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 Ben is at the fore front of progressing the potential of riding the waves with a kite and wants to share his knowledge with you, so whether it’s your first bottom turn, gear selection, kite positioning, simple strapless techniques or going for your first Re-entry, Ben has simple techniques that could save you months. CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON ON THE VIDEO SCREEN BELOW TO VIEW THE ACCELERATOR CLINIC PROMO CLIP
See below for up-coming clinics and camps or email us for private coaching info... BALI INDONESIA - ACCELERATOR WAVE CAMP JULY '09 SURF INTENSIVE 1 DAY CLINIC'S Ben's personal how to's and getting started advice..... GETTING STARTED IN THE WAVES WHERE TO PLACE YOUR KITE TIPS FOR RIDING BACKSIDE HOW TO DO A FRONTSIDE AIR HOW TO DO A FRONTSIDE TOPTURN HOW TO DO A BACKSIDE FLOATER The Accelerator Wave Camp – Bali, Indonesia '09
Monday 27 July – Sunday 2 August 2009 - This is a wave riding clinic that will fast track your wave riding skills. Want to refine your style, get confident unhooking, master riding strapless, advance your surfing manoeuvres or just get more comfortable in the surf? Prerequisite skills This is a not a beginner kiting clinic. You must be able to Stay upwind, ride heel side and topside, have full kite control, able to water relaunch etc. Surf experience is not necessary but is preferred. The clinic is a mix of theory and riding sessions. In the theory sessions Ben uses video footage to explain different concepts. The riding sessions begin with an initial assessment of your skill level. You are then grouped with riders of similar ability and will receive coaching based on your needs. You will also be filmed so you can see the areas of your riding that that can be developed. Each person will have the opportunity to get some one on one coaching with Ben daily.
Don’t hesitate on booking your opportunity to fast track your riding in the waves. Clinic fee - $2490 Aud - Australian Dollars Includes 6-day clinic 6 nights of accommodation in tropical bungalows All meals for 6 days Transport to and from Kuta – airfare to Bali not included “The camp in Bali was awesome – we had good waves good wind and the tips I learnt from Ben really progressed my riding.” Stuart Beath Brisbane “The location in Bali was great we could surf in morning and kitesurf in the afternoon.” Seichiro Fujiwara – Japan “Great waves, cold Bintang Beer, really healthy food, massages everyday and on top of that you get to ride with one of the best wave kiters in the world.” Michael Bishop Brisbane – Australia Non-kiter program Includes all the above except the kite instruction - $890 AUD _ Australian Dollars There is plenty for non-kiters to do including surf lessons, massage, yoga, sightseeing excursions and cooking classes. (Note: These are optional extras) To book email: bruce@benwilsonsurf.com BWS SURF INTENSIVE 1 DAY CLINIC Are you ready to take your wave riding to the next level? Want to refine your style, get confident unhooking, master riding strapless, advance your surfing manoeuvres or just get more comfortable in the surf? If the answer is yes then you will benefit from the skills and knowledge that Ben Wilson has developed to make him one of the most progressive wave kiters in the world. Ben is available for 1day clinic's to help kiters like you progress their skills in the surf and increases their enjoyment as well as their safety.
You will learn about: GEAR SELECTION and tips: SAFETY - how to stay out of trouble and strategies to recover if you don't ELEMENTS – wind waves and predicting swell and using websites to locate good waves BASICS BEFORE GOING IN THE WAVES - What you need to know before hitting the surf SURF BASICS - key principals including, body position, unhooking KITE POSITIONING - where to put your kite to enable you to BASIC MOVES - bottom turns, tops turns, combos and more ADVANCED MOVES - floaters, reo's slashes, tail slides, reverses, airs, barrels and more FITNESS PROGRAM specific to surf kiting. Prerequisite skills: This is a not a beginner clinic. You must be able to Stay upwind, ride heel side and toe side, have full kite control and able to water relaunch. Clinic fee: $995 Up to 4 people and if you have a bigger group, just let us know. Includes: 2 theory sessions and up to 3 hours of on water coaching. “Attending the surf intensive clinic has really helped me with my wave riding. What Ben is able to pass on in a few sessions would take a few years by yourself.” Tony Armstrong To Book email: bruce@benwilsonsurf.com GETTING STARTED IN THE WAVES Images by Bill Crang, Gabi Soos, Stu Gibson and Will Schouten I have been riding in the waves for over 5 years now, I like riding hooked in, un-hooked, strapped and strapless all depending on the conditions. There are some key fundamentals for riding in the waves and a lot of equipment options, here’s what works for me.
