In On The Fly, we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the kite industry! This issue, we check out the latest feature length kite film, and catch up with pro riders Sensi Graves, Ben Beholz, and Cohan van Dijk. Mathias Larsen gives us some top tips on using your GoPro, and we hear what’s new from Harlem Kitesurfing. Read all about it in On The Fly!

NEW RELEASE // Allseasons

Allseasons - Kite Movie is showing the full spectrum of kitesurfing in terms of the styles and seasons in which it can be practiced. Watching the film, you move to breathtaking landscapes, meet the best kite riders, and experience the most complicated stunts and unrestricted freedom. All these elements makes this a documentary about kitesurfers and their lives inextricably linked with this sport.

The movie, in short, is an adventure, freedom, and connection with nature. It is a tribute to all those who practice kitesurfing in harmony with nature and the celebration of this sport not only as recreation but also as a lifestyle full of passion and humility.

The film is a passion project by Dariusz Kabsch that has been three years in the making. Watch the preview here, and see the whole movie on demand, available on Apple TV!

UP & COMING // Merijn Pol

This lucky youngster was the winner of a limited edition Lieuwe Oceana board, and it might just take him to the moon! We caught up with up and comer Merijn Pol to see how his kitesurf journey is going so far…

My name is Merijn Pol. I am 14 years old now and I live in The Netherlands. I picked up kitesurfing in 2020. Before that I was playing with a kite on the beach and sometimes on a summer day my dad took me and my brother to the beach. I got really hooked to kitesurfing in October 2021 when I made my first jump. I try to kite as often as possible. Last Christmas it was -2°C and we still went out! A few days later we had to break the ice to get to the water! 

In the first 6 months of 2022, I’ve had more than 50 sessions. Most of the time I go with my dad, my brother, my kite friend Orlando Mulder, and some friends of my dad. We visit different spots depending on the wind and crowd. In June this year I had my first session at sea in wind blowing 35 knots. Last week,I broke my personal Woo record and jumped 9,3 metres!

Last month, I got very lucky with an online contest and won a very special edition Lieuwe Oceana. It has a unique print designed by the crew from Space X kitesurfing. On the back of the board a deep sea diver touches hands with an astronaut. It reminds me of the painting from Michelangelo called ‘The Creation of Adam’ - and the colours are great!

It was a big surprise when Marijn, Olivier and Stijn from the crew came by to bring the board. My dad made pizzas and I had a great time with these pros. The board looks beautiful, and I’ve enjoyed the first few sessions on it! The size is 137x40, so I am sorted for the next few years!

I hope to be a professional kitesurfer one day and to compete in big air. Beside riding my twintip, I have started foiling and tried strapless kiting, which I am enjoying very much. Being outside on the water is just so much fun! I wish that every human on earth could experience that feeling at least once in their lifetime!

Hope to see you all on the water!

Aloha,
Merijn Pol

NEW MOVES // Ben Beholz

One of the most exciting aspects of our sport is that it is always evolving, especially with riders like Ben Beholz constantly thinking up new moves! Check out his Toeside Upwind 360 on a twintip!

Ben Beholz: What is it about? It's not a jibe and it's not a tack either. It feels different than a toeside tack and yet is somehow very similar. It is already a well-known mainstream trick on the hydrofoil, but a real challenge on a twintip. 

The crux of this trick lies in the timing of the kite control and the exact right amount of toeside edging while going through the first part of the 360. Once you got it, it will be a fun free ride skill in all conditions.

Good luck and enjoy the ride!

TRAVEL TALK // Brazil

The Brazilian coastline is a dream, offering the best conditions for the region’s world famous downwinders. It’s no wonder why people from all over the world travel to Brazil, in hopes of making their own memories in this kitesurf paradise. Yury Manzon of Kitesurf Brothers, who do downwind trips, shares why he thinks everyone should come to Brazil!

Yury Manzon: Here, we don’t need even to look at the forecast. We know that it’s windy from July till December! To be sure that you will kite every day, you basically need to have 3 kite sizes: 7, 9 and 12 metres. If you are in Cumbuco, you will probably use a 9m. But, as you go further towards Jericoacoara, you will find very strong winds that favour the 7m. The 12m is to be sure that you will be able to kite at every sunset and enjoy a beautiful golden hour on the water! If you are a kitesurfer and you want to come to Brazil, don’t think twice! It is the perfect place for everyone, from beginner to advanced. The only goal here is to have fun and improve your skills!

CATCHING UP // Sensi Graves

I’ve been making a yearly migration out to North Carolina since 2009 (2020 was the only year in the past decade that I haven’t made it!) and therefore, it feels much like coming home. The Outer Banks of North Carolina are known for the premier kiteboarding they offer–the ocean on one side of the island chain providing waves for slashing and the sound on the other side, offering up butter-smooth flat water. There’s a reason it’s a mecca for kiting in the States and that’s why I consistently return. 

