On The Fly
Issue 103 / Mon 19th Feb, 2024
What's going on inside the industry? This issue, we check in on some of the big moves in kiteboarding from Jesse Richman to Nathalie Lambrecht to Luca Ceruti. Follow Lorenzo Casati's KOTA adventure, learn how to stay busy in light wind, and get to know Katka Salandova. Check it out right here in On The Fly!
NEW AT NORTH // Nathalie Lambrecht
A few weeks ago, North Kiteboarding welcomed Nathalie Lambrecht to the team! Strong character, strong riding style, and strong equipment – a podium-performing trifecta for North's newest Big Air and Freestyle rider.
On how her kiteboarding career began, Nathalie says, "I started with old-school - that's what everyone around me was doing back then — tic tacs, backroll board-offs, and jumping real high. Then came social media, and I started seeing Freestyle online and Aaron Hadlow's progression videos. That looked cool, and I liked the idea of unhooking, so I started pushing Freestyle." With multiple podium performances in the Freestyle category, she has been a force to be reckoned with from the start!
Nathalie goes on to describe how she fell in love with Big Air, "Big Air started by accident. I was always scared of looping. I would watch King of the Air but could not see myself doing loops. Then, in Tarifa, it was 40knots, and I was doing some old school, which gave me a good result. Because of my overall GKA results, I ranked automatically in the first-ever Big Air event. I knew I had to start training, so I made one trip to Blue Lagoon, where I met Giel Vlugt and Mostafa Abbas. I learnt three loops in one session, which was easy because of my freestyle background. My only problem was fear, but all the tricks were there once I pushed past that."
On her reason for joining North, Nathalie says, "Matching visions and damn good gear. I've been on the same brand for many years, so initially, it was really scary to make a change. I'm excited to be riding North's high-performance gear and to compete in two disciplines - Freestyle and Big Air."
We can't wait to see what this year brings for Nathalie Lambrecht!
HOW TO // Improve your light wind kite skills
Andrea Zust and Peer Schnyder are back with another helpful how-to guide on kite skills after their recent trip to Tenerife, where the wind just wasn't strong enough to actually kite! Here's a sneak peek of the full article, but don't forget to visit our website for the entire guide!
Most of us have experienced it before. You book the ultimate strong-wind, wind-reliable kitesurfing holiday destination during the high season. You've been looking forward to it for weeks, checking the great forecast regularly and planning what tricks you want to learn next. And then it's finally time. You pack all your gear, get into the holiday mood, and are ready for some sun, fun, salt water, and wind action, but when you arrive, the wind just isn't strong enough to actually kite.
Now, if you are a light-wind kiter with good foiling skills and at least 15m foil kites, this might not be a problem for you. But if you happen to be one of the more regular twintip or strapless kiters, all your holiday enthusiasm and stoke suddenly crumble, replaced by frustration.
If there is no wind at all, we can't help you… you'll just have to make new holiday plans, maybe go sightseeing or try some other activities. However, if there is just enough wind for a kite to fly but not for riding, there are still some options left to improve your overall kiting skills. After all, practice makes perfect, right?! Even just flying a kite can help you improve your kite handling and become more confident on the water later on as well.
There are a few skills you can work on without riding on the water. If you are interested in finding out what these are exactly, keep reading. If you feel like your kiting skills are at their max already and there's nothing more to improve, think again. Can you safely loop a kite? When was the last time you've successfully done a self-rescue without making a huge mess with the lines or without losing your board on the way? Do you know the main tips and tricks of flying a tube kite in light wind? When was the last time you trimmed your kite lines?
Sounds like some skills we can all benefit from developing! Continue reading the article for advice on light wind techniques such as practising kite loops, flying a tube kite in light wind, practising self-rescues, trimming your equipment, and more...
Click here to read the full article!
BIG MOVES // Jesse Richman
In one of the most exciting announcements of the year so far, kiteboarding legend Jesse Richman joins the Ozone Team! It's a powerful match-up, and one that we're excited to see play out. With Jesse's background as one of the most decorated athletes in kiteboarding, and experience working with brands and other riders, there are certainly exciting times ahead!
On the announcement, Ozone says, "Bringing an incredible wealth of experience, we welcome Jese on board, into a full-time position that sees him go beyond being just our new team rider."
Jesse shares his feedback so far, saying, "The equipment, the team, the mindset. I couldn't be more excited to be riding Ozone. All expectations have been far surpassed after my first few sessions on the kites and wings. This is going to be wild!"
Stay tuned for more news on this incredible partnership!
BOX OFFICE // Unleash The Force
During the 2023 Red Bull King of the Air, one of the most gripping storylines was around Lorenzo Casati, who returned to defend his KOTA title with a new team behind him. While we're sure you're already aware of the outcome, the story is one well worth watching, and you can follow Lorenzo's journey in his latest film, Unleash The Force.
