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evokaii – Evokaii https://evokaii.com Women Surf Clothing Sun, 19 Dec 2021 11:23:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 https://evokaii.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cropped-512px-100x100.png evokaii – Evokaii https://evokaii.com 32 32 My Salty Sisters https://evokaii.com/my-salty-sisters/ Fri, 15 May 2020 07:06:54 +0000 http://evokaii.com/?p=15083 “Happiness must be shared” – Into the Wild

We all have those experiences, together with our friends, where the excitement pulses through our veins. And wouldn’t we be with our friends those moments we live for would only feel half as magical.

Sharing these passionate moments, has also taken deep root in Janina and Anita, two kitesurf-aficionados who decided to share this with their fellow sisterhood. The community MySaltySisters was born – to live a life passionate with kitesurfing and every special little thing which comes with it.

Stoked to link up with this mind-liked community!

“Messy hair, sandy feet, salty hearts” – My Salty Sisters 

Janina comments: We were just two salty destinies with one big dream: to live the kite life! But kitesurfing is much more than just big jumps and kite loops. It’s about a simple but beautiful way of life, the people you meet, the places you visit. It’s about playing with the wind, being connected with mother nature, and the feeling you have the moment you get out of the water – with a big smile on your face.

We truly believe that a shared kite session makes the experience even richer. During the last years, we’ve learned that riding with like-minded women unlocks very special energy that is undeniable and inescapable.

Our retreats are more than a kitesurfing camp. We want to share this unique feeling with women from all over the world, to empower them on the water as well as in their lifestyle and built a community for all the stranded mermaids out there. We are going to show everyone that the female spirit is as free as the ocean and we want to celebrate it with love, support and respect for each other.

My Salty Kitesurf Sisters

How? That’s very simple: we know that when girls support girls they make the impossible possible. We are not just sharing the beauty of the simple kite lifestyle during our retreats; together we want to embrace, empower and celebrate femininity – on and off the water.

While uniting women from all over the planet, who share their passions, dreams and some life-long memories, we will build a strong community of kite girls, a solid and reliable sisterhood for all beach lovers and ocean souls. We believe that by supporting each other we can change something within our lives, society and this sport.

My Salty Kitesurf Sisters

With My Salty Sisters, you are never alone on the water! My Salty Sisters’ Empowerment & Kitesurf Retreats show you that you don’t need to be a champion to be a fierce rider. Your level doesn’t matter – your passion does! The retreats help to unlock and nurture your female energies in a safe and open environment, live a mindful and healthy lifestyle and kite every day with your newfound Salty Sisters.

My Salty Kitesurf Sisters Logo

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Kiteheart https://evokaii.com/kiteheart/ Tue, 05 May 2020 17:16:15 +0000 http://evokaii.com/?p=15022 We are always up to get to know new people/communities and the pandemic gave us the change to finally catch up with Lisa from the well known Dutch Kiteheart community.
Since we share the same passion and visions we decided to team up and spread the word.

Lisa and Tim are work, kitesurf and travel together to explore the world’s most awesome kite spots. We asked Lisa to share her three favourite kite spots with Evokaii.

 

My Kiteheart is in Brazil

“Brazil has a special place in my heart. I’ve been here for the first time in 2008. That was my first holiday without my parents when I was only 17. Since then I have visited two more great times, in 2013 and 2019. The spots in northern Brazil are my very favourite. Although this part of Brasil kite spots has gotten a lot more crowded since the first time I visited. The weather is nice, the water is just warm, the wind is on practically every day at a perfect 18 to 25 knots. You just have to choose between waves on the ocean or flat water on one of the lagoons. I personally like a lot the local dishes and let’s don’t forget about caipirinha’s!

Cape Town

Last winter was the first time we went to Cape Town and I loved it! The water is cold so you need a wetsuit and the wind can be very strong. The waves very highest well, so expect more rough conditions and so is more challenging than in Brazil but is a lot of fun if you are already an intermediate rider since a few years. There are so many good kite spots to choose from. We explored a couple such as Witsand (which I recommend for sure), Blouberg, Hermanus and Langebaan. Every spot had a different vibe and it is great that you are staying in a big and lively city like Cape Town, where there is so much more to do besides kitesurfing. Be prepared, you will need to rent a car and be willing to move around if you want the best conditions.

