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!

Win a new HQ Montana V Kite

Win a brand new 2010 HQ Montana V

Don’t miss your chance! Enter the Kitestorm Circuit Race on Saturday, February 20th for your chance to win the grand prize – a 2010 HQ Montana V 9.5m kite.

Kitestorm is an annual event held on Lake Champlain, Vermont – February 20-21st, just outside of Burlington.

Never been snow kiting?

At Kitestorm you can get a taste of the sport in the free clinics, freeride to your heart's content and challenge yourself against yourself and others in the first Kitestorm Around the Islands race. For more information, contact Stormboarding at 802.578.6120 or e-mail: rachael@stormboarding.com

Team HQ Powerkites will be on location with a huge quiver of Montana Vs, Neo IIs, Apex IIs, Scout IIs, Hydras and Rush Pros for you to sample.

But we digress…

The Circuit Race will be for all riders looking for a reasonable challenge and some personal satisfaction. The lucky winner will take to the snow with the HQ Montana V 9.5m.

The Montana V is a highly refined foil kite that combines stability and performance using developments in paragliding technology. A higher aspect ratio with more efficient profile provides increased depower and quicker turning speed. The flexible canopy better absorbs gusts for a smoother ride. The Montana V is easy to handle and offers high-end performance for the demanding pilot. The bar system has been redeveloped and the new molded 'EVO' chicken loop offers increased safety and user-friendliness. It packs tightly into an ergonomic backpack with attachment points for all kinds of boards, helmets and harnesses. Whether you want to explore the backcountry or focus on freestyle, the Montana V delivers.

Design Features:

- Leash-less safety system

- Double pulley speed system with Ronstan Stainless Steel Pulleys

- Y-Line design with colored lines

- New 50 cm (7m, 9.5m) or 60 cm (12.5m) composite bar and state of the art chicken loop

- Redesigned shape for more turning speed and depower

- Water repellent skin, highest quality materials

- Bomb proof construction

- Simple relaunch

- Easy handling

- Dirt-outs at wing tips

See you on the ice!

Kitestorm

After a busy New York Toy Fair event, Tim and myself packed the HQ minivan and drove to Vermont to participate in Kitestorm. There was not much snow on the frozen lake Champlain. So everyone discovered how easy it is to edge on ice with skis powered by kites.
HQ ran the busiest and best stocked demo area by far. Tim and I worked hard for the entire two days helping riders check out the Apex, Montana and the new water-relaunchable Neo.


My only regret was twisting my ankle while walking across the ice. Yeah. Walking. Three weeks later it still bothers me.

Catch the drift

Bring a good book, a full charge on you ipod and all the patience you can muster before attempting international travel. My flight from Chicago to Frankfurt was delayed over seven hours after we were forced to change planes when a problem with the cargo hatch arose. This was followed by flight cancellations in Frankfurt due to heavy fog, creating an eleven hour delay before I could catch a flight to Bremen.

The next day I met with many of good folks at Invento HQ that I have been working with via email and Skype. It is always great to put a name to a face. The offices and warehouses are located in a beautiful, old world setting on the edge of town that oozes charm.

The next day we loaded up the HQ Powerkite Ford Transporter at 5 am on the Invento campus and prepared for the twelve hour journey to Lago Bianco. Jan Hendrick leads the adventure, hitting speeds of 160 kph as we ride north on the autobahn towards the Swiss Alps. On board are team riders Gunnar Wiegers and Yannick Schwickert, along with Jan Rogge, a new apprentice at Invento. The media department, consisting of Vanessa, Jorg, and Frauke follow in a hatchback.

