On March 22nd, Alex Caizergues cross the channel between St Barthelemy and St Marteen Islands, French Caribbean, 30 km in 44minutes and 5 seconds. The Crossing goal was to raise awereness for the Blue Marine Foundation (bluemarinefoundation.com) works and the attempt has been officially timed by Zenith Watches (zenithwatches.com).
We would like to thank our partners, Zenith Watches, le Sereno Hotel (lesereno.com/), F One kiteboarding (f-onekites.com/), Top Loc St Barth (top-loc.com/), and also Enguerrand from St Barths Kite School (saintbarthkite.com/).

The basic frontside off the lip is every rider’s introduction to riding a wave with a kite. A good top turn involves a lot of timing between your kite, your board position, and the wave and it can take some time to pull it all together.

credit: Paul Lang / The Kiteboarder Magazine
rider: Alec Dektor /Team F-One US
location: Leo Carrillo, SoCal

If you were wondering how is the new 012 Signature check the IKsurfMag review.

“Quad fins are faster, looser and offer more drive off the back foot”

“The 6’0″ is shaping up to be somewhat of a beast”

More here.

With an attractive public price and more volume than our Signature range, this single concave 5’11″ with a bamboo deck, pin tail and thruster fins setup is F-One answer for all riders that are looking for an easy board to start kite surfing or for the more advanced strapless rider.
First limited production will be available at the end of June.

The board will be equipped with pads, inserts, DFS box and will include DFS fins (box is compatible with FCS fins as well) but no straps. MSRP is $769.

Dimensions

5’11

18″

27L

Includes

DFS Fins

DFS Finbox compatible with FCS fins

Full pads (Foot straps sold separately)

Click here to find an F-One dealer near you.

For a spot that has a reputation for being a wind tease, Alameda has delivered every time Boardsports School hosts a demo with BAKS. By the time we had unloaded the car full of SUPS (there’s a total of 5 on there for anyone counting) the wind was already picking up enough for The Source.  Bruce got a brief ride on it before it was time to come in for the Bandit V. It was the typical gentle wind of Alameda.

Demo Day Tip: Get Your Coffee To Go

We were all set up and ready to go for demos, but it seemed everyone was still somewhere sipping their coffee.  I got almost a whole hour of kiting Alameda to myself before people started rolling in for the demo.  Get there early and you could have a great SUP session followed by a solid kiting session before the crowds.  I waited as long as I could to let a customer take the freshly opened 140 Trax out for it’s maiden voyage.  I just couldn’t resist!

Boards of the Day: Trax 140 and Fish Surf

Conditions were steady Alameda winds from 11:00 to about 3:30. It was a great day to try out all the different boards and kites for the conditions typical of Alameda – mid teen winds, little current, some chop.  In kites, intermediate kiters loved the BanditV while newer kiters preferred the Volt2.  In boards the Trax 140 lived up to it’s reputation for being a great twintip board for tracking upwind in lighter wind conditions.  In surf boards the Fish was the favorite for the conditions because of the surfboards it had the strongest upwind capabilities.  People were lining up to try that board.

Special thanks to Boardsports School for hosting the event!

  Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Demos

If you missed this opportunity to check out the F-One line of twintips, surf and SUP boards and the Bandit V and Volt2 kites mark your calendars for upcoming demo events hosted by Boardsports School

Saturday May 19 10am:  Santa Cruz Harbor (SUP only) hosted by Kayak Connection

Saturday June 3: Third Ave Upper Launch (Kiteboarding only) hosted by Boardsports School

Sunday June 4: Coyote Point (Kiteboarding, SUP and BBQ!) hosted by Boardsports School

For more information: info@bayareakitesurf.com  415-573-2619

Decisions. Decisions. Which board to try first?

Santa Cruz is one of the best place for SUP, fitting perfectly with the local culture.  With the variety of conditions from the calm harbor to breaking waves at Steamers Lane and the mellow waves at Cowell’s Beach there is something for every skill level. And F-One SUP boards have a range of boards to match those conditions. Everything from stable boards great for beginners to powerful race boards to high performance wave boards.

And it is the home break of BAKS  SUP team riders Hunter Grifith and Olivier Gincetre.

BAKS is teaming up with Kayak Connection Saturday May 19th 10 am in the Santa Cruz Harbor to give you an opportunity to try the whole F-One SUP line.  Plan to make a day of it.  The Santa Cruz harbor has great restaurants, wildlife and a nearby beach.

Whether you paddle with F-One’s Vario, Peak or Hybrid SUP paddle protect your investment with the SUP Playa Paddle Bag.  Fits up to 3 paddles.

Features :
- Side Handle
- Air Travelbag

Volume & Size :
- 230 x 35 cm
- 90 x 14 in
- Fits 6 Paddles
-600D Polyester , Tarpaulin , EPE 5 mm

Contact an F-One Dealer near you to get yours now.

Pack 2 twin tips + 3 kites + accessories. Perfect way to protect your board/kite quiver for your next trip.

Materials :

- 600D Polyester
- Tarpaulin
- EPE 5 mm

Volume :
- 155 x 48 x 23 cm
- 61 x 19 x 9 in

Features:
- Top and side handle
- Tool pocket
- Fin Pockets
- Removable shoulder strap
- Air travel bag

Contact an F-One Dealer near you to get yours now.

