Racing returns to Kitestorm

Kitestorm is an annual snowkiting event held on Lake Champlain, Vermont, just north of Burlington. Sponsored by Rachael and James of Stormboarding, the event featured clinics, demonstrations, racing, cool prizes, buffet banquet and plenty of freeriding.

Hydra on ice

HQ Powerkite freeride

The HQ Powerkites Team drove up from North Carolina with a huge quiver of foils to sample. We were pleased to witness a thin layer of powder fall Thursday night, providing a lake surface that could be ridden by ski, snowboard or buggy. Plenty of new enthusiasts got a great introduction to the sport over the weekend.

ice buggy

Circuit racing returned to the lake with heats stretched over Saturday & Sunday. The Grand Prize was sweet - a 2010 HQ Montana V 9.5m kite!

One sweet ride

Rachel conducts the race meeting

Chris Krug took top honors, but we hear his lovely wife and fellow racer Molly Savard, will claim rights to the kite. At times Molly raced with an Apex II 10m and is stoked to be adding to her HQ collection.

Molly rides to a finish on her Apex

Sunday brought the smoothest northwest breeze that did not disappoint. It was freeriders paradise.

Sunday was epic

Neo II - At home on liquid or solid H2O

Scout II is beginner friendly

Craig Young kite wrangler

We look forward to next year!

Kiteboarding

Living on the Outer Banks has it drawbacks and rewards. One prize the islands provide are the consistent winds and shallow waters of the Albermarle and Pamlico sounds. This is one of the best kite surfing locations anywhere on the east coast. I returned to the island in June to find many of my old friends from high school and college now kiting, whereas before, I was working for Kitty Hawk Kites and one of few.

Having recently taken a position with HQ Kites in Chesapeake, I'm now promoting and selling, among other things, power kites. The '09 product range includes our first water relauncable kite, the NEO.

So here I am learning how to kitesurf for my job.

Saturday was a good day. Gusty 20-30 mph side onshore winds. Mild air and moderate water temps in the 60s. Perfect conditions to be flying my 8m NEO with some friends at the new Kitty Hawk Kites store in Rodanthe. I've figured out how to stay up wind, which is a great feeling of accomplishment, as is getting up and riding for the first time. My board skills need a lot of work. And I learn a little every time I'm in the water. Recently I started popping some small jumps. Going toe side is next on the to-learn list, which is key to progressing with transitions on my turns.

A big shout out to Ted G for the loaner wetsuit.

I'll be snowkiting with this guy, Tom Bourdeau, next month on Lago Bianco and Bernina Pass in Switzerland. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGAb02x6gog

But first, I'll be at the Snow Summit held at famous Skyline Drive.


Time to pack the wetsuit and find my parka.