COLLECTIVE

EXPERIENCE
The BWSurf Team Rider Guide to Strapless Kitesurfing

BY KITESURFERS | FOR KITESURFERS

BEN WILSON

I feel so honoured that some of the best and most experienced

surfers and kiters in the industry have chosen to be part of the
BWSurf family. Theyve got a wealth of experience and
knowledge so I thought Id take the opportunity to share it with
you.
BWSurf team riders are incredible kitesurfers, but theyre also
extremely talented surfers. In fact, many are pro-surfers who
discovered kiting as a means to extend their time on the water and
compliment their surfing.
These guys are a big part of the BWSurf family. Its their input into
our R&D and constant feedback that allows Dano and me to create
the best equipment to suit different riding styles and conditions.
Having riders who are competent in both kiting and surfing, enables
us to be innovative and at the cutting edge of surf-style riding.
This ebook will give you a good insight into what drives our riders as
well as some handy tips you can apply to your own riding.

Enjoy!

!
IMAGE: Stu Gibson

IAN ALLDREDGE
13 years ago,

my Dad and I were riding our bikes

down the street to check out the surf. As we got to the

beach, we noticed it was flat, just like the days
before. We looked out beyond the waves and saw a kiter
having some fun out on the point. This was the first time
wed ever seen someone kiting. After watching for a few
minutes we decided to walk down and ask this guy for
some info on where to get a lesson. He gladly taught us
the basics and we were hooked.
The summer time in California tends to be pretty
inconsistent for surf. When the waves do show up, the
wind tends to be on it. For us, this was the perfect
opportunity to get in the water have fun when the waves
were small.
These days Im always looking forward to the next wave
and the next big swell. Every wave is different. Im
excited to travel to new places and to push the sport in a
positive direction with more of a surf influence. Im also
getting more involved in the instruction side of things
and want to keep pushing the sport in new directions and
reach a wider audience.
IMAGE: Ian Alldredge

Strapless Airs...
Imagine youre driving down the freeway with your
hand out the window, palm facing forwards. Now
imagine youre trying to keep a plate on your hand.
The only way to do this is to keep your hand facing
forwards with the plate pushing directly into the
wind. If you turn your hand to face too far in any
other direction, it will fly off. The same thing goes
for keeping your board on your feet; youve got to
push it into the water and the wind, pressing
against the resisting forces. - Ian

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

Harness Setup...
For me its important to have freedom to pivot my body
without being limited by the standard hook used in most
commercial harnesses. Its really cheap and simple to
customize your gear to suit your style. I use a Dakine
harness with a length of rope tied across the spreader bar
to add an extra few inches of freedom (that adds degrees
to my range of motion). Another alternative is to use a
larger harness than youd typically buy go a size up. This
allows your body to move more so youre not pulled around
by the chicken loop.
Where I come from its normally gusty and not ideal for
unhooking so I use the extra space from the additional
rope to achieve a similar feeling. Just choose a set up that
works for you. - Ian

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

Go Strapless
Try riding a skateboard to get your body
positioning comfortable. And before you
even attempt going strapless in the waves,
spend time in flat water and use wind-chop
to practice small airs.

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

If your kite goes down,

always stay away from lines
and try to keep some space
in your lines by releasing.
Ensuring that tension in
your lines is minimised is
essential.

IMAGE: Ian Alldredge

Upsize
Being underpowered means a lot more
work, especially when you want to simply
park and ride. Slowing down is easier than
finding extra power but if youve got too
much speed, edge your rail hard against it.
Also try catching the wave early, making
sure youre out in front of the wave and
allowing it to catch up to you.
- Ian Alldredge

IMAGE: Ian Alldredge

GREG NORMAN JR.

Greg Norman JR has been in the kiteboarding world since the very
beginning. I learned in Maui back in early part of the 2000s. Lou
Wainman did a slim over my head while I was body dragging and I was
hooked.
Greg resolved to master kitesurfing, eventually bringing his new skills back home to
Florida. Greg pioneered the wake-style movement that bridged the gap between
wakeboarding and kiteboarding. This saw him forge a successful career in both these
sports while simultaneously following in his fathers golfing footsteps.
Always a surfer, Greg travels the world looking for waves - but he never leaves home
without a kite - and has made it his life mission to facilitate the expansion of
kitesurfing and cable wakeboarding across the globe.

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

Practise makes perfect...

Some people say you shouldnt get frustrated
when you dont get something right away, but I
say use that frustration. Use it to pump yourself
up and go after it. Youll take beatings, but
those beating only make sticking the trick that
much sweeter.

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

Kitesurfing..... Its FREEDOM.

Put up a kite and youre the skipper, free to
surf, wakeboard, fly or even race.

