What’s New @ Kitesurfkings? Kitesurfing & cable sessions, down winders, trips, Kirsty Jones & Lewis Crathern

Dude!

Don’t like getting the ‘Dude’? Just double Dude then Dude… it’s the way forwards! Personally I love the ‘Dude’, Dude…

Been ages since the last Kitesurfkings blog entry, won’t apologize as I’m sure no one’s that bothered but going to make an effort to catch up today and share the love, and more importantly the news. There’s a free kite clinic with spaces left up for grabs, Kirsty Jones has invited 6 kiters to join her over in Lanzarote, Lewis Crathern has the launch of his documentary next week, Paddle Around the Pier is just around the corner, the cable’s provided fun times and more sessions are booked (I’ll post some fun pics from Tuesday’s Kitesurfkings private session :)), kitesurfing lessons have been a blast, we’ve discounted the pants off the last 2010 kit, there have been some epic kitesurfing sessions had locally and we’ve epic international sessions coming up. I’ll post in sections in case you wanna cut straight to the chase…

Firstly, if you can get away from the 25th June for a week then don’t miss this opportunity…

Kirsty Jones

Kirsty Jones, 3x World Champion and more importantly super lovely kite and yoga coach:

Named as The Kirsty Jones Experience, this one week kitesurf, yoga, surf and SUP trip is being run by Kirsty Jones herself from her second home of Lanzarote. Kirsty will be looking after a group of no more than 6 people for 7 days of kitesurfing lessons, yoga and surfing fun. The beach house that has been booked for the week is awesome, right next to Famara beach where you’d be kitesurfing and where you’ll be finishing some of your down winders, the beach house has it’s own pool, terrace, BBQ area ect ect… I’ve seen it, it’s seriously smart. As well as 5 days of kitesurfing coaching there’s loads more, including a boat trip to near by Graciosa Island, best plan is to have a read yourself and get yourself out there. The trip has been put together by African Space Kite Surfing, so go to the African Space website if this LINK TO THE TRIP is not working.  

Another big name in the kitesurfing world is Lewis Crathern, and hasn’t he been busy…

Lewis Crathern

Lewis Crathern, The Man That Touched The Sky:

What a dude! An inspiration to all kitesurfers, Lewis’ story of how he came to jump Brighton Pier is now part of a documentary about Lewis that will be released eminently. You can watch a trailer for Lewis’ documentary ‘The Man That Touched The Sky’ by following this link: Lewis Crathern, The Man That Touched The Sky or going to the Kitesurfkings Facebook page. We’re invited to the premier of Lewis’ documentary next Tuesday and so will be able to fill you in then.

Lewis was seen this week on BBC One’s Blue Peter, a link’s up on the Kitesurfkings Facebook page and we recommend checking it out, regardless of your age, for some top tips that’ll help with your wakeboarding. The BBC guys all met up with Lewis at the wakeboarding cable at Hove Lagoon and he put them through their paces.

Lewis runs his own UK clinics and you can get info on those directly through his own windmachine website, there’s also loads of interesting info and Lewis’ own take on wind, kitesurfing and wakeboarding. If you want to get away on one of Lewis Crathern’s International Kite Clinics then you need to get in touch with African Space Kitesurfing, CHECK OUT THE INFO HERE, or get in touch with us a line at Kitesurfkings (WWW.KITESURFKINGS.COM) as I, Luke,  will also be joining Lewis on his next international kite clinic which is happening on the 13th October in Egypt… can’t wait!

