The List: The 24 Best Photos of 2009
The List: The 24 Best Photos of 2009
What would you do if an ankle-nipping border collie chased you through the horse pasture? Jon Modica finds a creative way to escape, until he reaches the other side of the pond and the dog happily greets him.
Photo: Adam Koch The Slider Project
With this new massive fun box added to the already-established assortment of rails and kickers built by The Slider Project crew, the Hood River, Oregon, kite park attracts the best wake-style riders
in the business, like freestyle guru Ruben Lenten (shown here).
Photo: Lance Koudele Urban Assault
Flysurfer team rider Lennart van Schuilenburg takes advantage of the Netherlands’ flat landscape as the wind flows smoothly into this skate park for a nighttime kite session to remember.
Photo: Ramon Schoenmaker Ooh La La
All you have to do to hang out with kiteboarding beauties Susi Mai and Tuva Jansen is buy yourself a private island in the British Virgin Islands like Virgin mogul Richard Branson. Otherwise, keep dreaming.
Photo: Tracy Kraft Slice of Heaven
No, this is not an actual 136 cm Jimmy Lewis Park board; it’s Dustin and Christine Hall’s wedding cake, with edible foot straps and all. Kudos to Dustin for establishing his priorities early on. Weeks before the wedding, Dustin sent his Jimmy Lewis board to Lewis for a minor ding repair. When Lewis heard about the cake, he sent back a brand-new custom board as a wedding gift. Now we would like to see an edible kite to go with it. Who knows, you might get a free kite.
Photo: Nicole Rule Wipeout
You’re not learning unless you’re crashing! As much as we like to see a perfectly executed KGB, the occasional free-falling, ball-smacking, water-inhaling wipeout can be equally, if not more, entertaining.
Photo: Enrique Abreu Ride at Your Own Risk
Not long ago, kiteboarders avoided obstacles at all costs. Now, a core group of riders are magnetically pulled toward them, like Kevin Steen, who rides the wall on this John Wayne Slider in Hatteras, North Carolina.
Photo: Tracy Kraft Dreaming of Tubes
While most of us merely dream of kiting a nicely breaking wave, seasoned pros — like Naish team rider Reo Stevens — are all too familiar with an epic shacking. Note to self: Step one to manifesting the dream of getting barreled is buying a ticket to Reunion Island (pictured) or another near-perfect break.
Photo: Stephanie Fournet Near Decapitation
Dimitri Maramenides resurrects the old-school one-footer with a bit of personal style — and nearly severs his head.
Photo: Bryan Harvey Beach Doctor
While most riders think pumping up their kites is enough of a warm-up for a hard-core session, Dr. Sarah Ellis can give you real tips on how to stretch before riding. You’d be an idiot not to let the doc warm you up.
Photo: Elea Faucheron Invisible Board
The next time you’re heading to the tropics, leave your snorkel behind and pack your see-through board instead. Eight months ago, North team rider Dirk Hanel had a crystal-clear vision as he began experimenting on a transparent kiteboard made of Acrylite. This CNC-shaped kiteboard comes complete with foot bed inserts and a custom rocker. Although for now this is a bit of a novelty, it could be a glimpse into the future.
Photo: Roberto Foresti/Canon Excess Rubber
While it was more than warm enough to ride in just shorts when this shot was taken in southern Florida this spring, Damien LeRoy threw on NPX’s Lucifer drysuit for some R&D. A bit of sweat isn’t so bad when you’re getting paid to kiteboard.
Photo: Tom Leroy Influenced
Surfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding and even motocross all made an indelible mark on kiteboarding, and as shows here with a kickflip at the Pro Pool on Maui’s North Shore, skateboarding and wakeskating are influencing our sport as well.
Photo: Rachel Hastilow Swell summer
Although Sky Solbach avoids wearing wetsuits at all costs during the summer, it’s not too hard to persuade him to suit up for clean, head-high surf at the Oregon coast.
Photo: Richard Hallman Stuffed
While this Airush van is absurdly full of kiteboarding gear, there is still enough room for three Aussies, three Frenchies and one American to squeeze in and tour Western Australia’s epic coastline. That must be one stinky van!
Photo: Dave Tyburski Bombs Away
As crab fishermen set up their traps, Kevin Langeree acid drops off this dock in Hatteras, North Carolina, successfully scaring the crabs to safety, and rides away, leaving two pissed-off crabbers wondering what in the world just happened to their dinner.
Photo: Bryan Elkus Travel Bug
After traveling across the entire Pacific Ocean from his hometown of Coolum, Australia, Ben Wilson couldn’t wait to score on the frigid Oregon coast.
Photo: Lance Koudele Jibbing in Paradise
Beautiful location? Check (Antigua). Great wind and perfectly flat water? Check. World-class obstacle park? Check. With a perfect playground in his backyard, Jake Kelsick bonks a barrel following a stylie board slide.
Photo: Tracy Kraft No Wind? No Problem!
It’s not every day you see a kiter out on a glassy body of water, but this Flysurfer SilverArrow kite has ridiculously good low end, making such an illogical concept a reality.
Photo: Courtesy Flysurfer Steezie Slezy
In one of the most stylie presses we’ve seen recently, Jason Slezak tests out the comfort of his Liquid Force limited-edition Synergy CT bindings and the flex core and grind base of his new 2010 Liquid Force Influence Grind kiteboard.
Photo: Gregg Gnecco Wind Awareness
Got an iPhone and an insatiable curiosity about the wind’s speed? Then put your wonder to rest a by turning your cell phone into a wind meter. That’s right, your iPhone can even help you pick what size kite to rig. Download this handy app at goingapps.com. Electrified
Waters don’t get much prettier than this. Jeremie Tronet throws a powered kite loop over the electric blue waters on the island of Francisqui Abajo in the Los Roques, Venezuela, archipelago.
Photo: Linn Svenden A New Kind of Board-Off
Hood River, Oregon, local Jim Bison tries his hand at starting a new sport: kitebarefooting.
Photo: Gavin Butler Where Not to Learn
Generally, kiteboarders choose this sport to stand out a bit more than the average guy. Well, if you take a kiting trip to Tarifa, Spain, good luck getting noticed!
Photo: Susi Mai show less...
