24 July 2023
A Homecoming for North
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19 September 2023
2023 Red Bull Megaloop
IT'S ON! The perfect storm is finally hitting the Netherlands, and 16 of the world's best kiteboarders are on their way to The Spot, Zandvoort, to show off their sickest megaloops. After four years of waiting… The most extreme Megaloop event in Europe is now here!
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01 December 2022
Bruna Vice-Champ x2!
Congratulations to Bruna Kajiya for claiming runner-up spot in both the Freestyle and Kite-Surf disciplines at the Copa Kitley GKA World Cup event in Taiba, Brazil. Kesiane Rodriguez (BRA) 7.70 V Bruna Kajiya (BRA) 7.64 With over a decade at the top of a technical discipline like Freestyle, Bruna Kajiya called on her world title winning experience to beat tour chargers Marcella Witt and Camille Losserand on her way to the final. Kajiya was clearly enjoying stepping into the kite-surf discipline and was improving with every heat. The final brought a big effort from both riders as they chased the best swells to the corner of the competition zone and then powered up their legs for gruelling sprints back upwind. Mid-heat …Bruna found the heat’s best wave and hopped ahead of Kesiane on points. But the fightback was relentless and Kesiane retook the lead in the final moments. Crowned as the event champion, Kesiane had shown the most fluid, connected and vertical approach all event. Kesiane took victory by just 0.06 points in the end and both women were obviously overtaken by the thrill of a home nations final. While this may not have been an epic final in terms of wave quality, there was no shortage of Brazilian heart and desire. FINAL RESULTS: 1 Kesiane Rodriguez (BRA) 2 Bruna Kajiya (BRA) 3 Capucine Delannoy (FRA) 4 Camille Losserand (SUI) Congratulations also to Capucine Delannoy, for a podium finish AND the 2022 Kite-Surf World Championship Title at Taiba! Words: Jim GauntPhotos: Svetlana RomantsovaCameras: Julien Leleu & Diogo CardosoVideo edits: Carlos Ortola
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01 December 2022
Capucine's 2022 Kite-Surf World Champ too!
Way to go Capucine Delannoy, 2022 GKA Kite-Surf World Champion. The French teenager claimed her second 2022 World Title in the quarters at the Copa Kitely GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Brazil in November, by winning her crucial quarter final against number two ranked rider, Frances Kelly. As tour leader, Capucine Delannoy only had to reach the semi-finals to get over the line for the title. Having already won the GKA’s Big Air (Strapless Freestyle) World Championship in June, this would make Surf her second World Title for 2022. After three weeks of pumping winds in Taiba for both the GKA Kite World Tour Freestyle riders and the GWA Wingfoil World Tour competitors, the wind was light. But Taiba is always contestable and the French teenager dialled into the task at a break just down the road from where she lives with her family, in Prea. Compact in the legs, centred over the board and at one with the kite, she repeatedly repositioned it in the sky to stay in close connection with the wave. “I couldn’t dream of anything better. I got two world titles this year, my family is all here, I’m so grateful for everything. I’ve been training every day with my father and brother for this, and I’m so happy.” - Capucine Delannoy. World Championship in the bag, Capucine, however, couldn’t fight the destiny of an all-Brazilian final after so many great performances by local riders in the last weeks. Beaten by Kesiane Rodriguez’ relentless wave attack in the semis, Capucine had to be happy with third position at this event after going on to beat Camille Losserand in the mini-final. An all-Brazilian final saw dynamic cross-over freestyler Bruna Kajiya place second to winner, Hesiane Rodrigues. CAPUCINE'S TITLE WINNING MOMENT WITH BROTHER CAMILLE DELANNOY COPA KITLEY GKA KITE-SURF WORLD CUP BRAZIL WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS: 1 Kesiane Rodriguez (BRA) 2 Bruna Kajiya (BRA) 3 Capucine Delannoy (FRA) 4 Camille Losserand (SUI) Also - special congratulations to Bruna for claiming runner-up spot in both the Freestyle and Kite-Surf disciplines in Taiba! Words: Jim GauntPhotos: Svetlana RomantsovaCameras: Julien Leleu & Diogo CardosoVideo edits: Carlos Ortola Way to go Capucine Delannoy, 2022 GKA Kite-Surf World Champion. The French teenager claimed her second 2022 World Title in the quarters at the Copa Kitely GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Brazil in November, by winning her crucial quarter final against number two ranked rider, Frances Kelly. As tour leader, Capucine Delannoy only had to reach the semi-finals to get over the line for the title. Having already won