Ok a simple nice thread

I started about three years ago, always been a waterman, travelled the globe in search of a perfect wave.

anyway about 7 years ago thought i would travel around Aus and surf, only made it to Albany, but thats another story.

On this trip i stopped at Prevelly, and on a blown out arvo went for a stroll/fish. Walking past the point there was a nutter with a red foil and red board, jumping over waves.

I had to stop and watch, amazed at the sight of this "freak" Main break was a solid double overhead, and this guy was flying. Amazed i had to try.

A few years passed, and eventually i got enough money to get my first kite.
I always remember the amazing power that this bit of cloth produced. That was ooooooooo 3 or 4 years ago...been an addict since

Why do i continue, well the power, the craik, the challenge, the comradere and boosting, fk i love boostin

It was the year 2001. Been living in Albany (WA) for about 8 months or so, my mate says 'hey let's go to Perth for your B'day and get hammerd', sounded like a fair idea to me. So off we went, spent the day just checking out the sights of Perth.... then that was it.
Somewhere between Cottesloe and Freo (I think!?) We saw about 4 guys totally ripping it up, I remember noticing that the water's edge was mostlty rock and thought these dudes are nuts (later now know what you'd do for a session!).
Looked like mostly 2 line kites prolly 9's I think. So there I was, hooked. Headed back home after a narly weekend knowing that I needed to save those Fun Vouchers for a kite. That didn't happen, managed to get my self enough $$ for a 4 line 3 meter ram-air, and that kept me happy for a while at least. Long story short, moved back to Melbourne, got a new job caved enough johnnycash for an AeroII 12 by mid 2002 and haven't looked back.

Ride on.

i moved to a town called Blowen Bowen and realised i needed to take up another wind water sport.
got sick of dragging the windsurfer down the beach, so i got hooked into land kiting and from there it was just getting a board and another kite.....and another..... and another ....

hehe im the same snowboarder thinking dude im going to b bored in the summer. it was either move to canada or get into something else friend mentioned he ws doing a lesson thought why not ... i just bought a burton board bindings and boots worth over $2k about 5 months ago ... just sold it for a lot less to buy my second kite ;0)

what a frikin sport ay

ben

He Reli,

I started in late '99 after sitting at the beach of another poleboarding wave comp with no waves and no wind and decided to buy a kite for "those light wind days".

After ordering and waiting for the local windsurfing shop to bring in my latest, just released Wipika Freeair 8.5, I bought a new Stonker directional board and went out practicing.

I saw the first ever kitesurfer in Sydney doing downwinders from Brighton to Sans Souci on his surfboard and like two lost souls we were excited to find someone else into our sport and bonded immediately, Paul Crawford became a good friend and we became the first Botany Bay kiteboarders.

I never did go back to windsurfing and ended up selling all my new gear of two wave boards, 4 brand new Gaastra Grinds, two masts and other bits and pieces for a catastrophic loss. Kitesurfing became my passion and 6 months later quit my job as Sales and MArketing manager for one of Sydneys biggest Hire companys to go to Hawaii and kite. The rest is history, I still love this sport!

Good winds,

Hey Wal,

I still have my Coca Cola Heatwave Team Rider shirt from that promotion (kept for nostalgia), it was in early '01, we went to different beaches (Newcastle and Sydney) and attempted to put on kiting demonstrations along with Skaters, BMX and jet skis in waves.

We pumped our kites and sat there on the beach getting sunburned whilst the wind blew at an astounding 5-10knots offshore. A bit of a bummer. We were only just starting to use the first of the 4-Line setups on Wipika Freeair sponsored kites. Best bit was we got paid! Easiest job I ever had, paid to pump a kite and sit on the beach. LOL!

Good winds,

Ready to leave Perth due to lack of decent skiing. Saw kites back in 2002 and said that is the sport for me if I'm going to stay here. Been addicted ever since....and no thought of leaving whatsoever.

And it is good for my back.

