Article
Kite board racing once rostered for 2016 Olympic inclusion, then unceremoniously dropped was a tough blow. Here at Kitepix HQ we where wondering how things have moved on since that 2012 decision. The outcome of which left many kiter's olympic dream in tatters.

To find out what things look like today we caught up with one of our Kitepix friends and avid racer, Jade O'Connor. She had an incredible year in 2014 - Crowned British Ladies Champion, 2nd at the ISAF World Cup Test Event, 4th at the European Championship, 8th at the World Championships and named Outsider Magazines Woman Of The Year, now there's a mouthful!

So Jade let's start with an easy one. Who are you, and what you up too?
Hi George, I hail from Dublin, Ireland. My local spot is the wide open sands of Dollymount, just a few km's from the city centre. Right now I'm having breakfast in Istanbul on the way back from 5 weeks winter training in Egypt. I'm heading to the West of Ireland for a video shoot with PureMagic on Achill Island, some final training at home, and then back out to the first competition of the year in Palma Majorca. I've been racing in the Formula Kite board Class since 2011, and I absolutely love it!

You've been involved in the racing scene since the early days, What impact did pulling kiteboarding from the 2016 Olympics have on racing, and where's racing at now?
ISAF's (the governing body of sail sports) 11th hour vote to re-instate windsurfing's RS:X class and remove Formula Kite was a big shock and did some pretty terrible damage. The Olympics initially brought a tidal wave of riders, a flurry of race gear from kite brands, sponsors, national teams, and importantly money to grow. Unfortunately much of that energy left with the Olympic dream just as quickly as it came. Many riders hung in to see what would happen next, they had personally committed and invested in equipment, each wanting to be part of the 'next big revolution' in kiteboarding. It seamed the writing was on the wall as riders continued to leave, number dwindling. It's taken 3 years to reach the bottom of that curve, thankfully things have turned around now and the future looks brighter and brighter.

Today there is more people racing than ever before. As racing has matured, riders have found their niche. We now see numbers spread across four disciplines. Hydrofoil, Formula, TT and Slalom. This broad base is brilliant as there's something for any age or skill level. Many of the skills learnt are transferable from class to class which allows easy progression. It looks like racing has finally found its feet, Formula is still under evaluation for inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, but regardless of that, racing will continue to develop and grow.

What are the options for any aspiring kite racer?
Hydrofoiling is a vibrant developmental class, which means lots of excitement and no limit on equipment. This is brilliant because you can race whatever you have. The downside is that to be at the top means constantly updating equipment, allowing you to keep with the development curve and stay on pace.

Formula is a standard 3 fin raceboard built around a box rule. It's the most mature and thus developed class. It has many rules about equipment in order to make it workable as an ISAF Olympic class. And attractive to Nation teams, the rules also seek to make it as even as possible for competitors. This stability means - I can still race an a Temavento board from 2012 and be competitive. Race Kites went through a major upheaval last year as many riders moved to high aspect closed cell para-foil kites.

TT(twin tip) is aimed at the average local Kiter. It's the ultimate in 'have a go racing'. It shares many similarities in course and procedure so it's great entry level class to experience the thrills and spills of racing using standard free ride gear.

Slalom is raced on a fast and furious cross wind zig zag course with downwind gybes around marks that works well for spectators. It's light on rules and favours the brave as much as the technically good. Racers use everything from full on course boards to fast directional and twin tips.
Check out the IKA web page for more info (http://internationalkiteboarding.org)

What's 2015 racing calendar look like, is there a lot of events?
There's two main sanctioned tours for Formula Racing. ISAF World Cup along side the Olympic Sail Boats Classes. Then there's the IKA Formula Tour consisting of Continental Championships and a World Championship. Then there's the Gold Cup for Hydrofoil Racing, and PKRA for slalom. Underpinning all of this are grassroots events at local club and national level. I suppose you can make the year as busy as you want, or just dip in and out for a few key events. This year I'll travel about 140 days, that will see me to 8 events worldwide and many away training trips. It's a big commitment, but one I gladly take. Thankfully goldenpages.ie, FCR Media Group, and PureMagic Watersports help significantly, couldn't do it without them!

What's riding a raceboard like? It looks pretty easy, flat water, big kite?
Riding a race board is well within the ability of any intermediate rider and a whole lot of fun too. It's really just a big directional with some tweaks. Screaming along flat water in under 10kts of wind, maxed out on a summers day is a really great feeling, especially when your twin tipping mates are standing on the beach, arms folded, watching you have all the fun.

