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16 Jun - 1 Jul Cyprus Novice Training and Kitesurf Instructor Consolidation, NOW FULL!

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See our wipeout movie here. The real footage will be here very soon.......

RAF Championships 11 - Pembrey/Newgale

Congratulations to CT Ian Savage the RAF Kitesurfing Champion 2011 and SAC Richie French, Freestyle Buggy Champion.

17-19 Jun 11 - Run-to-the-Sun - Hunstanton Camping Weekend

A full report soon, but congratulations go to our 2 newest kitesurfers who earned their boardshorts this weekend by getting up and riding and now blasting upwind; Rachael Lee and Anna Irwin - well done from all of the RPKA.

Cyprus Kite Camp 2011

WEEK 1

Having learnt from the previous years experience, we had an advance party travel out on the Saturday with the second team arriving on the Sunday. Upon arriving in Paphos, the advanced team experienced the usual waiting for oversized bags and car hire queues that is to be expected from flying with a ‘premium’ carrier. Our first challenge and test of leadership came when we arrived at our hire cars and had to figure out how to fit all of our gear and us into these two people carriers. Kite kit bags, although useful for packing all your kites and boards into, do not seem to be designed for fitting easily into a car. No matter what delays or inconveniences were put in our way, our spirits could not be dampened at this stage as we were here to do what we love. Having not eaten for a while, we thought it would only be right to stop off for some food and a cold drink before reaching our destination. Some good food and drink and an awful attempt by England in the Eurovision song contest and we were on our way to Lemmings. Upon arriving, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the 12 x 12 and 18 x 24 tents had already been set up for us with some camp cots and mosquito nets in place to rest our weary heads. A big thanks goes out to the Lemmings members who were good enough to have this set up for our arrival.

Sunday was not the best start to the adventure with the arrival of rain and no wind. It did however allow us to get a few things sorted in preparation for the arrival of the others. The rest of the team arrived that day and although weary from the flight, we all made a point of going out to a local restaurant for some food and to get together as a team to discuss the plan for the coming two weeks. The team this year was composed of 6 novices, 5 instructors and 2 support crew, who were to prove invaluable throughout the two weeks. The instructors and support crew were intermediate and experienced kiters who were all qualified to operate the safety boat and provide cover for the duration of the trip. Four of the instructors were newly qualified and were using this trip to complete their minimum hours under the watchful eye of the Chief Instructor to gain their full instructor status.

Monday 16 May saw the beginning of the routine that would follow for the next two weeks. Meals would be a combination of food purchased by the support crew and the utilisation of the BBQ, or bought from the local café, garrison or many dining establishments in the area but all revolving around the kiting. The support crew was responsible for getting all the necessary bits and pieces done to take the burden away from the instructors and students. This would include the daily food shop and the launching and mooring of the safety boat each day. This allowed the instructors and students to concentrate on teaching and learning the necessary skills to go from zero to hero in the two weeks. Whilst the support crew was carrying out their tasks, the students were up early and under tuition building the foundations they would require to become successful kite surfers. This would consist of theory lessons in the morning and practical experience in the afternoon to build on the mornings lessons. As the sea breeze did not come in until lunch time, this would mean no one would miss out on kite sessions and even the support crew would be able to get out on the water as long as they completed their tasks within these time frames. Now I say that the weather conditions in Cyrus were ideal; however, this year was to prove to be an exception to the rule but we will come back to that.

The first week was a rollercoaster of highs and lows with the Cypriot weather proving to be the most unreliable ever seen. It seemed that the RPKA weather curse had struck again so in an effort to please the wind gods, a wind shrine was built on the beach to hopefully change our luck. Although challenging, the instructors managed to get the students out with foils to practice their kite skills and eventually with the water kites to progress to the next levels of getting out on the water. The weather did work for the students in some part as it made the dreaded deep water pack down slightly easier as they battled to not get too tangled in the kite lines whilst self rescuing. Being so dependant on the wind conditions, a lot of time was spent constantly adapting to the weather to try and achieve as much tuition as possible. In honor of our RAF heroes of the past we adopted a similar scramble pattern to get our kites in the air on the hint of a breeze. The Spitfire, Hurricane and V-Force crews would of been impressed with our vague and often failed attempts at trying to launch the kites. The spirit was there but the wind was often weak.

By the end of the week our determination, wind shrine and various scrambles paid off when we were blessed with some descent wind for a couple of days. The instructors got the students out on the water body dragging and doing as much as their grit, determination and fatigue levels would allow them. The exhausted smiles and laughs during those evenings said it all and was a good end to the first week of challenges. We even celebrated one of our instructors birthday in true RPKA style. Sadly we had to say goodbye to one of our students at the end of the week, as he headed back to the UK in preparation for going OOA.

