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IKSA Newsletter June

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  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

    1/14[1]IK

    SA

    2010

    Welcome to the second ever IKSA

    Newsletter, keeping you kiters from all

    over I re land in formed on whats

    happening on the Irish Kite scene. The

    season has truly started and the wind is

    picking up again (thank God!). However

    the swell in Ireland has been affected by

    all these Northerly winds and big Highs,

    so much so we are starting to get surfers

    wanting to be Kiters! This means its also

    a great time to learn/train for wave riding

    on the smaller waves before heading to

    Belmullet for Ryans mega waves (Rhino

    Charge in September).

    We interview 4 people from beginner

    to pro rider. We have great articles on the

    new Wainman kite and Underground Surf

    board and some Kite Safety tips, Beach

    info etc. If you would like to be

    interviewed on any kite issues, please

    contact us as well be glad to do the You

    tell us and well tell them.

    One of IKSAs main aim is to

    encourage Irish Kitesurfers to join IKSA

    for insurance reasons. Its always nice to

    know you are covered when kiting on the

    beach should anything happen to passers

    by as a result of your kiting!

    June

    2010

    You cant afford not to!

    New improved Insurance for

    3rd party liability insurance tocover you up to 5,000,000

    Free IKSA t-shirt

    Free board stickerFree copy of KiteWorld mag

    Voting rights at the AGMSupporting IKSA Events

    IKSA

    Warren Vance - Northern [email protected] McCourt - [email protected] Irwin - [email protected] Roche - South/[email protected] Shelly - Galway/[email protected] Barry - Limerick/[email protected] Armstrong - Sligo/[email protected]

    KITE CALENDAR

    Kyra McKennaCiaran GilsenanEDITORS:

    JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

    4-6th PureMagic/IKSA Battle of theBay

    24-25th Sligo LSD/IKSA Sandy Burger

    20th Wexford IKSAevent

    18-19th Rhino WaveCharge

    KN

    OW

    YOURIKSAREP

    http://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registersmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registersmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registershttp://www.iksa.ie/index.php/component/comprofiler/registers
  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

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    The Battle of the Bay is over but we thought we would just remind our readers from abroad,

    that it did happen and despite the fickle wind, great times were had by all (And these guys n gals

    know how to party!) We hope you got a chance to be there. Big thanks to Francois, Catherine,

    Christophe, Dominika and all the PureMagic gang and of course the visiting DJ Manu!

    Sligo LSD boys have decided to launch a Sandy Burger for July 24-25th. Instead of a boot camp

    the lads have decided something more laid back. Possibly a chance for those of you to try the

    Wainman rabbits weve heard so much about (see the kite review). You can also avail of LSD

    beautiful B&B which is cheaper and much nicer than many of the B&Bs in the area, plus you

    can easily walk home from Harries or Austies after a singing session. Check with

    www.lsdkiteboarding.com.

    IKSA and the gang at Hooked wish to show you why Wexford is the new kite destination for all

    you Dubs who wish for clean waters and stunning beaches and don't want a big drive away fromhome, its less than 2 hours from Dublin!! More details to come so check with Niall on

    www.hookedkitesurfing.ie

    Cant wait for the premier event of the Wave Kiters calendar. Big waves and

    incredible moves from the lads who turn up religiously for these events! Maybe its

    the food maybe its the amazing talent or maybe cos you are convinced that you too

    shall slash and burn those waves faces. You can book places on Ryan Coote website

    and get a hoodie to boot and food organised for the weekend. Check with

    www.rhinoswavecharge.com/register--contact.html

    PLAN YOUR KITE EVENT

    RHINO WAVE EVENT

    WEXFORD HOOKED/IKSA EVENT

    BATTLE OF THE BAY

    SLIGO LSD/IKSA SANDY

    Just like the famous wave at Dollymount generated by the 4:30pm P&O Ferry

    Teresa Lynch

    http://www.rhinoswavecharge.com/register--contact.htmlhttp://www.rhinoswavecharge.com/register--contact.htmlhttp://www.hookedkitesurfing.ie/http://www.hookedkitesurfing.ie/http://www.lsdkiteboarding.com/http://www.lsdkiteboarding.com/
  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

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    I n t r o d u c i n g o u r g l o r i o u s

    President of the IKSA, a Galway

    man, Phil McNamara. Its his first year on the job and he explains

    how and why IKSA was started.

