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| Bay Area Kitesurf - News |
| All Bay Area Kitesurf News, latest products, info... |
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F-One Demo Week End - Sherman Island June 27th/28th |
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Bay Area Kitesurf crew and riders will be demoing all our 08 gear-boards and kites over the 27th/28th at Sherman - weather permitting - BBQ included. Come and join us to demo the F-One Bandit kite, Trax, TX, ACID, Fluid and 50Pro boards.
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Demo day in the Gorge... Saturday 14th |
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The Columbia Gorge Kiteboarding Association (CGKA) will be holding a demo day on Saturday June 14th 2008 at the Hood River Sand Bar. F-One will be here...
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F-One trip in the Carribean |
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A few weeks ago the International F-One team and its partner Tahiti Home (Palmolive Group) got together for a Caribbean trip. Pictures speak for themselves...
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Raphael Salles Interview in SBC Kiteboarding |
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Riders new to kiteboarding in America might think that F-One is a young brand, but that is far from the truth. While recently picked up by an American distributor, F-One roots go back to the beginning of the sport. The company founder, Raphael Salles, took up kiteboarding in 1996. Prior to that, he was one of France top professional windsurfers. In 1997, F-One became the first company to sell production kiteboards. There has been no looking back for F-One. It has become one of France dominant kite brands. Salles is regarded as one of kiteboarding earliest surf pioneers, riding directional surfboards when the Gorge, Oregon Cory Roeseler was still riding skis. SBC Kiteboard editor John Bryja caught up with Salles to find out more about the development of the new F-One Bandit.
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F-One Demo - Alameda, CA May 10/11 |
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If you miss the F-One crew at the Pismo Beach KiteXpo April 26 and 27, head up to San Francisco the weekend of May 10.
F-One and Boardsports will be hosting Spring Demo Day in Alameda May 10 and 11. For details, see boardsportsschool.com or bayareakitesurf.com.
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Great White Downwinder - Memorial Day |
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Down for a white-capped, white-knuckle, adventure thrill ride??? Bodega Bay: Doran Beach to Dillon Beach - 6 mile scenic open-ocean, gnarly-cliffed downwinder - Dress warm, bring cajones
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Mondial du Vent 2008 in France added to the PKRA tour |
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Every year since 1996, the Mondial du Vent is THE meeting for Kitesurf and windsurf addict in France. From April 12th to April 20th the best world riders are in Leucate to make the show.
New in 2008, 9 days of competition; for the 1st time in France the Mondial du Vent is part of the PKRA World Tour with all the best world Kitesurf riders. In 2008, there are 10 stages all around the world (Mexico, France, Cabarete, Tarifa, Portugal, Fuerteventura, Germany, Canada, Brazil and Chile. A long Distance Kite Chalenge for amateur and professional with a mass start, 20 km. Pros and amateur will wrestle on long distance course between Leucate La Franqui cliff and the beach of the Coussoules.
This year, the Mondial du Vent focuses on Kitesurf with the French Alexandre Caizergues, World Speed Champion, the World Freestyle PKRA Champion 2007, Aaron Hadlow (GB) and the Dutch: Kevin Langeree and Ruben Lenten.
For the women, the World Freestyle Champion 2007 Gisela Pulido (Spain) will be here in Leucate. The local rider Nicolas Akgazciyan will participate at this year edition in windsurf
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Bjorn Kaupang won the Superfly Open in Utah! |
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The first annual SuperFly Open was a huge success. The goals for the event were to promote snowkiting,
help preserve snowkite access at Powder Mountain Utah, and provide a venue for snowkiters to meet, ride, and have a great time.
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F-One Bandit review on SBC Kiteboarding |
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The Bandit has a unique new design shape called the Delta C-Shape, which falls outside the categories of SLE , Bow or C. It takes the place of last season Tribal 2, with performance that spans all disciplines, including freestyle, unhooked, speed, hangtime, waveriding and freeride... The Bandit enters a new realm of performance with its Delta-C shape and EVO bridle system. After adjusting to the steering and depower intricacies, this kite is well suited to intermediates and advanced riders who will enjoy its advantages in every discipline. Beginners will find the Bandit easy to grow into.
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Mondial du Vent 2008 in France added to the PKRA tour |
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Every year since 1996, the Mondial du Vent is THE meeting for Kitesurf and windsurf addict in France. From April 12th to April 20th the best world riders are in Leucate to make the show.