One of the things I love about formula raceboards is the endless learning curve, I'm never bored even after all these years. I'm still learning every session, each time going faster and more consistently. The difference between riders is now so small that the slightest error will shake up the results in a heartbeat. Racing at international level is incredibly demanding in lots of ways. It's the perfect balance of sheer brute physicality, technical ability, and mental toughness. Making the board go really fast consistently takes a huge amount of lower body and core strength, an athletic performance on power with any big wave, big air or wake styler. I'm inspired by the dedication that Rubén Lenten, Kevin Langeree, and Youri Zoon to name few, put in to their physicality and training. They are the epitome of a new breed of kiteboarders. Racing is no different, anybody who wants to be at the top has a gym, diet and skills program the equal of any top athlete.

You mentioned the move to soft kites from LEI's (leading edge inflatable's). What are they like to fly and race with?
It was pretty clear after the 2013 European Championships that the advancement in foil design gave massive performance gains. Riders are going faster and higher (closer to the wind) than ever before. High aspect race foils fly subtly different. I don't think it's a beginner or advanced skill per say. It's simply a different skill that you have to dial into. Once I made the transition I never looked back. Along the way there where quite a few swims back to shore with a water filled mattress of a kite in the first month or so. That part is not fun, but you get through it quickly enough as your kite skills improve.

The advantage however are undeniably. In large to medium kite sizes they perform better and more efficiently, turn faster, handle low winds like nothing you could imagine. Water relaunch in super low winds far more consistently than inflatable's, and are generally a joy to use. They require precise handling and light touch, needing to always think ahead. That all becomes second nature after a while, then they fly like you can only dream, It's exhilarating. I've even got used to all the bridles and can now pull a foil of a bag, lines still attached and launch within a few short minutes. If like me, you often kite early mornings or late evenings they are a synch to launch and land without a kite buddy.

On the start line one of the major advantages is they are far less likely to tangle. When foils touch they deform a bit, lose a little power and everyone goes on kites still flying, while inflatables will dive bomb wildly taking out everything in there path.

It sound like racing is becoming more and more specialist. Is it separating itself from regular kiting?
There's pros and cons for sure of the specialist gear needed to race. One of the biggest issues facing new riders is the cost outlay of race kites and boards or hydrofoils. Yes there is incredible value in second hand gear that only a few months old, and you can always race TT with standard gear. Formula is introducing a separate inflatable sub class so you can be competitive on regular kites. It will be interesting to see if this generates interest.

I'm really heartened by how kiteboarding has developed, I am just as amp'd to watch Tack twisting, as much as Lenten looping, Bridge racing, or Mitu charging. I like that it's a multi-disciplinary sport, in many ways we are just like cycle sport. Not everybody wants to flip a BMX on a dirt track, and not everybody wants to race a grand tour on a road bike. Kiteboarding is the same. There's room for all of us, hardcore freestylers to soul surfers, to competitive types like me. If kiting was to pigeon hole itself as any one discipline I would be against that. The beauty is, it doesn't have to. We can be in X-Games and the Olympics, you can join a club and kite with a group or find an empty beach and rip it up on your own. Aged 8 to 80 it's about sharing the stoke!

What about you.. why kiteboarding? Why racing?
Kiteboarding has been really good to me, I've made the best of friends, travelled all over the world, been exposed to cultures and countries I could never imagine. Travelling with 50kgs of luggage off the beaten track has pushed me into many challenging situations, it builds character, creates stories, and fuelled many a rant and wry smile. But also the beauty, humanity and goodwill I've found in the least likely places never fails to inspire. I love the ocean, I love the sea. No matter how many times I get on the water each one feels unique, each one special! Considering I've been kiting for 14 years now, it's great to be still captivated by it! To this day kiting keeps me awake and night, or drives me crazy refreshing the forecast every 20 minutes waiting for updates.

I guess that leads us to 2015 and your season, what's in store for you.
It's not lost on me, how lucky I am to be able to travel the world and kite. 2015 is about continuing that dream. I feel that all roads have lead me to here, this year, this season. I have the pleasure to work with two incredible women this year. My coach - Magda Weigielnik from Meilno Poland, and Sports Psychologist - Dominika Wilczynska from Gdansk. I've improved hugely as a competitor and rider in the last 3 months. Now I'm just aching to get to some competitions and give it my all. I'm ready and willing!!

