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Kristin Reports from Brazil, on the KPWT ... REVISED VERSION WITH CORRECT PICTURES
Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007
(Note from Kristin: The following report contains my "real" pictures
from Brazil and the Dealer Day Meetings. I'd planned to send them to Stacey before
my trip to Tonga, but the internet at the airport in Auckland "abandoned" me, so
I could only send the text from a very slow internet cafe on the main island of
Tonga (Tongatapu). I was kind of bummed that I couldn't send any of the pictures,
and left civilization and any kind of connection to the outside world for 10 days
without knowing what was going to happen to my report.
First thing I did when I came back was to check the Best website - and when
I saw the pictures Stacey had added to it I started laughing out loud and was soooo
glad that I was not able to send my pictures! Maybe I should never send my own pictures
anymore! Anyway ... here are some of my original pictures. If you read the first
report, I am sure you will know what I mean.)
It was very nice to come back to Brazil, a little bit like coming home. I spent so much time here over the last years and it is always nice to go somewhere where you know the people and the hotels and car rental places and so on. As the KPWT Superkite World Cup took part right in Cumbuco in front of the Eco Paradise this year I went straight to Cumbuco and took a room in the Posada "Dunas do Cumbuco," very close to the competition spot and very relaxed and quiet. I arrived 3 days before the competition actually started and as Gavin was in Brazil too we took the chance to shoot together for 2 days.
The Competition Site
The first day I got to ride the Nemesis HP and the second day I flew the new Waroo. I found both kites very easy to fly and so it was nice to shoot on them. As always I had fun shooting with Gavin, but as always, something had to go wrong. So the first day my leash broke after 5 minutes of shooting and the kite flew away. Luckily, another kiter helped me to get it back and we could continue shooting, without a leash. The next morning unfortunately I forgot to bring my spare leash. Oh well, we worked it out somehow and were able to actually shoot with leash later on. The next day was registration day and I was so unbelievably tired from traveling and shooting that I had to take off to be able to ride at the competition.
Fisherman's hut at the Taiba Lagoon
Then, from the 3rd to the 7th of October the KPWT world cup Brazil was on. With 69 competitors and the 4 disciplines Freestyle, Wave, Race and Hangtime there was a lot to do and so we finished the Freestyle Single elimination on day one. I actually had great fun in perfect conditions and won the singles. For the next 3 days we run waves in the morning and freestyle in the afternoon, which meant that we had to get up every morning super early to drive to the wave spot which was 10 minutes downwind of the freestyle spot. For this reason and to be able to rig up in time for me heats I actually rented a buggy, and YES! I actually drove a buggy again! Who would have thought that I would ever dare to do so again?
But all went well, I did not only NOT destroy the buggy, I also won the wave competition and was more then stoked about that!
Me and the buggy I didn't destroy
On the podium, 1st in Waves
On the second last day we run the race which was followed and filmed by a helicopter and was a great event. A long course was set with local boats as markers and people at the beach cheering for the winners that came in. Even better for me, as I managed to also win the race! What a week, and not even finished yet. The freestyle double finals were kept for Sunday afternoon, just before the price giving. Even Alex Shogren and his girlfriend Veronika came to watch and cheer for me and were my lucky charms.
Lucky Charms
In the most challenging conditions of the week I was able to pull of an alright heat and won the Freestyle as well! I think I really like Brazil! ;-)
On the podium, 1st in Freestyle
There was only one disadvantage of my good results at the competition. The evening before the Freestyle Finals was the evening of the BEST Party 2007 and even though I went out with the whole Best crew for dinner and went to the Party as well, I had to go to bed early and could not really party so much. But it looks like everybody else had great fun at least.
Bucky and AlexB
Gavin with the girls
I had one day left in Brazil and I really wanted to take the chance to try the new kites again. So I met up with Alex, AlexB, Bucky and Gavin in Taiba and rode Waroo and HP again. I totally and completely loved the HP - so direct, so easy to fly, such a great lift. I was simply having great fun and did not want to stop kiting anymore.
In Taiba with the Boys
But well, I had to as I had to go to the airport to catch my flight to Malaga in the evening to go to the Dealer's Meeting in Tarifa for one day. I was happy that Alex Brown choose to take the same flight and we could travel together.
We were both tired sitting at the airport and further on during the flights.
In Lisbon our plane had quite a big delay, which made me a bit nervous as I only had 20 hours in Tarifa anyways, but it only got worse: getting into the plane that was supposed to fly us to Malaga, we knew that our board bags would never fit in.
And right, we arrived in Malaga without all our bags and it took us forever to claim the lost baggage and to make sure we would see the bags again soon.
Bad for me as I was going to fly from Malaga to Lisbon, to London and Auckland the next day to go to the Cindy Mosey Island Odyssey - Without my bags? Oh well, for now it was Dealer Meeting time and we just arrived in time for the fun race. We met Ian, Richard, Sebastian and sooo many dealers at the beach as they were just having the skippers meeting. Of course I wanted to compete with them and get wet after such a long flight. So I got into my wetsuit, got a kite and a board, had the completely wrong set up on straps and bar, but had fun on the water and was glad I got to kite with everyone!
In the evening we went all out for dinner and even partied a little (even though AlexB and I had missed the party of the year the night before). I even drank some wine and enjoyed the evening very much.
JeffG, Lia, and Kian from the Delray Beach HQ
The next morning I got up at 8 and went to kite with Ian for a last session. It was the first time that we actually kited together! Unfortunately I had to leave too soon and had to get on my next flight already. I would love to come back for the next meeting, but for more then one day! Hope everyone is enjoying Tarifa and all the new equipment still! I would be!
Well, am in Auckland at the airport now after 40 hours of traveling. My plane to Tonga leaves soon and I will be on a little island together with 25 girls for the Cindy Mosey Island Odyssey - far away from civilization, with no internet and phone reception. I will definitely report about an surely amazing event as soon as I come back and say all the BEST for now!
~Kristin