen! 

It’s hard to believe how many places are still uncharted. I guess it’s always going to be a never-ending pursuit for something more. Explore.

MINTAUTAS GRIGAS: I knew that it was Ozzie’s last day in Lithuania, so I did not expect him to drive 700km for a kite session. Instead, I dedicated that day to kite by myself and enjoy my home spot that I rarely get to ride. 

Then one moment, I saw the Razor dragging the man himself on the water with a massive smile on his face! It’s not so often that such a high-level rider shows up on Lithuanian waters. Probably, it was the first time we had a pro rider here. Also, it is not often that I’m here myself as I usually travel and film for the GKA Kite World Tour. I could not miss that moment and had to capture it. Luckily, I had my camera gear all ready to go!

I hope that this spontaneous shoot captured at least a small piece of what Lithuania has to offer.

Windy Days in Denmark

Who knew that Denmark could deliver extreme wind conditions that rival even Cape Town?! Well, several people, we’re sure, but now the whole kiteboarding community knows! The final few days of the WOO Worlds, which just wrapped up, meant kiters from every corner of the earth were duking it out to see who could claim the top spots on their leaderboards.

In the Danish surf community of Cold Hawaii, Aaron Hadlow sent a strong message to his competition by clinching a 34.4m jump after the Cold Hawaii Big Air event. While Aaron lost his semi-final heat against Lasse Walker, who took 3rd in the event, the 1st place prize money from WOO wasn’t a bad consolation prize! 

In more Cold Hawaii news, Big Air legend Nick Jacobsen was taken out of the event by 16-year-old Lorenzo Casati, and current King of the Air Kevin Langeree got beaten by Giel Vlugt. Liam Whaley barely made it through his heat against 15-year old Jamie Overbeek, which allowed him to continue into the final. While Liam took 1st place, the rider of the day was runner-up Lorenzo Casati with a mind-blowing breakout performance! If this is what the future of kiteboarding looks like, sign us up!

ION // Write Your Own Chapter

The team at ION has put together a powerful message in their latest series, Write Your Own Chapter. Everyone’s story is unique. So is every chapter of the series. We explore, we go on adventures, we seek thrill, we fail but then succeed and set out to inspire others. Whether on the trails, in the water or in the air, every chapter addresses one of these attributes. Watch the first video now, and stay tuned for more releases from the dirt, the sea, and the sky!

BREAK FREE FROM THE STATUS QUO. BE AS ADDICTED AS EVER.
BE AS RADICAL AS NEVER.
BE HIGH WHEN YOU ARE LOW.
BE AT FULL STRENGTH WHEN YOU GO.

BE STOKED BY YOUR CONFIDENCE.
BE IN YOUR VERY OWN FLOW.

BE THIS, BE THAT.
BE REAL, BE RAD.

Learn more at https://www.ion-products.com/wyoc/

MANERA // Meet Marie Switala

Have you seen this radiant smile and serious kitesurfing style on the water in Montpellier? We spotted Marie Switala during a recent MANERA shoot and had to know more about this local hero!

MARIE SWITALA: I have been riding for F-One for over 15 years now. I knew the beginnings of Manera, and I have always ridden for Manera. So the word “local hero” is a bit precious, but it means a lot to me because I am very proud to represent the brand. I ride in Montpellier, most often at Plage Sud or Petit Travers. I particularly like Petit Travers because it’s where I meet my family in the summer. My whole family - my father, mother and little brother - all ride Manera and love their products.

It is my mission to help kiters identify with my gear. I want to show that Manera is a brand that offers high-quality products and that behind each product, there is a story. Each product is created by passionate people who keep the riders in mind. I appreciate the values at Manera and take pride in sharing them at my home spot. 

On this shoot in the south of France, I joined Paul Serin, Bruno Semat and photographer Matt Georges and we had a brilliant time. These are the moments in life that will remain engraved in my memories, thanks to Manera. It’s more than a brand; it’s a state of mind. Stay Salty...

