Here Comes The Kite Boarding Revolution

©Red Bull/Dean Treml

Media Release
November 19, 2002

Here Comes The Kite Boarding Revolution

From technically difficult wakeboard-inspired maneouvres to huge airs with plenty of time to get tricky, the progresson of kiteboarding is always a spectacular show.

The Red Bull Airlords kicks off on November 27 to December 1 with the aim of showing exactly what the best kiteboarders in New Zealand have been up to. Competition takes place in the ocean waters of Mangawhai Heads, 1hr 20mins' drive north of Auckland, with a line-up of local and international athletes guaranteed to turn heads skyward.

Among them will be New Zealand's World Champion of the sport, Nelson-born Cindy Mosey, who took the PKRA (Professional Kite Riders Association) 2002 world title after a year of travel to the world's kiteboarding hotspots. "Out of all the contests I've been to in the last year the Airlords is exciting because there are a lot of overseas competitors, the standard of New Zealand competitors is really high and the set-up is so relaxing. It's also beautiful and the conditions are good," says Mosey.

The 28-year-old is unphased by the prospect of competing against the guys at this year's contest. "It's a no-stress event - I can't wait!"

The Red Bull Airlords features 32 of the best kiteboarders from around New Zealand and the world in a week of competition that includes a Freestyle Day, Hang Time session, and, if time allows, a Best Trick contest. Athletes battle it out for the title of Air Lord and a share of the NZ$25,000 prize purse.

©Red Bull/Dean Treml

Last year's title went to Hawaiian water man Robby Naish, followed by U.S kiteboarding world tour star Adam Koch - who returns again this year - and Aucklander Gavin Broadbent. Broadbent - a former wakeboard world title-holder - won the Freestyle Day to finish 3rd overall at the 2001 Airlords.

He's aiming higher this year: "There's a bunch of different styles in kiteboarding at the moment and I'm confident the Airlords judges will know what's cool. I'm really looking forward to it, it'll be a good break away and it's always fun."

Others to look out for include Mt Maunganui's Dave Edwards, who has been working on what he calls "kite looping". Edwards: "With kite looping you're in the air doing a maneouvre and looping the kite at the same time. It's extremely fast and aggressive and if it goes wrong, it hurts as bad as it looks."

Edwards says no-one likes to give too much away before competition day, but the kiteboarding community is buzzing. "I've heard a lot of rumours about what other guys are doing right now and it's really smart. The style that's going to come out in this comp will be 10-fold what we saw last year. I'm really looking forward to it."

ENDS

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