WEEK 2

This week saw us playing the similar cat and mouse game with the wind and making the best use of any free time to learn the key techniques and tricks from back issues of kiteworld magazine. At least it was sunny and warm most of the time and we were in a beautiful part of the world. On the Tuesday, we got a bit of good news which seemed to make our chances of becoming recognised later in the year that little bit closer. Finally, the wind decided to pay us another brief visit around 1330 on the Wednesday. This provided the students with the opportunity to start practising their board starts with a couple of them achieving it. Although brief, they had got over one of the biggest hurdles and the smiles and cheers said it all. That night, we yet again said goodbye to another team member who was back off to windy England. The irony of the UK having one of its windiest periods whilst wind was lacking in Cyprus was obviously not mentioned a great deal!

Amazingly, we had another day of wind on the Thursday as it kicked in at 1400, however it proved to be quitre gusty and difficult to fly in. Although we found we were at times losing the battle with mother nature, we made do with what we had and achieved as much as we could with the students. BFBS had graced us with their presence to carry out an interview to see what this kite surfing thing was all about. They could tell from the enthusiastic interviews that it was our passion and even the students who were new to the sport showed that they were hooked despite the sometimes disapointing weather we had been having. Yet again we said goodbye to another team member as the numbers started to dwindle.

The end of the trip was fast approaching and so following the usual traditions of the past we thought it was only fitting to get together for a messe with our close friends we had made at Lemmings, to say thankyou for all the hospitality they had shown us over the past two weeks. The strange weather phenominon unseen before by the locals had made this a challenging two weeks for the students and instructors alike; however, we had all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves regardless. We had made new friends, learnt new skills and welcomed new members to our continually growing RPKA community . Although a lot of the students did not go from zero to hero, they did go from zero to hooked and they now know why it is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

RAF Sports Lottery. Without Sports Lottery grants, this training camp would have been impossible.

Lemmings Cyprus Kitesurf Club. The facilities at Lemmings are a helpful addition, with showers, toilets, cafe and storage areas for securely keeping wet kiting equipment.

Mr Ross Chapman Lemmings Club Kitesurf instructor, for loan of school training equipment and use of the school for the duration of our Camp.

Cpl Alan Stephenson for his help and support to make this camp possible.

CT Ian Savage for devoting his time and effort to providing such an excellent training package, and for the coaching and improvers tips for the intermediates.

Flt Lt John ‘CJ’ Martin, for putting the plan into action.

BFBS for giving us excellent coverage of the camp.

King of Watersports for their continuing support to the RPKA and providing huge discounts on equipment.

OVERALL

Despite the lack of wind compared to previous years, this years Kite Camp was an overall success. Although we only got 4-5 wind days of varying quality, the instructors were able to gain valuable hours to reinforce their instructor qualification. The students were able to achieve all the basic requirements and are now on their way to build upon the experience to make them safe and competent kite surfers. The intermediates were able to improve their own skills and learn some new tricks regardless of the strange winds, we even achieved a glorious sunset kite surfing session. The RPKA intends to continue with a similar programme next year but hopefully with more windy days! This camp was only possible due to the financial support of the Sports Lottery, helping the RPKA maintain its mantra of making kiting safely accessible to all.

S Carney

RPKA Sec

18-20 Mar 11 - RPKA AGM and Novice Introduction to Power Kiting - RAF Pembrey

Another year, another AGM and this time Pembrey was the venue. The weekend promised it all - a great facility married to an awesome beach with all the room in the world! What could possibly go wrong? Well, you guessed it, the w.i.n.d. didn't make an appearance as the UK was stuck in the middle of a building high pressure system. Typical.

Still, as members gathered from all around the country, the AGM was conducted and went without a hitch. What is apparent is just how quickly the RPKA is moving forward, driven by the hard work, passion and dedication of its core members. Numbers are increasing all the time, not only in terms of new members but also at the executive and instructor level. The association continues to grow and provide inspiration and direction at all levels, and maintains a healthy relationship with its supporters which it is as ever, very grateful - you know who you are.

Undeterred by the calm conditions, we took to the beach on Saturday and whipped out some foil kites for our new learners to fly and new instructors to instruct on. If ever there was a perfect day to teach, that was it. 4 novices began a glorious spring the day having never unpacked a kite before. By the end they were kite looping, downlooping and generally enjoying the feeling and freedom that kiting offers, working up a healthy sweat in the process. 2 other trainees were also treated to some improvers classes and overall, the day was an extremely productive and enjoyable one. Rumour has it, a few Zephyrs were briefly seen flying on the beach too?

That evening, events progressed along the lines of most RPKA meets - the crew relaxed, food was eaten, games were played and Drakey managed to use a less-than-ideal body part to stop himself on an electric skateboard! Nothing damaged more than his pride, but thanks must surely go to Sophie for looking after him that evening. Next time, we need to think about dressing him up as Evil Knievel and filming these events...

As Sunday dawned, members headed to the beach again in search of wind. Fortunately, it appeared and provided the novices with some much needed grunt to practice their newly developed skills, and the kitesurfers a reason to pump up their biggest kites and get on the water. An epic morning session was the perfect way to top off the weekend as everyone went their separate ways they were left hungry for more. More again at the next meet.

Until then, fair winds, everyone!

