Category: Kiteboarding

Sunset Kite Party

Tonight was one of those sessions that you don’t forget. The coaches had a meeting at 6pm. I busted out of work and pumped up and headed upwind to the Slick. I started the session off with a backdoor boost (jumping from the outside of the slick into the slick). It was blowing 30 and I was juiced on my 8m Havoc. The coaches were out kiting in front of REAL after the meeting, and I was doing speed runs in the slick all-alone.

It was the best feeling being up there lining up my tack, hunching down to take on the full power of the kite, flying over the buttery flat water inches from land. Then hopping to toeside cutting a huge fan of spray. Then pumping your kite two times on your healside getting up near the island again and sending the kite from 10 to 12 and booting until the ground looks far far away, then floating back down to the water. It’s a great feeling, that’s for sure. I did that for about an hour and a half until I was too powered and headed in. I went to send a huge boost before heading in and my backfoot ripped out of the binding and the next thing I know I was doing a massive one footer. I some how made it back down avoiding injury. I made it back to the backyard, then took some pics and called it a night.

May 2, 2009
Sunset Photo Shoot

Today was busy, as everyone at work was getting ready for the REAL/ Watermen’s Retreat Open House. It was a good turnout with Mojo Collins playing again on the back deck. It was really windy all day. I was able to grab a quick lunchtime boost session in my shorty!

As the sunset of a great day was about to go down, I grabbed my camera for the first time in a week and took a couple shots. Brandon Scheid and Matt Nuzzo were still out on the water riding in the back yard of REAL.

April 4, 2009
SLC ’09 Snowkite Trip Day 5

We had a nice relaxing morning having a killer breakfast. Tekko, Jason and Julien headed out to go scout out around the valley for a cool place to session and shoot. They came back about an hour later with a killer location. We headed out there and rigged. It was pretty light wind for a while steadily picking up. We were able to get some good shots out of the adventure, and some even better ideas for later.

We headed back to the condo for lunch made by the Canadians. The crew packed up and we headed up to the mountain. It was nuking when we arrived. We decided that since there was no cat today that we would all rig up kites and kite to the shoot location, shoot then kite back home. It was a great idea in theory, but proved more difficult than most of us thought, especially with the 75 lbs of photo gear. We started the session at the top of the hill the event was held at. We shot some full rig Liquid Force kite shots. Then Petter was jibbing a tree. That shot turned out to be one of the best of the day.

Jason and Julien were down setting up a picnic table off one of the table tops. The setup was pretty cool, as they hit the kicker and used the table as a down rail. The guys sessioned that for a while. Then Jason and I headed over to do some lip tricks on one of the other table tops as the light really started to fade.

Then the fun part started, getting home. Everyone headed out as Jason and I were finishing up the last shoot. Jason gave me a launch and we headed back to the parking lot. We headed down the first valley and then started up the next uphill as the wind totally shut off on us. We waited a few and luckily the wind came back. It was really crazy riding back with no light as you couldn’t see any definition in the snow. We finally made it back to the parking lot. We packed up the gear and crawled to the cars. But our first expedition was a success.

We headed back to the condos and everyone b lined it to the hot tub. Then it was time for cooking dinner and editing photos. It wasn’t until midnight that dinner was ready. We ate and then crashed.

Check out the full trip here: Day1, Day2, Day3, Day4, Day5, Day6, Day7, Day8, Day9.

March 18, 2009
SLC ’09 Snowkite Trip Day 4

Today started off with a great breakfast at Jason’s friends house that we spent the night at. It was a rough morning being sore from all the hiking the previous day, and the endless hours editing photos and posting on the interwebs. We then found the courage to head back over to meet up with the crew at the condos and then cook breakfast number two. After a little more photo editing, we packed up and headed up to the mountain.

As we pulled up we were stoked to see it was windy. The crew headed down to the event location and I headed out for a quick session before everyone got going. Jason somehow managed to get another kite stuck in a tree, but he redeemed himself by riding well in the kiter-cross event, though Aaron Sales gave him a run for his money.

Then it was the free ride event. We all headed to the flat bar and sessioned it for a while, then headed to a kicker and then to some flat land wake style. Jason, Petter and Jake were just killing it. Petter throwing 270 on 360 then out. Jake did massive kite loops and slezy was stezy on the rails.