    How many years have you been

    kiting?

    Around 3 or 4 years nowWhy did you get into kitesurfing?Saw it in Hood River, Oregon and

    was hooked. I saw the lads there

    and it looked amazing. Then I saw

    it in Thailand and said I had to

    learn. I was supposed to be there

    for a wedding, but spent most of

    the time on the beach, getting

    lessons from an ex Israeli army

    officer who ran the local school.

    (www.kiteboardingasia.com)

    What was your first kite?It was a 2005 12m Naish Boxer

    that a dodgy school in Tarifa sold

    me for 600 euro with no bar. I

    didnt have a clue how much I wasbeing ripped off. Then I bought a

    very dodgy F1 that a dodgy

    character from Galway sold to me.

    Wow...so youve been around the

    block.. .any good accident

    stories?With that same dodgy kite nearly

    killed me in Kinvara. There was no

    depower in the bloody thing, and it

    pulled me up about 10 feet and

    slapped me down on the water

    again fractured a rib. Nothing

    super serious.

    How did you become president

    of the IKSA...was it a coup

    d'etat?

    No one else could be bothered!

    Ha...No, it is a great sport, and Ive

    never met a nicer bunch of lads on

    the beach, and the chance of

    leading the team came up and I

    said yes.

    Why was IKSA set up?

    It was set up by a group of kiters

    from Dublin who had three main

    aims:

    1. Open communication channels

    with local councils on beaches

    regularly used by kitesurfers2. Get an IKSA tour up and running

    3. Encourage membership, as

    without numbers the organisation

    cannot be viewed

    as representative.W h a t s t h e

    d i f f e r e n c e

    between BKSA

    and IKSA?

    N o d i f f e r e n c e

    really, apart from

    the number of

    members. They

    have some full

    time staff working

    also, which we

    cant do r ight

    now.

    When did it start

    and who were

    instrumental in

    organising it?Over the years

    from 2001 - 2004

    there was much

    random talk on

    the forums about

    getting an IKSA

    a s s o c i a t i o n

    t o g e t h e r , a n d

    finally in late 2004

    a group of people

    decided to take the first step. A

    not ice was put up on thekitesurfing.ie site asking interested

    parties to come to the Dollymount

    House (RIP) and have a discussion

    around what was to be done.

    Approx. 30 lads attended the

    gathering, and a number of

    volunteers offered to put together

    the first committee with a view to

    getting things up and running.

    It started officially in 2004 by

    Kieran Sammon, Conor Lillis, Alexis

    Ledoux, Oisin Ryan and James

    Phelan. A number of other keyplayers who had acted as informal

    liaisons with local councils also

    offered their support in the

    background, guys l ike Colm

    Murphy who had strong personal

    relationships with council beach

    representatives through previous

    connections such as life guarding.

    Why arent you part of one of the

    existing Irish sailing/surfing

    bodies?This is something that were

    looking into It may be something

    that we can decide on during the

    EL PRESENDENTE

    http://www.kiteboardingasia.com/http://www.kiteboardingasia.com/
  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

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    next AGM, if all the members look at

    the benefits and we can decide that

    its good for us, then well join.

    How does a school get IKSA

    status?

    Right now, all you have to do is prove

    that you are IKO or BKSA trained

    instructor, plus you have adequate

    insurance. From the end of this year,

    we are introducing some great new

    safety qualifications for kiteschools,

    which will be run by the Irish Water

    Safety organisation. They are running

    these courses especially for IKSA kite

    schools, and once thats complete,each school will be an accredited

    IKSA school.Why should an Irish Kiter become

    a member?

    Youll get lots of cool stuff! Well

    theres that, plus you get insurance.

    Kiting can be a dangerous sport,

    especially when were on public

    beaches. That why we have third

    party liability insurance for every

    member, that covers them in the

    event of an accident up to several

    million euro. Not only that, when you

    take out membership, youre also

    helping to keep beaches open,

    because we work with local councils

    and inform then that were a

    responsible bunch of people, with full

    insurance.

    Dont forget, all members get a free t-

    shirt, a free copy of Kiteworld

    Magazine, an insurance tag and a

    board sticker!

    Why should a Northern Irish Kiter

    become a member?

