Here’s why they’re so popular, first of all they do fly in almost any wind from light to strong. A heap of the kitesurfers have these stashed in the back of their cars for those days where it’s too light to go kitesurfing (See the photo of our team rider Henry with one!). And then when it’s absolutely nuking outside, there’s nothing louder than a Nexus on short lines in the park. IIt’s this versatility that makes them so appealing.

Kites get handed around between mates, especially when there’s beer or kids involved. So Prism have made the Nexus pretty strong. By using a fiberglass frame, the spars tend to bend and not snap, but if they do break it’s easy to find spares, and cheap to buy them. Same story with the lines too, despite their ultra thin appearance, the Spectra lines can handle a heap of pressure and will only break upon contact with objects such as sign posts and sharp trees.

Lastly, the Prism Nexus is cheap. $79 gets you the kite, spectra lines (worth $30 on their own!) and a really sturdy little bag to pack it in. That kind of money is in birthday present territory, so they’re also great for when you’re stuck for ideas, remember that a kite will always bring a smile to anyone’s face. They last forever too, so don’t be surprised if it’s still kicking in 10 years time.

Buy a Nexus online here, or drop by the store to check them out. Remember we’ll match any price on these little beauties!

So why is this a big deal? Well if you ask anyone who’s been on one of Ants kite surfari’s, they’ll tell you about sitting on the toilet with the wind blowing in their hair, watching the kiteboarders ride only a few hundred meters away. They may even mention that you had to hold on to your toilet paper pretty tight, because one slip and it would blow off into the distance… And you can’t run real fast with your pants around your ankles…

Check out the new toilet below, and if you’d like any more information on taking a Kite surfari this year, give us a call in the QLD store, or see all the info online here.

Finally! We’ve found a proper case for our GoPro Cameras! As you know, the Kitepower staff can be a little rough around the edges, so ever since we got our grubby hands on the GoPro cameras, we've have been on the hunt for a padded case. 
Eventually resorting to using stubby coolers and sunglass cases to keep their little bundles of joy safe and scratch free. But not any more!

Aussie designed by two guys, Vincent Chu and Jeremy Reitman, the BUFFA is a rigid, padded case specifically designed to fit the GoPro HD and HD2 Cameras. The soft inner lining protects the lens from scratches and prevents the camera turning on accidentally. They’re big enough to fit the camera inside its waterproof housing with one of the optional BacPacs attached, so you just unclip the camera from its mount and whack it in there, safe and sound.

We think they’re fantastic little units and immediately ordered them for ourselves, but lucky for you guys – we’re now an official WamBam retailer! So we’ve got stock on the shelves right now ready for you to check out. Drop by the QLD or NSW stores any time to see how good these things are.

Oh yeah – they’re under $40 too; so for less than 10% of the cost of the camera, you can keep it lookin’ brand new for years! BUT… Because we’re so stoked on them right now, we’re handing them out FREE with every GoPro HD2 camera we sell. Just mention this post to us when you come in and you’ll score one for absolutely nothing, and you can use the spare cash to get yourself some more mounts!

Check out the cases online here, or drop by the stores to cop a feel for yourself.

Throughout the day there were thrills, there were many spills and above all else: everyone learned to be super patient while they waited in line. The park was crazy busy with over 100 people waiting.

For most, it was their first time at cable, so the mandatory dues had to be paid by immediately falling off the dock and rejoining the back of the line. For the Kitepower Team, it was a chance to show off our moves to all of you guys, which actually turned out to be us making fools out of ourselves as we slid along the sliders on our bums, or went headfirst into the mud off the kickers. Hats off to Jacob who was extremely entertaining all day, topping it all off with a fantastic backflip off the big kicker just as the cable park closed.

All of the learners who went with the intention of improving their board skills left the park with a thorough understanding of how hard and fast the cable system can be. Most improved over the day and many even got up and rode around the park after a few attempts. Refueled by some tasty sausages at lunch, the girls resorted to using kneeboards to get around the first corner, and even managed to make it all the way around the course at least a couple of times.