There have been some epic sessions of late and I’ve enjoyed hearing about other people’s so thought I’d share a couple of my own from the last few weeks as they seemed to get a laugh out of the guys in Shoreham and might encourage you lovely readers to tell us what you’ve been up to…

UK Kitesurf Sessions

Late for an appointment:

Thursday the 1st June 2011 was an epic day by all accounts; the sun was thinking about showing it’s face, the wind was up, waves were in and lessons were cancelled due to the serious, window rattling, conditions that we were greeted with early doors. seldom do kitesurf instructors get to kite the really sweet days as lessons need to run lessons around low tide, when the wind is really pumping lessons can’t run and by 11am on the 1st the wind was already solidly over 40 mph. I made every effort to complete some of the back log of admin (yawn) so I could get out for a cheeky kite session before a doctors appointment at 14.00 in Kemp Town. At 12.00 I phoned John E B in Shoreham to see if he’d be up for a kite, he’d been itching to get out too and so there wasn’t much convincing needed; we agreed to meet up by the beach huts in Shoreham at 12.30. I arrived late and so John was already on the water, powered on his 6m and riding a surfboard. There was no one else around so I quickly pumped up my 7m (should have gone 5 but you know how it is) and self launched, thank you Cabrinha for making such a long centre line!!

We were having an awesome session, the wind was solid and the waves were some of the best I’d enjoyed in Shoreham this year, as you’d imagen there wasn’t much skill needed to do massive boosts so spent half the time in the air and the rest lost in the waves. At the back of my mind I knew I could only stay out for a short time if I were to be back in Kemp Town before 14.00. Before long it was time to come off the water but we’d travelled half way down Shoreham Beach and edging upwind on the 7m was seriously tiring. I started to battle myself about what to do, scrap the appointment, self land and run to the van, keep edging upwind or go for gold and just kite there? John knew I had the appointment and so I gave him a wave and off I went with my kite.

In total it took about 35mins to get from Shoreham to Kemp Town; when you’re driving the route it feels slow when you do it in 25, try it on a kite when it’s 45 mph and you’re heading straight down wind! I went past a couple of groups on the way but didn’t have time to be sociable. There were a couple of people kitesurfing Hot Pipes and just up from King Alfred but there weren’t many kiters out. Gotta say that if you weren’t out that day you really missed out, the waves were sweet all the way along and seemed to get much larger the further out the back of Brighton and Hove I went.

As I came in I was greeted by one of the Brighton Sea Front guys on his quad, he’d been watching me kite as I came in and I recognized the dude. He didn’t have any beef at all but said that there’d been a report of someone hammering down the coast on a kite so he had to come and check it out. Wearing a wet wetsuit and having bare feet in the appointment I obviously felt like a plum and my mrs wasn’t best but I did clear up the puddle before I left, anything goes in Brighton and if I’d have missed the kite session I’d have been kicking myself. 

I’m planning the same route with some mates and we’ll take our time and enjoy it all this time! Kiting alone is never a good move but in my defence I did have an impact vest on for buoyancy, the Cabrinha kites relaunch effortlessly, I only ride new kit so it’s in optimum condition, the safety system always works, I didn’t kite much further than I could swim or go too close to the piers, John knew where I was going and a 35min down winder doesn’t seem like a long trip after having done down winders in South Africa and Zanzibar… safety hat on, box ticked.  

Night kite:

On Wednesday the 8th June 2011 I met up with a best friend, Chris (aka Simo) with the view to having a kite, it was already 20.30 and we knew we had to get on it if we were to get a kitesurf session in before it got dark. We didn’t get on it and it started to get late, we roped in the assistance of a helpful kite bitch (none derogatory name for kite helper) and got a lift to Hot Pipes, set up and got out for 21.40. The light was amazing, yes there was still light, the wind just enough for a sweet 7m session and the waves had way more volume than we usually get in Brighton. I have to say the start of the session was the best I have had this year.

We didn’t get too close to the groynes or various bits of metal work that protrude from the sea behind the industrial estate but did go Mc Donalds stylie LARGE! Simo smashed up the waves, clearing each groyne space with a single wave and I tried doing the same airborne, until it got darker when we both just enjoyed the power of the waves and being perfectly lit on our 7m Switchblaes and ‘at one’ (yo) with the elements as we tuned in to the light from the half moon and white of the waves.