No two sessions in kiting, no matter if you are

on a surfboard or a wakeboard or a foilboard or
a McDonalds tray, will ever be the same.
Remember, each time you head out for a ride, be
ready to roll with whatever is thrown at you and
enjoy every second of it. You are out kiting! Not
stuck in an office. And one small mantra to

Stand Tall You Fall,

Stay Low You Go.
keep in your head,

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

TREVOR HENDY
Australians in particular will remember Trevor from his
Ironman days where he was the unrivaled champion, year
after year. A true athlete, Trev had a successful foray into
kayaking before coming to the realisation that hed much
rather help others achieve their own gold medals. Now a
lifecoach/mentor, his years of battling rough ocean
conditions and taking it all in his stride makes him a
genuine inspiration. Somewhere in-between all this,
Trevor learned to kite. And of course hes pretty amazing
at that too! Trev is a member of multiple Sporting Halls of
Fame, holds an Order of Australia, and is an inspirational
speaker, kite instructor, father and mentor.

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

I first got into kitesurfing through my buddy, Paul Jackson,

who is very good. Hed always go off kiting when the wind came
up. One day he said, Lets go, and he took me down to the
beach, put the kite in the air and stood with me until I could fly,
land and take off. He immediately put me on the board and
sent me out to sea, through the waves. It was when I got out the
back that I realised he hadnt told me how to turn around and
that I had never stood goofy-footed before. I made my way back
eventually to see him laughing and simply saying, I knew youd
be ok, I wanted to see how quick you could pick it up. I have
never taught anyone else that way and wouldnt recommend it,
but it made for quick learning!

I always like to remember the biggest reason why Im in the

water - to let go. Not only is the water my spiritual bath,
letting go is also the number one best tip I have for kitesurfing.

Simply let go and let it happen. That particularly

applies when you are learning and you are getting to know the
bar. When in doubt, let it out.
Trevor Hendy
!

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

1
2

It is incredible stress relief...

Kitesurfing is the number one way I have found to
harness the power of nature yet ride it with grace. You
cant control it or wrestle it, you have to let it take you
and just stay present enough to be the one guiding the
experience. I always come back feeling as though I am
more confident and more relaxed.
- Trevor Hendy

When I am trying something new, I dont

tighten up. I imagine what it would feel like to
pull it off before I have even tried it. Once I
have the feeling, I tend to land it without too
much hassle.
IMAGE: Stu Gibson

GRETTA KRUESI
I first learned in front of my parents beach house
in Charleston, SC. This was back in 2005 and there
were literally no other girls kiting there at the
time. The surf was pretty bad that summer and I
remember seeing a few local guys having so much
fun on kites! I made it my mission that summer to
learnand am thankful to this day for the friends
that took me under their wing. Still hooked to this
day.
!

IMAGE: Peter Joli Wilson

Have fun.
Never forget thats what its all about.

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

I love kitesurfing because no matter the surf

conditions, theres always a way to push myself
and make the surf fun. When it's flat or
onshore, I can work on strapless airs. When it's
good, I catch a ton more waves than I would
regular surfing. And when its big Im more
confident and will go out or drop in on heavier
conditions.
- Gretta

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

JOSH MULCOY
I live in Santa Cruz and theres a really good surfing
wave just past Waddell. For years Id drive by and see
windsurfers. Eventually I started seeing kiters and
had to stop to check it out. I thought to myself,
Wow, that turns the ocean into a big waterpark
with endless opportunities to ride waves! I was lucky
enough to have a friend help me out and get me
going. During this time I actually didn't surf for the
whole month - just kited. I was addicted - theres just
something about gliding across the water...

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

Kiting is the perfect counterpart

to surfing, helping keep you in the
water. I love to surf more than
anything, but what do you do
when it gets windy? Most of my
friends play golf! Kiting keeps me
riding waves. Using the same
board I surf on, just catching a
ton more waves.
What better training tool for
surfing than kiting? Youre
actually standing on your
surfboard for hours and not just
paddling. I really feel this helps
out with your balance when
surfing. These days I get just as
excited going kiting and I do
surfing.
Josh Mulcoy

I just want to kite like its surfing

and flow from turn to turn as
smooth as I can. Kite placement is
key to creating a surf-style flow
and we are lucky to have kites that
help this out.
IMAGE: Chris Burkard

Watch the ocean...

The most important thing for me before I hit the water
is to actually watch the ocean. I feel like kiting is so
much like surfing that I spend time to look for the best
waves on the beach. After that I just pump up and get
out there.
- Josh
IMAGE: Stu Gibson

!!

BEN BOURGEOIS
Ben Bourgeois was attracted to
water and surfing at just three
years old. He immediately
started
winning
surfing
contests even though he was
too little to carry the board into
the water by himself.
After Ben and his family moved
to Wrightsville Beach, North
Carolina, he finally crossed
paths with kiting. Since then
hes never looked back, now
spending his time travelling the
world, chasing the best waves
and competing in surf contests
whenever the mood strikes.

