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Rider Interview: Sami Gali on Kite Course Racing
Posted Saturday 22nd September, 2007
Photos by Roberto Foresti/Canon
When I first got into kiting, the kite events and competitions I went to seemed mostly about "Who's the Best Freestyle Rider?" ... ie, who can do the best and hardest tricks. But slowly, over
the last couple of years, the emphasis has been changing, and competitive formats are no longer just freestyle,
but combinations of wave-riding, boardercross, kickers and sliders, old-school big air, and recently, Kite
Course Racing ... not just on the local and national levels, but on both the KPWT and PKRA International Tours
as well.
Kite Course Racing ... not to be confused with pure Speed Racing (where the course is a straight line and
the goal is to go as fast as you can) ... is more like traditional sailboat racing, with all the traditional
racing rules (such as who has right-of-way when passing, etc). The courses may vary with each race, and are
set up and marked by buoys or boats, and generally involve at least one upwind and downwind stretch (at various
possible angles, depending on the course) ... and if you foul another rider (or someone sees you doing something against the rules) there could be a protest after the
race and you could get disqualified. So while it sounds pretty straightforward and easy, and to some extent,
any rider CAN compete, it's not so easy to do well and be competitive, finishing consistently at the top of the
pack. Maybe 2 years ago, you could show up with your freestyle setup and do well, but now it's all changing:
the equipment is becoming extremely technical and purpose-built, and more and more people have become interested
in pushing the strategic aspect of the sport.
If you've been following the PKRA racing reports, then, the name "Sami Gali" will definitely ring
some bells. It certainly perked us up here, at the Best Headquarters in Florida, since Sami also happens to
be one of our own, working for Best Action Sports Europe as Director of Finance and Operations. So of course,
watching him explode onto the scene, and following him through the tour (albeit only on paper) has been
extremely interesting for us to follow. Finishing 2nd in Portugal, 3rd in Fuerteventura, and 1st in Germany,
Sami finished the tour ranked second overall, due to an organizational decision to discard one result ...
otherwise, he would have finished first and would have won the title of World Champion. In addition to kite racing, and his job working for Best, Sami also
happens to be head judge of the PKRA.
Recently, Sami took some time to answer a few of my questions, about himself, his life, and the up-and-coming sport of Course Racing.
~Stacey
Sami Gali in Portugal
What nationality are you and where do you live now?
I'm Spanish, living in Costa Brava, close to Barcelona.
What languages do you speak?
Spanish, Catalan, English and French.
When did you start kiting?
I used to spend some time in Maui in the winter windsurfing, and I remember winter 1998, not a lot of wind and a bunch of people kiting from Hookipa to Kanaha, jumping and having fun while we were just waiting for some wind and waves. I said to myself, "That's the future," and I rushed to Hi-Tech to get one of those kites.
How did you become interested in kiting?
Since then, when I got my first kite in Maui and went back home I didn't stop. Having a lot of fun learning how to kite and developing boards, then I opened the first kiting school in Tarifa and afterwards, organized competitions. Red Bull contacted me in 2000 to be the Race Director for the first Red Bull Tarifa Sky Ride and I designed the competition format.
Did you do any other water sports before you starting kiting?
I've been competing in Windsurf for more than 10 years.
Start of a race
What do you do for Best?
I'm Director of Finance and Operations for Best Action Sports Europe S.L., being responsible for the financial, administrative and operational aspects of Best subsidiary in Europe.
How did you get involved with Best, and when?
On February 2006 when Best opened it European subsidiary in Barcelona, I had some conversations with Sebastian, the European manager and then with Ian, Best CEO.
What did you do before you worked for Best?
I was General Manager in Spain during 7 years for a large sports and leisure international group managing and developing sport resorts, most of them related to surfing, windsurfing and kiteboarding activities.
On the podium at the Tarifa Nationals
What is (and has been) your involvement with the PKRA?
I've been International Judge for the PKRA since 2001 and Head Judge since 2005.
How do you manage both responsibilities, with all that traveling?
During the PKRA events I'm 100% focused on the competition, but thanks to new technologies (internet, Skype) together with some long nights catching up with my work at Best, I manage to combine both when traveling.
Between Best and the PKRA, your life sounds like it's pretty much kite kite kite. Do you have other interests that you have time to pursue in any off-time?
Besides kiting and spending time with my family. I love music and I used to play piano at home.
Just off the podium in Germany, with his wife Gina, who also rides and races for Best. Gina, incidentally, also won the Germany event, and finished 3rd overall in the PKRA Racing Tour.
How and when did you become interested in course racing?