the GKA’s Big Air (Strapless Freestyle) World Championship in June, this would make Surf her second World Title for 2022. After three weeks of pumping winds in Taiba for both the GKA Kite World Tour Freestyle riders and the GWA Wingfoil World Tour competitors, the wind was light. But Taiba is always contestable and the French teenager dialled into the task at a break just down the road from where she lives with her family, in Prea. Compact in the legs, centred over the board and at one with the kite, she repeatedly repositioned it in the sky to stay in close connection with the wave. “I couldn’t dream of anything better. I got two world titles this year, my family is all here, I’m so grateful for everything. I’ve been training every day with my father and brother for this, and I’m so happy.” - Capucine Delannoy. World Championship in the bag, Capucine, however, couldn’t fight the destiny of an all-Brazilian final after so many great performances by local riders in the last weeks. Beaten by Kesiane Rodriguez’ relentless wave attack in the semis, Capucine had to be happy with third position at this event after going on to beat Camille Losserand in the mini-final. An all-Brazilian final saw dynamic cross-over freestyler Bruna Kajiya place second to winner, Hesiane Rodrigues. CAPUCINE'S TITLE WINNING MOMENT WITH BROTHER CAMILLE DELANNOY COPA KITLEY GKA KITE-SURF WORLD CUP BRAZIL WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS: 1 Kesiane Rodriguez (BRA) 2 Bruna Kajiya (BRA) 3 Capucine Delannoy (FRA) 4 Camille Losserand (SUI) Also - special congratulations to Bruna for claiming runner-up spot in both the Freestyle and Kite-Surf disciplines in Taiba! Words: Jim GauntPhotos: Svetlana RomantsovaCameras: Julien Leleu & Diogo CardosoVideo edits: Carlos Ortola
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24 November 2022
Tom Bridge rocks the Boat
Colin Carroll watched Tom Bridge's return to competitive kiteboarding after a 6-year hiatus in disbelief. 3 heats. 6 tricks that had never-been-done. Not one of them scored above 7.0. Everyone, from judges to opponents, was willing him to conform. But he didn’t.
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10 October 2022
Capucine Delannoy Crowned The Queen of the desert at The GKA Kite World Tour, Dakhla 2022
GKA Kite World Tour, Dakhla 2022 was certainly one for the history books! Capucine Delannoy (FRA) took yet another win at the first Kite-Surf tour stop of the year. The young and hungry North rider powered through the event knocking down everything in her path. Capucine demonstrated elegant wave riding with a sense of power when ripping through every turn.
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04 July 2022
Capucine Delannoy wins Strapless Big Air World Title
The first and only woman landing a double front roll and winning all the world tour competitions last year, French athlete Capucine Delannoy (16) came into this contest as the number one seed. Her game plan was strong, and scoring clever.
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08 July 2021
North champions Spain Wingfoil League Race in Oliva, Valencia
Canarian sailor Gunnar Biniasch aces all three slalom races on the 6m Nova to take out the title of Spanish National Champion. Big congratulations to our first North Wing Race champion Gunnar "Chinatown" Biniasch @kitechino following the second stop of the Spain Wingfoil League Tour in Oliva, Valencia, July 2021. Blessed with one day of good wind, the League managed to hold three slalom races in 15-18 knots. Gunnar won all three races with a good margin on his trusty 6m Nova Wing. Gunning for the National Title Gunnar's second tour stop race win makes 2 wins out of the 3 stops for 2021, so with a good result at the final stop in Chiclana de la Frontera in December, will be enough for him to clinch the title of Spanish Wingfoil Race champion. The first stop of the tour (Gunnar's first-ever wing race) was held in Tarifa in June: "It was the first time in almost 2 years since I competed. Funny enough my last race in Formula Kite was at this exact spot in 2019. I did not know what to expect. I prepared as much as I could, but mainly was training for freestyle. In the end, we didn't have good enough conditions to finish the freestyle at either event." Slalom Race Format showcases wing foil skill The race was a Slalom format, so this was all about speed and consistency in the gybes around the buoy. This played into Gunnar's hands perfectly as he was very confident on his gybes. "On Day One we had pretty decent wind of around 15 knots during the first race. I used my 4.2 Nova and cruised through the first group into the finals. I switched up to the 5m for the finals and won that easily - or so I thought. Turns out after 2 years of not competing I got a bit rusty. I rounded buoy 