Testing the 2008 Nemesis HP in Brazil: Casa, Casa!!

Posted Tuesday 7th August 2007, by Alex Shogren

Fantastic cars come out of Germany so you would think Germans could drive them, right? Wrong. Last year, while filming at the Best Lagoon, 2006 World Champion Kristin Boese drove a buggy into the lagoon. It's a big lagoon, easy to miss. Check out the video here: http://media.bestkiteboarding.com/videos/crash _course.wmv.

At the time, I thought this was just a one-time thing, having nothing to do with the fact that Kristin was born in Germany. So Monday morning rolls around and I wake up about 7am. Peter's not on skype. That's weird - he's usually up before me busy making new kite files. 8am rolls around, no Peter. Wow, this is really strange, maybe Shannon was a bad influence last night. That's been known to happen. 9am comes and I finally see Peter on skype - cool, I won't bother him. Then I get a skype from Jamie who runs Hi-Life kite school, a Best Kiteboarding School, in Cumbuco.

"Want to see a funny picture?" he says.

"Of course," I write him back, thankful he's not bugging me with a leaky bladder or something.

The file starts to come through ... 40%, 60%, 80% - DONE.

Hmmmmmmmm ... that looks A LOT like the truck I rented for Peter and Shannon here in Brazil.

Turns out Peter and Shannon were driving home through Cumbuco on Sunday night, and right when you get into Cumbuco from Fortaleza, there is a distinct "T" in the road where you can either go left to Gaucho restaurant or right on through the main street in Cumbuco. Peter decided to go straight and even though his friend in the front seat screamed, "CASA, CASA!!!!!" he drove right into a house. Apparently Peter's Portuguese is so bad, he didn't understand "CASA, CASA!!!!" What is with Germans and their ability to drive???? Thankfully, nobody was hurt except the truck and of course the house.

The day before, Peter was busy making new bridles for the 10m Nemesis HP prototype as Shannon and Jeff watch Peter test the kite.

As Peter and Shannon were going to be busy all day filling out insurance forms and getting a new truck, Veronica, Gavin, Jeff and I decided to head to Cauipe where the wind was a little lighter so Jeff and I could test the 12m Nemesis HP and the 11m 2008 Waroo proto.

Veronica gets ready for a session on the Waroo 9m proto.

Jeff launches me on the 12m Nemi...

Wind was about 15-16 knots and I'm 190lbs - man, this 12 Nemi has some power and boost!

And it turns super fast and loops great!

Jeff heads out on the 11m Waroo proto.

And then gets styley for Gavin...

Jeff and I then swap kites, but they are both so good, I tried to ride both at once.

A quick loop on the 11m Waroo

Another great day in Brazil testing amazing kites built by a German who can't drive.