FOREST BAKKER

Hey!

For me 2009 was a really cool year!

- Even with just competing in 2 PKRA events, I ended up 22 overall for 2009. I was especially happy with my performance in Germany, where I passed into the main event with a perfect heat and almost beat a top PKRA rider.

- I have been improving a lot with my riding and my movies!! Watch the latest on http://www.vimeo.com/7734872, http://www.vimeo.com/6335743

- I also managed to become Junior World Champion! Over 5 special events, of which I won 2, were in the heavily contested tour. I was stoked about it! Thanks to Flexifoil for kites that fit my wishes!

- I am really motivated and happy to be able to move on to compete in all the PKRA events for 2010!

- For 2010 I want to improve my style, put in more power in my tricks, learn new tricks, try to win as much as possible and keep on having lots of fun on and off the water.

See you there!

JOHARA SYKES-DAVIES

I started 2009 back on the snow for the Snowkite Masters in Serre Chevalier, after 6 months off the water with a foot injury. It is so good to be able to spend time in the mountains again and mix it up with kiting as well!

After the SKM I went to Kenya for the MEAK Charity Kitesurf event in February. I went with TRAD Film competition winner Andrew Cockcroft. We worked on a 12-minute film for his entry to the competition, which was great fun. I also won the girl’s freestyle at the event which was great.

I then spent some time kiting with fellow Flexifoil chick Erika Lindberg in Tarifa and then onto the first PKRA in Leucate. It was howling and I managed to finish 5th. I then headed on a video trip to Turkey with Flexifoil distributor Adrenaline Sports along with Robin, and then onto Germany PKRA. I was stoked I won a heat against Kristin Boese and finished 7th which was ok. The Brazil PKRA was cancelled so I decided to go early to New Caledonia for the final comp.

I stayed with Flexifoil’s Noumea Kite School, which was perfect.

The spots in New Cal are just amazing! I managed to finish 4th in New Cal which means I was 5th overall. This was my aim from the beginning of the year so I was pretty happy.

So I have started 2010 back on the snow at the Snowkite Masters and at the 2S Echo in La Rosiere. I finished 2nd in ski at the SKM and 1st in ski at the 2S Echo. I am now going to spend some more time on the water and on the snow before the start of the PKRA again… BRING ON 2010!

SANDER LENTEN

As you all know or are going to know after you’ve read this, I stopped competing in ‘09 to get my airline pilot’s license. I spent about half of ‘09 in Brussels, Belgium, to complete the theoretical course and the other half of the year I spent in the dessert in Mesa, Arizona for the practical part of the training. In between the transfer from Belgium to the USA I had a week off to go nuts on the water in Holland. I was very fortunate with the wind that week, as I was powered up on my Hadlow pro ‘09 9m2 for most of that time. I also hooked up with the photographer Sebastiaan Hoogenboom (kiteshots.nl) and shot some great stills for a few magazines. During my flight training I couldn’t keep kiting out of my mind, even though I was in the middle of the dessert. I found a couple of lakes in the area. Only one had some potential.

There were mountains surrounding the lake from all sides, a rocky launch, the wind was on for about 15 minutes, then dropped for about 45 minutes to an hour. The water smelled and tasted like boat fuel, but all-in-all it was beautiful scenery. I probably was the first kiter skilled and stupid enough to have given it a try...twice. Both times I had a blast for about 15 minutes, after which the wind completely died. After these two attempts I gave up on that spot and only went kiting when I went to Malibu, California for the weekends. I had some great sessions there... The water was nice and flat, in between the nicely timed kickers that were rolling in, it was not too cold, but a long sleeve, short-legged wetsuit was the bare minimum. I had some time off at Christmas and New Year, which I spent with my girlfriend in the Virgin Islands. We didn’t get too much wind, but we had a good amount of nice surf.

When I got back from my New Year’s break I had to do a few more missions and a check before I moved on to the multi-engine. If all goes well, I’ll be a commercial pilot in just under 2 weeks! After that check ride I will be going back to Europe to finish the rest of my course and will be completely done around May, so perfect timing for the start of the kiteboarding season.

I will be attending some kite events. I have some cool ideas that I’d like to get worked out with Sebastiaan Hoogenboom and some magazines. If I can find the time I’d like to do a kite trip through Europe... pilot style and see what we’re going to do from there...