It really was a dream session until we got to about Moroccos where I came unhooked on accident, easily fixed as not over powered. After getting hooked back in and back into the session my foot strap came out, doh! Not ideal but just ment riding down wind like a man with one leg until that got boring and flipped to using the board to body drag. We came in just before Regency Square and the old West Pier at 22.25 where our favourite kite bitch waited with a flash light to greet us.

Generally night sessions are massive no go for kitesurfing but like base jumping and the likes there are things one can do to make such sessions as risk free as possible. We do not recommend kiting at night, who knows what’s in the sea and how would anyone find you if you had a problem? We kite together all the time, didn’t get any further than 200m from one another, didn’t go out further than we could swim, still had enough light to see the important stuff and had beach support following us along the road and waiting on the beach for our return. Tick.

Beer tastes so much better when you’ve really earnt it.

if you’ve any epic sessions or just one that’ll get a laugh or teach a lesson, then ping it over to us here to the Kitesurfkings blog, post it on the Kitesurfkings Facebook page or email it over to info@kitesurfkings.com and we’ll pop it up for you.

Cable Sessions at Hove Lagoon

Our Kitesurfkings private cable sessions are always fun… unable to upload the quality pics but will try and get a couple from Tuesday’s cable session online later as they’re well worth a look. Next session is next Thursday; we don’t run them to make money, there is no financial gain to us just a saving to you and guaranteed laughs. Find us on Facebook if you want to get involved.

Free Stuff

KB4 Girls next event is happening in Lancing next weekend but sadly blokes don’t qualify just by wearing a skirt, I have checked. I’m not sure what the ruling is on ladyboys… I encourage any of you kitesurfing ladyboys out there to test the water. There are still places up for grabs and if you’re keen then give us a shout at Kitesurfkings and chat to Andrina as she’s organising the event. Did I mention it’s free?

Paddle Around the Pier is just around the corner and although there might not have been the usual amount of advertising for the event this year it’s set to be bigger and better than ever. Kitesurfkings will be down there with a stand and hanging out with our friends at Orb360, Hove Lagoon and the likes. Do come and say hi, there’ll be prizes and offers exclusively for the event and it’ll generally be a fun weekend with stuff to do, to watch and to try. So, that’s Paddle Around the Pier on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July.

Gotta finish this blog! Kitesurfkings have some new and still boxed Cabrinha 2010 IDS kites that we can practically give away… well, not quite but almost! There’s a good chance it’s been too windy recently for your current kit or you’re lacking in confidence because you don’t have the latest, safest safety system?? Well, here’s your chance to put that right and grab a 7 or 9m Cabrinha IDS kite for a song! Well, about 600 quid including the bar, lines, leash, pump ect (which cost £360 on their own!). If you want one then gimmie a call on 07878 399 419 (Luke).

Brighton & Hove Have Cable!

Yesterday’s press launch at Hove Lagoon for the new wakeboard cable was a real eye opener and we’re all really excited about having such a great facility here in East Sussex… yesterday’s sausages were rather special too, thanks guys.

Yesterday Harvey, Hove Lagoon’s director and a super nice dude, explained that he’s had the vision for the cable park for 18 years and it has taken a huge effort by the guys at Hove Lagoon, their sponsors and the commitment of Brighton and Hove council to make it happen. To Harvey, Mark, Seb and the rest of the guys at Hove Lagoon we salute you!

Here you can see some of the photographs that I took at yesterday’s press launch; there were a number of pro wakeboarders, pro kitesurfer Lewis Crathern and a handful of first timers on the cable for our entertainment. The Kitesurfkings hat is also off for local kitesurfer Jezmondo, who although was trying cable wakeboarding for the first time, managed a raley on his first tack and s-bend attempt on his second! Not sure if ‘tack’ is the right word for one distance of the cable but it sounds a lot better than length… feel free to educate.