I started surfing about 30 years ago when my parents bought a beach house at Lancelin. Got sick of looking out at a windblown ocean so when windsurfing came along I gave that a go but never really got into it.
Then came marraige, mortgage, kids etc not much time for fun, so when the opportunity came up to live and work on Rotto in 95 I bought a new surfboard moved to the island and got back into it.
It was all good until i got Ross river virus on one of my annual trips to that secret place up north (that everyone now knows about), and found that I just didn't have the energy to surf. Moved back to the mainland in 2000 so my kids could attend highschool and realised how spoilt I had been and just couldn't enjoy hassling for ****ty little waves in Perth.
My kids have now grown up and my wife has left me, I still get up to Lano a bit for a surf but the wind just keeps blowing me out of the water. Started noticing the kites getting into the surf more and more and thought that this might be for me, so I just recently booked a lesson with Kitehard (cheers Darren-AKS).
I went out the next day and bought a kite and board. Spent a few weeks just flying the kite and bodydragging as there wasn't enough wind to get me going (well thats my excuse).
Monday last week I was getting up and going reasonably consistently before doing the walk of shame back up the beach, Tuesday I went upwind for the first time, Wednesday turning, Thursday riding toeside, Friday I knocked off work early and had a solid four hour session, by the end of it I was landing small jumps and tackling the small surf at my local beach. Saturday I was sunburnt,stiff and sore but totally hooked and hanging out to get out again.
I feel like a teenager again and if my house that I put on the market today sells I just might take a year or so off work buy a coaster bus and do that working holiday around Oz (surfing and kiting all the way) that I never did do when I was younger.
Loving life, always loved the ocean, and now loving the good ol Freo doctor

I remember seeing a tv commercial one of those million dollar you beaut ones from Coca Cola. They dubbed kitesurfing as the official new sport of the millenium back in 2000. I remember graduating from high school going...I wanna do that Sh#t! I didnt let myself do it because like most people graduating from a pompous god bothering high school you HAVE to go onto study and be the big doctor/pilot/lawyer etc. Finished studies and got the dream job only to find that my company I thought Id settle in collapsed. Tried 2 other companies that were in a industry devasted after the Sept 11th disaster and reality set in that the industry i worked so hard to get into has become Fu$&%cked thanks to outsourcing to india/foreign countries, Sars. I ended up on my bum with a whole of free time and a big of dissappointment and perhaps depression. Went to a beach saw a kite and remembered what i always wanted to do back from graduating high school. I went RIGHT this time I am going to do what I REALLY always wanted to do for myself. Used my redundancy money to buy a kite and here i am now much happier and not spending as much as I used to when i earnt more.

Anyways I know lots of people who went through the exact same phases as me and are kiting. We are all kite addicts now.

I started playing chess in 2002 and loved it, have'nt looked back at all, especially when you do the rook and King move, so cool. I idolise Gary Kasparov and think he is the best jumper with the knight..

Summer of 2002/03.
Realised I was sh!t at windsurfing. Didn't have the balls to try any decent moves or catch proper waves.
Got into kiting, and have looked cool ever since!

bloddy kn hell Keith. that's no kn good.
what's a kn bloke supposed to kn do?
you'll find your kn niche one day.

I originally Bodyboarded for about 8 years on the gold coast and went over seas a few times following the surf.
I was starting to get sick of the surf on the gold coast, always small and weak! I finally got really pissed of when it came around to october and we had about 2 months of howling northerlies, all the surfers and bodyboarders just sit at home doing nothing winging about the surf, i was doing the same! I thought i would get a kitesurfing lesson maybe i could do something with the wind. I had only saw some guys out at currumbin a few times when i was driving past, never even really watched kitesurfers before.
Once i got that lesson, i could definately see the potential. I got my first kite and went to the seaway, got going that day and have been obsessed ever since!

I didn't want to kite.

After 18 months of pestering from my favourite wind junkies, I was talked into trying it “just once”.

Damn my stubbornness

Is it windy yet?

Shiiiiiit man!
sounds like half you guys would have suicided if kiting hadnt come along

quote:

---

Originally posted by RayQ

Shiiiiiit man!
sounds like half you guys would have suicided if kiting hadnt come along

---

it would b a homicide suicide if it were taken away from me [}:)]