4-6 Feb 11 RAF Pembrey - Deep Freeze and RPKA Annual Ball

WoW! What a place. Here's a diary of events courtesy of the Equipment Officer, Flt Lt Jim Field:

DAY 1 (FRI 17 SEP) – THE JOURNEY NORTH.

One by one the 17 attendees of the RAF Championships and Training Camp met up to pool vehicles, load equipment and set forth on their respective journeys to Oban. A few phone calls led to subsequent rendezvous and eventually, just after crossing the Scottish border, the bulk of the RPKA convoy was formed. Comms were established using hand-held vhf radios and supplemented with mobile phones as the occasional ‘detour’ was taken due to some extra-special map reading.

The roads around Loch Lomond were stunningly beautiful, making the journey a pleasurable experience; marred only by the fact that caravans were present in abundance and every other car seemed to have Miss Daisy in the back!

Eventually, as the sun was setting over the Irish Sea, the convoy rolled into Oban with an outline plan to collect provisions, find the accommodation and have a beer or two.

DAY 2 (SAT 18 SEP) – OBAN TO TIREE: FIRST CONTACT (Wind 12-23 Kts SW)

“CRUNCH, CRUNCH, SCRAPE, MOO...” The sounds encountered as the convoy navigated down bumpy dirt tracks and through big-horned, long-haired cattle and approached the Hynish Lodge. The Lodge; what a place to stay? Wooden clad rooms accentuated with bare stone walls, complete with fitted kitchen, drying room and ample social areas. The one problem encountered, however, was the distinct lack of a mobile phone signal for all networks.

Once the lodge was occupied and kit sorted, the beach at Gott Bay was the destination. The beach was full of kites waiting to be launched, and 5 or 6 were lofted. RPKA kites were soon prepared, wetsuits donned and within a few minutes we added to the numbers. The wind was dying as we arrived and consequently, only the biggest of the kites and the smallest of the riders were effective. For the next 5 hours, the team were engaged in brushing off a few cobwebs and trying to make the most of what little wind there was. Additionally, static flying lessons were being given to Lydia Martin and Jim Turner in preparation for their surfing lessons. To finish the day, Richie French was in good form on the land as he impressed all spectators with a demonstration of aerial transitions on the buggy.

The day was rounded off by returning to the lodge for fine food, fine beers and fine company.

DAY 3 (SUN 19 SEP) – AN ISLAND TOUR (Wind 7-11 Kts W)

Sunday morning saw the whole team up and ready to go for a day of intense and arduous physical exertion in the strong and constant winds that the island of Tiree is famous for. Unfortunately, the constant westerly breeze of 6-7 knots, gusting to a high of 10 knots, meant that the kites would be remaining firmly in their bags for the day. A visit to Gott Bay and a Sunday prayer to the wind gods did nothing to improve the situation, so it was decided to take a look at the various beaches on the island to see what they offered. Unsurprisingly, they all featured a sand, sea and rocks combination – all with little or no wind.

Knowing that it would be fruitless to even consider trying to launch a power kite, the unanimous decision was made to return to the lodge and hold an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss the committee business and plan the events for 2011.

DAY 4 (MON 20 SEP) – BIG KITES AND BUGGIES (Wind 4-10 Kts W)

After a night of strong winds, it was a natural presumption that there would be something in the morning to get the kites airborne. Sadly, this was not the case... again! The lack of wind enabled a co-ordinated muster of all of the Association equipment to be carried out.

After lunch, the numbers were augmented as Sam Bennett, James “Jimbox” Fielding and Anna Irwin arrived by air and sea. With trepidation, the gathered personnel headed off to Gott Bay to see what wind was available... which, in the words of Paul Daniels was “not a lot”! There was enough, however, to launch some of the bigger foil kites and gain some traction on the buggies and give an impromptu buggy lesson to Sam Bennett and Jim Turner aka “JT”. The progress for all kiters was painfully slow, but CJ decided that it would be a huge test of skill to start the initial heats of the buggy competition. A random draw was conducted to decide which competitors would face each other in a series of head-to-head races comprising 2 laps of the figure eight course. First up was Jimbox pitting his wits against Will Nicoll. Will held his nerve after numerous crashes to emerge the first victor of the day. Great things were expected of Chief Instructor, Chris Roberts as he entered the arena to do battle with current RAF kite surfing champion, Glen Cromar. Unfortunately for Chris, this was not the case as Glen recovered from a capsized buggy to claw back a half-length deficit and romp home to victory. The heat between Richie French and Andy “Chucky” Brown was a foregone conclusion as Richie easily progressed to the quarter finals.

Stu Saul faced Naomi Liles in the next heat and was gallant to the end; right up to the point where he lapped Naomi. Magnanimous in defeat, Naomi did not mention the wind shadow that caused her kite to drop, the added weight of all the water in a very wet kite that caused it to drop, or indeed the lack of beach due to the rising tide. Well, not often.

Steve “Drakey” Drake threw down the gauntlet to buggy instructor, Jim Field. Not long afterwards, Drakey threw in the towel as his kite and buggy careered out of control towards the sea. Jed Geddis had a short-lived competition as he was annihilated by RPKA Chairman John “CJ” Martin, and Carl Bakes was forced to bow down to Ian “Savs” Savage as the competition progressed. Finally, Lars Bjonness had the most convincing victory of the day due to the fact that he gained a bye in the first round.

