The first ever stop of the Kitesurf Pro World Championship Tour
will go down in history as the best kitesurf event ever and has broken new ground within the sport of kitesurfing. With pumping wind and waves hitting the One Eye reef at Le Mourne on the paradise island of Mauritius, the world’s best kitesurfers showcased their talent and the sport of wave riding to the world, live on the web thanks to, Extremience and the KSP video crew.

 The buzz on the beach has been amazing with riders from around the globe coming together, all with the same goal in mind of pushing the sport forward and riding the best waves in the world. Legends of the sport such as Herve Boure (FRA), Sky Solbach (USA), Marc Ramsier (SUI) and former World  Champions Kristin Boese (GER), Jesse Richman (HAW), Mitu Monterio (CBV), Guilly Brandao (BRA) were joined by young and old unheard of names in the sport of kitesurfing outside their respective countries such as Mauricio Pedreira (BRA) at age 36 and Ozzie Smith (RSA) at 16. The UK was represented by myself, Lee Harvey and 4 time race world champ Steph Bridge.

Before the event some huge swells had been coming in and riders were claiming best kite waves ever, which is hard to believe, until I arrived on Tuesday 20th and it was 8-10ft grinding barrels with cross off 7m weather. This place is simply amazing, windy every day with swell after swell coming through and even the small days still kicking up a very ride able 2ft on at least one of the 3 waves on the outside of the lagoon. After 3 days of practise, a meeting on the judging criteria and general info on how the tour will run, we got down to business with the event kicking off on Friday evening.

On Saturday we were awoken by thunder on the reef from the huge waves. The wind however was slow to awake and after a quick expression session to assess the conditions and the judges to get a scoring scale, I was up in the first heat around 3pm.  

Round 1 consists of 3 riders with the winner advancing to round 3 and 2nd place moving to round 2. 
Riding my 9m 2012 North Rebel and strapless 6’3 Resin8 Tokoro I  was up against the local video trials winner and an unknown rider from Reunion Island. I narrowly missed out on the win by 0.3 of a point to the local, which left me miffed as I only scored a 2.6 for my first wave which was a huge wave in the 12ft range. However looking back I remember thinking as I was dropping in that I couldn’t see the judges tower with the other 2 riders on the 2 waves in front, lesson learnt for Peru and at least I got to ride again! With the wind dying the contest director called it for the day with 5 of the men’s round 1 heat's still to run. 

Sunday dawned a little smaller but still pumping around 6ft and after the 2 remaining men’s heats, Steph was first up in the ladies, easily advancing riding strapless with powerful turns in the critical section. The big upsets of the day were former wave world champs, Mitu and Guilly both losing, thus drawing each other in round 2!

Next up for me was French legend and fellow North rider, Jeremie Eloy who’s been charging really heavy waves such as Teahupoo lately. Commentating all morning watching some amazing rides with long open sections, I elected to stay down in front of the judges while Jeremie rode further upwind on the softer Chamioux section. Scoring a great 1st wave I couldn’t get another to open up, and taking a heavy beating which left my ears ringing I bowed out of the comp. The day ended after the end of the ladies round 2 with  the big news of the day that, Mitu won against Guilly.

 The level of riding that followed was simply insane, with over half of the men’s riders going strapless, this event has truly pushed the sport of kite wave riding to new levels with all of the final 4 going up against each other with Mitu riding both ways and Jesse the only full time backsider. In women’s Steph was unlucky to come against local wildcard Ninja in the semis where she narrowly lossed after electing to ride straps for the first time in the yet again triple overhead barrelling waves while Kristin crashed her kite and lost her heat to French rider Marie Gautron.

The finals went down the next day in slightly smaller waves but, what an amazing show and I’ll leave the full report to the KSP press team. I would like to congratulate the winners, Airton Cozzolino and Ninja Bichler who were deserved winners after being the standouts all week. I’ve also got to thank the whole KSP team, judges, local organisers and Indian resort for putting on the best event I’ve been to by far. Also JB who in his own words has the best photos from any watersports event or location he’s ever been to.

Big thanks to my sponsors without whom I would not be able to represent Cornwall and the UK on the KSP World Tour-
Sportif, North, BKSA, Resin8, Freeriders, Wiley X, Rip Curl. 

And of course Tara and my whole family for their continued support. xxx

Bring on Peru!
Cheers
Pasty

All action photos John Bilderback. Big Thanks, be sure to have a look. If you want to purchase any for your own use please contact me in the first instance.

I am currently on route to the first KSP World Tour event, The
One Eye Pro in Mauritius. 

I would like to thank my sponsors, especially Sportif for sorting my flight, and North Kiteboarding, The BKSA, Queens Basement Hair & Beauty for helping with entrance fees and my other sponsors- Freeriders surf shop, Rip Curl, Resin8 surfboards and Wiley X eyewear for their continued support with the best equipment you can get.