    For all the same reasons were all

    on one island and the water in the

    North is just as cold as here in the

    south! We really want to welcome as

    many people as possible into the

    IKSA, and wed love to organise

    gatherings, all over the country!Whos in the IKSA committee?

    Ciaran Gilsenanand Kyra McKennaare our fantastic secretary/journalists

    JP McNeese looks after the money,and makes sure we dont get into

    trouble

    Matthieu Mayran looks after thewebsite and makes us look good on

    the web.

    Michael Fitzsimons looks after public

    relations, and keeps us looking good

    for the media and sponsors, as well

    as with Failte Ireland

    Ryan Coote looks after competitions,

    wave gatherings and organizing

    fantastic competitions

    Francois Coloussi is the King of

    l o o k i n g c o o l , bu t a l s o h a s

    responsibility for schools.

    Whats your aims for this year?

    Id love to see the membership

    double this year. We want to get

    some nice events organized, and

    make sure we keep our members

    happy. We have bought a trailer this

    year, which houses all of our gear

    tents, generators, music systems, etc

    which means we can keep warm

    when were standing around on the

    beach. Were still working out asystem for getting your membership

    pack out to you, so please bear with

    us!

    I want to hear stuff good and bad

    from members so please get in

    touch ([email protected])

    EL PRESENDENTE

    mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

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    KITE REVIEWKite: Wainman Hawaii Rabbit

    Size: 9m Smoke

    Year: 2008

    Class: 4 line Bow KiteReviewer: Niall FitzgeraldKite Experience: 5 years

    I started kitesurfing in September 2005 atBanna beach Co. Kerry where TazOConnor and Graham Kelleherintroduced me to this wonderfulobsession! My favourite style is straplesswave riding but I am partial whenconditions are right to freestyle, and myfavourite tricks F16s and down-loop S-bends.

    When I heard in late summer 2008 thatthe legend that is Lou Wainman wasreleasing a kite brand I was immediately

    interested in checking themo u t . A s m o s t

    kitesurfers know,L o u d o e s n tconform to then o r m s o Iguessed that anykite brand he

    would put h i s

    name to would bedifferent to the rest of

    the pack and he didnt disappoint. Eventhe name is a bit out there, the rabbitgang! Now dont be put off, the kites arenot soft and cuddly, try more like thekiller rabbit in Monty Pythons Holy

    Grail! Its just a pity they dont reproducelike rabbits!

    I got a 9m Rabbit Smoke on demo fromLSD Kiteboarding and after 10 minuteson it I knew I had to have them so Iordered the 6.5m Gypsy (now 7m) andthe 9m Smoke and 6 months later the12m Boss.

    What I lovea b o u tW a i n m a nHa w a i i i st h a t t h e ychanged verylittle on thekites since Ibought them.

    My 9m smoke from 2008 and what youwould order today is basically the samekite.

    From the minute you lay your hands onthe bag you realise that the quality is A++. When you unpack and layout the kitethe first thing you will notice is there aregraphics on both sides of the canopy, ar e a l n i c efeature. Alsothe colourand graphica r e v e r ystriking bothw i t h t h eb lack andw h i t e

    versions.

    When the kite is inflated it is verynoticeable that this is a low aspect kitewith a very deep profile, centre strut onthe 9m smoke is about 6ft. The buildq u a l i t y i s e x c e l l e n t , l o a d s o f reinforcement in the right places withoutmaking it a heavy kite. In 18 months Ihave only damaged my 9m smoke onceand that was not the fault of the kite,these little beasts will take all thepunishment you can throw at them. The

    rabbits have a simple V-bridal which isvery short with a pulley on each.

    The bar and lines are simple anduncluttered. Its a true 4 line kite withabove the bar cleat depower which worksgreat and I havent had a single problemwith it after 18 months. Wainman havealso made things easy by having one sizebar for all kites so those on a tight budget,like me! There are 3 options for safety. 1).Suicide, which I use mostly as thedepower in the kite is really good, 2).Double depower where a mini fifth line

    can be connected to both front lines, 3).Full depower by connecting the mini fifthline to one of the front lines and the kitewill flag out when released. The release isa very simple and effective. The lines are24 meter lines 17m + 7m extension so

    you can break into Lou mode with 7mlines if you want!