The quarter finals saw the wind drop further and it became a real struggle to keep the kites airborne, never mind gain traction. The first casualty was Will as he was trounced by the skill and determination of Glenn. Richie took advantage of his many years of kite buggy experience to despatch Stu to the “also-ran” category, and after a fractious start from both CJ and Jim Field, Jim raced home to victory despite CJ’s attempts to gift wrap him in his kite! Lastly were Savs and Lars who both decided to turn the race into an endurance event. The race wasn’t exactly slow, but there were suspicions that they were relying on tectonic plate dynamics to move their positions. After an age, Savs finally crawled over the finish line to become the fourth semi-finalist.

At this point, common sense prevailed and it was decided to postpone the rest of the competition until another day when the wind would be in attendance.

DAY 5 (TUE 21 SEP) – LET THERE BE WIND (Wind 13-20kts SW)

Dawn broke around 0630 and the wind was blowing. After a hasty breakfast everyone made their way to Gott Bay for some surfing and buggying action. As Anna was taken on a progressive path to free flying and kite buggying, the remainder donned wetsuits and headed for the water. Sam and JT received some personal coaching to improve their base skills and saw some strong development through the course of the day.

The wind was gusty and the sea was choppy. This meant that at times it was difficult to keep the surf kites in the air, and moments later a gust would massively overpower the kite, catching many unaware riders and resulting in a mouth and nose full of the Irish Sea! The chop made for interesting riding for many as it slowed progress on the starboard tack. However, coming back to shore was a smooth ride between the waves and many aerial transitions were executed by the team riders. Some riders made good use of the waves to springboard some big jumps and land with the deft footing of a prima ballerina. Some however were not so graceful and despite gaining big air, came to land with a big splash and more water up the nose!

Overall, it was good day for all. Both beginners and intermediates demonstrated good progression and consolidated their skills to take forward to the next day.

DAY 6 (WED 22 SEP) – LESS WIND BUT MORE COMPETITION (Wind 5-14kts SSW)

The forecast for the day was for a brisk wind in the early hours, dropping off to a slight breeze as the day progressed. Undeterred, the RPKA decided to head to Cossapol Bay to see what was possible. Upon arrival, it was evident that the wind was not sufficient for surf kites, however it was strong enough to launch and fly the bigger of the foil kites given their lightweight construction and wing-shaped profiles.

Within minutes a course was marked on the deserted beach and the semi finalists for the buggy race were assembled, briefed, and ready to race. The maximum kite size permitted was 6m in order to standardise the race and focus more on pilot control instead of technology. The first semi final saw Glen versus Richie. After a false start, the two competitors lined up behind the starting line and awaited the sound of the horn signalling the race to commence. Richie took the lead and maintained his advantage through the 3 laps of the course with Glen nipping at his heels throughout.

Competing for the last slot in the final was Savs and Jim Field. A straightforward race saw Jim emerge as the victor and progress to the final.

Racing for the title of 2010 Kite Buggy Champion was Jim Field and Richie French. The start horn saw Richie take a commanding lead as Jim trailed some 10 metres behind. A sudden burst of speed helped Jim catch and then pass Richie as they both approached the first turn. The race continued as both competitors worked their kites to the limits, trying to gain as much power and speed as possible. Sometimes, the kites were worked beyond the range of the wind causing them to luff and lose power, requiring an extra degree of pilot skill and luck to regain control. This ensured that the race remained as competitive as possible through each lap and the result came down to raw speed on the final straight. Jim had the lead with Richie only 5 metres behind. As the finish line loomed, Richie closed the gap to the point where it was looking like a photo finish. Fortunately for Jim, he held on to his lead and finished a mere buggy length in front of Richie.

The third place deciding race saw Savs and Glen go head to head. The first lap was close run with only a few metres separating the two. An error by Savs saw his kite fall in the second lap and gave Glen a distinct advantage. By the time Savs had re-launched and resumed his race, Glen was already a whole length clear – a lead he would not relinquish for the remainder of the race.

The subsequent land board competition was to take the format of a freestyle “kite jam” where competitors were judged on their ability to perform jumps, tricks and transitions with style grace and panache. First to take the field were Chris and Savs. Although the weather was closing in and the wind was dropping, both competitors managed to perform an impressive array of grabs, backloops and board-offs. The failing wind meant that the more impressive jumps and aerial transitions were not going to be possible; however, they both performed well and were scored accordingly.

The second pair to compete was Richie and Chucky. By now the rain was hammering and it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep the kites aloft. To their credit, the both persevered despite having to repeatedly re-launch their kites due to little or no wind. Following a display of unhooked riding, handle-passes and backloops, and as their allotted time drew to a close it was decided to postpone the competition to another day when conditions were more favourable.