The action shot above sees Pro kitesurfer Lewis Crathern showing us mad skill as he executes powered wake style tricks that he’d more regularly be seen doing under his kite. Join myself and Lewis at the cable for coaching days and learn how to nail tricky kitesurfing moves without having to think about the kite.

Never having seen a 2.0 cable system, other than online, it was great to have the system explained and be shown some of the system’s capabilities. You really have to go down there and check it out for yourselves as it differs massively from the other cable parks.

Other cable parks I have been to have numerous people travelling in a loop around a lake where as Hove Lagoon’s new 2.0 cable system offers a much better experience for the rider by tailoring each ride to the individual rider based on their ability or what kind of trick they’re wishing to attempt.

We’ll be having exclusive sessions at the cable and welcome you down to come and join us. We’ll be having  sessions for those completely new to board sports, sessions for those who want to nail some new tricks and plenty of sessions for people that just want to meet up and have a bit of fun. Do give me a shout directly if you’d like to meet up for a session: Luke, 07878 399419, luke@kitesurfkings.com

I’ve met a number of people with misconceptions about the cable that are worth setting straight…

Because it’s a single line cable you must stop and start again at each end. No! Go and check it out, the ride is fluid as you’re able to do a carve turn at either end. After a few sessions you’ll probably be able to nail some pop jump transitions at either end like the guys yesterday. Mark told me about a huge raley transition Harvey nailed that makes me think that with the right cable controller we’ll be able to bring some of our favourite kitesurfing tricks off the sea and onto the Lagoon.

Because it’s for ‘everyone’ it can’t be that extreme! Dude! Because there’s only one rider at a time and the cables system offers instant stopping of the cable, change of direction and accelerating/decelerating the speed in which it travels the ride is tailored to the individual.

Loads of swimming! Yes at each of the cable parks I have ridden you stack and then struggle to get the board off your feet before swimming, then walking, back to the start point wasting most of your session time. Because there’s only one rider at a time it’s all about you, the cable controller plays a massive role here by stopping the cable when you stack so that you can get straight back up when you’re ready.

More time cueing than riding. Drop in sessions are an hour long, Mark’s told me that they’re planning to have no more than four people for each drop in session. The guys at Hove Lagoon will be monitoring the sessions and insuring time is split evenly and because there are no more than four riders, no one’s swimming and there’s no walking back from the far end of the lake after stacking, time’s spent on the cable rather than just at the cable park.

Kitesurf Open Day

Thank you to all the nice dudes that came to say hi on Saturday down at Coalition, to the guys at Coalition for a quality afternoon, to XYZ for helping to set the day up and to the Kitesurfkings Crew for making it a fun place to be…

The weather report hadn’t been great for the south coast of England over the weekend but the weather forecasts hadn’t taken into account the ‘Brighton effect’ and true to form it was another super sweet day. The sun beamed into Coalition where we had kit set up and freebies for people to take away. Lewis Crathern was down for the day to chat about his Kite Clinics which are being run with Kitesurfkings but he was also happy chatting kiting, meeting the crowds and having his picture taken by the famous Brighton Pier. Lewis brought his 7m Slingshot that he jumped Brighton Pier with and we had some of Lewis’ videos playing inside but the weather was so sweet that most of the time was spent outside, using beer to cool ourselves from the heat of the day!

 

Lots of people came and found out about kitesurfing for their first time and others came to chat about what they would like to change or improve about their kiting. It was an eye opener that so many people had such little insight into the sport, whether already kiting or not and that there’s a need for such events to help and educate people that are either looking at or already kitesurfing or powerkiting. We had fun too and so will certainly hook up another open day again and have plans of other kite session that’ll soon be released, watch this space.

Two potential kiters at 9 o’clock…

For those of you that didn’t come on Saturday but are already kiting, or think you can get good enough by the 16th October, need to get the 16th to 23rd October into you diaries for Lewis Crathern’s Intermediate/Advanced Kitesurf Kite Clinic. We’re kicking this cheeky trip off at just £699 so get your names down for it now!