3 first, went back upwind to 2 back down to 3 and then 4 and finished, in theory covering more distance than the rest of the feel, but a disappointing DSQ non the less. "So I had to pull myself together and make sure I did no more errors in any of the other races. Winds were sketchy. It was gusty with huge lulls down to 6 knots or less at the buoys. I went into safety mode and just concentrated on getting out front of the fleet at the starts into clean air and being able to gybe around the marks without too much pressure from behind. I took my 6m Nova Wing as the wind was light on the inside of the bottom of the course. This worked well and thanks to my equipment working exactly how I wanted it to, I managed to win every race without too much effort, mainly battling myself to not take risks and just get to the finish line safely. "After winning Race 4 the comeback was complete and with the discard of my DSQ in Race 1, I managed to win the event. Many thanks to Dani Jiminez for finding me a start watch for day two, that really saved my a**." SWL Oliva Event 2 Wing Race Champions: 1st Gunnar "Chinatown" Biniasch, 2nd Fabian Muhmenthaler, 3rd Jorge Spinosa The SWL Tour comes hot on the heels of the GWA Global Wingfoil Tour announcementof a GWA WIngfoil Race Class in June. Follow the Spain Wingfoil League here or get into it yourself - find your local Wingfoil Event here. All Photo credits: Spain Wingfoil League. #BBD0E0 »
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22 April 2021
Earth Day goes virtual
Celebrate with our Team Riders from around the Globe. Our passionate team of riders constantly amaze us with their ability and to innovate and prioritize what is really important. As athletes, they are closely connected to the elements and find they have a responsibility to care for it. This Earth Day, we caught up with a few to celebrate our Mother Earth. Where in the world are you celebrating Earth Day? “I’m in Copenhagen, Denmark. Hopefully spending the day on my kiteboard.” – Nick Jacobsen “I'm celebrating earth day in the Atlantic Ocean, in Tarifa.” – Capucine Delannoy “I'm currently in Aruba at Annabel’s local playground where we have been winging for the past few days. Beautiful clear water and plenty of wind for riding the NOVA 3.5.” – Jalou Langeree “I'll be in Sicily- Italy!” – Bruna Kajiya Do you have any tips to share to help others protect our playground? “I feel like it’s the everyday small actions that count. Collecting rubbish on the beach, trying to use less plastic where possible and never using disposable dishes. I’m also organizing some beach clean ups where I live in Brazil. It takes only a few hours and the amount of trash you can collect is pretty impressive.” – Camille Delannoy “I’m a proud ambassador at IFAW 'the International fund of animal welfare' and a topic I really care about is the reduction of underwater noise. High levels of noise from shipping, oil and gas exploration, naval sonar training and construction are drowning out the ocean’s natural sounds. This diminishes the ability for whales, dolphins and other marine life to communicate, feed, breed and survive. In severe cases, it can lead to injury or even death. More detail found here.” - Jalou Langeree “This is going to be a hard task unfortunately. We are the first generation to know we´re destroying the world, and we could be the last that could do anything about it. Team-effort is the way to go I believe. There are multiple ways to go about it, such as reuse, reduce and recycle. Basically cutting down on what you throw away. Share as much knowledge that you have with the people around. Use your voice. Keep your awareness at check. And keep educating yourself on this important topic.” – Nick Jacobsen What is something you really celebrate about the earth, ocean, or sky? “I celebrate it's perfection and balance, how every organism has its role in creating a balanced life in this world. No matter how small an organism is, it plays an important part for the whole, I feel this is something we can learn from, to work in unity for a healthier world.” – Bruna Kajiya “The fact that it is all we need to practice our sport and passion. Once you’re out there with your favorite gear, you are powered by nature, which is an incredible thing. All your worries are left at the beach once you take your first dip in the water and you become one with nature.” – Annabel Van Westerop It’s always important to take a step back and appreciate mother nature. It is having this perspective that keeps us grounded and keeps us reaching for a better world. We hope you enjoy our Rider’s final worlds as they take a step back and tell us about their perfect day right here on Earth! “Start the day with early morning yoga outside. Head to the beach and enjoy a coffee in my reusable cup while checking