DAY 7 (THU 23 SEP) – BLOWING A HOOLEE IN TIREE (Wind 17-36kts NNE)

Strong winds were the order of the day, however it was the strength of the gusts that kept all but the hardiest (and most foolish) souls firmly on the land. There were some impressive aerial displays from those who did venture out onto the water with Chris, Savs and Glen and Drakey all seemingly competing for the biggest air and longest hang-time. Unfortunately, nobody had reminded them that they were a day early for the kitesurfing freestyle event so their combined portfolio of aerial antics was not judged. The conditions improved slightly and remained stable enough for some body dragging and board starts for those under instruction, and the intermediates took to the waves briefly. As the afternoon progressed, the winds increased and the gusts got stronger. This saw Will’s kite careering down the beach, closely followed by Will in hot pursuit.

The fact that it was painful to stand on the beach due to the severe sandblasting administered to the ankles should have been a warning to all that the wind may be a little too strong. Undeterred, and keen to improve on his kite skills, Jed rigged up the smallest kite he could find and proceeded to the water’s edge. Soon he was up and riding, mixing it up with the big boys. Soon afterwards, Drakey’s kite broke a line causing him to lose control and he was forced to release his safety system or face the painful consequences. This spelled the end of his day on the water, and one by one the remainder of the kites and riders left the water, leaving only Jed and Savs to share the whole of the bay and the playground of the Irish Sea.

Eventually, even the die-hard duo had to call it a day and all the members returned to the Hynish Lodge to recover from the wind and prepare themselves, both physically and mentally for the following day’s kitesurfing championship event.

AY 8 (FRI 24 SEP) – LET BATTLE COMMENCE (Wind 16-23kts NE)

Random lots were drawn and 4 heats, each of 3 competitors, took their turn to impress, wow and dazzle the panel of judges in order to see who would pr.ogress to the next round. The first heat comprised Will, Savs and Chucky. Despite putting on an imppressive show of aerial transitions, back loops and grabs, Will could not quite match the complexity and number of tricks displayed by his adversaries.

The second heat comprised CJ, Lars and Glen. Glen was on good form as the defending champion, demonstrating a catalogue of tricks that the other 2 could only hope to emulate. A prolonged spell of body dragging to find a lost board meant that Lars was denied the opportunity to impress the judges, allowing CJ to capitalise and advance with Glen into the next round.

Next up were Chris, Jim Field and Naomi. Chris demonstrated his obvious mastery of the kite leaving Jim and Naomi to battle for the remaining place in the next round. Both managed a good series of tricks and jumps which led to a dead heat requiring the adjudicator’s final verdict. Ultimately, Naomi deservedly took the available slot based on style and overall presentation.

The final heat saw Drakey, Jed and Stu prepare to do battle. Drakey impressed with big aerial transitions, and Stu impressed with a series of back loops, grabs, jumps and transitions. Jed just left an impression on everyone as he was rescued after a kite malfunction!

RPKA chairman, CJ faced Savs in the first challenge of the next round. Savs obviously took the lead and produced a strong display, and CJ managed some good tricks to make sure the element of competition remained. Glen dispatched Chucky to the ‘also ran’ category by putting on a strong performance. Chucky demonstrated some impressive grabs and aerial transitions, but after losing his board hit competition was over.

Chris started strongly in his next challenge against Stu. Starting with a kite loop back loop and several jump transitions, but unfortunately he failed to land many of his rotations, thus losing valuable points. Stu produced a steady performance throughout and his consistency ensured his place in the semi-finals. The last quarter-final was contested between Naomi and Drakey. As per usual, Drakey tried to go big at every opportunity, and mixed it up with a series of back rolls and back loops. Naomi, despite nursing and injured foot (thought to be a deliberate sabotage attempt by a worried Savs) managed to string together a series of jumps and toe-heel transitions. Despite her best efforts, she was outshone by Drakey’s aerial antics.

Reigning champion, Glen was the next to be Savaged! Savs started strongly with an impressive Dark Slide transition, only to be followed by Glen performing the identical move. The red mist came down over Savs eyes and the gloves were off. What followed was a series of handle-passes, raileys, riding blind and a usual smattering of aerial transitions with kite loops. Glen also performed as well as could be expected from a champion, but his crown was soon to be lost as he bowed out of the competition.

The second semi-final was between Stu and Drakey. Drakey started with a series of impressive toe-side carves and one-handed backloops. He knew he had to push his boundaries against very strong competition, but failed to deliver after repeated attempts to nail a double back loop. Stu impressed the judges and played to the audience. Firstly, he claimed the biggest wipeout of the championships by attempting and back loop which turned into a treble back loop with board off, launching himself 50 ft along the beach and landing in knee-deep water! Impressive stuff but not exactly text book!

Next, whilst attempting to switch to toe-side in the surf, his foot came out of the bindings and he inadvertently performed a new, never before seen trick, by riding along on one knee as he passed close by the judges. “The Proposal” may have been a fluke but it certainly gained him some style points and securing his polace in the final!

