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Old 08-10-2006, 11:13 AM
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Default Florida to Bahamas Race - YEAR TWO!!!


The Straits of Florida await, again!
Imagine flying hell bent for leather over on 50 mile+ hazardous run from one country to the next across the fast moving deeps of the Straits of Florida. The start could be fairly easy or a bear with adverse light offshore breeze followed by honking strong wind as you head further across. Seas might be a limp wristed 7 ft. or rage up to 15 ft. perhaps more at points. Conditions could change a few times during the race. You may find yourself in furious chases among smaller packs of riders with the rest of the armada out of sight. Or, despite starting in a a field of 25 teams you may end up feeling like the last pair of kiters on earth on the wide, blue ocean. You may fly to the finish in startling time or some intriguing challenges may crop up along the way. Sound interesting?

I just spoke to Neil Hutchinson about his plans for holding a second race from Florida to the Bahmas. He told me that YES he is working hard to pull this unique exciting kitesurfing event together again. All of this is preliminary and making this year's race a reality is going to take a lot of planning, work, help and sponsorship. Note the last two points, having participated in last year's incredible experience you don't want to miss out on a repeat for lack of support.



* Neil is currently planning to have the race from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Bimini, Bahamas to occur within a two week time window starting December 2, 2006.


Last year's course chart

* He is contemplating having a maximum of 25 teams this year. Teams will consist of two riders, equipped with required safety gear, a boat capable of handling up to 15 ft. seas and necessary crew. He is thinking of perhaps requiring Satellite phones on each team boat this year due to communication limitations with VHF and cellphones out in the Straits of Florida. Other safety equipment and team requirements will follow in future communications.


The starting line in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA. Photo by Eric Castelein

* Media attention is heating up after last years stimulating run. Neil is working on coverage through the Discovery Channel, Mens Health, Outside Magazine and other prominent media.


They're off ...

By the way, shown above is the location of Neil's new operation, Tiki Beach Watersports, the licensed concession holder and operator of what may be one of the first designated kitesurfing launches in the USA. Neil has some good ideas on continuing to preserve access to this launch and Slingshot Gear Retailer & Testing Center.

* Registration is still pending as is the website to present the Race Challenge for Year Two. Things are still in the planning stages but Neil wanted to pass along an update on things.


Kent and Gephy, the ultimate winners of the race, getting away from land. Photo credit: Guido Flueck

* Conditions, it was calm last year with roughly 7 ft. seas or less during the crossing. Winds were very light and side offshore at the launch with building wind shadow. Just getting offshore was a significant challenge for many teams. As they crossed the Straits, the winds built up. Riders changed boards and some even braved changing kites, not an easy process among waves and wind in the open ocean.


Photo credit: Guido Flueck

This year, who knows? We may be looking for winds in the 10 to 15 kt. range from the N to NE. Those are frontal winds directions and as many of us know, December cold fronts in SE Florida can be a lot stronger or weaker than that. The Florida Current will be blasting northward at around 3 kts. into the face of this wind setting up some choppy seas. It was interesting and should be again.


How does the helicopter-kite detangling drill go again? Photo credit: Guido Flueck


Details about last year's race can be found at:

http://www.bahamacrossing.com/
http://kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2316185
http://kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2321981
http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=1047
http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=1061
http://kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2322393


Near the finish line in the Bahamas!

Interested? Keep that thought and more importantly if:

* You are interested in helping,

* You are interested in sponsoring the race,

Be sure to get in touch with Neil Hutchinson to help make this great event a reality again! Stay tuned, more details to follow:

Neil Hutchinson
TikiBeach Watersports and
X-RATED KITEBOARDING
nhukusa@aol.com


Good winds,
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Old 09-15-2006, 11:59 PM
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ricki ricki is offline
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Neil Hutchinson, Spokesperson
Phone: 954-647-7228
Fax: 954-267-2516
Email: Nhukusa@aol.com
Web: www.bahamacrossing.com




Bahamas Kite Race


X-Rated Kiteboarding would like to announce that its 2006 Bahamas Kite Race has been postponed several months. The reason for this is a complete restructuring of the event which made headlines around the world in 2005 as sixteen teams of kiteboarders signed up to make the inaugural trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the island of North Bimini in the Bahamas. The upcoming race will be much more difficult that the previous event with a few twists added to challenge every level of rider. Due to the increased difficulty, X-Rated Kiteboarding will host several “Qualifying Events” throughout Florida. The Bahamas Kite Race will be an “invitation only” event. All athletes will have to qualify or be of a very high level of skill and invited to enter the event and will be pre-seeded based on qualifying results.

Over the next few months, X-Rated Kiteboarding will host numerous events including long down wind races, Boarder-X’s and more. During any X-Rated event, points shall be awarded to athletes based upon their final finishing positions. Upon the conclusion of the season, riders’ points will be tallied and the top riders will be awarded a place in the next Bahamas Kite Race. With this format, media coverage will be bigger than ever and sponsorship will be of a high level.

Last year we proved to the world that it could be done. This time we want to make it bigger, better and safer for everyone. We first want to make it safer, first of all by increasing the number of committee boats from one to three and include extra air support. We want to have a large financial purse to race for in an attempt to offset the cost of the winner’s expenses and more. All riders will need to be of a very high level of kiteboarding skill and all having earned their positions.
Keep an eye out via e-mail, forums and the official www.xratedkiteboarding.com website for our first event at the end of November 2006. It will be a downwind race from Jupiter Beach, Florida to Tiki Beach in Fort Lauderdale.
If anyone has any questions please feel free to e-mail or call me directly.

Cheers,
Neil Hutchinson
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