Check out the first stop of the NAST Tour in Jackson Hole

Catalog is available here:

http://issuu.com/f-one/docs/manera_catalogue_2012/31

F-One SUP Demo Week End in Morro Bay, February 25-26

Bay Area Kitesurf, the North American F-One distributor, in conjunction with Central Coast SUP will be presenting the 2012 F-One Stand Up Paddle collection on February 25th and 26th from 9am-3pm, in Morro Bay, on the Central Coast.

Demo boards from Manawa, Anakao, Race and Madeiro series

Come checkout the latest SUP’s, paddles and the recently release MANERA travel gear from F-One. With twelve different models to choose from F-One is one of the few companies to offer a full range of high performance boards starting with the 7’7″ surf models up through the 14′ carbon/bamboo race.

Saturday will offer flat water board demos in the bay. We will have the Manawa, Anakao, race and Madeiro series boards to try. The Manawa line is great a great all around board that does well in the waves or on the flats. The carbon fiber/bamboo 12’6 race boards will also be available for demo this day. These race boards are quickly becoming a favorite with a number of paddlers.

Sunday we move to the surf at 24th st. in Cayucos from 9am-3pm. The surf specific 7’11″ Madeiro and 9’1″ and 8’4” Anakao will be available to test as well as the Manawa lineup above for surf demo.

So come on out and test drive the boards that have been two years in the making. For more information and board specifics

please visit F-One SUP 

For more information, please contact Brian Friedmann at brian ( at ) bayareakitesurf.com

When: Sat Feb 25 9am – 3pm &  Sun Feb 26, 2012 9am – 3pm

Where: Saturday flat water demo takes place at the Morro Bay waterfront across the street from Coleman Park next to the Rock. Sunday surf demo takes place at 24th st beach in Cayucos
Look for the F-One flags on both days.   Click here for map

Join us at Cayucos to demo SUPs on waves

We are proud to announce our continued partnership and support for the 2012 North American Snowkite Tour.  For updates on the tour visit the NAST website.   

F-One is proudly sponsoring Chris Nester and  2011 World Champion Bjorn Kaupang 

Bjorn Kaupang represents F-One in the 2012 NAST Tour

Chris Nester represents F-One in 2012 NAST Tour

We wish to all participants good winds and lots of fresh pow!

Tour Schedule

Jackson Hole Kiters (Pro Stop*)

January 23 – 29, 2012

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Arguably one of the best winter sports locations in the western Hemisphere. There is something truly magical

about the Teton Range. With its dry and deep snowfall, vast terrain, and outlaw mentality it sure to be one of

the best locations for snowkiting in North America.

Southwest Snowkite Festival (Recreational Stop**)

February 3 – 5, 2012

Eagle’s Nest lake, New Mexico

Bringing together the Southwest snowkite scene lik never before, the Southwest Snowkite Festival is the

place to meet your fellow SW kiters, swap gear, learn a thing or two and kite the most epic terrain this side of Utah.

Snowkite Masters (Pro Stop*)

January 30 – February 5, 2012

Skyline, Utah

The most well known and photographed snowkite location in North America. It has proven to be the most

consistent weather location with windy conditions and deep Utah pow.

Dillon Snowkite Open (Recreational Stop**)

February 6 – 12, 2012

Dillon, Colorado

Summit County offers a plethora of amazing snowkiting as well as snowkiters. In the heart of the Rockies,

terrain and epic conditions never come up short.

Superfly Open (Pro Stop*)

February 13 – 19, 2012

Park City, Utah

Strawberry Resevior, located just outside Park City, is one of the largest and most versatile snowkiting

areas in the lower 48. The terrain goes on for miles with options for riders of all levels. Treeless snow

covered mountains roll as far as the eye can see.

Georgetown Lake Open (Pro Stop*)

March 1 – 4, 2012

Georgetown Lake, Montana

Info coming soon.

You may be seeing Katie on surf breaks in the United States

Originally Published: Dominican Central

Three top-ranked surfers from the Dominican Republic National Team, Rene Gough, Zion Balbuena and Katie Bowcutt, will compete in two different surf competitions in the United States in September.