The Final... Savs and Stu launched their kites and prepared to pull out all stops to impress the judges and fight for the title of 2010 Kitesurf Champion. The audience were not left wanting as Savs fumbled a beach start, much to everyone’s amusement. He followed this with a series of trademark manoeuvres including a dark slide in barely two inches of water, various grabs and an impressive unhooked back loop kite loop. These were punctuated with handle passes, carves and kiteloops. Stu also performed well, by consistently landing his aerial transitions with inch perfect precision. He took great steps to demonstrate that “the proposal” was not a fluke by performing it again in front of the judges. All that was missing was a bunch of red roses! He performed a variety of grabs and toe side –toe side back loops, and finally went big in the last minute of the allocated time by attempting another double back loop. Again, this went a little off-plan and may have ultimately cost him the title. After a good deal of deliberation from the judges, it was decided that Savs performance had the edge and he was the deserved winner of the 2010 Kite Surfing Championship. The third place winner was decided in a face-off between the two gingers – Drakey and Glen. With nothing to lose, both competitors put on a brave display of aerial and surface transitions, again with a good sprinkling of big air jumps, toe side carves and back loops and back rolls. Glen’s style and poise was sufficient enough for him to take the consolation prize and earn a place on the podium.

Actually, what really happened was nobody really watched their competition and when they weren’t looking, a coin was tossed to decide who would take the bronze.

Following the main event, the vast majority of RPKA members took to the water to make the most of good wind conditions and a relatively flat sea. The mammoth session that followed saw a good deal of jumps, carves, upwind riding, board starts and general progression for all of the novice and intermediate riders. Some impressive advancements were also seen on the buggy as Anna mastered the art of upwind tacks and increased speed.

The land board competition was curtailed in order that the kite surfing competition had time to be conducted. However, considering that the minimum criteria of 4 competitors had been met, the competition remained valid and the results stood. This secured Chris’s place as the 2010 land boarding champion.

The championships week was finished off later that evening as the battle weary relaxed with a couple of beers and the prizes were awarded to the respective winners. The whole week was deemed a great success despite a couple of days where the weather prevented any activity. With new champions in the respective disciplines, the initial line up for the Tri-Services Championship squad was produced. The next time the team would do battle would be in Oct 2010 where they would strive to out-perform the Royal Navy and Army teams.

Kite 4 Heroes - 10 Sep

The race took place on 10 Sep and was a Tri-Service success.

The event was a joint effort between the 3 services, and travel company Ticket to Ride, aiming to raise at least £10,000 for Help For Heroes using a Kitesurfing Challenge. The Island of Alderney is just off the Cherbourg peninsular, and so was the perfect start point. This is the first cross channel race of this kind, and was different in that many channel crossings are from the southeast coast of the UK to Calais - only 17 miles or so. Alderney to Poole is approximately 70 miles.....

The teams left Southampton at 6pm on Thursday 9th September in 3 ribs to cross the channel. The crossing itself was hard going due to heavy seas and the teams arrived at 1am Friday morning in Alderney. The teams left Alderney at 11am on Friday with 70 miles to cross, covering the busy shipping lanes. The race was a relay with all members of the teams having to kitesurf at some point

There was a different wind to that forecast making the going difficult and longer than expected.The teams had to contend with technical problems on the RIBs, kites dropping in the water, variable winds and Channel shipping. The less than ideal wind direction meant kiters travelled much further than the 70 mile straight line distance.

Team members had to swap over on to a kite mid channel, made difficult by the testing conditions.The winners were the Navy/Marines followed by the Army (a close second) with the RAF finishing third. A large sum was raised for charity, and everyone rose to the challenge; therefore, all the teams are winners. Well done everyone.

Missed the race? You can still donate here.

If you donate £3 or more, your name will be entered in a FREE prize draw for a £200 longboard courtesy of King of Watersports.

13-15 Aug - Run to the Sun Improvers Camp - RRH Portreath

Another truly awesome weekend for the RPKA with landlubbers and kitesurfers making the most of the facilities and local beaches. The camp was setup and we had our own little area so as not to upset the locals. The Portreath Families weekend co-incided with our visit which meant there was food and entertainment all weekend when we weren't kiting. The light winds dictated a morning session on the runway where those who prefer wheels to fins strutted their stuff and the air was ripe with the smell of burning rubber as Richie was seen screeching down a disused apron sideways on his buggy. The RPKA also held the 'inaugral tarp-surfing event' on the runway, where all who participated managed a low and high tube which the Waveriders would've been proud of.

With the wind building marginally, it was time to head to the beach, the convoy set off for Gwithian, a few miles down the road. The wind was still a little on the light side, but the Zephyr boys managed a session and were more than generous with their enormous equipment, letting the other mortals and less fortunate wield the power. As the afternoon went on the wind started to build and our patience was rewarded with a heavy swell and 16 mph winds, just enough to get going. With the light fading and the tide encroaching, it was time to head back to camp for some live entertainment in the form of a local up and coming band, and a BBQ to boot.

Alas, the wind disappeared the following morning so everyone turned to packing up camp and making tracks back up the road. Some (I am told) stopped on the way for a Cornish cream tea on the beach. To see the photographic evidence of the proceedings check out the RPKA Facebook page here.

