8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June
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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/registers8/9/2019 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
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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!
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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/8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June
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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
8/9/2019 IKSA Newsletter June
11/14
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