    On launching againthe shape of thedeep canopy is verynoticeable. I firstused the kite onf a c t o r y s e t t i n g swhich work great for

    free ride. The kite isfast in this mode but not too twitchy. Ithas a great low end for a 9m and easilygets me going in 16 knots on a surfboardand Im not small. Relaunch is excellentbecause of its rounder shape, it just rollsover onto the tip and pops back into thesky in seconds. The kite boosts well butthere are better kites out there for pure vertical pull. It is however a kite-loopmachine. Because it turns fast it is goodfor newcomers to kite looping as it willloop through the window very quickly if

    the bar is turned hard. But as confidencerises you can create much more pull byturning the bar less vigorously to createthat mega loop buzz.

    The real benefit of the kite and thereason I was attracted to them is their versatility. There are 3 bridal settingMEDIUM for general freeride, FAST fordown the line wave-riding with quickturning and light bar pressure andSLOW for all those unhooked junkieswith slow turning and heavier barpressure. In 2 minutes the smoke can be

    transformed from an excellent wave-riding kite to an unhooked machine. Theb a c k l i n e salso have 4settings fromS L O W t oFAST. Thebridle can bereplaced bythe suppliedpigtails to flythe kite withdirect 4 lines which makes it fell like a

    true C-kite. My favoured setting for wavesis bridle on FAST and back lines on fast,and my favoured setting for unhooked isbridle on SLOW and back lines on 3rdfastest setting. This all seems verycomplicated but dont be worried, the kiteworks excellently for all styles on thefactory setting and once you get used tothat you can experiment to you heartscontent!

    These kites would suit beginners up. Theyreally suit people who like to ride in thewaves but still like to freestyle it up when

    conditions suit. To sum up the 9m smokeand the rest of the rabbits will put a bigsmile on your face every session, donttake my word for it though, take them fora demo and youll never look at a rabbitin the same way again!

  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

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    New Kite School in Co.WexfordTell us about yourself ?Im Niall, and I just started a new kiteschool based in Duncannon, Co.Wexford. Igot into kitesurfing back in 2000 when isaw it on Eurosport, I was hooked straightaway, I spent months researching gear andtrying to find other like minded people. Ittook me a year to get up on the board backthen. It was crazy especially when someonecan do that within a weekend course!

    How many years have you been

    kitesurfing?Yeah nearly 10 years at this stage. I used topowerkite with flexifoil stacks before that.

    How long is hooked kitesurfing up andrunning?We are up and running since March 2010and work out of the blue kite hut onDuncannon beach. Lessons take place ineither Duncanon, Rosslare or Our Lady'sIsland depending on wind direction.Thereis a spot of any wind direction down here.What gear do you have?We just got the latest Ozone Catalysts 2010kites too. My fiance Christina is the otherhalf of hooked, She doesn't teach yet butdoes lots of other stuff that comes withrunning a school

    We know you are organising an event inwith the IKSA in August...whats the story?Yeah Wexford's 1st Kitesurfing Festival ison Aug 20th in Duncannon, It has beenalong time since any sort of kitesurfingevent has happened around here. we hopeto have a beach Campfire with some of

    wexford's best musicians playing on one ofthe nights. Lots of outdoor activities forkids . We will be running all sorts of compsover the weekend too.I'm hoping as manyschools as possible come down to make itas colorful and fun for everyone as possible

    Tell us about your local beach spotsincluding best wind directions, I heardsomething about this amazing lagoon?Ha! This lagoon is even unknown to a lotof Wexford kiters.It is in a place called the Burrow inRosslare and is super flat with waist deepwater. It is a small bit tidal but still plentyof room around the sand banks on low

    tide. It works in any Southern orNorthern winds.The other main spots are Duncannon,it's a south facing beach and works bestin a SW, Our Lady's Island works in awesterly all the way around to a NE, Afantastic place to learn new tricks.andCurracloe works in any easterlies, Thereare 8 other beaches to kite on but we'llkeep them to ourselves :)

    Any deals?Absolutely We run 1 day tasters for 160and a full course for 310. We do

    weekend and midweek breaks withaccommodation included, groupdiscounts are also available and a 20%discount if you book before the end ofJune!!