Jade Equipment List
Kites - ELF & Ozone | Boards - Formula and Hydrofoil both Temavento | Fins - Meanline | Hydrofoil - KFA (Kitefoil Australia) Mk3

Sponsors
http://goldenpages.ie | http://puremagic.ie

More information throughout the season here -
http://jadeoconnor.ie | http://Facebook.com/jadeocon

ISAF Sailors Of The Year nominees Erica & Johnny Heineken stamp their authority with an obvious speed and angle advantage. The remaining places are hard fought amongst the worlds best kite racers in testing conditions with solid winds over 20 knots for the last two days and set to continue for the remainder of the event.

Irish Sailor Jade O’Connor moved up the rankings of the ladies fleet today. She’s currently positioned 12th overall with an improving scoreline, posting a 10th and 7th in race 5 & 6 respectively.

IKA World Championship 2013 - Day 1 from Kiteboard Tour Asia on Vimeo.

Every now and again a curve ball comes slicing from the right and your in brand new territory!

My curved ball arrived on fine Friday evening, a wipeout at breakneck speed left me wincing in pain, holding my foot. Body dragging for shore, my mind was filled with thoughts of missing the upcoming European Kite Race Championships. All that training, all that prep up in smoke, just my luck to mess of my foot again just before an important event. At last years worlds I was nursing 3rd degree burns on both ankles after a cooking accident a few days previous.

I think most competitors like a sense of order, and I'm no different, verging on anal about routine. It gives me repeatability and knowledge that I can build upon.

The last two weeks have been very different for me, normally I cram like a student for an exam, spending more time on the water hoping to find an extra burst of speed or control. On this occasion I've sat on my ass, pushed hard in the gym, and taken a break from the beach. I cant help but think that maybe this is not so bad approach for a couple of reasons. I can quite often freak myself out by applying more and more pressure to sessions near events, building up nerves and generally performing worse. This way I'm relying on process, on what I've learnt already. Secondly I've often found that a break from kiting actually helps me, I've often been amazed how after a month or more off I actual kite better than before, maybe its something to do with the learning process as skills become autonomous.

Another brand new training for me is heat acclimatization which involves 90 minute cardio sessions every day, while wearing as much clothing as I can stomach in the run up to my departure for Calabria, Italy. After really struggling at my last event in France. On the verge of heat stroke and not coping well, I realized that the Europeans in July on the Med would be another huge test for my Irish disposition. The actual air temperature itself is not that bad, but with water in the mid 20's, competing right through mid day, and spending 8 or 10 hours on the beach with little shade available. The culmination is pretty brutal.

Now its time to go pack, I've got a few days tuning at the venue Gizeria Lido, Lamezia Therme, and then next week the chips are down. I can only guess at the outcome, at this event last year I came in 16th. This is the first time since the worlds that all the Europeans girls line up together. I've trained my ass off since then, but then again so has everyone else. I guess there's only one thing I know right now.. I know I'm gotta fight like my life depended on it... bring it on, I'm ready!

- with special thanks to PureMagic, Cabrinha & Ristafins for they're support and getting me this far!

The Island Trial is a sailing Time Trial around a fixed course in Dublin Bay. The challenge is open to all sailors in all boats. The course will be deemed "open" as soon as the racing marks are laid for the summer. The course will remain open until the racing marks are removed next October.

The object naturally is to sail the course in the fastest time. A leaderboard will be maintained which will show the outright leader for the Bragging Rights Cup. There will be a separate leaderboard maintained for trialists using times corrected under the PY Handicap for the Handy Sailor Silver Salver.

The Website

http://www.islandtrial.com/
 

The Course

Details of the course are being finalized, but the outline is simple.

Start between the piers, out around Dalkey Island and back. That's the summary.

They'll use a few of the DBSC marks as gates to keep the course straight, but that's about it. You get to choose which way you go around the island, when you sail, etc. Tactics are a key part of the event.

The Velocity line is about one thing alone - 'Velocity Made Good', aka VMG, the sailors byword and the goal of every rider who steps up to a startline in eager anticipation.

Lets talk about the bar setup.
As soon as you roll out the lines, this bar screams 'fast', every new detail is about either shaving weight, minimizing drag or improving safety. Cabrinha's combination of listening to real world racers, and giving some geeky types the enough time and freedom to geek it out means you get a bar that's nothing short of astounding.