With only a few stops for fuel and tolls, we pass the rolling German countryside, through Bavaria and Austria, before reaching Switzerland. It looks like a winter wonderland. So much snow, in fact, that there is a possibility Bernina Pass will be closed, delaying our arrival to the lodge that overlooks the lake. As we reach the popular resort of St. Moritz, the weather looks foreboding. Snow is falling and visibility is limited. We stop to put on tire chains. Plows are clearing the road, but the further we travel up the mountain the larger the drifts become. We hear the pass is officially closed, but it is decided to send Jorg ahead in the car to test the road. After a few minutes he calls and reports it is passable. Avalanche potential is high along the valley. We reach the lodge without much delay, passing 4 meter drifts along the side of the road. The Ospizio Bernina lodge is nearly empty as the HQ team invades. More kiters will be arriving as the week progresses as we are here until Wednesday, December 17th.

The next morning we meet for breakfast at 8 am before wandering out in the Swiss white powder. Equipped with kites, snowboards and cameras, we have trouble navigating a path down to the lakebed. The 300 meters straight down the hill proves to be too deep to walk through without major effort, as we sink to our waists in certain places. We regroup and walk down the road toward the train depot, eventually reaching a spot near the tracks that is relatively easy to cross.

We find the lake has a meter of power on top in most places, in some spots the drifts are deeper. The wind blows from the north at around 15 mph. The crew begins to launch and ride. I grab a 7 meter Apex II and go for launch. Getting up on my board the first time was easy. Down wind I went. Visibility was limited with the falling snow and white overcast sky. It felt like flying in a cloud. You could hardly see the mountain on the edge of the lake as it was camouflaged in white. Only a few rocks gave a clue of its presence. I was halfway across the lake when the leading edge of board began to sink under the powder and dig in, perhaps due to my stance and being slightly underpowered. Before I knew it, I stopped sliding and my board was buried. When I brought the kite down into the power zone, I got yanked head first. Powder flew everywhere. I could see nothing but white. I lost awareness of the kite and was later told it did a few loops. I was dragged head first into the deep powder. Reflex was to breathe deeply, filling my mouth with powder. My face was covered. I could see nothing. So this is what being in an avalanche must be like. In that instance, I panicked, as it felt like suffocation. I wanted to rip everything off my head – hood, goggles, helmet, and beanie to find some air, but resisted. I must have hyperventilated because when I raised my head and rolled over on my back I could not catch my breath.

Then I remembered the survival rescue course I had taken at the Snowkite Summit last week in Utah. If you find yourself fallen into freezing water, remember a human can survive for up to 30 minutes – if you can control your breathing. Most people perish within minutes when they cannot retain control of their breathing, panic and drown.

So I lie on my back with the kite in the air and waited for the calm to return. The only way back to our launch site was to ride upwind. It was too far to walk in the deep snow. I tried to ride again and fell on my back a few times. But I was getting closer. Must keep the kite powered up to rise above the powder. Gunnar saw me floundering and rode over offering assistance. I told him my problem and he offered advice. Put more weight on the back leg and lift the front so your board edge rises. That helped. By the time I reached the launch site, my confidence was rising, and I was ready for another downwind run. But first I had to remove my goggles. They were only hurting my visibility.

Before too long, I was crusing the lake with no difficulty and riding along side my fellow team riders. What a relief. After an hour we began to pack up. Snow was falling heavier and the cold was taking its toll (-8 C). Some of the crew had already headed back before we wound up our lines.

Jake, team rider for Best, and Billy, team rider for Ozone, warned me back on Skyline Drive that riding in deep power presented its own challenges and was much more difficult than riding on snow pack. They were not kidding. I can’t wait till tomorrow to build on what I learned today.

As we walked back to the lodge we could see that the plows and snow blowers that were operating in the morning has ceased. Drifts and snow were accumulating on the road. We are snowed in after all.

(Nearly) Two-miles high

,At the Summit of scenic Skyline Drive you are nearly at 10,000 feet in elevation. For the first time I snowkited and rode a snowboard. Yippeeee! Apparently, snowkiting with skis is easier. But it recommended to go with the type of ride you are more comfortable with - Skis vs snowboard. As a kite surfer, I'm going with what I know.
Word for the day
Sledneck
def - noun - A snowmobiler. Some of whom have been know to invest upwards of $40k upgrading their ride with 3rd party parts and nitrous oxide.