 

Other pics from the day…

Nice Day at the Seaside

Pop into Coalition tomorrow afternoon from 13.00 and say hi…

There’s a Kitesurfkings Open Day… this entails meeting up at a great venue on Brighton sea front, chatting kitesurfing and maybe a cheeky pint. We’ll have kit to check out and be happy to answer any questions; Lewis Crathern will be chatting about his October Kite Clinic and will talk us through jumping Brighton Pier.

It’ll be a nice afternoon, the footie doesn’t start until 15.00 and we’ve even hooked up a £7.50 beer and burger promotion with our friends at Coalition… we thank you.

Some one day only deals to be had… ooh!

Calling all kitesurfers…

Get a pair of booties and gloves and get in the sea, it really is ALL GOOD! The kitesurfing has been great recently but not so many people have been kiting. What was with today?! The sun was out, we had an easterly wind of around 18 knots in Shoreham but there were no other kites to be seen all along the coast! Was there something else important happening today… and don’t tell me everyone on the south coast had to work or that all of the chippies, plumbers, window fitters and builders, for whom ‘flexi’ time works so well for thought the summer, could not make a session from 13.00 to 18.00. Has the world gone soft because I know it hasn’t fallen out of love with Kitesurfing.

We had a good lesson in Shoreham then I had a solo kite. Tell me wasup Brighton, Hove, Shoreham, Lancing n Goring? Not loving the lack of rain, or was the tide too low? Maybe 18+ knots isn’t where it’s at for kitesurfers these days?! Sure, many of us like the odd extreme day’s kitesurfing but around 18 knots was always the dream. If it had come from nothing I could understand why people weren’t kitesurfing but we started in Shoreham this morning with around 10 knots and that built to 15, then a sweet 18 to 20 at low tide.

At least are students have been loving the wind and getting their beginner courses in with us before the summer fully kicks in so the’ll be independent kitesurfers catching the sea breezes whenever they choose…

Well done to Kerry for getting up on the board today and to Sam and Dan who cruised through their beginner course last w’end. Looking good again this w’end… if my understanding of good is anything to go by?!

Learn to kitesurf with us, come to kitesurf with us

Writing or Kiting?

Up until now the choice has certainly been kiting, as a result we’ve not shared any info on our blog about either of our most recent progression trips to Zaafarana, the cheeky business trip back to Egypt to check out a new spot and trip option for 2011, visiting Mozambique to check out the kiting there or the two week kitesurfing trip to South Africa to see what’s on offer around Cape Town and meet with contacts that would like to help run multi spot kitesurfing trips.

There’s so much to write about and there’s a 16 knot south easterly right now with low tide at 16.20. Anyone up for a kite here in Brighton or Shoreham?

Love it (sometimes!) – wind forecast has changed!!!

O.k, so the wind forecast has changed for the better but there it could still be light…

The local wind forecast (Brighton, Hove, Shoreham, Lancing, Worthing, Littlehampton ect) now suggests cross shore winds. Tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd Feb, still looking like the best day with a morning of 18 knots. A poor outlook for Wednesday but then possible kitesurfing sessions to be had from Thursday onwards, we still say grab it whilst it’s there as the wind has been traditionally flakey! Might be bang on shore on Saturday, if you’re still trying to crack kitesurfing upwind then get to the beach early enough for low tide. See you on the beach!

Brighton Snowkiting!

Massive respect to Tim Brickle (www.exelement.co.uk /www.adventuresportsholidays.com ) and Kev Maguire (multiple Senior Kitesurf Champion) – these are some photos from their snowkiting session last week in Brighton on Devils Dyke.

What sweet photos these guys came back with from their day of kiting! Even better still is that neither of them broke anything; you’d think that taking the kitesurfing skills learnt on the water to the land, where slight mistakes could cause serious injury,  might calm things some what?! From the look of these photos from their kiting session Tim and Kev really made the most of the snow and didn’t hold back!