the conditions. Time to head out! Then have a mellow lunch break out of the sun to recharge for some more watertime in the afternoon. Of course ending the day watching the sunset with friends and a wine in hand.” – Annabel Van Westerop “I think a full day outside Surfing in the morning, kiting in the afternoon and a run in the mountain at the end of the day : that would get close to the perfect day.” – Camille Delannoy “For me a perfect day outside would be horse riding in the morning , kiting the rest of the day and going for a run as the sun is setting!” – Capucine Delannoy “Sunny, blue skies and warm, 20 knots of wind, flat water on the inside with waves breaking outside on a raw untouched corner of our coastline.” – Bruna Kajiya #BBD0E0 »
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05 March 2020
North sponsors Kitefest Argentina 2020
"Cuesta Del Viento" translates directly into Windy Slopes, and the spot definitely holds true to its name. The Kitefest Argentina 2020 was held on the windy lake of Cuesta Del Viento between February 22 and 25. The 10th annual edition proved to be a huge success with international brands and riders present, intense competitions, and sensational nightlife. The journey to the event location is a beautiful drive where the landscape slowly exchanges its green colors for mountainous rough scenery. Just when you think it is impossible to kite in such a place, a massive lake appears between the mountains. Cuesta Del Viento shows the unexpected made possible with a major kiteboarding event held on the moon-like rugged landscapes of the Andes Mountains. The name "Cuesta Del Viento" translates directly into Windy Slopes, and the spot definitely holds true to its name. Mornings start calm and peaceful after which, around 2pm, the thermic wind kicks in and blows around 30-40 knots on a daily basis. The event created the perfect combination to be exciting for everyone including kiteboarding to watch or participate in by day, and a great lineup of djs and bands by night. Over 160,000 spectators travelled from 18 countries to visit the event. A number of competitions took place during the week with the highlight being the Copa Kitefest, a big air formatted competition where national and international riders battled it out. The level was incredibly high and this year the 1st place was awarded with a North Orbit kite! Additionally, a number of international pro riders were present who got a chance to inspire spectators during demos and clinics. This year, Annabel van Westerop represented North together with the Argentinian North distributors Santa Tabla. Santa Tabla supplies the entire country with the latest North Kiteboarding gear and also has a showroom and shop in the country's capital, Buenos Aires. The Santa Tabla team was the only brand giving visitors an opportunity to test all the gear by holding daily demos with all 2020 North products available, which proved a huge success! The Argentina Kitefest 2020 was a week to be remembered of epic kiteboarding action and legendary parties. Words by Annabel van Westerop & thanks to Santa Tabla for the photos. #BBD0E0 »
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10 October 2019
GKA Kite-Surf: Jalou wins in Mauritius
Jalou Langeree takes first place on the podium at the GKA Kite-Surf competition in Bel Ombre, Mauritius! Over the nine day competition, the waves in Bel Ombre had been peaky, clean and cross-shore. For the women’s final, the tidy, head high waves made the perfect playground. After easily taking the win in the single elimination, Jalou Langeree was looking confident and fresh going into battle against Ninja Ricot in the final. Both women began the heat riding the same wave, storming neck-and-neck as first place was in reach. Riding the North Carve and Charge Surfboard, Jalou was able to throw herself low into multiple bottom turns before carving the board beyond 180, scoring an impressive 7.7. Ninja fought back, as the girls turned up the heat. Jalou’s riding was aggressive and controlled and in the end, she was able to impress the judges with her fluid carving turns. She rode out of the final set with speed and power that earned her the title of winner of the Mauritius Kite-Surf division! A huge success for her first event of the season, congratulations Jalou! Follow her journey @jaloulangeree Read in detail the action from Mauritius here. Check out Jalou’s Team Rider profile and gear here. Photo credits: Ydwer van der Heide & Romantsova Photo
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10 October 2019
GKA Freestyle: Bruna takes 2nd place in Dahkla