New in 2008, 9 days of competition; for the 1st time in France the Mondial du Vent is part of the PKRA World Tour with all the best world Kitesurf riders. In 2008, there are 10 stages all around the world (Mexico, France, Cabarete, Tarifa, Portugal, Fuerteventura, Germany, Canada, Brazil and Chile. A long Distance Kite Chalenge for amateur and professional with a mass start, 20 km. Pros and amateur will wrestle on long distance course between Leucate La Franqui cliff and the beach of the Coussoules.
This year, the Mondial du Vent focuses on Kitesurf with the French Alexandre Caizergues, World Speed Champion, the World Freestyle PKRA Champion 2007, Aaron Hadlow (GB) and the Dutch: Kevin Langeree and Ruben Lenten.
For the women, the World Freestyle Champion 2007 Gisela Pulido (Spain) will be here in Leucate. The local rider Nicolas Akgazciyan will participate at this year edition in windsurf
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Snowkite Masters in Serre Chevallier, France |
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Etienne Lhote and Bjorn Kaupang, both F-One riders, took part in the snowkitemasters held in December in Serre Chevalier, France. Bjorn finishes first of the overall world championship in skis, and Etienne takes third of the French championship, category snowboard. Congratulations to our two champs. Bjorn also wins the best trick with a switch frontmobe.
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Bamboo Sandwich Technology |
| A kiteboard sustains more constraints than a standard surfboard. It endures more pressure, mainly in the upwind stage, in the chops, and during jumps. A sandwiched construction is a must-have for our sport. Loyal to wood, already at the core of our twin-tip boards, F-One research led us to bamboo. The result is a light structure, super strong that absorbs those constraints.
In 2008, ALL F-One surfboards have adopted the Bamboo Sandwich Technology.
The extremely dense cellular structure of bamboo surpasses that of oak in stability and elasticity. Bamboo is superior to wood in terms of durability and rigidity. This mighty grass is extremely solid due to high elasticity fibers lined up to the cane on the outer layer of the peel. With regards to tensile strength, bamboo matches up with tree and steel.
The use of bamboo is also environmentally responsible. It has an astonishing growth rate: the giant bamboo will grow 30 to 50cm per day to reach 15 to 30 meters. Every year the mother plant generates several shoots. In a full grown forest the shoots can be harvested after 5 years without reducing the size of the forest.
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F-One riders at the Best Odyssey All Wave Pro Invitational in Panama |
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This January 12-20, 2008 the best wave riders in the world will descend on Panama for an invite-only expedition. The waves of the area we are heading are world class, but they have never been ridden like this!. What better way to break open this fantasy land of jungle, white sand beaches and massive waves than to bring a handful of the pioneers and best up and coming big names in the sport. In tow are three major adventure magazines, four cinematographers, Erik Aeder and Jody Macdonald on the lens; and a world of unknown. Raphael Salles and Mika Fernandez from F-One will be there as part of a dream team crew: Mauricio Abreu,
Will James, Moehau Goold, Joao Pedro Simonsen, Chris Wyman, Amit Anbar, Fernando Peroud, Rami Beracha.
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La Ventana Classic Kitexpo Demo Event |
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For the past two years, Red Bull, Palapas Ventana and Baja Joe have sponsored the La Ventana Classic in Baja, Mexico,
a 10 mile race whose proceeds benefit the local schools.
For 2008, the La Ventana Classic has partnered with The Kiteboarder Magazine, La Ventana Builders and Hands of Faith
to also include a FREE KiteXpo demo event, similar to the highly successful KiteXpo in Pismo Beach, CA
(Pismo event will take place April 12-13, 2008). F-One will have a booth, right in front of Baja Joe. We hope to see you all there to demo the Bandit and our new 08 boards.
Combined with a kite loop competition, old school competition, short course buoy racing and other festivities
over the course of four days, The La Ventana Classic and KiteXpo promises lots of fun and camaraderie, all for a great cause.
The entry fee is $40 USD - sign up and pay in person at Palapas Ventana or Baja Joe, or sign up by emailing tim@palapasventana.com
and pay online. Competitors get a t-shirt, lunch on the island, race jersey, and may compete in all events!
