Atmosphere 08
Day 1 – Thursday 24th April – Warm Up!
With the event starting on the Friday I was planning on driving down on Thursday evening to save getting up at the crack of dawn on Friday. Wenesday evening looking at the forcasts it seemed that Thursday had the best forcast of the weekend, in fact the whole weekend had a good forcast! With this in mind I set off Thursday morning at around 9.30am to arrive at the beach mid afternoon to get a few hours in. I got a call of westward ho local Will McKean telling me to get mr backside to the beach as it was epic, only to find out when I arrived at around 3pm that he had only been on the beach for about 20 minutes or so!
I quickly unpacked my gear and made my way onto the beach with my 4.9 Blade IV. The beach was pretty much empty, only a few other kiters! We made the most of the space and went off! Jumping what ever we could find on the beach, pebbles, water patches, you name it, it was jumped. In the evening Me,Will & Richy headed down to the bottom of the beach and were playing around with Suicide Gybes & Kite Buggy 360. This is where you fly the kite upwind and also do a 360 with the kite! We played around with these, and being freestylers added some freestyle into it. We managed to get it so as you come out of the 360 with the kite back in the power zone do a ground spin, only managed a 540 but with a bit of work there should be no limit.
After the session we made our way to Will’s house, this would be my home for the weekends event. Big thanks to Will’s parents for their hospitality, and allowing me to stay there, much apprechiated!
Day 2 – Friday 25th April – Long Jump Winner & My Biggest Slam Ever
We woke to sunshine & wind! So we quickly made our way to the beach to be greeted by a car park full of kiters all ready to get on with the days shenanigans. Charlie from Flexifoil gave us our passes and we were off onto the Beach. The wind was perfect for the 6.5 Blade IV, my favourite kite. Boosting some big jumps with soooo much float I knew it was going to be an epic day! I found a patch not to many people were riding, I soon found out why!! Riding along on a nice firm, hard patch of sound I boosted into a rotation, as I came out of the rotation still a good 6-7ft high I moved the kite to power it up for landing. Suddenly I was roated another 180 degress travelling backwards airborn at some speed, I knew it was going wrong and there was nothing I could do except brace for landing. I came in hard on right rear wheel and flipped over hard. I ended up in the turtle position with my kite powering up towards the ground dragging and lifting me with it finally hitting the ground I stopped. After getting my breath back I fliiped the back that was trapping me over and got ready to get moving again. I then took a look at my wheel, it was f***ed for a better word, fully bent to the point the rim was touching the rear axle! I got out of the buggy and kicked it back to almost straight so I could at least get back upwind to our base. Some people who were wondering over to see if I was ok soon changed there mind as there thought I was in a fury of anger!
Soon after changing my wheels over I was back out and the long jump competition was announced. I went out a did my jumps managing 24m’s. The landboarders were giving it we will go further etc….. and they did. They managed 29m’s. The target was set. I took a break for a bit, I was starting to feel the pain of the slam! Freddy managed to beat my jump managing 25m, I know had to go for it again! I made my way back up for the jump, got my run up and went for it, I got a lovely bit of lift from the 6.5 boosting a nice bit of float and with still plenty of height through a kite loop in towards the end to give me that bit of extra length. Not only did I beat Freedy’s jump but also managed to equal the landboarders 29m’s! Stoked.
A group of us then finished the days activities off by doing a freestyle expression session and riding into the evening.
A wind village had been set up at the campsite for the event. Here all brands had their stands showing off their latest gear, there was also a bouncy castle/adventure course for children. This was soon being sued by the adults so teams were formed to compete at who could do the course the quickest. We didn’t win it, hardly shocking when its designed for little kids and with a team of tall people who kept getting stuck!! After this we headed to the bar to get a few drinks before prizes were given out for the days activities. I was given a Dakine rash fest for winning the Long Jump. At around 11.30 we called it a day to get some much needed rest ahead of another manic day.
Day 3 – Saturday 26th April – Go Big Or Go Home!
Now event do not get wind or nice weather usally to so to have a 3rd day (2nd of event) of wind and sunshine was just epic! There was not much going on in the morning as of the afternoon low tide so everyone just chilled out. As the tide gave more and more beach riders started heading out and using the beach and the wind. I took the 6.5 out again and was loving it. Being knackered from the previous two day I took out the 2 seater buggy and took a few camera men into the main area of kiters to get some photos and video footage, this was soon stopped as there were not wearing helmets! They obviously did not trust me! Being the only one it now it had to be freestyled. I manged to get the thing onto two wheels, do some mega powerslides and also get the front end airborn, just not back sadly. On one powerslide I managed to flip it though which was not great!
One of the female staff wanted to experience buggying so came out for a blast. She was nice and chatty and really enjoying it, I lobbed it into a powerslide and it was dead silence! Then a scream of enjoyment! After a few runs we headed in and I went back out for a freestyling session. One of the staff at MBS wanted to give kiting a shot so I helped out and taught her to fly a Small Flexifoil Sting.
That evening e ordered a mamouth Chinese before heading to the Wind Village for a few social drinks. After this we headed into Bideford for some drunken antics! After hitting the bars we went to the Club where we stayed till the early hours of the morning. Normally after a night out you would get a takeway, not here, you go and get a Subway! We had our subway and made our way home for some sleep.
Day 4 – Sunday 27th April – No Wind to Decent wind!
After the heavy night of drinking for all there was not much life before 11am. We headed to the beach to see what was going on, like myself some had a long drive home, some 380 miles. A few people decided as there was no wind and the low tide was not till afternoon that they would make their way home. I contemplated leaving and getting home at a normal hour but held off and chilled out on the beach. Am I glad that I satyed, the wind not only came in, but at some strength! We ended up having a 6.5 Blade IV till the evening at which I called it off. I had a long drive ahead of me, my body was aching from 4 days of rock solid kiting and I was surviving on very little sleep.
I left the beach at around 5.30 headed into town for some food and to get some much needed fuel. On the road only a few miles from the beach I saw the Flexifoil van pulled up at side of road with hazards on so pulled over to see what was up. Sadly the van had broken down and was not going anywhere soon.
I continued my journey home walking in the door at around midnight where I headed straight for bed to get some sleep.
Looking back on the event, I do not think there has been a more successful event in years, having just been to the Mondial Du Vent in South France, this easily topped it as a kite event! Hopefully this is the start to a new beginning of kite events in the UK.