AIRWAVE // The Tom Lollies Interview

What goes into creating a foil kite? We caught up with Tom Lollies from Airwave to find out all about it! We talk about a love for flying, what goes on behind the scenes of a kite brand, and the technology and innovation that goes into creating a top-quality kite!

Tell us a bit about your passion for flying... When did you first take to the skies?

Every member of the R&D team is motivated by a lifelong passion for flying. I am very lucky that my parents were both pilots and started to teach me how to fly at a very early age. I flew on my own for the first time in 2009, and my uncle gave me kitesurfing lessons in 2010. Both sports gave me a thrill that would change my life forever!

Was this love for kiting and paragliding what motivated you to pursue aerospace engineering in school? 

That’s right. My DIY experience motivated me to dig deeper into the required scientific knowledge to properly design wings such as aerodynamic theory, structural mechanics and textile fabrics.I studied at ISAE-Supaero in Toulouse, France. My major was external aerodynamics and numerical simulation. Most of my classes proved to be very useful later on!

What kind of work and preparation goes into starting a kite brand?! 

A lot more than I expected! I had no experience designing kites, nor did Bruce, so I started from scratch. It took me more than two years to understand how to obtain the level of stability tube kite riders expect. I am convinced more than ever that there is a great space for innovation in the foil kite market to make more versatile high performing kites with excellent pop and hangtime. Moreover, we are trying to bring colourful, never seen before designs that stand out from the rest of the market.

Learn more about Tom Lollies and Airwave in the full interview on our website! https://www.iksurfmag.com/features/behind-the-brand-with-airwave-interview-with-tom-lollies/

HARLEM // NORTHERN KENYA

With the monsoon season coming to an end, the wind on Kenya’s southern coast was on the decline. Two kiters set their compasses to the north to find the last winds in one of the most untouched areas of Kenya! Read the travel diary from Stavroula Zoë!

We left Diani early on a Wednesday morning, trying to avoid the rush hour traffic. Our final destination was Che Shale, a secluded beach hotel just north of Malindi run by Justin Aniere and his family. Two hours in and a short kite pit stop in Watamu seemed like a good choice since the 160km would take us up to 5 hours to drive in total on the Kenyan road. 

It was such an incredible feeling to go kiting again after almost five days of no wind, and hitting the water during low tide was the cherry on top. We reached Che Shale in the late afternoon, and the wind was still pumping. We decided to save our energy for the next two days as the forecast seemed unbelievably good.

We woke up at 5:30 am to an otherworldly sunrise setting. The beach had started to widen as the tide was going out, and the more we looked at the colouring reflections on the water, the more it seemed like we landed on the moon. Around 7:30 am, the first breezes started to kick in, and less than an hour later, it was already blowing 20 knots. We quickly ate breakfast and ran to the kite school to pump our kites. 

I couldn’t resist bringing all my photography gear with me to shoot some new content. After a short pre-session meeting discussing angles, compositions and tricks, we both got in the water. I decided to come in early to get a few shots of Daniel while he was still riding. We were completely alone, and the only signs that we weren’t kiting on a foreign planet were the shadows of some fishermen on duty, far out on the horizon. 

A short while later, Daniel came in, and the camera switched hands. I’m not going to lie; I had my doubts about my ability to perform on demand, especially when a camera is involved. I reminded myself that I had just started kitesurfing recently, and nobody expected me to start doing crazy kiteloops. Plus, in the worst-case scenario, we could hide the images in my bedroom drawer. That seemed to do the trick, and I had a blast on the water.

The day ended with another stoked wingfoil session, and we stayed on the beach to watch the sunset while sipping a cold beer, wondering how this spot is even real.

Forever thankful to Justin and his family for the hospitality they’ve shown while we were there.

 

 

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WRITE YOUR OWN CHAPTER by ION - FULL CLIP
By Crystal Veness
Editor at IKSURFMAG, Crystal Veness hails from Canada but is based in South Africa. When she isn't busy kitesurfing or reporting on the latest industry news for the mag, she is kicking back somewhere at a windy kite beach or working on creative media projects.

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