Kitesurfing downwinder Gnotuk to Seaford

Session 201. Today was a training session for the upcoming  Across the Bay to Conquer Cancer fundraising event that Cesar Aldea is organising.  We met up at Gnotuk Avenue with plans to do a downwinder to Port Melbourne. However, the onshore westerly made it too difficult to get around Rickett Point so we decided to do a downwinder to Frankston instead.

It was blowing around 25 knots at around 9am but by the time we were on the water at about 10:30 it had backed off to around 20 knots.  I was concerned about more fronts bringing strong winds so I took my Switchblade 10 and surfboard.  I should have trusted the Predictwind forecast, as it correctly predicted the wind would drop off around noon.

We had a lot of fun in the surf on the way down, but by the time we got to Patterson River the wind had dropped to around 15 knots.  Three of us waited for a while on the beach for the others to catch up then kept going.  The surf was big enough to push the board towards shore and effectively decrease the wind strength. I was wishing I had my Lithium 12 and Sector 60 as I would have been cruising with them rather than slogging along a bit under powered.

I didn't make it past the Seaford pier so I walked up to it and climbed over it, then continued kiting. I didn't quite make it to Gould Avenue when the wind conked out.  Tim was going OK on his 10m kite so he headed back, just making it past the pier. I couldn't get going so packed up and caught the train back with two comrades.

Tim picked up Cesar who made it back to Carrum, and the last rider made it back in a taxi!

With downwinders, it is important to make ground while the going is good.

Overall, we all had great session.  The route from Sorrento to Port Melbourne will definitely be a challenge.

Photo album

GPS Log

Kitesurfing tour Hampton to Black Rock

Session 200, woo hoo!

Some unexpected wind sprang up around midday so we headed down to Hampton and got there at  about 1:35, just in time for the 20 knot wind to drop to less than 15.  I rigged my kite and flew it on the beach for a while chatting to Stu Styles, who is keen to start kiting to supplement his great passion for windsurfing.

The wind picked up a bit so I headed out on my surfboard.  I had to sine the kite a lot to keep the power up, but this is easy with the smooth and fast turning Lithium 12.  After one short run out and back I decided to change over to the Sector 60 board so I set it up.  Everyone else left the beach but then the wind picked up a bit so I headed out again.

Its amazing how 12 knots feels like 18 when you get going on the Sector 60.  I attempted a Duck Tack (sort of) but still find it quite difficult to visualise how to to do it.

I worked my way upwind, then the wind picked up to 15+ so I was going well.  It was nice touring up to Black Rock up past the Cerberus. I was intending to keep going to Rickett Point, but I noticed one of my large fins was coming lose - I didn't do the screws up tight enough.  They are impossible to tighten without a screw driver so I headed back directly to Hampton, keeping my fingers crossed that the fin wouldn't come out.

It was a blast going downwind.  This time I flew the kite right around to the other side - the key is to keep it turning to it comes back and keeps generating power.  I did a few downwind kiteloops that were easy and provided some extra boost.  Some large yachts were racing just off the breakwater so I threaded my way through them carefully and fanged in to the beach.

The fin was still there, but only just.  Memo to self: do the fin screws up tight!

Looking at another kiter's Sector 60 V3 after the session I noticed they have two large surface mounted screws for each front (large) fin, which is a much more secure fixing that the single screw on mine.  He said it doesn't carve turns as easily as the V2 - which is the opposite of what the information from Airush indicates.

I had a short rest on the beach after I tightened the screws.  A kid flying a stunt kite crashed it hard millimeters from my kite - if he had hit it there would have been some serious damage, but luckily he just missed.

I did another couple of runs and was finding it hard to make the gybe turns in the lighter wind.

A did a total distance of 26km but it felt like more.  Its good training for Across the Bay to Conquer Cancer fundraising event I am participating in around Australia Day 2013.

Session stats

Distance:	26.55 km
Time:	1:51:42
Avg Speed:	14.3 km/h

GPS Log

Wind

Keahi De Aboitiz wins the 2012 KSP World Championship

Keahi De Aboitiz, a young Australian kiter with a magical ability to kitesurf big waves, has won the 2012 KSP World Championship and the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro event. The final day Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro  was on 8 December 2012.

Keahi De Aboitiz Hookipa 2012 (Jimmie Hepp)

Keahi (AUS, Cabrinha), won first place ahead of Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One).

