ISSUE #60
FUTURES: RE-VISITED



So, Kiteworld is 60 issues old. As well as collecting your pension, your bus pass, unwinding and enjoying the fruits of your labour when you reach your sixties, it's also natural to stop and take a look at where you've come from, what you've achieved and to remember the good times fondly.

This issue we look back at a handful of pivotal moves, moments and designs in the sport, taking in everything from the birth of the mega loop to some of the most important gear developments that helped us leap forward. We also take a look at some of the inspiring artwork that designers have worked on to make our beloved products as easy on the eyes as they are thrilling for our other senses.

The PKRA and KSP world tours are reaching their exciting climaxes. Jim Gaunt hitched a lift with Alex Pastor in Spain and profiles the wily Spaniard who has finished runner-up in the PKRA freestyle competition for the last two seasons. Alex has really grown in stature this year and is widely credited with influencing many on tour to compete in boots after being the first rider to win an event in them at the end of last season. This is the first year that he's actually ever led the tour and is desperate not to make it third time unlucky. However, excitingly for us, he and current champion, Youri Zoon, are locked even on points as the tour moves to China and then New Caledonia in November.

We're sure you will have heard of the roaring success of the KSP's second event at One Eye in Mauritius (even if Ireland was a bit of a wash out since then), but you won't have read the behind-the-scenes account we got from our man John Bilderback who spent ten days perched precariously above the judges tower on scaffolding out on the reef. JB knows how to spin a good yarn. And he knows how to bang out insane shots, too.

Elsewhere we get a ride on three of the latest wave specific kites to be released. We're currently running our way through the rest, but this issue we have the Airush Wave, Best Cabo and RRD Religion, all of which deserve the attentions of many more than just devout wave heads. They are insanely good all-round machines.

On top of that we have the usual wise words from columnists Shinn and Hadlow and our latest columnist and growing favourite, Dr Jason Gallate, looks at the benefits of avatars in kitesurfing.

All that plus lots more technique tips, stories, hot news and generally marvellously unmissable, typically on-the-money Kiteworld content!

More at: www.kiteworldmag.com