"Relive the heart-stopping moments of KOTA 2023, hailed as the most nerve-wracking final ever, quoting Alexander Morgenstern. Experience the love within the Casati family and witness Lorenzo's profound love for kiteboarding, a passion that sets him apart."
NEW ERA // Luca Ceruti
Rising star on the competitive Big Air scene, Luca Ceruti has made a big move over to FLYSURFER Kiteboarding, ready to take their new inflatable big air kite, the Era, to the podium!
The FLYSURFER team shares Luca's path to big air kiteboarding:
"Luca was born in Monaco with South African and Italian roots, giving him a unique cultural identity. Living on a boat during the first months of his life may have sparked his inseparable connection to the ocean and fueled his love for traveling.
At the age of 9, Luca discovered his true passion when he was introduced to kiting by his father. It seems that kiting has become an integral part of his life, as he spends more time on the water than on land.
He enjoyed training at the World Class Kiting Academy, which provided him with valuable skills and opportunities for personal and kiting development. His formative time there helped Luca significantly enhance his skills in the sport. Luca also holds an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Ticket and an IKO instructor certification.
Luca has participated in all international Big Air competitions for a year and a half! In this relatively short period, he has made significant progress and has made a name for himself in the scene. Under the expert guidance of his coach and driven by immense passion for the sport, support from his family, and collaboration with FLYSURFER, the stage is set for a successful future."
Watch the video to see Luca in action, and stay tuned as we see him take on the big air competition calendar in 2024!
PROFILE // Katka Salandova
She moved out to the Caribbean in order to follow her dream, started to compete in kiteboarding professionally, and is now training for the Olympics in race foiling. Laci Kobulsky interviewed Katka not only about her foiling career but, more importantly, about her work - mental coaching for athletes. Over the years, she helped many professional kiters like Paula Novotna or Bruno Lobo, but her tips in this article can help a wide array of athletes, beginners, and casual riders, not excluding them. Here are a few excerpts from the interview!
Laci: Where are you from, and what is your athletic history?
Katka: I was born and raised in the Czech Republic and lived there till the end of high school. My love for sport has started at a very young age. I learned to ski before I could walk, started snowboarding at the age of 12, and learnt it by myself in the backyard of my grandma's place. And then, when I was like 14, I saw kiting in some travel magazine and wanted to do it really badly, but my parents wouldn't support it. So I stayed with snowboarding, tennis and football ;-). In my early 20s, I got into rock climbing during my studies in Mexico and the Austrian Alps and finally started kiting, windsurfing and surfing. But it was in the past 4 years that I moved to the Caribbean and started following the wind properly.
Laci: Fun fact: You just took part in the GKA World Championship in freestyle hydrofoil, and you competed with the guys as the only girl! How was it?
Katka: Honestly, it was amazing! I just dared to go for big kiteloops, backroll kiteloops and kiteloop board off transitions. I have never gone so big. The conditions were the toughest I have ever had – big beach break, big waves and strong wind. And I have just been getting comfortable with strong wind in the past two weeks. On top of it, they changed the mode of the competition five minutes before my first heat. I was impressed how I managed to combine total calmness and joy with daring to go big and just send it, things I learned from my foil coach Alex Soto and mental coach Ann-Kathrin.
Laci: Your main focus right now is the Olympics and race foiling. How is it going so far?
Katka: Yeah, it was always my dream. My big question was: will I ever be able to reach the top level? This was one thing that was a bit limiting. I committed and was training a lot, but I always had this question on my mind: does this make sense? Will I be able to win?
After my first competition, after 5 months of training for the Pan-American games, I was in 20th place on the world ranking, which was an amazing achievement. I got into the rankings right after the women who have been training for a few years with a proper team and support around them. Right now, I am concentrating on better funding for my campaign in order to be able to compete on the same level as the other girls. Now, I am in the qualifying process. In the middle of March 2024, there is the European Championship, where I will be competing to qualify my country for the Olympics.
Laci: You also have a very interesting job. You studied psychology, and you try to help athletes overcome their fears and help them with their athletic goals. Tell us more!
I have a very innovative mind, and if I feel like things don't work or are not really helpful or effective, I try to find better solutions. I know how powerful progress can be - especially releasing fears or limitations and using your mind to its full power, using emotions well.
I see a lot of potential in the work I do with athletes. So, in order to fund my Olympic campaign, I have developed a framework and an online program through my business, Kelios Coaching, for athletes as a first step to a more effective way to peak performance.
Click here to read the complete interview with Katka Salandova, on her Olympic aspirations, adventures in the Dominican Republic, finding the flow state with foiling, overcoming fear, and how kiteboarding can lead to better mental health!
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