    Wheres the best place to stay if theres agroup coming down for the weekend ?I have a deal with the local Pub inDuncannon who have accommodationfor 18 for kitesurfers. It is a beach frontholiday home 2 hrs drive from Dublinand is perfect for a weekend visit. Thereare plenty of other B&B's and holidayhomes for weekend rentals too. Or if you want to spoil yourself DunbrodyCountry House is only 2km away.

    Any big plans ?We have a few idea's up our sleeve likebeach BBQ's in July&Aug for kitesurfers,Maybe setting up a South East kite club.

    Has Wexford got akitesurfing scene?Or do have the beachesall to yourselves?There is

    about 12-15 regularkitesurfers in Wexford.Noth ing l ike Dol lythough : )

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    SECRET SPOT

    Spot: Tracht Beach

    Location: Kinvara, 1 hours drive

    from Galway City

    Best Wind: NW/W

    Best Tide: Low tide

    Riding Style: Flat Water but

    sometimes choppy

    Tracht beach is great cos its hard to findand as good beaches are rare in theGalway area, you should have this placeto yourself most days! Its located on thesouth side of Galway Bay, and about 3miles north of Kinvara. When the tide islow, there's loads of sand and its supershallow, and when the tide is high, youcan launch from the grassy area. Thereare no major dangers around, apart fromthe rocks on the extreme right and left ofthe beach, and the odd cow or two.Toilets are open during the summermonths. If you're hungry after yoursession head down to Linnanes in NewQuay or go to any of the places inKinvara.

    Tracht

    Beach

    Kinvara

    ONE HOUR SOUTH OF GALWAY

    BOARD

    REVIEWBoard: Underground

    Kipuna FreewaveYear: 2010Size: 54 x 19Reviewer: Ryan CooteKite Experience: 10years

    R y a n f r o m t h eRhinoWave Charge andKerry Wave Guru hasbeen at the forefront ofIrelands wave kitingb a s e d d o w n i n

    Castlegregory who couldwant for a more gloriousspot. He has kindly givena review of his favouriteobsession

    How did you get thisboard?I am very lucky to besponsored by Underground

    so I had a choice ofkiteboards, this was the onefor me! Ive had it now for 4months.

    What is your weight?(must be truthful!!)15 stone

    Why did you choose it?

    I use it because it is so versatile. If i only had theone kite-board this would beit. I can put straps on it to godo so massive jumps and ican take the straps off to dosome strapless wave riding ortricks. The rounded nosemakes it much safer for me todo freestyle surfboard tricksand the rounded rail makes itreally easy to catch and holedonto when it is really windy.It also really rocks up wind.

    Why do you like thisbrand?They are a really good bunchof friendly people that are aspassionate about kite surfingas i am.

    Your favorite beach andwhy? When i think it has to beB r a n d o n b a y . I t h a s

    everything from super wavesto flat water.

    Is it a tough board? Well as I said Im not thelightest guy and I do somepretty big jumps on it,strapless and strapped and itis still here.....and so am I!

    Favorite move on thisboard?Back loop kite loop or thesimple transition

    Worst kite crash story?I have had some bad crashdoing kite-loops. But mainlyit has been in monster surfwhen I get caught by someunexpected grey slab of awave, lose my kite in the surfand have to swim in..all thisin the middle of winter. Nowthats when its really scary!

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    ME AND MY VANHave you seen this French couple Benand Caroline out n about with theirrevolution kites on Dolly? Recently Benbroke a few fingers from a dodgyhandlepass and still insisted on kiting inthe recent Sandy Burger in Achill! Ben isalso a carpenter so I was guessing his van

    would be interesting to see...

    Tell us about the van?2004 Nissan PrimastarAny pet names?Our pet names for it change on a regularbasis ... especially when something goeswrong!

    What has it got?Everything you could want, kitchen,lounge :), double bed, Storage forKitesurfing gear, flat screen tv for watchingFrance win the world cup! Only kiddingabout the tv... (Ed: dont mention Mexicothen?!)

    How muchg e a r c a nyou stuff in?S u r fi n g

    b o a r d ,2 x T w i nT i p s ,2xKites pluswetsuits anda l l o u rclothes.

    What size power source have you got?12V leisure battery + 300W inverter for220v power and a small portable stove

    Has it ever broken down?Shush...it might hear you!What do you cook when away?Well we are French so its the haute cuisineof course!Can you get changed in the van, despite allthat stuff in there?Oh changing in private, this is my mainconcern as a girl!Does it smell?Only when Ben takes off his shoes!