Here is a video with some of the action

The Cabrinha team had great results with Moona Whyte (HI, Cabrinha) also winning first place in the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro event.

Moona Whyte Hookipa 2012 (Jimmie Hepp)

The womens KSP World World Champion was Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish),

The KSP (Kite Surf Pro e.V.) is the world championship tour for kite surfing in the waves, sanctioned by the IKA (International Kiteboarding Association) and governed by the ISAF (World Sailing Federation). 

Bringing together the worlds top 24 male and 12 female riders for a series of events, the KSP determines the world championship title through the tour ranking at the end of the year/season.

2012 KSP Championship Inês Correia, Mitu Monteiro (2nd), Jalou Langeree (1st), Keahi De Aboitiz (1st), Alan Arakawa, Airton Cozzolino, Lopes Ai and Ninja-Maria Bichler - Photo: Jimmie Hepp

Hookipa winners Kari Schibevaag (2nd) and Moona Whyte (1st) . - Photo: Jimmie Hepp

KSP Championship winners Mitu Monteiro (2nd), Keahi De Aboitiz (1st), Airton Cozzolino (3rd) - Photo: Jimmie Hepp

2012 KSP Cabrinha team - Photo: Jimmie Hepp

Final results for the 2012 KSP World Championship Tour:

Men

1. Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS, Cabrinha)
2. Mitu Monteiro (CPV, F-One)
3. Airton Cozzolino (CPV, North)

Women

1. Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish)
2. Ines Correia (POR, RRD)
3. Ninja Bichler (GER, North)

External links

• 2012 KSP World Champions Crowned On Maui’s North Shore

Nice kitesurfing at Hampton after yesterday's tempests

Session 199. 

I decided not to go out yesterday due to the howling northerly followed by a 35 knot southerly gusting to 50 knots! Today was more like summer - a nice consistent 20 knot southerly blew most of the day.

My session started after lunch. Richard Matison was on the water too. We spent some time kiting near the breakwater.  I did a run up to the beach past the Sandringham Yacht Club then came back surfing the swell.

I did some nice slalom turns on both my good stance (natural) and not so good stance (goofy).  The Lithium 12 turns nicely and generates good power through the turns.  It loves to fly too and parks quite well when the power is backed off.  You can see my slalom tracks on the GPS track log.

There were about 15 kiters out and maybe 8 windsurfers, all enjoying the good conditions.  There was a nice swell and small surf coming in between the 1st and 2nd groynes too.

Gybe turns are going well now, but I cannot my brain around how to do a Duck Tack.

I used the line mount for the camera for the first time on the Airush Lithium lines.  It is easy to mount, but the plastic line holder is close the lens and obscures some of the action. I will try holding it further up with  a rubber band.

Session stats

Summary

Distance:	26.38 km
Time:	1:59:48
Max  Speed:	37.8 km/h
Calories:	1,090 C

GPS Log

Kitesurfing at Hampton on a race day with 30 knots

Session 198. 

There were strong winds on Port Phillip Bay today; up to gale force.  I got to Hampton late in the morning and was stoked to see lots of white caps and about 25knots!

There were lots of kites on the beach and people with race bibs over PFDs.  A race was on.  I said hello to Rod White who was getting ready to race.

With 30+ knots at South Channel coming up the bay I took out my Crossbow 7. I am glad I did.  It was hard to get out past the shore break due to big waves and onshore wind.  Once out, I was able to get going well on my 7m kite but was wondering if I should have taken out my 10.  After a run to Middle Brighton and back, a 35 knot squall came in and I was glad I was on my 7!  I even depowered it for a while.

The fast speed of the 7 certainly takes some getting used to.  It zoomed into the water a couple of times.

I did a run past Green point and back, checking out the race action.   I found myself in the way briefly at a turn so I scooted off out of the way quickly.  The wind dropped too so I headed in and took some photos of the race gear on the beach.  Check out the fins!

Its the most kites I have seen at Hampton, and there were race boards everywhere.  Kite racing is propelling kitesurfing into a whole new level of participation.

Some racers got caned by the 35 knot gust and other were having trouble with the shore break too, but most were blasting around at great speed.

On the way home I stopped at the Brighton car park and watched another 35+ knot stall rip in, this time with rain.  About 8 racing kiters were about 1km off Middle Brighton.  They parked their kites to weather the squall, then got going again.

GPS Log

Wind