Ozone dominates Canterbury Kiteboarding Champs 29-30th January 2011

From the 28th-31st of January 2011, while many of you slept, way way way down in the southern hemisphere New Zealand riders were preparing to compete in the Canterbury Kiteboarding Champs.  We have not had a national title event for a couple of years so many treated this as the opportunity to measure swords with other riders.

As always the Canterbury champs represented an opportunity for New Zealand riders to meet one another and reduce the span than divides the two main islands of our country. Ozone sponsored the event and also sent along International Pro Torrin Bright, and Hugh Pinfold the hardware designer and ripper.  Also tagging along from Raglan were rising junior Joel Savage and Myself.

Being summer here in New Zealand and especially in the North island we were enjoying both warm water and air temperatures. The South island was a little cooler than we were used to but the southern hospitality soon warmed our spirits and we found ourselves out on the flat water spot at the Ferrymead estuary for the slider jam, kicking the weekend off.  Both myself and Joel put in a solid 5 hours in the so called chop before Hugh and Torrin took the second shift on the butter flats and the rail kicker combos. Local Ozone rider Tom Cook, Tauranga grom Fergus Robertson and Napiers Brendan Loughlan also represented, flying the Ozone banner!  Smiles a-plenty, it was a great sight to see 50 or so kites on the butter flat water, hitting rails, launching the kicker and passing the bar in every possible way.

The Comp kicked off Saturday at Lake Ellesmere but was soon called off due to high winds. A kiteloop and hangtime comp was held instead, with Ozone pro Torrin Bright taking the win with 7-8 seconds of flying on the 2011 9m C4.

The kiteloop comp was taken out by Ozone junior Brendan Laughlan who along with Joel Savage and Myself each on different coloured 7m 2011 C4s, had the whole lake to ourselves giving the crowds some entertainment, culminating in a syncronised kiteloop from Joel and myself hamming it up and having some fun.  We were told afterward it looked like a live Ozone C4 commercial, with onlookers remarking at how they wanted one too!  This set the stage and soon the lake was covered in rippers blasting airs in the 30-40 knot winds with glassy takeoffs behind the islands in the lake…yeeeeew!

The final day saw enough wind to compete, despite the variable conditions (5-25 knots) all heats were completed including the course race, which Ozone hardware designer Hugh Pinfold being the first Kiteboarder across the line! Raglan Roast coffees and fresh hamburgers were being served all day everyday keeping everyone charged up for their heats and well into the evening for the prizegiving.

Thanks go out to the Canterbury Windsports association and the tireless efforts of Christchurch locals for hosting one of New Zealand’s longest running kiteboarding events, a good time was had by all!

Olly Brunton

OZONE RESULTS:

Open Freestyle

2.Torrin Bright

Junior Freestyle

2.Fergus Robertson

3.Joel Savage

Masters Freestyle

1.Tom Cook

2.Olly Brunton

3.Hugh Pinfold

Course Race

2.Hugh Pinfold (kitesurf)

Hangtime Big Air

1.Torrin Bright

Worst Wipeout

2. Fergus Robertson

3. Olly Brunton

Best Kite loop

1. Brendan Loughlan

2. Olly & Joel synchronised