    Have you pimped it any way?What is this pimping? For a van?NO!Do you get strange stares from locals whenyou drive by?No, we are lucky the van is really discrete,maybe after we take all our kites out!What have you learned as a van owner?To keep it simple and efficient! (Ed: veryFrench we think!)

    Kite Obstacles - What do I mean by this?Ok people/dogs/cows (Ed: where are you

    kiting?) are obstacles but there are othermore scary ones than that. Like cliffs and

    car parks and rocks!

    Just some tips for those of you who couldpossibly forget....

    Rule 1: Launch you kite towards the sea.

    If you fluff it, you will only get wet!

    Rule 2: Kite at least 2 kite line lengths

    away from a cliff. When wind blows onto acliff or hill, it causes a build of air pressure

    as the air is compressed against thisobstacle. This results in a zone of high

    wind turbulence and updrafts. If you kitetoo near these obstacles you could find

    yourself lifted up them! This is also afeature many paragliders use to launch! So

    just make sure you keep grounded andavoid those cliffs and hills!

    KITE SAFETY TIPS RULE 1:

    RULE 2:

    Sea Beach

    Turbulence 3 x times length of cliff

    Cliff

    Zone of Lift

    Always launchtowards thewater

    Kite away from Cliffs/Hills

    Zone of Lift

    Wind

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    Name:Aifric Smith

    Years Kiting: 3

    From:Wicklow

    Day Job: Ex Engineer currently

    HairdresserAge:Well really what a question to ask!

    Can you really call yourself a beginner

    after 3 years?

    Im a pro beginner!

    Where you do normally kite?

    Anywhere and every where...usually

    somewhere abroad and hot ...yes I am a

    fair weather Kiter!!!Why did you get into kiting?

    I was facinated by it for years, watching

    all the pro kiters in Tarifa when I was

    working in Spain years ago

    Do you have your own gear?

    Ashamed to admitt no one has got a sale

    out of me yet

    What are you thinking of buying?

    Someone make me an offer..too many

    choices Who did you get Kite lessons from

    initially? Pure magic ...Ill say no more

    about my ability !!!

    Are you still doing lessons?yesof course!

    Any cool trips away? Ive tried kiting in a

    lot of countries, Ibiza, cuba, Brazil.....but

    the best so far has got to be Dakhla,

    Morocco, ah I love the lagoon!!!

    Any injuries? Dont mention that

    word...Im very safety conscious ya know

    Lessons to tell us all? If at first you dont

    succeed try try again..but god loves a trier

    and sure isn't the best fun at the learning

    stage!

    Wheres your next adventure?

    Who knows somewhere where is wind is

    strong, the water flat and the menbronzed!.

    Name:Alexis Ledoux

    Years kiting: 9

    Day Job: Software Engineer and creator

    of the kitesurfing.ie website

    Age: Nearly too old for this sport

    Where do you normally kite: Rush, North

    Co. Dublin which is a nice place for S-

    SE-E winds for some twin-tip action,Rossnowlagh Co. Donegal which is a

    perfect place for SW wind and when the

    swell works or Belmullet Co. Mayo which

    is definitely my favorite place because it

    has so many beaches for all wind

    directions and swell (most of my best

    sessions happened there).

    Why/how did you get into kiting? I saw

    the first competition on Eurosport and

    found it amazing. Headed to Dollymount

    and realised some guys were doing it

    there. I was kiting 2 line kites since I was a

    kid so after talking to the irish pioneers

    like EspearDub, Oisin, Garrett, Colly,

    Conor and Chris who were the only

    kitesurfers at the time. I went to the bank

    for a loan and ordered my first kitesurfing

    gear. I got hooked quickly and startedwww.kitesurfing.ie webpage. Soon after

    that I gave up my job to teach kitesurfing

    with a mate Manu. After some time I

    gave up because teaching was taking over

    my hobby. Now kitesurfing is 100% my

    hobby and I am so glad to see what

    kitesurfing.ie has done to the sport in this

    country.

    What gear do you ride? Takoon Furia2

    9m and 7m with

    random twin-tip

    but for sure my

    Slingshot SRTwhenever West.

    What have you

    got your eye on?