Bruna Kajiya takes 2nd place at the GKA Freestyle event in Dahkla, with the top scoring trick of the finals! The Women’s GKA Freestyle event in Dahkla, Morroco was a showstopper. For the penultimate event of the tour, the world’s best riders came together once again for a challenging three-day competition. The Brazilian rivals, Bruna Kajiya and Mikali Sol went head to head in the final, alongside Paula Novotna and Claudia Leon. Throughout the three day competition in Morocco, the conditions were strong and gusty. Whilst somewhat lighter during the final, the women were still riding 6 and 7m kites, battling the Western Sahara desert trade winds. Fierce, yet composed, Bruna first stomped down an easy s-bend to blind, before landing the highest scoring trick of the competition, an epic slim chance, scoring a whopping 8.77 points. The North 2020 Pulse Kite remained perfectly parked as she made the pass and rode out one of the hardest moves for both male and female kiters. Mikali Sol then retaliated with a clean backside 313 and backmobe, leaving Bruna to narrowly miss out on the title as the wind picked up. Bruna comfortably took an impressive 2nd place on the podium, with Paula in third and Claudia in fourth. Both Brazilian, both 3 x World Champions and both gunning for glory this year, Bruna and Mikali will battle it out for the last time this season in their home country next month. Don’t miss out on the action, follow @northkiteboarding and @brunakajiya for updates! Read in detail the action from Dahkla here. Check out Bruna’s Team Rider profile and gear here. Photo credit: Ydwer van der Heide
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10 October 2019
Battle of the Lake Festival
Often overlooked, Achill Island provides one of the best kite spots and hosts the Irish National Kiteboarding competition each year. The Battle of the Lake Festival brings some of the top athletes from around the world together, for the ultimate music and watersports festival. In the chilly waters on the Wild Atlantic Way, the weekend is action packed with windsurfing, stand up paddle surfing and kiteboarding. This year, the conditions were unexpectedly gusty, however the Irish National Freestyle competition was able to go ahead. The athletes were pushed to their limits as they battled against the conditions. Afterwards, some well-known names took to the water for a fun freestyle expression session, such as Kevin Langeree, Hannah Whiteley and North’s Team Manager, Nick Jacobsen. Despite the lack of wind, they had no trouble entertaining the crowds. Decked out in fancy dress costumes, anything from Batman to inflatable T-Rexs, it was quite the show! As well as enjoying the action on the water, over four thousand attendees flocked to the island to enjoy the live music, beautiful scenery, great food and creative installations. North was proud to support the 10th anniversary of the Battle of the Lake, which was yet again, a tremendous success! For more information about the event, visit their website here. Watch the official video from the event here. Check out the upcoming North events happening near you here.
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23 September 2019
SKA Testival in Tarifa
Events: Tarifa September 2019 Sunshine, pumping wind and good vibes - what more could you ask for at the annual Spanish Kite League (SKL) competition finals in Tarifa? We recently caught up with North fans at a recent test event in Tarifa, during the final competition of the Spanish Kite League (SKL). North Team rider and Sales executive Annabel Van Westerop joined fellow team rider Nick Jacobsen, Sales Director Klaus Warkentin and Product Manager Uli Sommerlatt on the beach for the weekend: "The wind was pumping, and it was sunny every day. There was a great demo area built up around the competition, where all the latest 2020 gear could be tested," says Annabel. "Tarifa is famous for its beaches, where both Spanish people and visitors enjoy the kite conditions and good vibes. As a team, we were able to bring people the North experience from all aspects. "Hundreds of people were able to test out the North products, and many came back to test numerous products over the entire weekend. The feedback was extremely positive, and the general response was that expectations were exceeded. With a strong kitesurfing culture in Spain, and a strapless freestyle competition happening right out front of the stand, the team found the most popular products at the event were the Futurelite technology surfboards. "All three surfboards were enjoyed just as much, as everyone was able to find one of the three models aligning to their surfing needs. As the SKL was partially a strapless freestyle competition, the Comp was tested by many, and the ridge on the pad stood out as a great feature. The Cross proved to be the perfect crossover board for the choppy and windy Tarifa conditions, and the Charge was able to be tested to prove its potential in waves." Find a North Kiteboarding Test Event near you!