Katie Bowcutt will compete in the 13th Annual ‘Sisters of the Sea Surf Classic’ in Jacksonville, Florida, September 10, 2011. The event benefits Bosom Buddies at the Women’s Center of Jacksonville. Katie will also attend Surf Expo in Orlando Florida, where she will meet with industry experts to talk about her future plans in the water sports industry.

Rene Gough and Zion Balbuena will compete in the Belmar Pro, in Belmar New Jersey, September 15-18, 2011.This annual event is well recognized, with a great history of waves and high level of performance. Competitors from Central America, Australia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Europe, South Africa, and all over the US participate.

Nestor Puente, President of the Dominican Surfing Federation (FEDOSURF) remarked, “Surfing in the Dominican Republic is growing every year. Currently there are over one hundred and fifty athletes competing in our national circuit of surf competitions and local community warm-ups.” René Gough is the number one ranked Long Boarder in the Dominican Republic, Zion Balbuena is Third in the Men’s Open division, and Miss Katie Bowcutt (age 14), is Second in Women’s Open. “We are privileged that these prominent athletes will be representing our nation. Congratulations to them and many blessings. May they return with continued motivation and enthusiasm”, continued Mr. Puente.

Katie Bowcutt, an accomplished Kite Boarder, is sponsored by F-One/Cosmic Kites, Airbound Apparel, Mi Gym and Lavera Organic cosmetics and skin care. Airbound Apparel, the lifestyle clothing company, commented “Katie’s absolute love for being on the ocean instantly attracted us to her a couple of years back when she was just a little grom on Kite Beach.  It has been a pleasure to see her come into her own as an athlete and young woman, and even more fun to watch her performance in the waves on bigger days.  We are proud to have Katie as part of the Airbound Team.”

Daniel and Wendy Stockdale are generously hosting Rene Gough and Zion Balbuena during their stay in New Jersey. Daniel Stockdale is a professional photographer and Long Board rider and is a frequent visitor to the Dominican Republic. He is the official event photographer for the Belmar Pro. Mike Barber, Paul Foster, Gough and Hijos S.A., The Boat House Bar & Grill Boca Chica, Duharte Surfboards, The Board Spot, Villa Taina, Casa de Piedra, and Sea Horse Ranch have provided additional community support for the athletes.

FEDOSURF, established in 2002, is the National Governing Body of surfing in the Dominican Republic. It is a non-profit entity, whose main goal is to support and advance the sport of surfing and high-performance athletes in the Dominican Republic. FEDOSURF is recognized by the International Surfing Association, the Pan American Surfing Association, Dominican Olympic Committee, and the Ministry of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation.

Rene Gough and Zion Balbuena – Belmar Pro, NJ, Sept. 15-18, 2011
Katie Bowcutt – Sisters of the Sea Surf Classic, FL, Sept. 10, 2011

The Gear
Brian
- Board: 12’6” Race Board
- Paddle: Peak full carbon
Nico
- Board: 12’6” Race Board
- Paddle: Battle Hybrid
Lydia
- Board: 10’ Manawa
- Paddle: Vario (adjustable paddle)

Our first stop was Donner Lake just as dawn broke over the snow covered hills. The air and water were silent and still except for the sound of our paddles cutting through the water and the ripples following our boards.

As the rising sun drew mists off the water the lake became one of those mysterious, magical places of the adventure movies and books I read as a kid. I half expected some enchanted creature to rise out of the waters.

Instead, a trio of ducks buzzed us and settled on the water close enough to check us out and with enough room to make a get away if we made any sudden moves.

I thought I’d lived the Tahoe adventure I’ve been there many times for skiing, mountain biking and inner tubing. And being out on the lake at dawn, watching the shifts in the light and the water as the world slowly woke up. I felt like I’d seen Tahoe for the first time.

After warming up and fueling up on coffee and bagels our next stop was Lake Tahoe itself. There the main type of wildlife we saw was tourists, curious what we were up to. Like the ducks, they stopped to watch us. Unlike the ducks they had many questions about learning how to do it and where they could get boards themselves.