2012 Pismo Kite Expo had great wind and waves

For several years where mother nature seemed to have a sick sense of humor, sending wind to Pismo the days before the expo, leaving it dead calm through the expo weekend and sending wind again as soon as it ended.  This year the Pismo Expo “no wind” curse was broken. The F-One team traveled down Thursday night to beat the land rush at the campground.  We needn’t have worried, as that turned out to be the night thunderstorms hit the California coast.

As the thunder, and wind roared and the rain soaked our tents we huddled in the van watching the lightning split the sky.  It was an excellent test for the Underwave neoprene jacket.  When I put that on I felt as weather proof as the frogs happily chirping in the rising creek beds. In the morning the storm settled into  more familiar California clouds and rains.

Over a hot breakfast we scanned the sky looking for any sign that the weather would break.  Texts and calls were coming in from kiters from the Bay Area to San Diego asking for updates as they decided whether or not to make the drive. Then at noon blue sky.  Within an hour the wind began to brew.  Texts, tweets, status updates spread the word.  The Pismo Expo is on!  Since so many kiters had waited to make the drive Friday afternoon was mostly brand reps and local kiters.  It was a fun afternoon catching up and trying out each other’s gear and blowing out the feeling of huddling in the rain. Saturday the wind came up early and blew all day.  There were great waves.  Great conditions for F-One Team ride Alec Dektor to show of his signature strapless aerials.

F-One Rider Alec Dektor catchess air on the 6'0 Signature quad at the 2012 Pismo Kite Expo

It was a busy day with customers trying out F-One gear.  It was a great day for riders wanting to test all sizes of the Bandit 5.  In the morning and late afternoon they could ride 12 & 14 meters, mid day 7 meters and early afternoon 9 and 10 meter kites.  Staff didn’t even have time to put the kites down between riders.  As soon as one rider unhooked, there was anther waiting take his place.  The F-One booth actually looked rather bare for most of the day as all the inventory was out on the water. All that was left on the beach was the line of Manera travel bags.  This was the first time I really got to use the bags and it was a real test of their claim of kiteboarding bags designed by kiters for kiters.  We had to pack and unpack all the gear each day.  This was one of the most efficient years ever thanks to the bags.  The Playa bags have a pocket perfect for fins. It made set up and break down at the beginning and end of the trip so much easier by keeping fins securely with their board.  Each day boards were zipped back into their Playa bags, well protected as they were stacked in the Airforce.  I was amazed at how much the Golf bag could really hold. If the Manera line could make the process of packing and unpacking the whole F-One line for a demo weekend this efficient and keep the gear so protected, just imagine what it could do for your next kite trip.  Customers were really curious about the line and we probably could have sold them all right there on the beach.

Friends and family of the riders were lining up to demo the Underwave neoprene jacket and hats.  The word on the beach was that it is a better design than most neoprene jackets because it is longer instead of stopping at the waist like a sweatshirt.  Kiters loved how warm it kept them between sessions. Significant others who spend days on windy beaches loved the jacket and the neoprene skull cap.

Sunday the wind repeated the pattern of opportunity to test bigger kites in the morning and the smaller kites throughout the day.  The waves were mellower and once again the whole F-One inventory was out on the water.  The Kiteboarder tester’s favorite twintip was the SK8 and general demo riders seemed to agree.  Feedback was that it was great at handling the choppy conditions.  Other favorites of the day were the Trax for it’s versatility and ability to make tracks up wind.  And finally the Acid (Robinson Hilario and Alex Soto’s preferred board) was popular with riders working on their freestyle moves. Since the waves were so good the surfboards were out all day.

Available for demo were the Signature 5’10 and 6’0 , Fish 5’4 and 5’6, Surf 6’2.  In the conditions of the weekend the Fish 5’4 and the Signature 5’10 and 6’0 were the popular boards. When mother nature cooperates the Pismo Expo is such a great event for kiters and tourists alike.  Since it was such a gorgeous weekend and the multitude of kites on the water put on such a good show from the road many tourists stopped to find out what this was.  I spent as much of the day educating people on kiteboarding in general as I did educating kiters on F-One gear.

And the big news of the weekend was the debut of the Underwave 3.2 wetsuit unofficially dubbed.  The “Orange Crush”  You got enough game to pull off this suit?

Special Thanks to Paul Lang Photography

“The Bandit has some of the most adaptive handling out there, with great  upwind power, comfort and easy handling it’s great whether you’re in waves or flat water.”

SBC Kiteboard Names F-One Bandit V One of Top Three All-Terrain Kites.

The Criteria

“These three kites posted the top scores, with great marks in all categories and a prowess in every discipline, pushing them to the top of the list. They each all had that X factor that put them slightly above the rest in terms of the total package, being adaptable to any condition and catering to the widest range of skill levels. Abilities that are the most adaptable and refined—smooth control and pull, good levels of de-power, quick and direct steering and plenty of boosting ability”

"Testers were impressed with the light, crisp handling, fast turning and improved upwind drive."

What the SBC Test Team Said About the Bandit V

-Testers were impressed with the light, crisp handling, fast turning and improved upwind drive.

-The kite was also faster pulling this season

-Reduced diameter in the leading edge made it easier upwind,with better speed and fluid drive across the window

-With the right back-line setting it offered great feedback for easy jumps, soft landings, and plenty of de-power to tame gusts or reduce being pulled off the wave face.

-It could unhook and deliver good pop for flatwater freestyle

-It’s forgiving enough for intermediate level riders to build skills.

Click here to read the full review

Ready to start your light crisp handling, fast turning, improved upwind drive sessions right now? Click here to find an F-One dealer near you.