    A new van as

    unfortunately my

    first van passed away after an injector

    disease. Luckily, I have my renault

    Laguna which allows me to sleep near the

    spots when away west.

    Where did you get your kite lessons from?

    At the time I started, there were no kite

    schools around so I taught myself using

    other kiter's knowledge. Also when I

    started kites were much smaller, boards

    were much bigger and only had 2 lines so

    if I had any problems I could let

    everything go.

    What is your best move?

    Megaloop but it has cost me 2 broken ribs

    which made me relax a bit on the extreme

    moves.

    READER PROFILES - FROM BEGINNER TO PRO

    http://www.kitesurfing.ie/http://www.kitesurfing.ie/http://www.kitesurfing.ie/
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    Any cool trips away? I visited most of the

    best kitesurfing spot in the world like

    Sydney (Australia), Maui (HI, USA),

    Cabo Frio & Cumbuco (Brazil), The

    gorge (OR, USA), El Medano &Fuerteventura & Oliva (Spain), Dakhla

    (Morocco), Ras Sudr (Egypt), Mauritius,

    France. I know there are plenty more

    places I would love to try like Rodriguez,

    Cabo Verde, Caribbean islands and I

    hope I will be able to make it to them

    some day.

    Any injuries?

    Well it all started with a open fracture

    broken nose due to a twin-tip leash in

    Castlegregory then a fractured foot due

    to hard landing on shallow water which

    lasted for ages as I wasn't able to rest.

    And my last injury was 2 broken ribs after

    an attempt of a megaloop in front of

    Keith after a great wave session.

    Lessons to tell us all?

    You just can't beat nature so embrace it

    Name: Dan Sweeney

    Years kiting: 3From: Worthing, UK

    Day Job: 1st year Uni student studying

    Graphic Design and Business

    Age: 16

    We are betting your a paddy with that

    name?

    Yes I knew someone would spot that! I

    really havent gone into the history of my

    background yet, but I think it might have

    been quite a while since we left Ireland.

    Is this your first time in Ireland?

    Yes and Im going to Achill after this event

    as Ive heard so much about it. I got

    invited over by the PureMagic team and

    its been a great experience so far!

    How did you get into kiting?

    It was my grandad who started me on

    powerkites using flexifoil stackers and

    then it just grew from there. (Ed: A pretty

    groovy grandad we think!)

    So we know you have been signed up by

    Pete Cabrinha for the UK team?

    Well I got noticed after being recognised

    through the Youth Empire in the UK.

    Also Im the UKs BKSA Youth

    Champion and Park Jam Champion.

    Alongside that my new newest sponsor

    Animal, I couldn't be happier to be on the

    team and I hope to yet prove myself to

    them over the year and hopefully join the

    likes of Susi Mai and Tom Court on the

    Pro team next year

    From the marketing, you seem to have

    focused on Nomads, can you tell us

    anything about the new 2011 range?

    Ah thats top secret of course...but Ive got

    some of the new gear with me and I can

    say they have more power than last year.

    The same 10m Nomad is now of thesame power as the Switchblade. Also the

    bar has some new stuff too but I really

    cant speak about it. Trust me they really

    are lovely kites this year!

    Plans for 2011?

    Completing professionally on the UKcircuit, producing a Triple S wildcard

    video to hopefully gain a place at the

    SSS. Projects with Virgin TG over the

    year alongside trips to Maui and St.

    Lucia. To gain as much International

    coverage for myself and sponsors, while

    pushing my wakestyle riding and having

    as much fun as possible along the way

    Name: Sean Murphy

    Years kiting: 6

    From: Waterford

    Day Job: Uni student studying outdoor

    educational studies and now working at

    the PureMagic Achill Kite Center

    Age: 19

    Sponsors:

    Best,Xenon,MysticWhats your weapon of choice?I ride Best Kahoona's, Xenon boards Who did you get Kite lessons frominitially?I didnt do any lessons so was just me mydad and my uncle just helped eachotherto learn.Lessons to tell us all? Always get lessons it speeds up thelearning processWheres your next adventure?At the moment I'm in Dublin for Battle ofthe Bay but will be heading back to Achill

    teach on Monday which I just love!