KITES: The hot topic between Bows and C's, the bottom line is they both work and it comes down entirely to personal preference, I have the luxury to use both, but here's some tips to help you make your decision - Generally speaking C's are simpler, especially if you ride them with 4 lines and I think this is a great thing to consider if your launching out of a boat, riding in clean normal winds plus if you have a tough built kite 99% of the time when you crash it in the waves it's going to come back up. Bow's on the other hand generally speaking have more range and de-power, therefore making it easier to ride the waves in more offshore and gusty conditions. Most companies now have a crossover kite of both called a hybrid, this usually has the same smooth feel of the c kite, but with the de-power of the bow making it a very versatile. I ride this kite (slingshot rev) 100% of the time now and believe it is the ultimate kite for all riding styles and conditions.
BOARDS: Obviously surfboards have been around for a long time and are the best wave riding device, as we know they already work. Don't get a board from a company that has been shaping kiteboards and now all of a sudden shapes surfboards, as shaping surfboards is a very hi-tech piece of work that takes years to learn how to do. Depending on your size, weight and most common conditions you ride in will determine which board will best suit you, for normal conditions riding both strapped and strapless get a board about 2inches taller than you, if you live somewhere super windy, get a board the same size as you with a little extra weight. Both pop outs and original poly boards work, here is the main difference – pop out’s are general less likely to impact ding than poly boards (meaning you need to take more care looking after them), poly boards have more flex and can be more easily customized. I like both for there purpose and travel with both at all times.
ACCESSORIES: Wear a waist harness at all times as they tend to pull you out rather than up. The only time you should wear a seat harness is if you have some kind of back problem. I use the new Dakine Renegade as it has been designed specifically for me for wave riding. Only use a leg rope when you have too e.g. when your board is going to be washed onto rocks or an exposed reef, if there is any chance you’re board can hurt anyone else while it’s free from you or if you are just starting out etc. Because if you can get away with out using one it is much safer for you as they tend to load up and fly all over the place when you wipe out. If you are riding strapless make sure you wax your board with a good base coat. Wax comes in different strengths for all water temperature types, but you should always use a warm water wax for your base coat then the ideal water type on top of that, this will help with keeping a solid coat of wax over your board and avoid the wax rubbing off where your feet go. GETTING OUT THERE: When going out in any wave conditions you need to know your limits, so start out small and work your way up. Reading a wave comes from experience, always take some time to watch the conditions before you go out, here are some thing's to look for - Where the waves are consistently breaking, if the wind is being effected by the wave, current’s and know your tides. Finally when you are out in the waves and ready to ride your first one and do your first turn start with the bottom turn as it’s the most important thing to learn when riding the waves, it is the foundation to the wave and particular turn you’re about to do. Practice and learn this first, it will also help with all the other key ingredients including timing and flow.
KITESURFING “Where to place your kite" Images by Bill Crang, Andrew Shield and Gabi Soos Handling your kite properly in the waves could lead you to more aggressive turns, flow and maybe even a barrel. By Ben Wilson Kite positioning when riding the waves is one of the most important and tricky skills to learn for successful wave riding. Putting your kite in the wrong spot can wreck your wave and even your session. Trying to control two forms of power (wave power and kite power) can be very overwhelming and daunting, especially in bigger waves. Each wind direction has its rightful formula to make it all come together. On shore in right handers – Onshore wave riding is best done in smaller waves, it will get to a point where the waves will get too big and move to fast towards your kite and it will loose tension and fall. The best technique is to keep your kite low (10 and 11) and edge hard against it pointing up wind with control until you get onto the part of the wave you want to ride, once your ready to start riding the wave, release your edge and at the same time drop your kite low (10 and 11) and deep in the power zone but with out turning it only making subtle adjustments, just keeping it heading in the same direction your heading. Bringing it up to high will only result in your going underneath it and it falling out of the sky. Side off shore in left handers – The key with this direction is to edge hard and bringing the kite right up into the window as far forward as possible before initiating each turn, when you release your edge to initiate your turn it will release the tension of the kite and this will free you up to make the turn. Be careful to not build up too much speed in this direction as the kite will build up lots of speed from the tension of the wave power against the kite power and this can lead to massive wipeouts or ruining the wave.