Some people deserve a special mention, so I’ve decided to award some dubious prizes for the day. Winners all get Kitepower stickers for your car. (But remember Kitepower stickers are free, and if you want one simply drop by the shop any time!)

2012 Kitepower QLD Cable Awards

Award for the best dollar to lap ratio: David 
We reckon David got it down to about 20c a lap on Sunday, every time we looked up he was cruisin’ around, hopping about on his Cardboards FR.

Award for the fastest ride: Colleen 
With a total time of about four milliseconds, we were all looking down the first leg, wondering where she’d gone… But sure enough, Colleen pops up next to the dock with a huge smile, ready to go again after she’d (yet again) stacked the start.

Award for the best crash: Tarrik 
When we heard cheers from the last corner, we all assumed someone had done a massive trick. Turns out it was just Tarrik flying 2m high through the air with one foot in his board and the other waving to the crowd.

Award for the funniest trick: Jacob 
Jacob’s backflip off the kicker brought the house down. On his last run for the day (at 3.59) we heard him shout from the dock. He then proceeded to cut hard for the big kicker and launch himself into oblivion. We think the fact that he did it from a wake skate (with no footstraps) was the best part….

He was never going to make it.

Award for oldest equipment: Jackson 
Jackson rocked up to my house with an antique wakeboard made by Hobie (yes, the catamaran company), which he proceeded to use on the day. It had the worst bindings ever made, weighed a ton and had way too much rocker, but apparently it rode pretty well!

Just goes to show that you don’t need the latest and greatest to have fun on the water!

Award for the most improved: Paul 
After a failed attempt at a lesson on Friday when there was no wind, I invited Paul to come along to cable. Over the course of the day he managed to progress from riding two metres, to doing more than a full lap of the course. Not bad considering his experience!

Alright alright… here’s the picture you’ve all been waiting for. Nikki snapped this great sequence of Jacob’s award winning backflip off the kicker.

Previously, all candidates for IKO instructor training had to complete 40 hours shadowing with another instructor before they could do the course. Now, all candidates must complete the IKO Assistant Instructor course prior to the full Instructor course, and do 10 hours shadowing with an Instructor. This is great news for all those who are short on time, because you can save 30 hours of shadowing.

This decrease in shadowing hours does leave the onus on the instructors to get to a satisfactory standard before they begin training students solo. I remember when our newest instructor Dave began teaching for us, he spent almost an entire summer out there watching and learning various teaching techniques before he attempted a lesson by himself. Maybe that’s why he’s produced so many good riders this year?

Anyway, the long and short of it means you now have to pay an extra $50 for the Assistant Instructor handbook and exam, to first become an Assistant Instructor. So! If you were thinking of becoming an Instructor for next season, check out all the details here for the IKO course we’re running, and give us a call to discuss some shadowing options we’ve got over winter. With only 10 hours to do, we’ll be able to get it done before the course in September.

Click here to see more details about the course.

On a related note, how many of you knew about the IKO as an organisation? We’re currently wondering whether Kitepower being IKO affiliated influenced your decision to learn with us (or another school). Leave a comment below and let us know.

Have you put in your holiday requests for the best weekend in winter? Chances are you haven’t because we forgot to tell you when it is! This year the Kitepower QLD WINDter escape will be happening on Friday 31st August to Monday 3rd September at Inskip Point, Rainbow Beach.

Bring the family and make the most of the winter westerlies. Even if you just join us for the weekend, it’s a great place to be for a couple of days. Inskip Point works in all wind directions, and a short 4WD up the beach gets us to Double Island Point – the best place to kiteboard in Australia, according to the KPQ team!

For a change, this year we’ll be heading up the point a little further and camping in one of the Inskip Point camping areas. It’s a little cheaper, but there are no showers on site (but isn’t that what camping is all about?!). Best of all it’s right on the beach, so you can wake up, stumble over to the beach and pump up your kite for the day.  If you would like to have a shower, but still want to join in the fun, there are other sites close by. Give us a call and we’ll let you know where to stay.

Keep your eye on the blog for more details closer to the event, but remember this is the biggest family event of the year, so don’t miss it!