IMAGE: Chris Burkard

I enjoy the freedom of kiting and

getting away from the crowds! It
makes bad waves really fun.

IMAGE: Chris Burkard

Practise, practise, practise. And if you

can, get some footage of yourself thats
the best way to perfect a trick.
Ben Bourgeois
IMAGE: Chris Burkard

Being a surfer and kiting the same board I

surf, my boards are always set up ready to go
for both just the way I want them.!

BRODIE ADLINGTON
Newcastle lad Brodie started kitesurfing
because of his old man. He's the keenest
kitesurfer I know. He froths harder than
anyone I know and he got me into it so
he'd have someone to kite with. We kite
together at home all time. Cheers Dad!

Wax!

Having a good coat of wax on my board while kiting and surfing

makes the session so much better. I like to put wax up fairly high on my boards so
if my foot ends up near the nose I wont slide off. I usually carry wax on me while
kiting, as it heats up under my feet and moves away from where my perfect
position is. I'll always keep throwing more on whilst I'm out there. Not so much
when surfing as you aren't standing on your board the whole time. I find going
switch also lets my wax hold up a lot longer as my feet will push the wax back to
where it was.

Like most people, I love kitesurfing as it means I'm in the

water more. I get to surf when it's offshore then kite when its
not. If its onshore here at home, it'll usually only be a couple
of us out kiting so its a good way to get away from the crowds
that come with surfing. Kitesurfing is also one of the best ways
to alleviate stress & keep fit!
- Brodie

HOW TO...

Perfect a Layback Carve

This is one of my favourite kiting moves as it throws off a huge
amount of spray and feels epic!
1. Speed - it's all about the speed... The more speed you've got,
the bigger the turn will be and more water you're going to
move. So make sure you've got a whole bunch of speed
before hitting the section.
2. The Section - You can perform one of these off many
sections but you really want to aim for the right one to
maximise the sick-ness of the turn. I look for a section that
has a lot of push behind it, is just about to break but still has
a bit of wally part next to it.
3. Timing and technique - These two things are crucial for
making the turn look sick. Time it wrong and you'll be
hitting a fat section or you'll be too late to even hit it. The
perfect time to hit it is just before it's about to break. As for
technique, race at whatever angle you want to the section
(depending on how you want it to turn out, the harder the
angle the more vertical you'll be when you hit it) then throw
your back arm into the water behind you just as you lean
back to throw all your weight and power onto your back
foot. Using your arm as a stabiliser behind you, transfer your
weight to your front foot - this will make your fins throw
out and the tail of your board will slide.
!

MATT KEENAN
The best part about surfing and kiting is that its just
you and the waves. Thats the best part about this entire
thing we love so much - its all complementary. Surf
styles apply to kiting and sometimes youll learn
something while youre out kiting that can enhance
something youre trying to do surfing. The real question
is, why isnt there a kite in every surfers quiver?

IMAGE: John Bilderback

Patience

is the absolute key to getting

a trick dialed. You just have to keep trying
and trying until you try the trick almost by
instinct. Getting someone to video you or
getting some GoPro clips from your lines is
also incredibly helpful. Once you see yourself
doing the trick both in your mind and then in
play-back, you may notice something youre
doing wrong.
!

IMAGE: John Bilderback

Know your surroundings...

Everyone has been a beginner. Everyone has
rocked up to a new spot and just frothed out to
get out there. The most important piece of all
these sports we love to do, is that the conditions
are always changing. Just make sure you take a
few minutes to check everything out and then go
nuts.

IMAGE: John Bilderback

Kitesurfing just offers a lot

more freedom than surfing; if
you want to hit a section that's
20 metres away, you can get
there in seconds. You don't
have that option when you
surf.

LUCAS HEARN
We first came across Lucas at the 2013 Merimbula
Classic where he wowed judges with his skill on the
water and won a place on our 2014 Namotu Island Kite
Week. He scored some good conditions in Fiji and has
the shots to prove it.
I started kitesurfing when I was about 10 or 11, just
mucking around on the beach with an old two-line after
getting lessons from Keahi's dad, Chris De Aboitiz. It just
started off as something to do when the surf was bad
and blown out, but the more I kited in the waves, the
more I got hooked on it.

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

HOW TO...