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30 August 2019
Show Time
Event: Multivan Kitesurf Masters at Sankt Peter-Ording From a distance the expansive white sand beach of Wadden Sea National Park resembles an artist’s canvas, depicting a colourful summer carnival scene. Hundreds of bright new season’s kites, boards and foils stretch for over 1000m at the water’s edge. It is the largest gathering of Kiteboarding brands on the planet. Despite light winds, the hot sunny weather helped to attract a record 100,000 visitors to the nature reserve where the Multivan Kitesurf Masters in Sankt Peter-Ording, Germany, was held last week. Photo by Nicole Riederer, Lightnic Photography. “It is amazing to see how complete the new North range shows up. Especially when you know that all these great products were built in just less than one year. I have big respect for that great success.” - Florian Spieth, Kitelife. The North Kiteboarding team introduced the new model year 2020 range to the public for the first time, with team riders, developers, marketing and distribution all on board to talk shop. With our exhibition tent side by side with sister-brand Mystic, the energy around the tent and the testing station was palpable. “Everyone was curious to see, touch and try the new gear,” said Brand Director Mike Raper, “and their response was super rewarding. We had such great feedback on all the product.” Test the new North Gear for yourself Photo by Cassian Kallies. Multivan Kitesurf Masters SPO North's new Sonar Range was popular in the light wind conditions. Photo by Cassian Kallies. Multivan Kitesurf Masters SPO Photo by Cassian Kallies. Tim Jacobsen (Ocean Global and project manager of the Kitelife Village) said hundreds of testers took advantage of this unique opportunity to gain a market overview. “This is the ideal spot, as from wave to shallow water, light wind to strong wind, all facets of kitesurfing are available. No matter which learning objectives or disciplines are favoured. Here, no question remains unanswered.” Tim is the publisher of Germany’s largest kiteboarding magazine, Kitelife. Kitelife Magazine started presenting the Event Village in the beautiful nature reserve at Sankt Peter-Ording 14 years ago with just five tents. Since then it has grown to become the most significant test event and kitesurfing show in the world, with more than 30 exhibitors and 2000 people coming to test equipment alongside the German national Championship in Kitesurfing. The principle of the test festival is simple: register in the Kitelife area, then choose your equipment. Nowhere else can the latest boards, kites and control systems of the coming season be put through their paces so early on. Photo by Nicole Riederer, Lightnic Photography. Multivan Kites Photo by Cassian Kallies. Multivan Kitesurf Masters SPO The Kitelife Event Village of the Multivan Kitesurf Masters has grown to an area of more than four football fields. More than 100,000 visitors were offered a colourful program of shopping and presentation stands around the world of kitesurfing. With yoga, skate lanes, functional workouts and various other fun sports modules, there was also an extensive program for participation. The event was rounded off with daily event parties where kiters, fans and visitors spent the days together in the wonderful scenery of St. Peter-Ording. North Kiteboarding would like to congratulate event organisers Choppy Water GmbH and Kitelife on the superb organisation of this mega-event. The effort for security, beach cleaning and waste reduction concepts was massive. The organisers managed the delicate balancing act of holding an enormous event in a unique location in the Wadden Sea National Park brilliantly. We are already looking forward to next year when the finals of the Multivan Kitesurf Masters 2020 revisit St. Peter-Ording from the 26th to the 30th of August. Missed this year's event? Watch the videosand be sure to put the dates on your calendar for 2020! Seek out another test event near you. Photo by Nationaldesign, Multivan Kitesurf Masters SPO To find out more about the Testival please visit the official website.
