Winter …it hasn’t really arrived yet ….but keeping your feet dangling in water temps of 10 degrees and below (hope not !) can still make them a little numb at times.

Personally i’ve always gone for thicker wetsuit boots (5mm) when needing to keep the feet warm in winter or surfing reefs, but a new product from ION ESSENTIALS has had my feet plodding in ballistic luxury of late !

The problem with 5mm boots is the disconnection you can feel whilst riding your chosen board , be it a KITE/ WAKE / SUP board.
ION ‘s new barefoot feeling socks bridge the gap between boots and socks providing the ultimate combination of warmth and barefoot feeling in your foot.
The ARMAMID: super resistant sole protects against sharp mussels, coral reef and other sharp objects meaning you have the ability to feel those minor board adjustments under you feet and react without feeling like your wearing shoes !

Another problem associated with Kitesurfing in winter especially is your ability to get your feet into your footstraps easily and comfortably.The Ballistics socks from ION are 3/2 mm which mean there is a lot less neoprene to squeeze into a footstrap, and therefore it does feel like you’re wearing a pair of really warm… and flexible socks.

You can buy them from us for £19.95 – CALL US ON 01792 367453

Believe me there great!

A nice piece on The Gower peninsula’s kitesurfing potential in KITEWORLD MAG this month.
It’s slowly starting to get cold here now but still some good kiting conditions moving in from the atlantic regularly.The Gower is one of the most exposed area’s of the U.K so we nearly always have waves, wind or both! and with beaches for every wind direction you can’t help but Go KITING every day !

Had a pair of these in this morning – oh..! what comfort and functionality !
Here is a short low down and some pictures – pad come in at GKR Price £119.00
North kiteboarding 2012 NTT (Entity) Pad and Strap Set

NTT – The Revolution of Individual Fit

Every foot is different, the Only Footstraps Adjustable in 6 Ways! We at North Kiteboarding didn’t realize that yesterday. After we defined a new standard by developing the first ergonomically shaped footpads a while ago, our new Entity Combo now comes with a whole range of innovative features such as the NTT ContactPad or the NTT SplitStrap. The entire product once again sets new standards in the evolution of kite sports. The NTT is quick and easy to mount. It offers a variety of settings for a perfect fit on every foot and it even looks damned good!

JAMES DRUMMOND WILL BE GUTTED – We wish him a speedy recovery in his C-3PO knee brace !

Want to give a Gift voucher for kitesurfing to a friend or family member ?
We can help – we can take payment over the phone and send out our stylish Kiteboarding Gift vouchers and Information booklet on kitesports right to your door ready for that special Gift.
All our Kitesurfing courses are available through our vouchers and we even offer STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING and Cable wakeboarding specific vouchers too !

A movie I put together from October 2010 kiting in Mauritius
Come and learn kitesurfing in Wales with Gower kite riders approved school

kite mauritius Movie by boop78

Swansea Bay could soon be home to a Watersports Centre of Excellence!

The funding package of over £4m has been secured to help develop Swansea Marina, St Helen’s and Knab Rock and to refit the historic Olga pilot cutter vessel moored in the city’s Maritime Quarter.

The investment package has been put together with funding from the European Regional Development Fund,  The Welsh Assembly Government, Swansea Regeneration Area, Swansea Council, Bridgend Council, Mumbles Community Council, the Environment Agency and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

It’s hoped the development of Swansea Bay as a Watersports Centre of Excellence will complement a proposal to regenerate Oystermouth Road into a european style boulevard and generate better links between the city centre and the waterfront.

The centre will offer Watersports such as canoeing, kayaking, rafting, windsurfing, land yachting, stand up paddle boarding and kite-surfing which will all feature under the proposals.

Many people see the waterfront as Swansea’s best asset – but its real leisure and amenity value is not currently realised. By making it an active and well linked part of the wider City Centre the achievement of making our city the unique European waterfront destination becomes a step closer.