Caffeinated and under the bright sun of mid morning and having an audience of tourists the mood was much more rambunctious and we shifted from the contemplative paddling of the morning to opening up the high performance capabilities of the boards. Those race boards are like thorough bred racehorses. They can only tolerate being held back so much. It was exhilarating to fly across the crystal clear water in the chill mountain air.

By our final stop at Fallen Leaf Lake in the afternoon the air had warmed up enough we could trade wetsuits for shorts. The water was still really cold and it would have really, really sucked to fall in. The threat wasn’t from the still clear waters of the lake. It came from fellow team mates “just playing around”. Yeah, it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye or someone ends up in alpine lake water.

Our little adventure combined everything I love about Tahoe trips. The camaraderie of the group. The breathtaking awe of the majestic beauty of The Sierras. The sense of adventure and excitement that comes with actually engaging with nature instead of just looking at it out of a moving car window. And this time I got to see a whole new side of the mountains and the lakes.

Have you heard of Maika Monroe?  If you are a kiteboarder you probably have.  Soon the rest of the world will know her as well.  Not only does she rip, she is also poised to be a powerful ambassador for the sport. Check out the ESPN article below to find out why.

Source: ESPN

In a few months, you will.

See, she’s the girlfriend to heartthrob Zac Efron in a new untitled movie, which is directed by Ramin Bahrani and co-stars Heather Graham and Dennis Quaid.

Monroe is also a professional kiteboarder.

“It’s really cool to be able to do both,” said the 18-year-old Monroe, who grew up in California. She has been kiteboarding for seven years and acting almost as long. “I get a chance to be in this film with these amazing actors, the coolest people ever, and I try to kiteboard as much in my free time as I can.”

 Kiteboarding (or kitesurfing) is an action sport where you harness the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard/kiteboard, which is similar to a wakeboard.

 ”I was watching my dad do it a bunch of times and I thought it was the coolest thing ever, so I convinced him to let me do it,” Monroe said. “I was hooked. I fell in love with the sport.”

 Right now, Monroe is No. 32 in the world in freestyle kiteboarding and recently finished ninth in a competion in New Caledonia a few weeks ago. That was after crashing into some rocks in practice and requiring a few stitches.

 ”The scar is right behind my hairline, so I was very lucky,” she said. “My acting agent wasn’t too happy about that crash!”

Monroe returned to the states to finish filming the movie, which is about a farmer (Quaid) whose insistence on expansion begins to drive a wedge between he and his family.

When that movie hits, Monroe knows that she might be spending more time acting and less time kiteboarding. But she plans to try to do both.

“I can see myself competing and then Skyping with my acting coach and then traveling to film my scenes,” Monroe said. “I want to do more competitions and more auditions. I’m really excited, hoping this movie helps me land other roles.”

Thanks to cosmickites.com, a F-One certified dealer, for developing young
talent too be the next generation of riders that will break kiteboarding
into a more mainstream sport.

The Kiteboarder Magazine’s La Ventana Classic has become so much more than an a competition and expo. It has become a cooperative effort among the many brands, pro riders and kiters from around the world to support the local community. Last year $18,500 USD was raised and used to directly support the local community and schools. Events include not only competitions, kiting clinics and gear demo but also gringos and Mexicans working together to clean the neighborhood and repair and build community structures.

The sense of community and camaraderie and just plain fun of this event makes it one of the Bay Area Kitesurf crew’s favorite of the year. We will be bringing all the 2012 F-One goodies. We will have all the B5 kites,twintips, surf boards, and SUP board. The entire catalog will be available for demo.

Check the pictures from last year and join us for a week of fun in La Ventana from January 15th to 22nd, 2012.

Etienne Lhote, F-One team,  and french snowkiting school KITE LEGENDE will organize a series of kite camps at Col de Lautaret (Lautaret Pass) this winter. Nico, who is a co-founder of the F-One distribution in the US, grew up in that region and will tell you this is one of the best spot on earth for snowkiting. The surroundings are magnificent, skiing in nearby Serre Chevallier or La Grave is exceptional. This pass is a legendary pass for the Tour de France in the summer.

You can choose the introductory classes or if you are already a proficient kiteboarder you can opt for a freestyle or freeride camp.

For more info check:
http://etiennelhote.com/

This winter, this could be you…