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26 August 2019
Shop Talk with Matt Aiken
We catch up with President of AWSI and North American General Manager of North Actionsports Group Matt Aiken after the August 2019 AWSI Trade Expo in Hood River, Oregon. The AWSI Hood River Trade Expo in August 2019 was North Kiteboarding’s first Model Year 2020 Trade Show. How did we do?We put a lot of time and effort into creating an exciting look for the brand at the event, and our stand certainly made a statement. The show was great; we had almost every new North dealer attend. Conditions were excellent and gave our dealers lots of time to test the gear. How did the US market receive it? Did any of the products stand out in the popularity stakes?The immediate response on the kites is they have great “out of the bag” flying characteristics and performance. They’re tuned well and perform awesomely. The immediate reaction to the Orbit and Carve have been exceptional. The Atmos Carbon looks like the clear top board in the twin tip line, and we’ve been getting a great response to the Carve. Check out The Kiteboarder Magazine Product Previews with Brand Director Mike Raper from the AWSI Trade Show North Kites Product Preview | North Foils Product Preview | North TwinTip Product Preview | North Surfboard Product Preview Can you tell me about the AWSI event?This is the second year the event has been held in Hood River. The event serves as the trade event where windsurf and kiteboarding retailers can meet brand representatives from the top brands, preview, test and pre-book the product for the next season. The goal is to find one place where retailers can plan out their next season buy. What is Hood River like for testing? Hood River, known more commonly as The Gorge, has extremely reliable winds all summer. Wind conditions vary from light wind good for foiling to full-on cranking 35knot winds. The variety of conditions make it a unique spot to test a big range of gear. Hood River as a host town is a great spot to hold the event. It offers an excellent range of accommodations and lots of options for dining and socializing. Were you impressed with the growth of the show to 26 exhibitors this year? What do you think that says about the wind and watersports industry?At this point, there are very few notable brands missing from the event, which suggests the AWSI has found the right formula in terms of timing and location. For a long time, the windsurf and kiteboard industry was tied to a stale feeling traditional conference-style trade show. The success of this event has shown that its the right type of venue and format for the industry. The people shaping this brand are an essential part of our success, in a nutshell, what’s your story Matt?I’m a lifetime waterspouts enthusiasts that started working in a windsurfing shop in my teens. I’ve worked in the industry my entire life, and to be a part of re-launching North Kiteboarding is incredibly exciting. And what is your vision for North KB USA?For the US market, we are focusing on working with a minimal, limited dealer network. We want to identify the best shops and schools and support them with all-out effort. We are looking for shops and schools that are true professionals, that can adequately represent the brand, and allow us to become #1. The Prime Freeride TwinTip and Navigator Control System in action at Hood River, Oregon. AWSI 2019. Photo by Adam Lapierre. Matt Aiken is the North American General Manager of North Kiteboarding and Mystic, and President of the Association of Wind + Water Sports Industries (AWSI), a non-profit trade association dedicated to representing Windsurf, Kiteboard and SUP companies in the outdoor sports world and to bringing retailers and manufacturers together in the same place in the most efficient and economical way possible.
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27 June 2019
It's a wrap, Red Bull King of the Air 2019
Red Bull King of the Air is the most extreme kiteboarding competition in the world. As the official kiteboarding sponsor, we are extremely proud to have been able to get behind such an important event and support the industry. The very best riders from around the world come together to go head to head. With the scoring being based on 70% height and 30% extremity, this competition pushes even the most extreme riders to their limits. We were thrilled to have both our North team riders Nick Jacobsen and Jesse Richman competing. Nick, the Danish daredevil, who won Red Bull King of the Air competition in 2017, is known for his adventurous spirit and expressive riding. Jesse, from Hawaii, is three times kiteboarder of the year and two times world champion in big air and big wave kiteboarding, he is a jack of all trades! This year’s action started with some gruelling conditions at Blouberg, Kite Beach and the Cape Doctor wind was blowing a whopping 30 knots. The crowds gathered to witness some epic backroll megaloops, insanely high jumps and even unfortunately Aaron Hadlow (UK), crashing out with a rib injury. Both our North team riders Jesse Richman & Nick Jacobsen had an outstanding performance in their first heats whilst debuting our very own new range of North equipment for the first time ever on the world stage. Jesse landed an insanely high back loop handlepass, one of the most difficult moves in kiteboarding and Nick was sending it with his mega kiteloop board offs, taking them both straight into the semi-final to go head to head. Day 2 of the event, it was time for for Jesse & Nick to show the judges what they were made of. Both riding the same North kites, this heat was really down to skill, as they went trick for trick, coping well with the chop. Unfortunately for Nick, Jesse was on fire and managed to steal a spot in the Red Bull King of the Air final along with Kevin Langeree (Netherlands) and Liam Whaley (Spain). With little time to spare, the crowds were going wild as the three finalists took to the skies. Each rider gave it absolutely everything, landing the most impressive kiteloops, and aggressive tricks in the savage winds. As the buzzer went off and the competition came to an end Kevin Langeree took the infamous African trophy home for the third time in a row, with Jesse as runner up and Liam in third. As well as silver medal, Jesse was awarded the Mystic ‘Most Extreme Move’ award for his epic ‘kung fu 1080 handlepass’. What a legend! It takes strength, flare, courage and hours of training to compete in the competition of the year. Congratulations to all of the athletes, we already cannot wait for Red Bull King of the Air 2020
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