The new kiteboarding season started extremely successful for the Naish Kite team. Every single international event was dominated by the best riders on Naish equipment.
MONDIAL DU VENT-LEUCATE-FRANCE (10-16 April)
The first stop in the south-east of France challenged all competitors with the toughest wind conditions. Trying to demonstrate his abilities in more than 40 knots of wind, the favourite of the event, Flash Austin broke his ribs and could not compete in the event.
But the strength of the whole Naish Team was unbeatable for the rest: Naish teamrider Chris Gilbert from Maui won the Freestyle competition on his brand-new ARX kites and his new wakeboards. The Naish triumph was completed by Mark Shinn (Spanish Naish teamrider) on third place. Mark uses the ARX-kites as well as the brandnew Naish wakeboards. Chris showed incredible control on his aerial jumps and his unique style on a wakeboard. The battle with Franz Olry (who ended up second) was tough, but Chris won for his best variety and landing his 40 feet jumps and rotation in the air.
Our new teammember Lou Wainman was present as a special guest. He didn’t compete in the Freestyle-discipline but made the greatest show on the side by winning the ‘Best Trick’ event on his new R3 kite. Lou dominated the field. His winning trick is called the KGB and it is considered already the ’manouver of the year’. Lou:" It’s a stalled back loop with inverted handlepass upside down, then rewind to land same way that you started." Got it?
12’ CHIA CLASSIC TISCALI ACQUAMAN TROPHY SARDINIA, ITALY (11-16 April)
While most of the pros were competing in France, Mauricio Toscano, Max Bo and Niccolo Porcella went to Italy.
Our youngest “little ripper” Niccolo Porcella, the thirteen year old Italian, won his first contest surprizing everybody with his incredible talent and precise tricks. His victory against all the best Italians was clear in all the heats with a 3-0 judging scoring. Niccolo used his 4.0, 5.5 and 7.5 ARX kites.
Kiteboarding World Championship Tour (KWCT) PODERSDORF, AUSTRIA (18-24 April)
The qualification event for the KWCT (Kiteboarding World Championship Tour) took place in Podersdorf at Lake Neusiedlersee, one hour east of the Austrian capital Vienna. It’s going to be remembered as the coldest kiteboarding event in history as well as the hottest one regarding parties…
The temperature of the air during the first few days of competition was
around 0 degree celsius (40 fhr) with strong and gusty chilly wind up to 25 knots.
The winner of the Leucate event, Chris Gilbert did it again in Austria and won the freestyle discipline clearly ahead of the pack. The variety of his jumps, the height and the precision of his tricks made the difference once again. Only his Naish-teammate Mauricio Toscano could get close to his routine, finishing second. A proof of his great skills and talent came from Niccolo Porcella who finished 6th Overall.
The Hang time competition was more a private party between Naish kitedesigner Don Montague and Naish teamrider Chris Gilbert. They wanted to find out, which of Don’s ARX-kites can stay in the air longer. No other kites were even close. Both stayed in the air amazing 5.89 seconds with their 11.5 ARX kite and they ended up sharing the podium.
Results
Freestyle:
1. Chris Gilbert Wake 140 ARX
2. Maurizio Toscano Custom ARX
6. Nicolo Porcella Wake 140 ARX
Hangtime:
T1. Chris Gilbert Wake 140 ARX
T1. Don Montague Mutant ARX
RED BULL SKYRIDE: Tarifa, Spain (April 27th to May 1st)
The Red Bull Skyride 2001 in Tarifa, will be remembered for a long time as a milestone of the new era of kiteboarding. The Naish kites and kiteboards overshade all the other brands in an embarassing way.
44 competitors from 11 different countries, including the best kiteboarders in the world were competing for 30.000 Euro, the highest prize money ever in a kiteboarding event. The Naish kite team dominated the scene once more, and it was the king of watersports himself, who won the Red Bull Skyride competition: Robby Naish pushed the limits of his ARX and his TT directional 5’2’’ on another level.
Robby keeps surprizing the watersport-world with his routine and his abilities, adapting new moves and technique, killing everybody with his consistency and perfect execution when it counts for the event. Winning a top competition at 38 years old, clearly shows, that he is the favorite for every event, where he shows up.
A special seat in the 'Naish Show Room' (and on the Freestyle podium) was reserved to our other team riders Adam Koch and Lou Wainman. Adam got second on his new Mutant kiteboard by an inch, but was definetly the surprize of the event for his explosive performance. The execution of his new move 'the Adam Bomb' and the beautiful execution of almost all the other tricks finally put the gentleman from Portland in the right spotlight. He prooved himself in Best Trick finishing third. For us, his performance is not surprising, since Don Montague had him working on the Naish Kite R&D all winter at Kite Beach in Maui, so we knew about his potential. Adam is 23 years old, fresh in enthusiasm and stimulation. He will surely be a star during the season and was happy enough to be able to sparkle between Robby and Lou. Lou got third in Freestyle but could have easily won the event if he was performing like in the magistral semifinal. What he showed during the day were surely the most radical moves that have ever been seen on the water.
The last the highlight of the event was the the crossing of the street of Gibralta Tarifa-Tanger on April 30. It was not a competitive event, but when Mark Shinn landed first on the Morocco border with his 11.5 Naish Kite, the total victory of the Naish team was completed.
Results Tarifa
Freestyle:
1. Robby Naish TT Directional 5’2’’ ARX 11.5
2. Adam Koch Mutant ARX 11.5
3. Lou Wainman Wake 145 R3 11.5
Best Trick:
1. Jamie Herraiz Custom ARX 17.5
2. Robby Naish TT Directional 5’8’’ ARX 19.5
3. Adam Koch Mutant ARX 19.5
4. Maurizio Toscano Custom ARX 19.5
5. Chris Gilbert Wake 140 ARX 19.5
Marocco Crossing:
1. Mark Shinn Wake 150 ARX 17.5
2. Robby Naish TT Directional 5’2’’ ARX 17.5
All these results proove, that the Naish Kiteteam is by far the best team in the world and that the Naish kites and kiteboards are the most superior products in the market. It shows the dedication of all our riders, their incredible team spirit and it gives us even more motivation to continue our market leadership.
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