Shaving Weight.
The No1 razor blade haircut is evident from lighter pigtails, less hardware, less padding, and lighter lines everywhere.. kite lines, leader lines, centre line, the list goes on. The advantages of shaving weight are pretty obvious, as is the draw back, a lack of durablity. Yet those Geeks at Cab HQ have solved that with clever details like replaceable pigtails and thickening sections of line at critical wear points only. Ideal for an experienced rider looking for 1% percents where ever they come.

Minimizing Drag.
The single most important advantage in this mission of lightening, removing, and basically thinning the bar and lines is a massive increase in aerodynamics. Does that mean we go faster with less resistance? Yes but there's a bigger picture to grappel with.. When going upwind the kite has to handle alot more wind than when its stopped or reaching.
This acts like an invisible hand pushing the kite further and further back into the window as board speed increases quickly overpowering the rider, and/or reducing upwind pointing angle. The upshot of those clever clogs finding innovative new ways to minimize the drag on your lines is that your kite flys further forward in the window. On a windward / leeward race course that means you can handle a bigger kite upwind, and thus more sail area to push deeper and faster downwind.. I'd call that a "Win Win Situation"

Safety
The simpler setup of single line flagging on the velocity race bar inspires confidence in tight situations, multiple line raps are an ever present danger as tight groups of 50 to 100 riders jossel for position on a busy startline. With several kites wrapped its possible that backlines snag and dont allow the kite to fully depower. An old school single line has a much higher success rate in this unique environment.

Feel The Depower
The 4:1 Clam Cleat setup is an essential part of a race bar, in reality you cant ride a raceboard at full pace without this set up. The ability to adjust your front lines as much as 30cm with the kite fully loaded allows the rider to match the bar position to stance, and kep your body stable and the fins engaged and driving. Cabrinhas solution is clean and simple, just as it should be.

All in all, Cabrinha have produced an awesome product that should see many podiums and happy racers as the season evolves.

Check it out at the: Cabrinha Website

In Dublin, this is where we are.....
Box rule most likely in, one design out - excellent as it allows a greater weight range in the class.
Trainers & coaches don't have to come from existing pool of MNA sail staff - good decision to aid quick development of fleets.
An excellent introduction to kiting book released by ISAF - nice job
Now the big news -
Events committee voted that ISAF council reconsider they're decision to allowing kiting in the Olympics and reinstate windsurfing by passing submission 55-12

Why did it happen? Some elected ISAF members simply do not get kiting, it scares the hell out of them. Others are absolutely pro windsurfing and you can't blame them for that, they each have a national programme in place, money invested, local parents and sailors who have their email and even home addresses. It's easier to continue on the windsuring path, as change requires them to stand out on a limb, stick they're heads up and suffer the likely backlash. In this debate tempers are running hot and RYA's legal salvo across ISAF's bow illustrates that all too well.

But what does this mean? All is not lost, far from it... Last time we where here the council ignored the events committee, just as the events committee ignored the Kite & Wind Evaluation Coommittee earlier today, Its realistic to think it could happen again. So till Saturday we wait.

I certainly hope the council have the courage to call this once and for all when its discussed at Assembly. Then all us sailors in each of our camps can plan lives, campaigns and get back to the business of racing and training and training and racing. My fear (and that of many at the conference) is that the council defer for yet more evaluation.

I'll be the first to admit that kiting is the harder option for ISAF, and if they wait 4 years it might be easier, but the same is true of waiting 8 or 12 years. It all comes down to how progressive ISAF are willing to be :
- If they recognize that windsurfing's RS:X course racing discipline is waining and outside of the Olympic pathway it does not appeal to windsurfers. While kiting has all that passion (and stress (and media attention)) associated with bleeding edge growing pains and youthful vitality. Then vote for kites.

- On the other hand, if your afraid of the windsurf Mom's, the heat and wrath of your established community and change in general then windsurfing is your obvious choice!

ISAF... I urge you cease the day!

News Update: Friday 9th November

Today, couldn't have gone better. The ISAF council required a 75% majority to re-open the discussion on kbr vs rs:x. With votes falling 26 to 12... kbr is in the clear. Things are looking up... Its tantalizingly close... bring on General Assembly tomorrow afternoon for final votes.

This is Kiteracing ! from International Kiteboarding Ass. on Vimeo.