Check out last year’s event on the blog here.

What: Kitepower WINDter Escape
Where: Inskip Pt, Rainbow Beach
When: Friday 31st August – Monday the 3rd September.
How much: Good question, we're still working this cost of this totally awesome weekend of fun :)

If so, we have some good news for you!

Kitepower Sydney is organizing some fantastic trips for the winter season, to get away from the cold, dark and wet and enjoy some exotic locations and work on your kiting skills and learn new tricks.

These trips will be strictly limited to 10 kiters per trip, in order to ensure the supervision from our head instructor Thorsten.  Don’t wait too long, seats are selling fast!

At the moment we have the following dates and locations for you:

LORD HOWE ISLAND - July 21st-27th and August 18th-25th 2012

Lord Howe is very well known for the strong winter winds. The breezes are generated by intense low pressure systems that pass to the south of the island on their way between Australia & New Zealand. The winds are from the SW to the NW 15 to 35 Knots. Great locations available for both surf & flat water Kite Surfing. Water temperature 18c - 20c.

PACKAGE INCLUDES
Return QantasLink flights from Sydney or Brisbane
7 nights self-contained accommodation
Airport transfers
Hosted Kite surfing activities
Welcome dinner

PLUS

$200 voucher towards island activities.
(Greenback fishing tour or Greenback island tour, Guided Mt Gower Trek with Environmental Tours, Coral viewing or snorkeling tour with Environmental Tours, island sea kayaking tour with Environmental Tours or Paddle boards hire)

Package cost for non-participating Kite Surfer: 7 nights from $1549

NOTE: Kite surfing gear is not available for hire on the island. Kites can be posted or shipped over prior if necessary.

*Prices are per person twin share. Subject to specific class airfare availability. Valid for travel 20 May - 08 September 2012. Single supplement applies. All Kite Surfing activities subject to weather conditions. 

Book your Lord Howe Winter Getaway NOW!

SAFARI LODGE FIJI - August 4th-11th 2012

Staying at Safari Lodge on the tiny island of Nananu I-Ra, a group of lucky Kitepower buddies will spend an unforgettable week kiting in perfect conditions while their mates are dreaming of sunburn and seabreezes.

The trip costs around $1395 plus flights to Nadi. Price includes seven days accommodation, professional instruction, transfers from airport, three great meals a day, full boat support and non-wind activities such as snorkelling, stand-up paddleboarding and fishing.

If your partner isn’t that enthusiastic about waving their other half off on a Fiji holiday while they freeze back home (can’t think why), perhaps the following info will help: non-kiting partners get a $250 discount on the inclusive package, kids under 12 are free and it’s half price for those over 12. And a babysitter for the whole day? Less than 20 bucks.

If you’d like to know more, phone Thorsten on  (0425 461 767) or send an email to lessons@kitepower.com.au today.

It’s great to see, and something that we think is long overdue in this testosterone dominated sport we all love. Could this be the start of some kind of takeover? Where the wives and girlfriends of the world take charge and end up teaching us a thing or two about how to kiteboard? Think about it, it could happen! And it’s all going to start with this Facebook page that’s been created by one of our past students Sioban called Brisbane Womens Kitesurfing. Here’s what she had to say about the page…

“Kitesurfing always looked like so much fun to me. Having lived near the beach for most of my adult life, I have always enjoyed watching kitesurfers in action.

However, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to do it, as I thought I wouldn’t have the arm strength to hold onto the kite. At the end of last year a friend explained to me that arm strength wasn’t all that important in kitesurfing. Rather, the kite is attached to a harness around your waist, and you can actually let go of the kite/bar (albeit briefly!). Armed with this information, I contacted Kitepower for lessons. I requested female instructor Lyatte (girlpower and all that..), and signed up for the 5-hour course.

Lessons were great – gave me heaps of info on setup etc, and enabled me to get up on the board (momentarily J). However, as pumped as I was about learning, I was a bit nervous going kitesurfing on my own. Luckily, another galpal was also learning so we become newbie kiting buddies and would meet at the beach and share one kite between us. This was a great way to learn...took some of the nerves out of it. Having since chatted with other kiting gals, I have found other newbies who have been a bit nervous heading kiting on their own. I’ve also found more experienced kiting gals who would just like to meet other female kiters.

