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Complete- Kitetricity Canaveral To Vero Race PHOTOS!
First Installment, the START, more to follow soon
A.J. Morgan from Kitetricity.com decided to put on a downwinder distance kite race starting in Cape Canaveral and finishing in Vero Beach. The race covered over 56 miles in winds and seas ranging from around 20 mph and double head high in spots. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/...Race_Route.jpg There have previously been distance races further south from Jupiter to Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Lauderdale to Miami. Things are moving north, good thing! There is so much coastline in the state. We've only touched on a small fraction in races so far. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/...t_IMG_9364.jpg Captains meeting bright and early detailing what to look for, avoid and tips for riding down to Vero. Had 22 riders register for this one. Wonder how many would have shown up if they had a better idea of what fun they were missing? Next time. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Cape.jpg A look north toward the inlet and kiters way in the distance. That is the Shuttle Assembly building, I think, don't know the name of that other construction. This is the Space Coast after all. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Launching.jpg Getting ready all around http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Start.jpg Rig up and get launched, miles to go http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/setup_IMG_8060.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/dunes_IMG_8040.jpg Wide, hard beaches up this way and nice waves too http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/start_IMG_8064.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Shrimper.jpg AJ wisely set up a running start along a line projected seaward from a flag on the beach. This saves wrapped kites on the beach during feverish launches. Although, there was still one wrap, for old times sake? http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/setup_IMG_9392.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Chris_IMG_8089.jpg Chris is over from Tampa after running the recent Tampa Bay Kiteboard Masters http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Start_still.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Sean_starts.jpg Sean is ready to hit it, more than any of us realized! Sean is quite the powerhouse be it free style or hard hitting distance racing. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Andy_IMG_9404.jpg Andy is tuned in, camelpak in place and is just itching for the flag to GO http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Start_area.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Gebi_start.jpg Gebi is ready too, these guys compete at a high level and really take to it http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/start_IMG_9399.jpg AJ and troops ready to send the riders blasting down the coast http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/start_IMG_9424.jpg They're off, less one, soon to catch up with a vengance though http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Off.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/...VR_1.sized.jpg They're running fast downwind, Gebi is soon to follow CLICK photo for full size image http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Off_II.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album385/Pier.jpg Already passing the pier almost 2 miles away seemingly in minutes. That's the START, the best part is still coming, the RACE stay tuned. Big thanks again to A.J., the volunteers and the RIDERS for bringing this fun even about! A.J is talking about doing another one of these great races in the fall, so get training. Also, he has the third running of yet another fun flat water event, the Kitetricity Kitebash on April 17 - 19, 2009. More at: http://fksa.org/showthread.php?p=39109 http://kitetricity.com/images/logo.jpg http://kitetricity.com |
Rick
sorry I was missing this race... ;-) next time for sure I will be there T. |
Hey Thierry,
Me too! Hope to ride in the next one in addition to shooting parts of it. Travel up went pretty fast around 2 1/2 hours. Unfortunately, heading back south the storms that blew through before and way south, during, the race had SE Florida underwater the rest of the day and night. Still, it was a fun day, lots more photos to come. Already processed for once too. |
The second installment of photos, THE RACE!
We've seen the start, now for the RACE! I sat this race out and so decided to chase along via car to leap frog ahead. Other folks were doing the same. These guys were going so fast staying ahead was hard! I think I drove for 17 minutes just to get ahead of them the first time. Even when the traffic lights thinned out the speed limit went up to 45 to 50 mph, it was still hard to keep up and get ahead. Amazingly enough I was rushing point to point for almost 2 1/2 hours and barely keeping up. I would think they were going over 30 mph at a lot of points (over a half mile per minute). I think I pulled over about three times plus climbing up the Sebastian Inlet Bridge. Always had to run to the car to play catchup with these guys, they were ripping fast down the coast. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/upcoast.jpg Looking north up the coast into the pack of kiters http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Chase.jpg If you guys were wondering what you looked like from the road, here it is. I was going 40 mph at points and it almost seemed like you were keep up, amazing. I think that is Kent, Gebi and Billy going from south to north. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Who_Sean.jpg Here comes Shawn. I didn't recognize him at first, wondering where's Billy with the Rasta Flexi kite? Didn't tumble that Billy had set him up with a kite for the race. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Andy_race.jpg There's Andy on the red kite and please help me out with the other rider. Nice waves washing through too. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/incoming.jpg Remember that late start Gebi had? That's his white and red Cabrinha in the leading group. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/running.jpg There's Damian, closely followed by Billy and Kent is body dragging to recover his board. Despite small hassles and delays like that, these guys ate up the miles after getting back to the front area leading the riders. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Sean_5.jpg Sean runs through the white stuff http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Kent.jpg Kent flashes past with some big waves running http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/andy_n_gebi.jpg Andy and Gebi go to back light ripping along http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/lead.jpg Looking south after the leaders pass. That is Sean in front, followed by Kent, then Graham I think and Gebi smoking along http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Andy.jpg Andy goes into the trough http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/coast.jpg http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Billy.jpg Billy riding well through some big stuff http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/gebi.jpg Gebi blasts south http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Josh.jpg Josh is cranking fast too and looking at ease in the waves http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Sean_n_Kent.jpg Sean and Kent, waves are still running pretty good http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/race_IMG_8236.jpg A look up the line, the guys are spacing themselves out although swap placement fairly frequently throughout the 55 mile run. There's Sean, Kent, Andy, Blue Kite (help me out here), Gebi and Graham from south to north http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Sean_leads.jpg Here's Sean ahead of a mountain of foam http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Kent_001.jpg Kent riding real fast and popping up off small wavelets. The control and stamina required to maintain such high speeds over 55 miles is impressive. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Billy_IMG_8339.jpg Billy cooks along http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Graham_2.jpg There goes Graham, these boards got rockets? Looks like it! Sky is darkening to the south. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Josh_001.jpg Josh again. Reminds me of something someone said after one of the Jupiter to Ft. Lauderdale Races about wasting all those great waves along the way! http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Storm_VR.sized.jpg Working further south towards Sebastian Inlet. You can see the guys way to the north, actually got some lead time on them for once. No traffic lights! How's it go? "Something Evil this way comes?" Yep, there it is looming to the south, a nice storm cell. Lots of guys opted to ride in and wait for this to pass, not everyone though. Thing about squalls, you NEVER know what they'll throw down, dead calm, no change or 60 kts. plus gusts with wild direction changes until you're in them. Lots of guys have been caught in them too, still what is it they say, oh yeah "not me," sure hope so. CLICK PHOTO for full sized image http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Sean_squall.jpg There goes Sean, descending into a grim landscape of storm http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/sebastian.jpg Leapfrogged ahead and ran up to the top of Sebastian Inlet bridge. You can see the guys kites ripping along just above the canopy of skunk palms. That's Sean, Kent, Billy, Gebi and Graham from south to north. The inlet is a short distance south. You can see mist from driving rain to the east. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/KENT_N_SEAN.jpg Kent eases out and ahead of Sean. Sebastian Inlet provided a lot of challenges to the racers. Getting as far offshore as possible helped with them but the wind and waves made that very hard to almost impossible. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/...t_VR.sized.jpg A view from the top. You can see rain clouds to the north, hard to keep your camera dry at times too. Some guys are passing the inlet from the north and if you strain you can see some distant dots way to the south. Big waves in the middle. Making to windward against those seas off the shore was a hard thing to do. I know low tide was close to this time. I have heard stories saying the water was coming in or still going out at this point. Which was it? CLICK PHOTO for full sized image http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/SEAN_IMG_8392.jpg There goes Sean http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Kent_Inlet.jpg Kent moves along making as far to seaward as feasible http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Kent_south.jpg Kent passes the south jetty and really works out. Some nice sized waves running too. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Billy_jetty.jpg Here comes Billy, getting ready for the final push in the last 17 miles to the finish. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Gebi_IMG_8444.jpg Gebi is airborn over the waves easing past the north jetty, until ... http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Gebi_Graham.jpg His flight lines get wrapped with a fishing line?!!! Strong wind, outgoing current and whatever the fisherman has on the end of his line rushing towards you to snag or otherwise grab a bit of flesh. Not good and no fun either. Graham passes by and luckily clears the line to seaward. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Andy_inlet.jpg There's Andy http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Sean_and_Kent_S.jpg Looking south, Sean and Kent fight for first place in the running http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/Damian.jpg Damian descends into the trough, he's a big guy too, takes a big wave to do that. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album386/south.jpg The view down the coast. I think that is Sean and Kent in front, followed by Billy and then by Graham. Gebi cleared his fouled lines and jetted up fast shortly after. I had to run down the bridge and into my car to blast down the coast to be in time to catch the first arrivals. I regret not hanging on longer to shoot some of the rest of the riders rushing in from the north. Little did I know that the wind would ease, clock more to dead onshore and make getting around the inlet virtually infeasible. A lot of guys were stopped at the north jetty. Jay opted to hop into the cut and kite out bypassing the barrier of the waves pounding on the north jetty. More to come, there's the finish to still put up. |
Great shots Dan, thanks for putting them up. I particularly appreciate the ones of the closing ceremony as I was already jetting back south when it took place to try for another shoot. I didn't know that about AJ's run, the stuff that riders go through on these distance races!