For more info, email tim@palapasventana.com marina@thekiteboarder.com or check out www.thekiteboarder.com,
www.palapasventana.com and www.bestoflaventana.com for the latest updates.
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ASNews.net interviews F-One Raphael Salles |
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Podcast #97: This week, our guest on the ASNews.net and The Kiteboarder podcast is kiteboarding pioneer and the founder of F-One, Raphael Salles. A former pro windsurfer, Raphael saw the light when kiteboarding was in its infancy and started one of the industry first kiteboarding companies in 1996. Raphael will be joining host Ryan Riccitelli to tell us about F-One 2008 product line including the company new delta shaped kite, the Bandit, as well as what is coming down the line with boards in the new year. He will also share with us his newest feat, successfully crossing between France and Corsica, what he thinks about the differences between the US and European markets, and his take on crossing, speed racing, and kite racing.
Due to the time differences between the US and France, this week interview will not be live this Thursday, but we can still ask your questions for you, directly to Raphael! Just post them here before 5p PST on Thursday Nov 29. We will post the interview to www.thekiteboarder.com, www.asnews.net and www.kiteforum.tv Friday evening November 30.
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F-ONE Surfboards 2008 Preview |
| The Legend and the Signature have new sizes. Three brand new surfboards have been added to the catalog, a Fish, a strapless surf and a gun for cruising and big waves. Details and pricing coming soon.
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Kite World Record (again) 47.92 knots |
| World record falls every week in Luderitz, Namibia. On October 9th, Alex Caizergues improved his new record with a run at 47.9 knots! Geared up with a production Bandit 6.5m and a custom F-One speed board, he is now the second fastest man on water, with less than 1 knot behind Finian and his windsurf who is the all category combined world record holder with a time of 48.70.
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F-One Twin-Tips 2008 Boards Preview |
| For 2008, F-One will have 5 different twin-tips:
TRAX: The Trax is a freestyle board. This year it features a simple concave with channels for a gain is upwind, gliding and comfort
Technology: direct drive, simple concave, channels, 100% wood core, abs inverted rails -
ACID: The Acid is for new school freestylers. Short and wide up to the tips, with extreme pop for better jumps and landings
Technology: direct drive, simple concave, 100% wood core, abs inverted rails -
TX: The TX is the most versatile board in our range. Light, quick and stable, perfect for freestyle and freeride
Technology: direct drive, simple concave, 100% wood core, abs inverted rails -
50PRO: Thanks to its size it is the perfect light wind board. It is quick to plane and very forgiving for beginners mistakes.
Technology: direct drive, 100% wood core, abs inverted rails -
FLUID: Ideal for freeride and easy to learn on this board is modern, high performance yet predictable. The Fluid helps the rider find its stands and during the first jumps very forgiving.
Technology: direct drive, 100% wood core, abs inverted rails
Stay tuned for Availability.
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BANDIT Review on International KSURF Mag |
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DELTA really does give the Bandit phenomenal range. The other characteristic you will notice is just how easy the kite is to fly and how predictable it is. The Bandit feels right in your hands straight away. Getting some serious air is easy and the kite delivers a lot of floats in the jumps. It also ride very well unhooked. It turns really fast and is very responsive which should make it a great kites for the waves... |
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Continent Corsica kitesurf crossing: record beaten |
| Tuesday July 24th - 4 21 PM - Harbor Gate - Citadel de Calvi. A man is climbing aboard a small boat belonging to the local sailing club. His equipment, a F-One kite Bandit 7.5m and a 2m directional board, he is welcomed onboard by 4 islanders. He looks tired, yet with a big smile on his face saying a lot about his feeling at this very moment. Indeed, earlier that morning at around 11 am escorted by 2 other riders, Sylvain Maurin and Marc Blanc, and a safety boat, he left the small harbor of Issambres, in the Gulf of St Tropez and headed towards the open sea bearing set at 115 degree for a little 106 nautical miles cruise. At an average speed of 20 knots Raphael Sales reached Corsica after 5 hours and 15 minutes. Faster than the standard ferry boat and also faster than the previous record set at 7 and half hours. |
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F-One BANDIT, the video... |
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At last, here is video to the last part of the Bandit Delta C-Shape trilogy, shot in Los Roques Archipelago. |
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F-One BANDIT, design revealed... |
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The new Delta C-Shape is an innovative F-One patented design resulting from extensive research on kite aerodynamics and de-power capabilities. The Delta brings unmatched stability in fully de-power position and allows the front-line attachment to be positionned higher up the leading edge. Click the thumbnails to check out all the design details and bridle system... |