Side on shore in rights handers – This could very well be the most common and hardest wind direction to ride in as you need to be turning your kite the entire ride. In long down the line waves it can be very tricky as you want to go down the line, but your kite wants to go out in front of the wave. The best way to tackle this is by turning your kite first and then making your turn to follow your kite, when doing it right, you will be making figure eight’s (between 10 and 1 & 11 and 2) or full down loops with your kite while racing down the line. It’s very important though that you initiate you kite turn just before your board turn otherwise you will release tension in your lines and loose the turning of your kite as you head down the line. Side shore in left handers – Side shore is the ultimate direction, as you can pretty much just set your kite heading down the line and only make subtle adjustments after or before each turns. The key here is to set your kite in the right position in the beginning, so you can enjoy the entire ride, make sure once again you keep your kite low (between 1 and 2) so you don’t go underneath it.
Key Tips – : No matter the wind direction, you need the kite to be heading in the general direction your going, the best way to do this is by keeping it low in the power zone and visualizing what the wave is going to do next so you can adjust in accordingly. : Timing and flow is essential to good wave riding, this comes in time with lots of practice, try and read the waves and anticipate how the wave is going to break to put your kite in the right position, then you will be in the right position. : Subtleness in everything you do in the waves is generally best, remember the bigger turns you do with your kite, the bigger turns you will need to do with your board. : Kite power to wave power transition – before you catch the wave you are using the power of the kite, once you get onto the wave you have the choice to be using either or both, the earlier you can get on the wave will give you more time to decide and adapt to that power transition. : The most common mistake is making the turn or direction change with your board before your kite, this will release the tension in your lines before you have sent your kite in the right direction, make sure you all ways have your kite turning or moving in the right direction before you make your turn. TIPS FOR RIDING ON YOUR BACKHAND Images by Bill Crang, Gabi Soos, Tracy Kraft and Will Schouten So far wave riding is being interpreted employing two very different angles of attack – switch and backhand. Neither one being more “correct” than the other and both executed correctly, look awesome. They are merely two different interpretations or approaches to riding the wave. Kiting on your backhand though you can approach the wave at a completely different angle allowing you to draw lines that you would never experience riding switch. It gives the whole attack a point of difference, an added flare to the way you can kite waves.
Here are some tips to get you ripping: • UNHOOKING - I pretty much always unhook when possible, so that I’m not restricted by just pivoting off one point, so my body is totally opened up for any turn that I want to do • BOTTOM TURN - The bottom turn is the most important part of riding the waves backside or frontside for that matter, it lays you’re foundations for what comes next. I always like to take the drop on a wave like I would surfing so I know where I am on the wave and actually feel the power of the wave opposed to the power of the kite right from the beginning. Obviously when doing a bottom turn on your backhand opposed to your forehand you going to be on your heel side edge so to really be able to dig your rail in and get that off the bottom drive you need to come back up the wave, when executing it lower your center of gravity by really bending your knees to disperse your weight over your board. • KITE POSITION - My biggest tip is keep the kite as low as possible and aiming down the line to where you are heading holding a happy medium of where you can just let the kite fly with no pull and having to do only subtle adjustments so you can just concentrate on your turns. It’s very important to start your ride with the kite in its optimal position, this will vary in all wind angles and wave sizes; it just takes practice to get it.
