This is your chance to vote for the 2011 Association of Wind & Watersports Industries Kiteboarder of the year. To vote simply click on like next to the rider you think should win.
The nominees are:
Aaron Hadlow
Born: October 4, 1988
Aaron Hadlow, at just 22 years of age, is the winningest male kiteboarder in history, with five PKRA freestyle world championships under his belt. Kiteboarding since 2000, Hadlow has taken some time off the tour to focus his energies on filming and traveling to new places. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: Flexifoil and Redbull.
Ben Wilson
Born: July 8, 1978
Ben Wilson, the 32 year old Australian kitesurfing legend, embarked on a new journey this year starting his own BWS brand. Ben is the undisputed king of media coverage with more magazine covers and video parts than any other rider. Most recently Jeep featured him in an ad riding the biggest wave ever kitesurfed on film. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: Dakine, BWS, Reef, and Future Fins.
Brandon Scheid
Born: September 9, 1985
Brandon Scheid, 25 years old, won the overall at the Triple-S event for a second time this year, arguably the most prestigious single event in kiteboarding. From Grand Rapids, Michigan, Scheid now makes his home in Wave, NC. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: Liquid Force, Real Kiteboarding, O’neill, Dragon Optics, and LTR.
Damien Leroy
Born: August 4th 1981
Damien Leroy, 29 year old from Jupiter, Florida has won numerous national and international racing and freestyle events. In 2010 he finished 2nd at the world racing championships. Leroy first saw kiting in Hood River, OR while training at Mt. Hood during his days as a national level ski racer. He has never looked back and kiting has been his life for the past 12 years. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: Cabrinha, NPX, Black Dog, Aguera Boards, Go Pro, Corner Five, Adventure Sports
Ian Alldredge
Born: June 19, 1988
Ian Alldredge, at 23 years of age, has already been featured more in SBC Kiteboard magazine than any other rider. Hailing for Santa Barbara, his strapless airs are turning heads both in the kiteboarding world and in the surf industry. On the competition front, Alldredge won both the 2009, and 2010 surf division at the Triple-S. His TDZ video series has been received with rave reviews, and are among the most watched videos on sbckiteboard.com. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: BWS, Oxbow,
Jesse Richman
Born: July 22, 1992
Jesse Richman, at 19, is the youngest American nominee for the AWSI kiteboarder of the year award. He won the French based KPWT world tour overall title in 2008 and 2009. In 2007 his 22 second jump set a world record for hangtime. He recently signed with Naish and is looking to spend more time hunting down epic surf. Based at his home in Haiku, Maui, he is in the perfect spot to do it. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: Naish, FCS
Josh Mulcoy
Born: November 17, 1971
Josh Mucloy, the 40 year old Santa Cruz native, was one of the first professional surfers to fully embrace the power that a kite can give to a surfboard. The results have been impressive, and opened doors for both Mulcoy and the sport of kiteboarding. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: BWS, Stretch, Fox
Keahi de Aboitiz
Born: December 15, 1992
Keahi de Aboitiz, the 18 year old has numerous national titles in Australia for both Freestyle and Waves. Keahi recently started competing on the PKRA wave tour where he won the first 2 stops of year. Coming from a strong surfing background he is very focused on pushing the strapless surf scene. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: Cabrinha, NPX, Voice
Kristin Boese
Born: July 1st, 1977
Kristin Boese, 34 years of age, having competed in countless competitions since 2002, Kristin holds world championship titles in every discipline in kiteboarding, 9 in total. In 2010 she launched a non-profit foundation called KB4Girls to support female kiteboarders. Kristin is a driving force behind the surf oriented KSP World Tour . She has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for her.
Sponsors: Dakine, Best, indeenwerf
Lou Wainman
Born: July 8, 1974
Lou Wainman, the 37 year old co-founder of Wainman Hawaii helped make kiteboarding what it is today. He led the infamous Kite Beach, Maui wakestyle scene through the sports rapid progression. He was doing KGB’s and Slim Chances before kite leashes were even invented. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: Wainman Hawaii
Ruben Lenten
Born: March 30, 1988
Ruben Lenten, 23 years of age, is the undisputed king of the Mega Loop. His high flying jumps have made him a favourite of the general public, while his powerful style has kept him relevant to today’s riders. Last year he was battling a nagging ankle injury, but is now back on the water going bigger than ever. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.
Sponsors: Slingshot, Mystic
Youri Zoon
Born: December 14, 1989
Youri Zoon, 21 years of age from the Netherlands, is dominating the freestyle on the 2011 PKRA world cup tour, winning every event todate. His Recorded video series seen here on sbckiteboard.com has been giving fans a look at life as a touring professional kiteboarder. He has been nominated for the 2011 AWSI Kiteboarder of the year award. Click like to vote for him.