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Old 01-22-2006, 08:41 PM
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Here's another update ...

The 2006 TampaBay KiteMasters Race, Bordercross, and Expression Session is scheduled for February 3rd through February 19th.

20 MILE KITEBOARDING RACE ACROSS TAMPA BAY ATTRACTS EXTREME ATHLETES IN FIRST OF ITS KIND EVENT.

BORDERCROSS AND FREESTYLE EXPRESSION SESSION SCHEDULED FOR DAY FOLLOWING RACE.


St Petersburg, FL (January 23, 2006) Recently, America has been introduced to the newest thrill in extreme sports, kiteboarding, which began over 9 years ago but its popularity has reached an all-time high in 2005 and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. An intense twist on windsurfing or wakeboarding; kiteboarders ride atop what is similar to a surfboard or wakeboard and are powered by the wind using a kite. These kites, some as big as 25 square meters in size, create immense power. Kiteboarders regularly obtain speeds of thirty mph or more and perform crowd-awing leaps of over thirty feet high and 100 feet in distance.

The Tampa Bay area has been a secret kiteboarding paradise since the early days of the sport. Warm, flat, and waist deep waters in the bay provide the perfect arena for athletes to perfect their skills. Strong westerly winds can provide 4-8 foot waves along the coast communities, perfect for kiteboarders with a surfing background. Now twenty five of the top kiteboarders in Florida are scheduled to compete in the first TampaBay KiteMasters downwind race and bordercross.

This event is being organized by local rider, Jayson Orkins (31), and longtime kiteboarder Neil Hutchinson (35) from Ft Lauderdale, FL.
Orkins, and several other daring St Petersburg men, began riding the waters of Tampa Bay in 1999. “Kitesurfing gear in the early days was always prone to failure, ya never wanted to go further from shore then you were willing to swim back.” It also was a very dangerous sport according to Orkins. “When we started there really was no way to control the power of the kite or to stop it if necessary. We basically held on and prayed that it didn’t get too windy.”

Now, thanks to major advances in kite design, riders are able to have one kite that has the same wind range of 3 kites only several years ago. This has made the sport much safer and allowed for all types of enthusiasts to participate.
The Tampa Bay area is now home to the largest collection of kitesurfers in Florida and includes over 150 dedicated men and women of all ages.

Ft Lauderdale kiteboarder, Neil Hutchinson, earned a distinct place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest distance ever traveled on a kiteboard, crossing ninety-seven miles from Key West, FL to Varadero, Cuba. He also recently organized the first ever Ft Lauderdale to Bimini, Bahamas Kiteboarding race. Orkins and his teammates participated in this 50 mile grueling race across the straights of Florida and through the Bermuda Triangle. This race provided the motivation for the TampaBay KiteMasters.

The 2006 TampaBay KiteMasters race will begin on the south side of the Gandy Causeway. 25 Kiteboarders will leave simultaneously on their way through 20 miles of tricky currents and choppy waters in route to the finish line on the south side of the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Strong winds from the northeast could cause chop in the bay to reach 4-6 feet. The race is expected to take 1 ½ to 3 hours depending on conditions. There will be several boats for media and video accompanying the racers but competitors are highly advised to have their own safety craft present.

The day following the race there will be a bordercross race at the north Sunshine Skyway fishing exit. In this event, riders must navigate a set course on the water. The course layout requires exceptional skill and precision from the contestants. In addition, they must jump over obstacles placed along the route. The rider to complete the course first rides away with the title. If time and wind permits there will be a freestyle expression session immediately after the bordercross race. Be there as these athletes jump 3 stories into the air while performing skilled acrobatic-like maneuvers.

The 2006 TampaBay KiteMasters is scheduled to take place between Feb 3rd and Feb 19th. Riders, helpers, and media will be given a 48 hour notice as to expected start date.
A pre-party celebration will be hosted at Bongos Beach Bar (5800 Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach, FL) on Saturday, January 28th at 6pm. ALL Kiteboarders, friends, family and media are invited. Come out and meet these athletes and sponsors before the race.

If you would like more information about the TampaBay KiteMasters, or to schedule an interview with one of the riders, please contact: Jayson Orkins at 727-510-6452, or TampaBayKiteRace@yahoo.com
Please visit our official website: www.FLkitesurf.com/race for more information.
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transcribed by:
Rick Iossi
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