So...I have just created a facebook page ‘Brisbane Women’s Kitesurfing’. The goal of the page is to put us kiting gals in touch with each other. It’s a place where we can swap contact details etc and hopefully be able to meet up at the beach. I have been kiting for just over 3 months now. I can kite in both directions with some control and am working on kiting upwind, and hopefully soon I’ll be learning to turn. I also recently undertook my first ‘downwinder’ from Sandgate to Brighton with Lyatte (it was lots of fun, but I thank Lyatte for her patience as I was a little slow lol). So if you a gal considering kiting, a newbie gal, or even a more experienced kiting gal, jump onto the ‘Brisbane Women’s Kitesurfing’ page and introduce yourself. Until then, see you other on the water!

Sioban

It’s that time of year again! Well, almost – have you noticed the colder mornings and those purple fingers when you get out of the water? It’s Kite Fest time soon and we need you!

Every year at Redcliffe Kite Fest, there’s a big tent full of happy kids making kites. Supported by the Redcliffe Kite Club (the dudes who organize the whole thing), the kite making tent is always a massive hit and generally churns out some awesome little kites that the kids love. The Kite Club do a stellar job of helping the little guys and girls put these things together, but they need our help to provide some additional man (or women) power.

No experience necessary, if you know how to use sticky tape, tie a granny knot and have a free hour or so. Any time you can spare will be much appreciated.

Give us a call at the shop for more details, or to let us know you’re coming along.

What: Help out at Kite fest!
When: 19th and 20th May 2012
Where: Pelican Park (Outside the QLD store!)

Check out the Redcliffe Kite Clubs website

Following the tragic death of a young kitesurfer at Suttons Beach last weekend, we want to remind you of the golden rules of safe kitesurfing. Before we do this, we extend our deepest sympathy to the man’s family and friends and hope you’ll all take a moment to acknowledge his passing. Details are still coming to light, but it seems he was caught by a gust in an easterly wind and propelled into a wall. He died later in hospital from his injuries.

We plead with you all to kite safely, especially with the stormy weather that’s about at the moment. Here are some things to remember:

1. Choose your equipment wisely
We’ve seen a rash of older kites around lately as keen beginners pick up a “bargain” online or second hand. Please remember that some old kites are considered unsafe by today’s standards. If you’re thinking of buying an older kite, please please ask us for our opinion. We’ll be honest with you – if it’s a true bargain then good for you. If it’s likely to cause you an injury, we’ll let you know. Also, be sure to maintain your equipment well. If you have any concerns about your gear, no matter how small, bring it in and let us take a look.

2. Consider the conditions
Every time you go out for a session, carefully consider the conditions in the context of your experience. Better to sit one out than to get beaten up by your board and lose your confidence. When you’re starting out, it can be tricky deciding whether conditions are right, which is why every Saturday and Sunday our phone rings off the hook with people wanting to ask our advice. We like this, it makes us feel special. So don’t be shy. Who better to ask than your friendly kite shop?

3. Choose your spot wisely
It takes more than water and wind to make a good kite spot. If you rock up at an empty beach and think “perfect, I’ll pump up my kite”, stop for a minute and ask yourself why no one else is kiting there. There could be hidden hazards such as submerged reefs or wicked currents. Maybe the beach isn’t suitable for launching and landing, or an obstruction makes the wind unpredictable. Check with your local kite shop for the tried and tested spots and be prepared to share.

4. Have a kite buddy
When you’re starting out, it’s really important to have a kite buddy. Even if they’re a complete stranger. If you get into trouble, that complete stranger could become your best mate after he retrieves your board or helps you back into shore. In other words, beginners, please don’t kite alone. If the wind’s up, wait three minutes and there will be another kitesurfer on the beach. Guaranteed.

Click here to read the Redcliffe Herald Article Click here to read more about learning to kitesurf safely