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Coming Soon... F-One BANDIT |
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The new Bandit kite coming out this mid summer bears a brand new shape, called the Delta C-Shape. F-One has a patent pending on this new concept. Come back on July 9th to check out the Delta C-shape technical video that will explain the concept behind the Delta C-shape. |
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BoardSports F-One school |
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Bay Area Kitesurf is proud to announce that the leading kitesurfing school in the Bay Area, voted Best School in 2004 2005 and 2006 is now carrying the F-One brand. |
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ASnews Podcast: The Resurrection of F-One in the US |
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ASNews.net interviews guests Nico Ostermann and Bruce Johnson, the new US distributors for F-One. F-One was one of the original kiteteboarding companies, founded by French waterman Raphael Salles in 1996. 100% dedicated to kiteboarding, the company has enjoyed good growth and market share in Europe since its inception, especially in its own backyard in France, but has not had much of a presence in the US in the last few years. Find out about the challenges that a distributor faces when entering a new market, why the two decided to take the leap of faith with F-One and all about the companies 07 product line, including the much talked about Legend twintip surfboard and the new Impact Short Line, a C-kite with 18m lines and full depower safety made specifically for riding unhooked, freestyle or in the surf in strong winds. |
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Special Programs |
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Become a F-One Retailer, School, Rider. We also MATCH the competition on equivalent specs. Make sure to check out the Special Programs page. |
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New Videos |
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Check out the awesome short videos from the F-One pro-team. They are classified by theme and products, i.e Signature, Legend, Demon, Skate, Trax, Rival, Tribal and Impact. |
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F-One 2007 accessories now available |
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F-One Accessories are now available for sale at the Bay Area Kitesurf online shop. You can find bags, lines, fins, leashes, pump, chicken loop, hook, bars, etc... Check out this new section by clicking on the link below. |
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Micka Fernandez joins the F-One Team |
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There are some paths that speak more than others. Micka Fernandez started kiting back in the summer of 2000 in the south of France. He entered his first competition 2 years later. In 2004 he became world champion. Since then Micka has remained in the top 5. In 2006 he again won two stages of the KPWT (Turkey and Greece) and finished 6th at the PKRA in Venezuela. He is excellent in freestyle and his experience in wave riding makes him one of the most all-around riders. Not so hard for someone who grew up in Tahiti! This year Micka joins the F-one team as his way of life matches our philosophy. He is a true gear fanatic. Just like us, he likes finding things out, knowing how things work, testing and testing again. At 31yrs old,with many of them spent on the water he brings a lot of experience to help F-One designing new board shapes and take part in the creation of new kites. Micka is one of the top riders in the world. He also has spent years teaching and knows the needs of the everyday kiters. |
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Bay Area Kitesuf presents the Bay Area |
| 2days, 7 riders, 3 different spots around the Bay Area:
- Up in the Delta near Rio Vista at Sherman Island: fresh water and constant strong wind 24/7, for intermediate to advanced kiters due to tricky launch
- Down in the peninsula at 3rd Avenue, near the San Mateo Bridge, an excellent spot for all around kiting and jumping, very predictable conditions and easy access, not a good beginner spot because of difficult down wind access
- On the pacific coast in between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz, Wadell, a worldclass waveriding spot, for advanced kiters. |
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Tribal 07 Test by International KSurf Magazine |
| Check out how where the Tribal 07 stands with its rivals. A very comprehensive series of tests from the International Online Kitesurf Magazine. See specifically page 69 and 70. Excerpts: The F-One Trival is not a bow style kite. They are instead cramming as much depower into their 5th line Integral System as possible. F-One chanpioned the curved wingtip back in 2005, after Flexifoil ditched it; a bold move at the time that allowed them greater depower. The Integral Depower System adds real value giving you an awesome control and top end range. |
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F-One Kiteschool and Demo Center in La Ventana |