I've been always interested in exploring all aspects and potential of this fascinating sport. In 2002, after several kiteboarding injuries from the early years of Freestyle, I was just focused on waveriding after a kiteboarding trip to Maui. So basically, I've been riding directional boards since then and looking for waves.
I always believed in the racing discipline since the primal aspect of all sailing sports is: "who is the fastest guy in the water?" I've been racing in windsurfing a lot and the first racing experience kiting was in a PKRA stop in Canada in 2006.
What kind of set up do you use ... kites, boards, line lengths, etc?
This year I've been riding directional boards and Waroo Pro kites for Racing.
Sami racing in Portugal on his Waroo Pro
How has your gear set-up evolved, since you first started racing?
I‘ve been thinking on the equipment after my first kite-racing experience in Canada. Since them everything has evolved. I enjoy developing the equipment and putting my input from my windsurfing racing experience together with my kiting experience.
What are the starts like, in the races of the PKRA? Are you required to start port tack or starboard tack, or does anything go?
Every start is completely different and you have to rethink your strategy again and again. There are so many factors that can change: wind direction, current, number of competitors, orientation of the starting line, the course ...
Start of a race in Fuerteventura
How long does each race take, in general?
It really depends from the course, number of laps and wind intensity. Between 10 to 30 minutes.
What are you thinking in terms of strategy, at the start, on the downwind tack ... ie, what's going on in your mind during the race?
The strategy is a key factor while racing. Like windsurfing, kiteboarding races are physically very demanding and while you have to be focused on the physical and technical part. At the same time you have to keep your mind very clear and rethink your strategy constantly according to the moving and new parameters you are facing.
Do you worry about losing your board? Have you ever lost your board?
If you are worried about losing your board, definitely you are not fighting for the podium.
(Point noted by the interviewer. It is no surprise, then, why she lost all her races in San Francisco.)
Start of a race in Portugal
Where do you think the sport is headed, in terms of equipment? What do you see people experimenting with, on the tour?
The equipment war is still open; anyone with good sailing skills and racing experience can arrive with a new racing gun and beat everybody. There is still controversy with the directional and bi-directional boards or even with the foils. For next year, tacking with directional bards will be a must for the top guys. I also think that there is still a lot of work to be done with the kites.
Sami racing in Portugal
Where do you see Course Racing as an event on the PKRA going?
There will definitely be more races with more prize money next year. This discipline will become very professionalized in the near future.
What are your competitors racing on ... is anyone still riding regular production twintips and doing well with them?
Yes, I saw guys winning some races with production boards, but looks like if you want to win the event, there are still not very competitive racing production boards in the market yet, so it's normal that most of the top guys are riding custom boards at this stage of the discipline.
What have your results been this year, and where are you ranked?
I was 2nd in Portugal, 3rd in Fuerteventura and 1st in Germany. Without any discards, I will be standing first but because the organization decided to discard one result for the final ranking I'm second.
Do you plan on continuing to race next year?
We'll see ...
Portugal Top 3
I'm mostly interested in your board. I know you like the Pros for speed kites, but I rode my 11m Pro in SF for the racing nationals, but for me, it was MUCH more about the board than the kite. What are your thoughts on that?
I think that is not only about the board, there are so many other factors that you have to find the set up that works for you. The board, the kite and you with your technique have to become one, and you have to work for that. There is no magic recipe.
(Darn. Point noted AGAIN by the interviewer. It shows how much she knows, and it also disappoints her to find that there is no magic recipe. She wanted it to be EASY!)
Sami, out in front in Fuerteventura
What's the worst racing moment you've had?
I really had some. Airline companies lost my equipment in Portugal and in Fuerteventura so I remember standing in the beach watching the first race of the year without my equipment and getting as much points as possible or battling with borrowed equipment in Fuerteventura for 3 days.
Also, I won the last race in Portugal that gave me the final victory for the event, but then they disqualified me because of a protest for touching the rope of the buoy that was set up incorrectly. This disqualification cost me the first place on the event and at the end the world champion title.
The best one?
When I finally started an event in Germany with my equipment and won.
On the podium in Germany
Any racing tips you'd care to share with the public?
I think this discipline will be really popular and kiters with all levels can enjoy the competition aspect of this sport because while racing everybody is having his own experience during the race, and you will find that it's very rewarding to share your experience with the others after the race regardless of your result.
(Ahh, finally something the interviewer can relate to! Yes, the interview DID find that. Despite the interviewer's dead-last finish in all races but one in the recent US Kiteboarding Nationals in SF, she DID have a very rewarding experiennce sharing her experience with others!)
Thanks, Sami! We appreciate your time in answering these questions, and wish you and Gina all the best success in your future in course racing!