    READER PROFILES

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    DonegalRossnowlagh (O)

    Murvagh (N)

    SligoRosses Point (O) (KS)

    Lissadell (O) (KS)

    Streedagh (O)Mullaghmore(N)(KS)Enniscrone (N)

    MayoKeel (Achill) (E)

    Belmullet (E)

    GalwayTracht (N)

    ClareLahinch (O)

    KerryDumps (O) (KS)

    Brandon Bay (N) (KS)Scraggane (N) (KS)

    Inch (E) (KS)Banna (E) (KS)

    CorkBallinmona (O)Garrethstown (O) (KS)

    Coolmaine (N)Garryvoe (N) (KS)

    Inchadonney (N) (KS)

    WaterfordTramore (O)

    WexfordCurracloe (N) (KS)

    Duncannon (N) (KS)

    DublinSkerries (O) (KS)

    Dollymount (E) (KS)Sutton (E) (KS)

    Rush (E)Poolbeg (N)

    Sandymount (N)

    Seapoint (N)

    IKSA BEACH

    SAFETY

    Coming to a beach near you!! At last some

    safety signage for the kiters who use our lovelybeaches and for the curious public to keep usall safe!

    This was carried out in partnership with theIrish Water Safety Authority who have assistedus in issuing these signs to the relevant peoplein the Local Authorities.

    The beaches listed are the ones that arepredominately used by Kitesurfers. We have

    also indicated on which beaches theKitesurfing schools give lessons.

    You will see on the list which beaches have thesignage erected, however it is taking time to getall the signs up around the Country.

    If you see one of the signs thats not listed aserected on the list can you please let us know [email protected]

    LEGEND

    (O)= Beach from original list where signage hasnot yet been erected.(N)= New Beach which requires signage.(E)= Signage Erected.(KS)= Beach used by Qualified Kite School for

    Teaching.

    mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]
  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

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    PRACTICE RIG

    If you are looking to improve your kiting skills even

    when theres no wind then check this out its

    something a couple of people could get together to

    build. This is just an idea so we havent constructed

    once but this the plan (see drawing below)

    At the moment the only time I can try backrolls is

    when Im on the water which results in the

    unexpected kiteloop which I never really landed

    but I always had the guys back on the beach to

    analyse what went wrong, all part of the fun.

    How to practice your more

    advanced techniques??

    Ciaran gives us an insight on

    how to make your own PracticeRig!

  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

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    This apparatus could allow you simulate these moves

    off the water so when you do get out on a windy day

    you know what to do so youre not starting from

    scratch.

    This is how it works refer to diagram for numbers

    Get the lines and bar from a spare kite if you have

    one (no scissors or parents supervision needed here!!)

    Get some bungee cord 2

    pieces, the stuff used for

    exercising not the big

    stuff (image left).

    Fix support hook to the

    roof to hang a second barfrom, ceiling height needs

    about 4m high.

    Fix a second bar to the ceiling on a pivot which

    allows it to rotate (see drawing). This bar is twice as

    wide as the main bar to give the impression of the

    lines fixed to a kite flying above.

    1. Fix the 2 bungee lines to each end of the bar and the

    other end to the top bar. The bungee is to give youthe feel of the bar just like kiting, pull in for power

    and out to ease off.

    2. A centre line is fixed to the chicken loop, through the

    main bar and up to the centre of the top bar which it

    is connected to.

    3. Put some padded support on the floor to soften your

    landing if something was to go wrong.

    4. A seat harness is more suitable for this setup as youare suspended from the rig all the times.

    5. You will also need someone to assist you into position

    and to swing you around and twist you a little

    Once in position you can try

    Quick release

    Back rolls

    Grabs

    Board offs

    Ive tried a more simplex version on my daughters

    swing but I didnt have room to rotate and she

    wanted to have her swing back so had to call it a day.

    But just like kitesurfing you will need to stretch before

    you give it a go, and youll find out which muscles

    need to be worked on. Drop me an e-mail if youwant to give it a go and I can see if I can pull some

    more detail together.

    An example of a practice rig from the H2O center

    in Poole

    Detail A

  • 8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June

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    IKSAKITE CENTERS

    KERRY ACHILL

    SLIGO WEXFORD

    AVOID THE DUST

    Ryan Coote - kitesurfireland.ie Pure Magic - puremagic.ie

    LSD Kitesurfing - lsdkiteboarding.com Hooked Kitesurfing - hookedkitesurfing.ie