I headed out to North Carolina to host a women’s kiteboarding camp with my company, founded alongside pro kiter Colleen Carroll, Strut Kiteboarding. Our mission is to provide an empowering setting to promote skills and provide confidence-building tools for female kiteboarders of all ages and skill ranges. 

My first week on the island was intense. Storms were wracking the eastern seaboard and the island flooded, shutting down the bridge and preventing anyone from getting on or off. Houses, previously enjoying an ocean-front vista, started falling into the ocean as high seas and strong waves lashed their foundations. The north eastern winds were pumping and we saw a slew of 40+ knot days. I was still able to get on the water and practiced big air kiteboarding on my 5meter Slingshot kite. It was fun, but I felt worked–that type of kiteboarding is exhausting! And on a 5meter? Yikes. 

During the second week, the wind clocked back around to the south west and the weather started to warm. We went from wearing puffy jackets to bikinis–my kind of kiteboarding! The week of the women’s camp had prime conditions and we spent a good amount of our time barefoot and outside, which in my opinion, is the best way to live. Nadja Bianchet and I taught the women how to bar juggle to untangle their lines, how to self-rescue if the wind dies and how to maintain a “just-show-up-and-try” attitude. Coaching can be exhausting as it requires a lot of energy output and long days in the sun, but it’s a satisfying level of exhaustion. I don’t always get this lucky, but Hatteras delivered yet again and I’ll most certainly be back again next year. 

Session Report // Cohan van Dijk

In Balneario, the famous big air spot of Tarifa, the wind can get very extreme some days. Offshore with 50 knots and sand blowing in your face; the only peaceful place is inside the car. Me and Blue Images saw one of these extreme days coming up on the forecast, so we went out for an early morning mission. We met up around 7:30am in Balneario to catch the best lighting and make sure there weren’t any kiters on the water. 

Looking at the spot that morning gave me butterflies, just from the thought of being alone in an offshore spot. That means if anything goes wrong, you’ve got a free one-way ticket to Morocco. Blue Images launched my kite and then geared up himself. He took out his water housing and a wide angle lens for the first half hour so we could catch some close-up shots. It’s not the most relaxing thing to do on a 7m kite with crazy gusts knocking you off axis, but we made it look like any normal day with blue water and sunny skies. After getting the shots we wanted on the wide angle lens, the photographer switched to a bigger lens and suggested I do some big air tricks. At that moment, the waves started coming in and the wind was getting wild. I was jumping way too high to get that sweet angle and line up perfectly for the camera, but all in all, it was a crazy survival day for us both!

DISCOVERING QATAR // Sarah Lord’s Story

Kitesurfers are a brilliant bunch of people. Learning this sport takes passion, drive, and commitment – even a beginner kitesurfer has achieved something truly impressive! Imagine taking what is a hobby for most and taking it to the next level. That’s what Sarah Lord has accomplished. She is not only a talented kitesurfer and instructor but one of the foremost faces in the development of kitesurfing in Qatar.

This up-and-coming kite destination, with sea, wind, and sun, offers some of the best kitesurfing conditions you can find. Sarah Lord grew up here, and she wants to share it with you.

Twenty years ago, when Lord first heard of the sport, kitesurfing was an obscure activity. Now, it’s one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.

“The first time I rode on the board, I was hooked… It was exhilarating, riding on the board for the first time,” says Lord. “It’s a weird feeling because it’s quite adrenaline-fuelled, but you’re also at one with nature. It’s a really nice combination of adrenaline and pure relaxation. You feel free. You forget about everything.”

Want to read more of Sarah Lord’s story? Click here to see the full article on our website

WHAT’S NEW // Harlem Kitesurfing

We’ve noticed a fresh new look on the Harlem website, who have dropped the black and green colour combo in favour of a light and airy new design. Luckily, they haven’t lost one ounce of their personality! We checked in with the Harlem family to find out what else is new…

Victor Looijestijn: The focus with the new products was to improve the durability and performance even more to previous and existing products. As you can see on the new website, our tone of voice has a bit of dark humour, which we like to combine with our high quality products. We think the kitesurf scene is sometimes too serious and misses out on the fun parts!

We have a completely new look with the Harlem logo in the middle, and for the future, all kites will shift to this design, starting with the next versions of the Harlem Go and Harlem Light.

In the kite world, we have so many disciplines like foiling, wave riding, big air, freestyle, and all-around riders. Our intention is to deliver the best possible gear for any discipline.

The Harlem Ace is made for foiling in super light winds, and is extremely responsive on the highest performance level. That is combined with a bombproof construction and material. 