| A new F-One Kiteschool and Demo Center just opened in La Ventana, Baja, just in time for the winter season, based on a partnership between Bay Area Kitesurf and Kitemasters. La Ventana has become the perfect kitesurfing spot thanks to El Norte, a steady and powerful wind that blow from November to March, and its L-shaped sandy beach with side shore winds. School lessons with IKO certified instructors are given in English, Spanish and French, and students are using the latest F-One gear. The school is located on a prime beachfront spot, one of the best in town, and faces the main launch. Quads allow students to quickly come back to the launch area and take full advantage of their lessons. The Demo Center offers the full catalog of new 07 kites (Tribal, Rival and Impact) and boards (Demon, Skate and Trax). More information at www.bayareakitesurf.com or www.kitemasters.com. |
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Model 07 - F-One TRIBAL II |
| Available end October 2006 - In one year, the Tribal has become THE reference in C shaped kite with full depower capabilityr. The tribal adapts to every conditions and styles, freeride, freestyle, waveriding, long distance... The Integral System has been improved with only 5 connectors as well as the maniability in small sizes for a better control in high wind. You can pre-order by contacting us at info@bayareakitesurf.com |
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New Demon - Model 07 - Available mid-October 2006 |
| More insane and radical unhooked tricks have become the daily routine in freestyle. The new Demon is longer to reflect the needs and requirements of our riders who wanted easier jump landings. Boards no longer suffer from the traction of the full depower kites. Asd a result, this opened up more shape options. With 128, 129 or 130cm in length, a new concave and a scoop slightly flatter, the new Demon is quicker to lane, goes better upwind and allows for under power riding to attempts more technical tricks. Contact info@bayareakitesurf.com or Toll Free 877 KITESF1 for more information about availability and prices. |
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New F-One IMPACT SL - Short Lines - Strong Wind |
| The Impact SL combines the unique F-One Integral System, a low aspect ratio and short lines (18m) for ultimate strong wind performance. Freestyle. Waveriding and Freeride. There is no match for the feeling of the impact SL. Short Lines inspire more radical maneuvers. You can pre-order by contacting us at info@bayareakitesurf.com |
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Coming Soon - Brand New Design F-One RIVAL |
| Available late August / early September 06 - The RIVAL is the new F-One weapon for light wind conditions. Fluid, Light and Precise with the unraveled Integral system for full depower capability. You can pre-order by contacting us at info@bayareakitesurf.com |
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F-One Demo Center in La Ventana, Baja |
| Bay Area Kitesurf now partners with Kitemasters. Kitemasters offers kitesurfing lessons in La Ventana, Baja California, during the winter season (november- april). They also provide selected customers with lessons in the Los Angeles area during the summer (may-october) with occasional kitesurfing trips to San Quintin, Baja California. Kitemasters uses the latest equipment from F-one: only the Tribal kites offer the safety of a 100% depower and the performance of traditional C-shape kites. Bay Area Kitesurf is offering a 10% discount on F-One kites and boards (excluded accessories, specials and shipping) for students taking the 6 hours lesson package with kitemasters.
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New F-One Directional Board - SIGNATURE |
| Available September 06 - F-One presents a brand new pure directional boards for waveriding. Kites with Integral Depower, such as the Tribal, have changed our way of riding waves and boards have regained volume |
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The F-One Tribal Speeds Up! 41 knots |
| The F-One Team Speed confirms the exceptional features of the Tribal. After 4 heats, Momo takes 2nd overall and Alex takes 4th with a fastest time of 41knots! The Tribal and its C-Shape featuring its Integral Depower, confirms its great flight qualities high performance and versatility never achieve before |
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F-One Pro Rider Etienne Lhote on the PKRA podium |
| Etienne, Randy, Silvester and Rodolphe all took part in the second stage of the PKRA event held form the 23rd to the 28th of May in Belgium.
Etienne managed the second place in the single elimination in extreme conditions (irregular wind with gusts up to 50 knots). He finished 3rd during the double. Randy made a great come back during the double to end up 4th overall, just behind Etienne. Silvester and Rodolphe 17th. Randy also did really good in the big air contest and best trick where he finishes second. |
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King of the Bay 2006 |
| Annual Kite and Windsurf Freestyle Competition - June 23,24,25 2006
at 3rd Avenue in Foster City, California. |
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Bay Area Kitesurf Blog |
| A brand new blog dedicated to our favorite water sport is now available. We will be posting gear reviews, information about spots, safety and everything related to kitesurf, right here in the Bay Area. |
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