In my bag I’ve  got 4 boards- 6’6 Ultimate Style Nigel Semmens semi gun, 6’3 Resin8 Tokoro pin, 6’0 Resin8 Scoop and the new 2012 North Wam 6’0 along with 2012 Rebels 11,9,7 a 25 and 22m bar. This is my quiver I am going to be using for all the KSP events and is the perfect travel quiver to surf and kite. I’ve not packed any straps so cannot be tempted or talked into putting any on even if its 20ft which I hope it is!

 I’d also like to thank Eddie Vale who is letting me leave my stuff at his house in Brighton in 2 weeks when I fly back from Mauritius as I’m then off to Amsterdam to meet Tara for a few days holiday, before coming home to work for 7 days and then back to Eddies pick up my bags and off to Peru and the longest waves in the World.

 Tara is currently in Sweden volunteering in Play Parks, learning from the inventors of modern children’s play, to report back to Play England and push this much needed part of youth development forward in Cornwall and the whole of the UK. Partly funded by the Lady Allen Trust, she has taken time off work, been learning Swedish and done all of the work herself to create some amazing contacts. I’m so proud of her and can’t wait to see her for a couple of days relaxing and sightseeing in a fortnight.

 At Pasty Adventures we now have the full range of 2012 North Surfboards available to demo and so far I am super impressed with all the boards now being nice and light. 

The Wam is the allround model, suited for strapless as well as strapped riding, the 6’0 is amazing for riders over 80kg while if you are 70-80 the 5’10 and under 70 the 5’8. I prefer the thrusters set up, but the quad option does give you more drive in onshore conditions.

The Kontact is aimed at big wave riding but it also works really well in onshore (which was a big surprise to me) due to its narrower shape allowing you to lay down full speed carves without bouncing out. It is also real fast and smooth in choppy water. If you like going fast and carving big cutbacks into the pocket, in chunky onshore conditions then this is probably the board for you.

The Whip this year comes in 2 sizes and I’ve found it performs best when ridden with straps. The 5’8 has a fair bit of volume and is good for over 80kg riders and the 5’6 under 80kgs, who mostly ride strapped in onshore or cross on waves up head high, if you ride in bigger stuff, I’d recommend the Wam.

 The last 2 boards are the X Surf 5’11 and Nugget 5’0 which I haven’t had time to get on yet but both look really exciting as strapless boards. The X Surf is going to be my board for strapless fun in not ideal waves up to head high while the Nugget is a chop and small wave fun strapless jumping board.
 If you want to demo any of the boards I will have them in the van
when I’m back or email lee@pastyadventures.co.uk

 All the demo boards will also be available to test on our wave clinics and coaching holidays this winter.

 Thanks and stay tuned to www.kspworldtour.com for live coverage of the world
championship tour.

 Lee

thanks to Mike Newman for taking some great pics last week. If you want to purchase any you can contact him at ocean-image.com

The KSP have just released details of the upcoming event at One Eye, one of if not the best kitesurfing wave on the planet. Can't wait to get there but still in need of some sponsors to help me represent Cornwall and the UK on the highest level world championship tour. See below for the offical press release-

July 21, 2011: The inaugural Mauritius One Eye Pro is set to kick off this year’s KSP World Championship Tour and promises to deliver high caliber, action packed kite surfing. From September 23 to 29, 2011, (with a possible extension period until October 2, 2011) the world’s best kite surfers will vie for the first of three coveted KSP World Tour event titles.

The event will take place at One Eye, a world-class kite surf wave located directly in front of the Indian Resort and Spa at the base of the Le Morne Mountain, a World Heritage Site, renowned for it’s stunning scenery, pristine turquoise waters and perfect surf.  

Local organizer Patrick Desvaux de Marigny states: "We are proud to be able to bring the first ever stop of the KSP world championship tour to One Eye in Le Morne, Mauritius. This event will go down in history, not only for being the launch of an amazing tour with a big future but also for radical wave conditions that give the riders the ability to express their kite surfing styles and techniques to the max."

The KSP is excited to announce it's cooperation with some amazing local partners and sponsors, such as the main event partner the Indian Resort and Spa that agreed not only to host the event, but to also supply free accommodation for the world’s top 24 male and 12 female kite surfers.

Nadine Cameleyre, Managing Director of the Apavou group says: “The Indian Resort and Spa is scattered amidst a succession of lush tropical gardens of 7 hectare, bordered by immense, pristine beaches of white sand just in front of the surfers’ mythical spot One Eye. It is within this exceptional site that the KITE SURF PRO world championship tour event will be held in September 2011. It is with much joy that the Indian Resort is associating in this event as a main sponsor. Through this worldwide event, the Indian Resort shows its implication in the development of this sport in Mauritius and in the promotion of the spot & the destination.”

Additional partners for the Mauritius One Eye Pro include Mauritours Ltd. Travel & Tourism Company, the local travel partner that will also offer free airport/hotel shuttles for all riders, as well as Club Mistral Mauritius, the KSP logistics partner for the event.

The KSP is honored to be working with such an exemplary list of sponsors and partners and is looking forward to a very exciting Mauritius One Eye Pro and the kickoff event to the 2011 KSP World Championship Tour.

For any further info please visit www.kspworldtour.com or contact us at info@kspworldtour.com