We took a bit of a break then headed back up the hill to session and shoot the spine. It was a really fun session as we had Adam Koch, Gavin Butler and myself shooting together. Aaron, Jake, Jason and Petter sessioned with me for a bit on the spine. We then headed up to the BEST rail that the boys set up during our break from kiting. The guys rode hard as the light faded out into the night.

Petter, Tekko and Jason kited back to the car while I waited for Jake for a snowmobile ride back to the top. On the last hill he gunned it and I fell off the back with my photopack and a snowboard strapped to it and a 16m kite in my lap.

We finally made it home to a fantastically prepared meal by the Llew and Kristy. Then it was editing time and off to bed. I was extremely stoked on how the shots from the day turned out. Over 1,000 images taken and about 20 keepers I was so excited that the long day of work/play turned out so well.

Check out the full trip here: Day1, Day2, Day3, Day4, Day5, Day6, Day7, Day8, Day9.

March 17, 2009
SLC ’09 Snowkite Trip Day 3

Day three of the SLC trip was the bet yet. It was the second day of the SuperFly Open at Powder Mountain. And we had wind! The day started off with a little chill time. Then we quickly hit up the grocery store for food and water to bring with us on the mountain.

We pulled up to the mountain around 10am to see the flags blowing and kites in the air. Scrambling to unpack the gear out of the car and get on the cat to the event location, which was about a mile from the parking lot.

The crew rigged up kites and headed out for a fun session. I hung out with Petter at one of the kickers watching him show everyone up. That kid has skills! The first event was the kite race followed by the big air.

After the events, Jason, Petter, Tekko, Arla and I headed to the downwind side of the mountain to grab some shots. It was a good time, though way more work than being on the water, but the crew was killing it. Petter and Jason found a couple cool natural kickers that they sessioned for a while before Jason put his kite into a tree. Luckily the kite received only minor injuries.

I headed back to charge my batteries for the camera in order to be ready for the evening shoot. There were some miss communications, which then made me walk from the lodge back to the event location and then back again. Needless to day I got my exercise for the day.

After getting back to the car I grabbed Jason for a couple quick shots with the new LF snowboard. Then I was to a well-deserved dinner and to bed.

Check out the full trip here: Day1, Day2, Day3, Day4, Day5, Day6, Day7, Day8, Day9.

March 16, 2009
Brandon Scheid in The Kiteboarder

The new issue of The Kiteboarder showed up while Jason and I were in Utah on the REAL Team ’09 Snowkite trip. This shot of Brandon Scheid made it into the magazine. The shot was taken around dusk at Kite Point, NC.

March 15, 2009
Lulu LF Mavin Board Shoot

I woke up this morning to go surf. I head out the door to see a puddle in the driveway was frozen and walked right back inside. It was a cold one!

I grabbed a couple quick shots of Lulu. She needed a pic of her with her new LF Mavined out board. It was even colder tonight with the NW wind howling at 15 knots. We got off a couple shots and then headed in for warmth. The one good thing about the cold is that your drinks stay chilled during the shoot.

February 20, 2009
The session that finally came to be

Location: The Slick
Wind Direction: WSW
Wind Speed: 18-23
Kite: 12m Boss
Board: LF Mission 144cm
Wetsuit: O’Neill 3/2 Mutant
Bindings: LF Escalades
Harness: DaKine Tabu

It cranked here all morning. I’m talking 25-30 WSW. Jason and I were so excited to head out for a kite at lunch. I get out there pump up my 12m and rig the lines, put on my suit and the wind dies. #@$%^! So we heard there was a little surf.

We go grab our boards and head to Mirlo. The wave is maybe waist high and barreling super fast. We drive back to work and see kites up in the slick. We go and pump up for a quick session. Two days in boots in the slick, feels so good.

February 12, 2009
Ramp 23 Session, Kinda

Tommie, Eric and I pulled into Ramp 23 today at lunch. It was blowing 25 SSW and it was WARM! I Pumped up the kite and ran the lines, put my wetsuit and harness on. As I was walking to my lines, I look over to see my kite catch air and start flying down the beach. Great!

I booked it for about a half mile, before I couldn’t breath in my harness and wetsuit. Looked back waiting for one of the guys to grab a truck and floor it down the beach. It took them a bit to secure their own kites, but then Tommie came to my rescue. I grabbed the kite and later found there was an inch rip in the canopy so I called it a session and headed back to work (with a couple cool drinks for the after session relaxation).

January 29, 2009