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10-25 Jul 10 - Cyprus Kite Kamp II

Planning this year was far more succinct, with an advance party being sent out 1 day ahead of the main party in order to setup camp. When the main party arrived we were greeted with a tent village and camp cots complete with mosquito nets ready for occupation. The entire team owe a debt of gratitude to the advance party.

The team this year was composed of 5 novices, 1 instructor, an assistant instructor, a safety boat crew and support team. The support team and safety boat crew were all intermediates kiters of mixed ability, including 4 of the RAF team. There were also 3 of the novices from last years camp. For those who attended last year, it felt as if we had never been away as apart from the local personalities, nothing had changed.

The support team drew up a duty roster which included the launching and mooring of the safety boat, daily food runs to the local supermarket for the team and general cleaning of the club. Due to the climatic conditions, if you get up early enough, these duties can be completed before the wind arrives for the day, meaning the duty crew did not miss out on kiting were possible. Meals were kept simple and consisted of breakfast cereals and BBQs. The local beach café provided a wide range of snacks and meals and ice cream, which augmented the self catering aspects very well.

Novice training started in earnest on Mon 12 Jul, with a detailed training regime mirroring the success of the previous camps success. Novices were up bright and early to undergo theory lessons in the morning before undertaking practical in the afternoon when the wind predictably came in. The conditions were excellent for 4 out of the first 7 days, which meant great progress was made by the entire team. On 2 occasions the intermediates clocked up a total of over 6 hours on the water per day, which although meant they progressed extremely quickly, also meant they were physically exhausted. The amount of time being spent on the water started to take its toll physically on bodies, with blisters and chaffing being rife among the team. A night time routine of eating, treating the injuries of attrition and then an early night were the norm for this week.

The first week was a huge success with all novices completing their formal training and now ready to progress in the second week, paired up and entering the water independently. The week culminated in a visit to Ross Chapman’s (Lemmings Kitesurf Club Senior Instructor) home in Cyprus, where we undertook copious amounts of team bonding exercises in his swimming pool. There were several attempts of human pyramids, and various other team pool games played, a great conclusion to the first week.

Week 2. This week the novices entered the water independently, all now trying to master the art of kitesurfing. The hardest part of kitesurfing is actually getting out of the water and planing on your board. This is a journey every individual must make on their own, as although it can be explained, it can be the most illusive skill of them all. You can understand all the theory, instinctively know how to activate your safety mechanisms, but that simple first step is the key to all to follow. Slowly, 1 by 1 as the week went by each novice was seen walking up the beach with a huge grin and bouncing up and down with elation, a clear indicator that they had just been dragged off down wind, but this time under control, and clearly on top of their boards. Nothing can describe the moment everything falls into place, the moment of realisation is truly awesome, and leads to an injection of infectious enthusiasm for everyone, driving each and everyone forward to discover the secret for themselves. All novices managed at least 1 downwind run before the end of the camp (and the wind disappeared) with everyone achieving the recognised level of IKO level 2 before the close of the camp. It is these moments of victory which make the RPKA the resounding success it is, and will continue to be.

The week was exceptionally successful for the intermediates too. All intermediates progressed from IKO level 2 to level 3, meaning they are all competent, safe, independent kiters capable of performing rudimentary tricks. The RAF team had plenty of time to practice and hone their skills. 5 out of 7 days were windy with the wind disappearing on the last 2 days of the camp, putting pay to any thoughts of a competition. BFBS paid us a visit which led to some excellent PR for the sport. The results of the visit were a full page spread in the Cyprus Lion newspaper, a 5 minute radio interview and 2 minute TV interview on BFBS Cyprus. The reported gave the RAF team ample opportunity to show off their tricks and skills, some of which were captured and will be featured in various magazines and the RPKA website.

The camp provided an awesome opportunity to capture some excellent footage for the RPKA promotional video presently being edited. The 2 week camp coincided with the Lemmings Kitesurf Club annual beach party. Food, entertainment in the form of band and disco, an excellent opportunity for the RPKA to let its hair down after 2 weeks hard kiting. Fancy dress was donned and a good time was had by all. We were asked if we could stay in Cyprus as the locals really enjoyed our good humour and tenacious attitude towards kiting and getting on the water.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

RAF Sports Lottery. Without Sports Lottery grants, this training camp would have been impossible.

Lemmings Cyprus Kitesurf Club. The facilities at Lemmings are awesome, with showers, toilets, cafe and storage areas for securely keeping wet kiting equipment.

Ross Chapman Lemmings Club Kitesurf instructor, for loan of school training equipment and use of the school for the duration of our Camp.

Ian Savage for devoting his time and effort to providing such an excellent training package, and for the coaching and improvers tips for the intermediates.

Mrs Zoe Field, for travelling to Cyprus in order to capture our antics in aid of the promotional video.

BFBS for giving us excellent coverage of the camp.

King of Watersports for providing demo equipment and huge discounts on equipment.

