ERIKA LINDBERG

2009: The past year was my first with Flexifoil and I was so happy with my kites. They are really the best you could ride! It was also so much fun to hang out with all the guys in the team. It was so inspirational to train with Johara and Bruna, and really cool that Bruna took the title this year, congratulations!

It was also really fun as well to get to meet the buggiers from the team. They really ride so well, and with no fear, doing kite loops on land! This year I really have to start learning buggy and landboarding!

2010: Right now I’m in Stockholm, in my home country Sweden. There is a lot of snow everywhere and frozen water! I really appreciate being here when it’s so beautiful, a nice contrast to the beach and surf. I feel so motivated to train for the next season. It is going to be so much fun to start travelling again for the PKRA competitions!

ROBBIE SHIRE-MAIDMENT

2009 was a busy year in which I attended all the BKSA events around the country, even fitting a road trip in between two of them. The best one for me was Bridlington, where I got my best placement so far – a third place! The conditions were hard, but the event went ahead thankfully. My overall ranking for the year was 5th in the Juniors.

In 2010 I would like to take part in all the BKSA events, even though they go further north than I have been before. My goal for 2010, with the support of Flexifoil, is to achieve a top three ranking in the BKSA Juniors – watch this space!

LEWIS WILBY

2009 has been a very good year for my Landboarding! I’m pleased to say that I finally achieved my goal of becoming British Champion, after a good few years of missing events; this year was finally my year! I also won my first kitesurf competition, which has now motivated me to take it further in 2010!

My goals for this year are a little different from my previous years. Since winning my first kitesurf competition, I would like to focus a little more on that side of the competition with my landboarding becoming more about free riding and making videos. But who knows, if I get time at the 5 BKSA Kiteivals, I might try winning the landboard competition again too!!

This year is already well under way after attending the Snow Kite Masters and placing ninth. Although for me, it was all about the free riding, pushing my riding just as hard as I do on the land and water! I’m beginning to like the idea of doing all disciplines so who knows where it’s going to take me!

ROB HILLS

Well, as for last year, it was a bad one for me. With the loss of my sister, my outlook on life was not so good and my mind was not on kiting as much as it has been in previous years.

Added to this, I had a rather big wipe out in late October whilst buggying at Westward Ho! which resulted in a slight break to my left collarbone. Third time lucky! How many times does it need breaking?! Three apparently, before it gets titanium RSJ bolted to it.

So this year I hope to be back in the buggy taking it a bit steadier. Some would say it’s time to slow down, but I’m not sure I understand what that means. Without a doubt I’ll be on the water on those windy afternoons at Westshore. That is if I can remember what to do after such a break!

The last couple of winter months has seen me out on my mountain bike, taking it easy, and heading to the gym in the mornings trying to build up my lazy broken self into some kind of shape, ready for a summer of wearing budgie smugglers and looking dashingly handsome…What ever!!

I will also be putting my feet up with a brew and watching the sun set over the bay and getting lost with my GPS in the mountains on those windless days and summer evenings.

CRAIG SPARKES

2009 didn’t start off too well for me. My previous back injury was aggravated after a car accident so it meant I had to take the first half of the year steady, missing a couple of competitions. As the year went on I started to return to normal and traveled around to all the major events in the UK to promote the freestyle side of the sport. On top of this, I also traveled to Europe a few times to demo on foreign soil, including the PKRA in Germany. Through the year I shot some video, which is now in the process of being edited and put online for all to see.

This year I want to up my game and carry on with the competition side but also want to push the freeride element of the sport. I have several ideas for some spots/locations that could be amazing but need some planning and preparation but have not been ridden before in this way! I want to push the sport as much as possible while I’m in the position I am, whether this be pushing the boundaries of what is possible and coming up with new styles and tricks, to attending the events and getting people into the sport, or gaining media attention.

2010 is looking very solid and I cannot wait to push it this year onall fronts!