Go Big and Strapless

A big strapless boost off the back of a
wave is by far my favourite thing to do. It feels
good and looks sick if you can nail it. There are
only two main keys to it: having your kite in the
right spot and angling your board into the wind
correctly.
You can do this at whatever speed you want, just start off
with your kite parked at 45 degrees as you come up to a
wave. Just as the nose of your board goes to leave the
water, steer your kite slightly higher to get a bit more lift
and speed. By this point your board will nearly be out of the
water and you have to try and position the bottom of the
board so its facing into the wind. Essentially the wind will
make it stick to your feet.
Leave your front hand close to the middle of the bar and as
you come down you'll naturally pull with that hand which
will bring the kite lower slowly. As youre coming down,
your board will fall off your feet if the kite is too low and
you'll land very fast and very hard. So try to guide the kite
down at the same rate you fall. While youre dropping
you'll gain enough momentum to level out the angel of
your board and hopefully land smoothly, also remembering
to bend your knees to take the impact.
IMAGE: Stu Gibson

I love kitesurfing because when the

surfs really small and mushy, you still
have enough power to do big turns and
airs, when in reality the waves are
terrible.
- Lucas

IMAGE: Stu Gibson

RYAN OATES
Proving that age is no barrier to kiting
prowess, Pismo Beach native Ryan Oates
became a BWSurf team rider at just 14.
Were keen to see what will happen now
hes old enough to drive...
Every time I go out I always want to try
something new. Whether thats tweaking an
air or doing a turn to ride the wave
differently. Changing up your style, technique
or a manoeuvre will help you become a better
rider!
- Ryan

IMAGE: Dave Oates

TEDDY LYONS
New Jersey local, Teddy Lyons has extensive experience both as a
rider and instructor, even kiting home after school as a kid. After
watching the local crew kill it for years I finally decided I had to learn
how to kitesurf. My good friend Mark Miedama gave me a water
lesson and then I would follow the crew on downwinders, just trying
to figure out how to get up on the board.

IMAGE: Beau Pilgrim

HOW TO...

Stomp a Backside Air

1. Send your kite above your head similar to jumping on a
twin-tip, but slower. This helps create lift, without ripping
you off your board.
2. When the kite reaches 12, pull in on your bar and start
your jump. It is important that you really suck your front
foot up towards your chest, as this helps get your board off
the water and into the air.
3. Hold your bar in until you reach the top of your jump.
4. When you reach the top of your jump, slowly ease out on
your bar while keeping your knees bent close to your body.
This will help you make a smooth descent.
5. As you are coming down, slowly start extending your
legs. This helps give the board some momentum, keeping it
with you when it wants to fall off your feet.
6. Now land it! Hopefully if you went through all these steps
you just stomped a clean backside air. Remember that kite
power and wind speed are very important for this trick, so
dont frustrate yourself trying to master this trick in light
winds!

IMAGE: Keith Hamlyn

Make sure the conditions are right for

whatever trick you are trying to learn.
If you want to learn airs, you need solid wind to
help keep the board on your feet, and if you are
focusing on wave riding it helps to have a
decent size wave. Trying to learn new tricks in
marginal conditions can be frustrating and
deflating, so just be patient!
- Teddy!

IMAGE: Keith Hamlyn

The SEARCH for PERFECTION

Since starting Ben Wilson Surf (now BWSurf) in 2005, Dano and I have
gone from making instructional films and hosting coaching camps to
designing, manufacturing and distributing our own range of kites,
boards, bars and accessories. During our time in the industry, weve
been lucky enough to meet some incredible characters, help shape the
sport and share the stoke with as many people as possible. Every day
we refine our techniques, look for better ways to build our products
and bring kitesurfing to the mainstream market. Were passionate
about building the global community and the best quality products. As
the only surf-specific company, we understand the rigors of riding in
swell so youll receive the boards, kites and bars for tough conditions.

For more information on

BWSurf products, visit the
website at www.bwsurf.com,
email info@bwsurf.com

The Noise Pro kite is the culmination of nearly 15 years of experience

and development from Dano and me. Together with our Team Riders
and network of Ambassadors around the world, we've managed to
refine the design of the gear to simplify use - because when you're in
the surf, the last thing you need is extra rope or rig in your way. It's
been a process of fine-tuning and streamlining our design to make a
kite that's stable, safe and a true complement to surfing.
It's the same story with our range of boards. Each one has everything
you need without the bells and whistles and each one is great to ride
either with or without the kite. Surf in the morning and kite in the
afternoon, thats our philosophy.
Our search for perfection never ends
...dont hold back!
IMAGE: Stu Gibson

Copyright 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Disclaimer
All the material contained in this book is provided for educational and informational purposes only. No responsibility can be taken for any results or
outcomes resulting from the use of this material.
While every attempt has been made to provide information that is both accurate and effective, the author does not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy or use/misuse of this information.

Acknowledgements
Thank you to our incredible photographers who go through so much to get the shot.
Stu Gibson - www.stugibson.net
John Bilderback - johnbilderback.com
Peter Joli Wilson - www.joliphotos.com
Chris Burkard - www.chrisburkard.com
Beau Pilgrim - beaupilgrim.com
Keith Hamlyn - keithhamlyn.com
!