CONCLUSION

This years Kite Camp was a resounding success. All attendees benefitted from the awesome conditions on offer in Cyprus and the exclusive use of the beach. Everyone progressed; novices, intermediates and the RAF team. Out of 14 days there were 5 days when the wind was not useable; however, this was made up by 4 long days when, kiting only ceased due to the fact it was dark! On the windy days most kiters had at least 6 hours on the water and on several occasions this was upto 9 hours. Due to the continued success of the kite camp, the RPKA plan to revisit in a similar format next year. This camp was only possible due to the financial support of the Sports Lottery, helping the RPKA maintain its mantra of making kiting safely accessible to all.

17-20 Jun - King of Watersports Kiting Extravaganza

An awesome weekend thanks to Charlie and the gang at King of Watersports. The wind did not put in a very consistent show but the afternoon/evening sesh on Saturday was enough to satisfy most people's appetites. Thanks to KoW for providing and huge bag of demo gear to play with (the sarnies and drinks were pretty good too). Thanks for your support, and aid in helping the RPKA keep Power Kiting accessible to all.

A well deserved and huge thank you, to everyone who turned up to make this yet another successful RPKA meet.

7-9 May Brancaster Camping W'End

As the wind was blowing opposite too the usuall prevailling SWesterly, the event was moved last minute from Newgale to Brancaster. Sadly this did mean there the numbers attending were reduced, but it is better to do some kiting, rather than none! Braving the bracing NEasterly a few die hards headed to Brancaster for a great weekend. A mixture of wind and sea condtitions made it challenging for the less experienced kitesurfers, but everyone managed to get wet one way or another.

There are photos on the Facebook page here:

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19-21 Mar - AGM and Spring Training Camp Rhosneigr

This year’s AGM and spring camp saw the association return to the place it loves best – Rhosneigr. Due to a surge in interest, the event was a ‘sell out’ and saw the RAF Valley Mountain Lodge busier than at any previous event in the RPKA’s history. Working to a good forecast, most participants arrived in good time on Friday evening to attend the welcome brief and enjoy a social brew or two. With both dispatched in short order, long drives and tired minds forced an early night in eager anticipation of a good day’s kiting on Saturday.

Up with the crack of sparrows, the next day dawned with slate grey skies, horizontal drizzle and more than one murmuring of ‘It ain’t Cyprus!’ Nevertheless, with spirits undiminished, vans, cars and even a sport’s coupe headed out to Llanddona to get the most from the wet northerly wind. May I take the liberty of pointing out that the beach here is probably the hardest place to find in the world - even sat nav’s were getting sent the wrong way. One particular member didn’t find his way there until well after midday (strictly no names but I can confirm that the country lanes of Angelsey are a splendid place to drive). Even more splendid was the introduction to kiting that the attending novices received, having travelled all the way from RAF Shawbury and Lyneham to name just two stations harbouring fresh talent, as well as from RAF Valley itself. While experienced members flew in the surf and sand, Sav our kitesurfing Jedi, showed us all how to do it on a skim board and a paraglider posing as a kite, in the foamy swell just off the wet sand. Meanwhile, the fledgling kiters all progressed rapidly under the careful watch of association instructors seeing them perfecting the odd kite loop and reverse launch along the way. The afternoon saw rain and cloud give way to warm sunshine but with the sun came calm conditions and once again, the RPKA was blessed with a glorious yet windless afternoon on the island; equipment was packed away and there was only one thing to do – head back to the Lodge for AGM. But not before exploring some of the twisty country lanes at length again!

The great attendance saw the crew room full for the AGM, which passed without incident or event. Without going in to the detail of the minutes, it’s sufficient to say there is a lot of good work going on and a bright future lies ahead: A membership figure of 150 is expected this year and with burgeoning numbers come burgeoning financial plans for kit acquisition, instructor training, a more rigid, formalised set of training objectives, wider travel plans and the noble ambition to complete the Kite For Heroes charity event in summer. More details, as usual, can be found here on the website.

And so with business done for another year, and wet clothes dried off, the Lodge became a bustling tavern for tired kiters, and the scene for some inspirational world cuisine consisting mainly of microwave curries and pizza. It was all much needed nutrition however, as Sunday promised a stiff south-westerly wind and the convenience of Rhosneigr on the doorstep.

Sure enough, Sunday dawned bright and breezy and it wasn’t long before the beach was full of kites, buggies and new members getting their teeth into their newly learned skills. Purple kites came out, the Chief Instructor’s 17m leviathon of a kite came out, and some members even locked themselves out [of their car]. Again, no names but let’s just say it had been a long week… In a reversal of the previous day, the wind picked up around lunchtime, but with it came poor visibility and driving rain. Most persevered until early afternoon whereupon the prospect of long drives ahead signalled the time to pack away and hit the road in an attempt to get back in time for late dinner.

Overall, the event was a huge success seeing progress on all fronts. The association would particularly like pay thanks to Chris Hill of Surface Tension for his support and to Ozone for bringing their latest gear along for us to sample on Sunday. We look forward to your continued support and hope to see you again at future meets. Until then.

Fair winds,

Lars Bjonness

RPKA Public Relations Officer