The plans would see cash invested in the St Helen’s area to develop access for all to the beach and a facility for beach and water sports. This would include toilets, wheelchair hire, changing and showering facilities, car parking improvements and a mechanism for accessing the water’s edge at low tide. There has even been talk of a cafe facility which would be greatly received by the Tens of Thousands of people who use the bay regularly.

Funds will also be pumped into the improvement of the slipway and visitor facilities at Knab Rock to accommodate world class sailing and catamaran events which currenty commence here A new pontoon with disabled access will be put in place at Swansea Marina to increase sailing and boating opportunities.

An Adrenaline Coast festival is also in the pipeline. It will largely focus on Porthcawl but will include long-haul competition linking it with the Swansea foreshore such as the Stand up paddleboarding.
There is a event planned for May 28/29th 2011 which include Free demo’s for families and children on Stand up paddle boards which is a fast emerging sport in the U.K.

Iwan Davies, Swansea Council’s Head of Culture and Tourism, said: “The development of Swansea Bay as a Watersports Centre of Excellence will add another great asset to the Swansea tourism product offer which will help to further strengthen the local tourism economy and potentially provide training and job opportunities in the tourism industry.

“Tourism is already a major economic asset to Swansea and these new developments will provide an excellent addition to what’s already available. We are delighted that we have been selected as one of only three approved Centres of Excellence in Wales.

Plas menai owned and run by the Sports Council for Wales, is a purpose-built centre with comfortable and well-equipped accommodation. The main residential complex has single and twin-bedded rooms, all with en-suite shower and WC, as well as tea-making facilities. Half the rooms overlook the Strait to Anglesey. The centre also has on-site ‘house’ accommodation which is ideal for clubs, schools and groups.This centre was developed through Grant funding and offers an array of watersports such as sailing, windsurfing and kayaking.

“The proposed watersports facilities and Olga refit will provide infrastructure that will further raise Swansea’s profile as a tourist destination and the clustering of waterfront activity will help deliver a vibrant waterfront.”

The schemes will be up and running by the end of 2014.

Professional Kitesurfing tuition in South Wales – Gower kiteriders is the longest standing approved BKSA Kitesurfing school in South Wales.We have been teaching kitesurfing and kiteboarding for 8 years and are  South Wales No 1 Kiteschool and kitestore.

We teach on a variety of beaches with North kiteboarding equipment- So get started in 2011 ! Call or e mail us on

07799062447

mail@gowerkiteriders.com

Back for the 4 year in a row , always popular Freeride/ freestyle kite which ticks all the boxes , this year with D2 techno force risptop nylon for a crisper more durable kite which which outlast other ripstop nylon kites.

• Technoforce D² material offers a 40% higher breaking strength
• 70% higher tearing strength and also improved flying characteristics.

Had a great play around on the Vegas and the Evo 2010 yesterday.

 2010 EVO in 25-30knots (83 kilo )

The new 2010 Evo feels much smoother than last year although its bar pressure /sheeting force seems to have increased form the Evo 2009. The Evo 2010 definately has a better low end to high end windrange  than the 2009. Jumps are huge and floaty and the kite loops with awesome power – unhooked is where the evo 2010 kite seems to be best, sitting right in the middle of the window  and pushes your confidence in strong wind.

Its overall looks dont look particuarly ‘Delta’ shaped – but C shaped (low aspect)- it has the bar pressure and jumping ability of a ‘ C’ but with added de-power.The evo 2010 will not dissapoint Evo fans and lovers – I cant wait to try it out in 4 line mode this weekend in waves.
In my opinion a very easy to use sheet & go kite

In the same session I also had a blast on the Vegas 2010 – what a kite ! The bar pressure funnily enough felt lighter than the Evo – steering was so direct in freeide mode I wasnt sure I had North’s premuim ‘C’ Vegas in my hands at all.

The kite looks more High aspect than before and very C shaped – a very user friendly kite – in honesty I have been riding the Evo since the diabolical Vegas 08 but now feel it may be time to re- visit the ole friend.