• TIMING is one of the key fundamentals, with it you get flow and obviously it comes from being able to read the wave, I’m always looking over my shoulder down the line visualizing what the wave will do to determine my next move. • SPEED is everything, you can do anything with speed, having said that the hardest thing is controlling it, in the beginning stay hooked in until you feel like you have your speed under control, then un-hook or hook back in if you need to re-gain that control. • BODY POSITION - Staying centered over you’re board when hitting a section or doing a turn is another major factor, it requires more commitment but will ensure to maintain your speed and stomp the move. • FLOW is the hardest part, yet the most rewarding and functional way to ride the wave, but the way you control and fly your kite will make it possible and is the key to you’re success of riding backside. Having flow and being in sync with the wave is the true foundation of making it all come together, practice this or you will be skipping a major part of your growth in riding the waves. • BOARDS - Of coarse boards are another huge factor, you need a board that has refined rails, good concaves and is suited to your style, fins are essential, twin tips don’t work backside, you need direction and rails, you’re local conditions will determine what size board you need, generally the same as what you would surf, if you don’t surf then find out what sort of surfboard would work best for you if you did surf.
FRONTSIDE AIR Images by Ben Kottke It doesn’t matter if your doing them strapped or strapless, doing an air will require the same key fundamentals, the only difference is you need to be more precise when doing them strapless and there is no room for error. Also the beauty of doing them strapped is that you will be able to go out there and start landing them pretty quickly, where as trying to do them un-strapped you will have a much longer learning curve, but perhaps a more rewarding one. Airs are both great for trying in closeout’s and as a functional moves on sections of the wave – this one was hitting a closeout at the end of a wave and is just a standard front side air with a grab, let me talk you through it –
2. Once I have the kite in the right position, I’m building up my speed to as much as possible with out getting out of control, at this stage I have the kite flying down the line with me and I’m mostly using the power of the wave to get my speed. 3. I have eyed of the lip and picked where I want to hit, with not much of a bottom turn as I want maintain all my speed when projecting out of the lip. 4. Then I hit the lip, timing is crucial here, as you want to project out of the lip cleanly and in control. 5. As I leave the lip I grab my rail with my backhand, this keeps my board attached to me, my center of gravity is low and over my board. 6. Now I spot my landing, you want to look for the most cushioning part of the wave, so you don’t explode on impact. 7. When I have the landing in sight and I’m coming down on it I extend my legs a little bit so when I do land I can really suck it up and absorb all the impact 8. The whole move happens really quickly, so the key with kite technique throughout is to have it in the right position in the beginning.
There are so many different types of airs you can do with all different types of grabs, but generally speaking the more straight up and down (more of an extension of a fin waft for example) you want to go the more of a bottom turn you will need to do and visa-versa for more of a down the line bigger air the less of a bottom turn you will want to do. FRONTSIDE TOPTURN Images by Will Scouten The un-hooked, strapped front side top turn, in these size waves are perfect practice for bigger and better moves, learn to do these turns properly and you will have a solid foundation for bigger things. Note: Make sure you anticipate the turn as early as possible so you can set your kite low and moving forward so it’s in it’s optimal position for the turn. 1. Depending on how hard tight or vertical you want to make the turn will determine the amount of back foot pressure you need, in this one I haven’t gone very vertical, so my approach was more of a steer up the face rather than a full on bottom turn, but of coarse with as much speed as possible. 2. Here I have reached the point at the top of the wave where I initiate the turn by applying even more back foot pressure. 3. This is the critical point of the turn where you need to move you weight forward to avoid falling out the back of the wave. 4. In this shot the wave has got quite step and I’ve had to move my weight back to my back foot to set up for executing the turn and avoid nose-diving. 5. Here I have spotted my landing and flattened out my board to get ready for the landing. 6. As you land absorb it by sucking it with you knees.
BACKSIDE FLOATER Images by Alex Jowett Floaters when done right can be really intense functional moves. 1. Look for a long steep section 2. Get lots of speed 3. Come from behind the section 4. Just as it’s about to throw head up the face with more of a set line rather than a bottom turn, maintaining all your speed 6. Climb up on the lip by sucking it up with your front leg and maintaining direction with your back foot
7. Once you get up on the lip even out your weight so it feels like you are floating 8. Maintain your speed and look for your landing 9. Once you have spotted you’re landing push off with your back foot, but keeping totally centered over the board, this is key and has to be 100% committed. 10. Suck your landing up by hitting the water with your tail first and your whole body extended so you can absorb the impact.
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