Kiteboarding Forums

Hey Guys,

Based on the success of the Cape Town Course racing we have decided to run our own event  here in Durban. We will not be running it on a specific night like they do in Cape Town but rather based on good wind. This will ultimately be co-ordinated by email/ sms Our aim is to have a 17:00 sharp start time in front of the shop - 5 Forest Drive La Lucia. We set the course by means of flags on the beach which contestants will need to round. There will be an upwind and downwind flag that contestants will need to round twice. We aim to have a surfboard and a twin-tip section as there is obviously an advantage to being on a surfboard - but it will be a mass  start and with the safety boat, we hope to make this a water start.

We will be running a trial run tomorrow as the wind is looking great. We are getting sponsors on board to offer incentives but this event is more about having fun and getting all the kiters together. We are just waiting to get confirmation that we will have a safety boat available but we will keep you posted.

PLEASE NOTE - everyone is welcome - but you must be able to kite upwind. Tomorrow will be a trial run but we aim to turn this into a series and to have a series winner. We will then look to have a braai at the shop afterwards.

Please mail me if you are interested in attending on  robATocean2air.co.za.

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Cheers Rob

OCEAN2AIR KITESURFING
www.ocean2air.co.za

Ocean2air Kitesurf Centre
5 Forest Drive
La Lucia
031 562 8886
082 88 01 888

Howzit Rob ,

 

Ok cool so we meet at 4.30pm at your shop or earlier ? Let me know as I want to send out a newsletter . 

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Regards
Gavin Spowart

Cyclone Extreme Products
25 Hunter street Durban
27 31 3686864
083 4638025
www.cyclonekiteboarding.com

We aim to start the race at 5:00 so I would like to get everyone at the shop by 4:00 - since this is our first one I would like to quickly run through the way it is going to be run. But there is wind all day so if the guys want to come kite beforehand then great.

You better just hope I haven't got any of my hitmen out there to take you out - Pinkie is in so you better watch out.

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Cheers Rob

OCEAN2AIR KITESURFING
www.ocean2air.co.za

Ocean2air Kitesurf Centre
5 Forest Drive
La Lucia
031 562 8886
082 88 01 888

Ya ya just keep that maniac away from me , mind you I think he learnt his lesson last time , was classic watching him getting thumped on the sand by 2 kites

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Regards
Gavin Spowart

Cyclone Extreme Products
25 Hunter street Durban
27 31 3686864
083 4638025
www.cyclonekiteboarding.com

OK guys - wind is ON !! NE is pumping - 20 knts and has been since early this morning ... Nice and warm and sunny skies.

Racing this afternoon in on - if you are going to compete you need to register - cost is R 20 and there will be boerrie rolls afterwards.

Register @ the shop - Racing starts @ 5pm - you need to be in the water ready downwind of the start.

The course for this race is 2 laps - up to the Sarritoga flats - hit the beach round a flag and back down to the start !

Any queries - call us on 031 563 8886.

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bruce chrystal

ocean2air kitesurfing
www.ocean2air.co.za

Current Conditions here in front of the shop : 9am ... Wind is on 25 knots - nice title hollow waves !

Come alive

.

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bruce chrystal

ocean2air kitesurfing
www.ocean2air.co.za

Initial race was excellent - we had a great turnout (18 for the first race) and the guys are all stoked after the race looking out for the next race. Wind was still ok - and the guys were on size 8m to 12m ... the shorebreak was insane and most guys got given at some point. Will post the results and photos tomorrow.

From todays event and the interest we have had we will be working out a proper racing schedule with prizes and sponsors - watch this space. We had a braai and beers after the event - thanks to all the guys who supported the event ...

Wind looks awesome this weekend ... get amongst it - and make sure that you start fine fine tuning your boards and fins for the next event !!!!!

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bruce chrystal

ocean2air kitesurfing
www.ocean2air.co.za

Thanks to all the guys that turned out and I must admit that I had a lot of fun. It is a great form of racing - especially afterwards with everyone talking tactics, kite sizes and fins. From the feedback everyone had fun. We ended up doing a beach start which worked out good but if we have a lot of riders we will have to look at changing to a water start.

A couple of changes that we are going to look at is firstly to bring the start earlier in the day to a 4:30 start time - to make sure we get better wind.

There looks like there could be wind again next Tues or Wednesday - a little early to call but keep an eye on the wind but we will keep you updated. If it does blow then this will be the first offical race of the series so if you are interested make sure that you don't lose out on series points.

JEEP have already agreed to sponsor some prizes and we hope to get more sponsors on board to get some cool prizes going.

Please remember that everyone is welcome -regardless of what brand you ride - so again if you are keen drop me a mail and I will get you onto our mailing list to keep you up to date with the event going ons.

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Cheers Rob

OCEAN2AIR KITESURFING
www.ocean2air.co.za

Ocean2air Kitesurf Centre
5 Forest Drive
La Lucia
031 562 8886
082 88 01 888

Good one guys , really enjoyable and I believe for a first time it was a great success . Pity that some of the other brands are not committed to joining in and growing the sport here like they do in CT . You guys know who you are so comon and lets leave the politics out of it and create a really successful series .  I heard that the CT guys have up to 100 entries now in their race series .

Suggestion here Rob/Bruce , I think that the shorebreak at LaLucia is a bit hectic for some of the riders that may want to enter so maybe Kitebeach is a better venue , even if we do have a water start the riders still have to beach and launch 3 or 4 times .   

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Regards
Gavin Spowart

Cyclone Extreme Products
25 Hunter street Durban
27 31 3686864
083 4638025
www.cyclonekiteboarding.com

Hi Gav,
I hear you BUT there are a number of factors that have made us use the area in front of the shop. The main one is that we have just received confirmation that the Umhlanga life gaurds will be sending us a support jetski or boat so that we have water safety - and they are just around the corner.
The next factor is that  went to kitebeach yesterday and could barely see the sea as I was getting so sand blasted - the council really need to pull finger and sort that out. So it wouldn't be a pleasant experience for spectators - whereas the sand was barely moving yesterday in front of the shop due to the bigger sand granules. The sand would also prevent us having a braai afterwards and the social side was great last night.
Finally from an organisational point of view - it is much easier for us to sort it all out from the shop.

Besides which - I think it also adds a nice edge to the event - we are however looking at changing it so you don't have so many entrants and exits when the shorebreak is big. Tell you what though when the tide is low there is NO shorebreak and is as flat as a pancake. So we will also keep an eye on the tide for the next event.

I agree on your comment - it would be good to see all the brands participating - as it was a lot of fun!! Come on guys!!

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Cheers Rob

OCEAN2AIR KITESURFING
www.ocean2air.co.za

Ocean2air Kitesurf Centre
5 Forest Drive
La Lucia
031 562 8886
082 88 01 888