With the Harlem Wave V3, we focused on making a great wave kite as light as possible, but still rigged enough in the frame to handle sessions in big swell. With the one strut design this was possible. Amazing drift and super fast turning.

The Harlem Strike is an all-new model in our range, and took us more than 3 years to perfect the model that will scare the big boys! It has super nice lift and massive hangtime, and it loops super steady. A worthy big air kite between all the competitors. We focused on making it as durable as possible with the materials and construction techniques.

The cherry on the top of the cake is the Harlem Lead Bar, an auto untwist bar that is tougher than our competitors, because we’ve used a stainless steel centerpiece. There’s nothing worse than your breaking after less than a year of use, and that won’t happen here. With 4 line lengths included and combined with a line splitter, this bar will fit literally every 4 line kite on the market. 

We make great products that last a dog’s life!

Click here to check out the new website, and see what’s new in the lineup!

TOP TIPS // Action Cam

Ever wondered how to nail the perfect shot on your action camera? Well, Matthias Larsen is a master of the craft, and he’s here to share his top tips with you!

These days, action cameras like the GoPro have are very high tech and are also pretty affordable. If you have one or are thinking of getting one, there are a lot of ways to get creative with it while kitesurfing.

As a sponsored kitesurfer, I started experimenting with GoPro cameras in 2010, and saw the potential of getting really creative shots without another person required. At the same time, it was a great way to showcase the equipment for your sponsors.

In the early days, I had the idea to use a clothes hanger to mount the camera in the kite lines to avoid it twisting, turning, or shaking too much. At that time, there were no mounts for kite lines, and no stabilisation feature inside the cameras. It’s a bit easier with the modern technology, and here’s some tips to get you started!

1. Mouth mount: The GoPro mouth mount is always the best to keep the camera with you while you are riding... you can put it inside your wetsuit up at your neck between shots. Using the mouth mount is quite a nice way to catch the action close up and really get the feeling that you are right in the action. It’s important to put the setting on superview or wide angle and use a mount that is comfortable in your teeth for long periods. Check out some different ones while you are in a surf shop or read reviews online. Some mouth mounts you actually hold with your teeth and the camera is positioned under your chin, which gives a nicer angle and the option to voice control your camera if it has that feature.

2. Handheld: Using a mouth mount allows you the freedom of also holding the camera in your hands and extending your arm wide, which is a very nice way to take a selfie or maybe even get a shot of your whole body while kiting. If you use the camera vertically, you will fit more into the frame. Make sure to have a leash or tether attached to your harness or the zipper of your suit, because you don't want to crash and lose the cam!

3. Selfie Stick: If you want to get an even more perfect shot, try using an extendable selfie stick while riding. I put it inside my wetsuit and if I want to take a shot or video, I extend the pole and try to get the kite, myself and the board into the frame which always looks really nice. Again, you should also shoot vertically to get more of the action into your picture. A great feature of the 360 cams for taking videos is that they stabilise the horizon automatically.

4. Line Mount: The kiteline mount is one of my favourite angles as you can get quite a bit of the action and the background into the same frame. It's nice to experiment with the distance so you can point the camera down towards the rider, but, be aware! Sometimes you can block your kite safety system from working, depending what kite, bar, and safety system you have, but also which kite line mount you are using.

5. Board Mount: The possibility to mount your cam onto your board opens up many different options. One of the greatest shots is from mounting the camera onto the nose of your surfboard and doing turns or jumps with it. It's also great to put the camera onto the nose or tail of your twintip board, but be sure to use a leash or tether for it in case your mount breaks.

6. Harness Mount: Another very creative angle, especially for filming, is with a harness mount.

It is possible to find mounts that are actually drilled into your harness, but some also work with a belt that you can put on top and under your harness. Again, make sure you have a leash or tether from the camera to your harness in case the mount breaks. This angle offers the look of a drone following you and works best with a 360 camera.

General Setup Tips: I use the GoPro 9 at the moment but have a detachable 360 lens with it, giving me more options and possibilities. When I film using the line mount, I use the 360 lens and then have it automatically correct the horizon. This also works with the harness mount.

For filming, I use mostly higher resolutions like 4K. If you are good with video editing software, you can also zoom in afterwards to get some great effects.

With photos, I would always go for the highest resolution possible and put the camera on time lapse mode 0.5 seconds, then you have the chance of catching a very good action shot. Just before the action starts, press the timelapse sequence.

If you have a specific action shot in mind, you can use the burst mode. It’s a challenge as you have to press the shutter button just before you start to launch and take off for the trick! The chance is high to get a perfect shot as the burst mode is taking many pictures per second.

I hope you find some tips and help in this and I wish you a great time on the water experimenting and getting creative! 🙂

Videos

"Allseasons" - Kite Movie (2021) Trailer
By IKSURFMAG

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