Both Kev and Tim are part of the old school Sussex kitesurfing crew, now it looks like they’re leading the way when it come to snowkiting. Hats off to you boys! See you on the water.

Will post photos of Tuesday’s kitesurfing session in Lancing as soon as I get my hands on them. Might have been cold kitesurfing on Tuesday but at least the wind was kinda clean and it wasn’t pissing down with rain! Respect to everyone out on the water kitesurfing today along the Sussex coast, be nice to see more kiters out though!! See you on the water??

Wind, Wind & More Wind!

Big smiles, big air and big waves for South Coast riders…

It’s been nice to see lots of people out along the South Coast this week; seeing lots of kitesurfers and windsurfers along the coast from Brighton/Hove, Shoreham, Lancing, Worthing, Goring, Littlehampton and beyond (is there anywhere else? Not that we need to travel when there are south-westerly winds!).

You’re going to see lots more of the same over the next week or so as the forecast is bloody great! Today’s already quite fruity as gusting high 40’s and looks like we’ll keep 7m weather for the rest of the day. If you’re a low tide rider there’s still just enough light left for you to squeeze sessions today and tomorrow. Tomorrow the wind looks equally fruity but could chill out a bit towards the end of the day.

If you’re still leaning to kitesurf and are in need of slightly calmer winds than we’ve been experiencing then Friday is looking good for you, don’t wait for the weekend as the wind is due to kick in again and could well be bang on shore. Tuesday next week is looking like another good day for you but don’t the forecasts like to change!!

Had a really nice ride on Monday in Hove and it was really nice to see some of the Hove kitesurf massive out, you know who you are. Had a chance to put the 7m 2010 Cabrinha Switchblade for a couple of runs now and, like the rest of the 2010 Cabrinha range, it did not disappoint. Super east to control and relaunch, with a constant pull and direct feel; can’t wait to get back out on it to give it a more of a test run but so far I’ve not found a fault.

Zaafaran Student Trip feedback has been great and everyone loved the spot, our group and the fact they had wind everyday. 2010 Cabrinha Nomads, Crossbows and Converts were taken out to test and have been given both thumbs up from the guys. Chris has been loving the Nomad and claims it’s the best kite he’s ever flown for unhooked riding. Cabrinha have been doing lots right and have not only changed the look of their kite range but have managed to improve the performance – thank you Cabrinha! Kitesurfkings had already ordered the full Cabrinha range, for the school, personal use and resale before they came out, all based on the success of previous years, fortunately there are NO regrets!

Is Two Tacks Still Kitesurfing?

It just looked too nice not to give it a go!

Kitesurfing today was a nightmare! Leaving Brighton at 12pm the waves looked epic but we knew all the way to Shoreham that it was far too southerly. We couldn’t see anyone kitesurfing in Hove, Shoreham or Lancing. Went to the beach to check out the conditions and the sea looked inviting but with it being dead southerly and gusting over 50 knots we headed to the Beach Café for a cuppa and a bit of munch. After gusts of 71mph (Sea Sprite) at 1pm the wind swung around to SW and down to 38 knots; Hon and I went to pump up our kites on Shoreham Beach with the excitement of nippers at Christmas.

The kite of choice was a brand new 7m Switchblade 2010. Fully depowered and sheeted out I managed just two tacks and was taken up by one gusty loft, not much fun but had to christen the new kite. Decided to pump up a 5m Convert but another squall came through pumping 60+ and so packed up and called it a day.

The windsurfers looked like they were having a blast, even the one that got washed up without his kit whilst we were packing up. Maximum respect to the sea, Mother Nature and anyone that decided to sit today out.

On the up side we met some really nice guys on the beach and in the Café; Sunday, Monday and into next week are all looking good.

There will be more info on the 2010 kit and Zaafarana Student Session imminently.