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Final Installment, the FINISH
So, the racers charge on south for over two hours and then off in the distance to the north a kite would suddenly come into view. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Incoming.jpg The kiter would work his way around the point, then boost big, drag inland or run up the beach to be officially logged in. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/...e_IMG_9476.jpg The ladies heard some of the guys would be landing hot and so equiped themselves with a tidy foxhole. It also provides a place to avoid some of the wind. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Sean_finish.jpg Sean is first to make it in with a time of 2 hours, 18 minutes http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Sean_finish_001.jpg First or not, he is knackered like so many other riders to come http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Billy_beach.jpg Next comes Billy skidding into shore with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Kent_finish.jpg Next Kent lands with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Gebi_finish.jpg Then Gebi comes in with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes and first in the over 40 category. Lots of guys complained of intensely burning legs. Sean kept saying his leg was hurting, I would ask which one? The strain on two legs is intense but with one leg taking a major multiplier more load and strain in something like this is impressive. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Graham_IMG_8581.jpg Then there's Graham at 2 hours, 23 minutes http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Guys.jpg The guys gather round for comparison of experiences on the way down http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Damien_finish.jpg Then we have Damian at 2 hours, 26 minutes http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Holdouts.jpg Damian went out for riding for another hour shortly after landing, joined by Gebi. Core riders these guys. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/andy_IMG_8597.jpg Andy came in at 2 hours, 28 minutes. These guys were tight on their times. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Gebi_surf.jpg Gebi grabs some waves that he doesn't have to blow by for once http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Kent_Maui.jpg Maui easily out distances Kent and looks fairly smug about it too http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/...h_IMG_9539.jpg Josh makes it in 2 hours, 38 minutes and looks pretty relaxed too. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/K_n_M.jpg Kent is OK with it, he figures he'll get his own back when they do a directional board kite off! http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/finish_IMG_9559.jpg and finally their was Bjorn while I was still at the finish with a time of 3 hours, 13 minutes. My apologies for having to run south at this point and thereby missing taking photos of the rest of the finishers. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/D_n_M.jpg Damian tries to stare down Maui, grins all around. What Damian doesn't know is that Maui is a closet baggie thief. Loves to yank baggies off surfers and run off with them. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/D_n_M_II.jpg Maui charges after Damian desperately trying to get those baggies, Damian keeps a hand close by to protect, uh, things. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/...m_IMG_9544.jpg Josh poses with his mom. Is that great or what, both his mom and his lady come to watch him race. http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Tribute.jpg Here's a special thanks to the girlfriends, wives and SO's that aid and tolerate us in the pursuit of kiting! Same goes for guys too. A.J.'s results for the race: "1st Place: Sean Reyngoudt...2 hours and 18 minutes 2nd Place: Billy Parker...2 hours and 19 minutes 3rd Place: Kent Marinkovic...2 hours and 21 minutes 4th Place: Gebi...1st over 40...2 hour and 22 minutes.... 1st Place, and the Only Woman, and over 40...Debbie Jackson...4 hours and 26 minutes...You Rock Baby...My female Hero... We had a total of 22 Riders...Total of 57 miles... Here are rest of the places and times... 5th Place: Gram Goodwin...2 hours and 23 minutes 6th Place: Demian Thomas...2 hours and 26 minutes 7th Place: Andy Hurdman...2 hours and 28 minutes 8th Place: Josh Noe...2 hours and 38 minutes 9th Place: Bjorn Dinberg...3 hours and 13 minutes 10th Place: Jayson Orkins...3 hours and 26 minutes 11th Place: Bryan Schneider...3 hours and 30 minutes 12th Place: Doug Smith...3 hours and 54 minutes 13th Place: Craig Priddy...4 hours and 01 minutes 14th Place: Shaun Jackson...4 hours and 03 minutes 15th Place: 1st Place Woman...Debbie Jackson...4 hours and 26 minutes DNF People: Chris Levins Carlos Curti Jan Boersma Allen Lindsey Erick Lov Chris Moore Keith moore and Yes, I did not make it either...Just could not get around the Inlet..." http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/Capoeira_1.jpg I left around this time to shoot some Capoeira in Hollywood way down south. I didn't know that rain had pretty much shut things down. Cranked up on Sunday though, lots of great shots to come on that unusual practice. You can see some interesting images from a few year ago at: http://fksa.org/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=2289 http://www.fksa.org/albums/album387/end.jpg By for now, see you at the races! . |
Kitetricity race
Great pictures, Rick. Good work following the race, and a good job by A.J. too, since I'm sure organizing events like this take time.
I wish I could have been there, but I'm stuck in D.C. for a few months for work. But I'll be there next race. I'm sure Trace was watching too... Tom formerly of Valkaria :D, now stuck in D.C. :( |
Thanks Tom, glad I was there to capture some of the action. Sure is a nice area up that way. There are so many great and varied riding areas around the state. Hope you get over to MD for the odd wind break up north. Should be good wind tomorrow for the downwind race. Wish I could skip out from work but not this time. Have fun out there folks!
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Thanks Tom, glad I was there to capture some of the action. Sure is a nice area up that way. There are so many great and varied riding areas around the state. Hope you get over to MD for the odd wind break up north. Should be good wind tomorrow for the downwind race. Wish I could skip out from work but not this time. Have fun out there folks!
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