Maasvlakte (The Netherlands)

Maasvlakte is my home spot and it is so beautiful that I don’t really want to share it haha. We travel a lot but I love the sessions at home just as much. At the Maasvlakte there are waves with super flat patches in between, the beach is big and sandy and you can spot seals while riding here! What more can you wish for a summer session?! They are the most beautiful because you can ride all evening long until the sun sets and the sky turns to gold.

I am super excited that I get to link Kiteheart with Evokaii because I love their comfortable clothing and we both share the stoke. There is nothing better than being on the water, driven by the wind!”

KiteHeart Logo KiteSurf Heart Flying In The Wind

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Welcome our new kitesurf team rider Maxie Rath https://evokaii.com/welcome-our-new-kitesurf-team-rider-maxie-rath/ Thu, 12 Mar 2020 15:56:44 +0000 http://3.127.24.41/?p=12270 We are proud to present to you our new Evokaii kitesurf team rider, Maxie Rath. Can you briefly introduce yourself?

Hey, I am Maxie, 25 Years old and I live in the south of Germany in Munich. I study Aerospace Engineering and will soon finish my master Degree. Whenever I have time I travel to the best kites pots and try to spend as much time on the water as possible. My Dog Carla is always by my side.

We talked only a yesterday..what keeps you riding in South Germany in 4 degrees?

Haha well, my last kitesurf holiday to Marokko was in November. If you ever started kitesurfing you will understand how addicting this sport is. I even get a bad mood if I cant get on the water for a long decade. We don’t have a lot of opportunities here in Munich to kite, so if it’s windy you should get on the water – even in 4 degrees. It is crazy but so much fun! And it is even a big community of Lake-Kiters. Crazy Germans! Hahaha!
 

What’s your favourite kite and why is that?

My favourite kite is the Ozone AMP!! I already tried a lot of kite brands but I kind of got stuck on Ozone. I love the quality and the fabric of the kites. The AMP is the new Freestyle beast of Ozone. It’s a C-Kite design with bridles. So its a fun kite for more aggressive freestyle and Air Style Megalooping. You get seriously Amped up riding this Kite.

New Evokaii teamrider Maxie Rath
 

The kitesurf is the only love or you have other sources of adrenaline?

Kitesurfing is my passion and I love it. But as I said before I cant go every day. Basically I train almost everyday Kickboxing in the meantime. It is extremely tiring but its a lot of fun and you are pumped and ready for the day after. In the Summer I try to compensate for my Kite addiction with wakeboarding and riding my motorcycle. Pretty close to my home is a pretty cool wake park.

What are your plans in kitesurf on the short run? Where are you heading next and which trick moves you the most like to get it?

The next Kite trip to Egypt is already booked (For sure better than kiting in 4 degrees haha). At the end of the year, I will be done with my Master Degree. Then I finally go back to Sicily teaching and kiting by myself. I don’t know yet what will happen after but for sure some cool opportunities will kick in.

This year it is definitely on my Bucket-List to join a competition – that will be fun! But I really need to improve my kite skills until then. At the moment my signature moves are the Darkslide and the Rayle to the blind. My next goal freestyle tricks are the Backmobe and the Blindjudge. Also starting to get an Eye on the Megaloop. If the wind pumps and the situation is right maybe I try one out as well.

 

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Top Kitesurf Destinations For 2020 – Sicily https://evokaii.com/top-kitesurf-destinations-for-2020-sicily/ https://evokaii.com/top-kitesurf-destinations-for-2020-sicily/#comments Mon, 13 Jan 2020 13:46:53 +0000 http://3.127.24.41/?p=11418 Some of you might have already visited Sicily but probably many more have never even heard about this fabulous kitesurf spot on this island, which is called Stagnone. Therefore we hope to show you some information on both parts, with some background information on what to expect if you choose to visit Sicily for your next kitesurf trip.

The grand marketing is all about ‘300 days of wind’ – which can be true – but let us dive into the details.

The Season in Sicily

The kitesurf season in Sicily starts in early March. Sicily is very close to the African continent but doesn’t let it fool you, it is still pretty fresh in March with around 15-20 degrees. The warm weather usually starts around May. During this month boardshorts or bikini are already enough though. The summer really kicks in between June to the middle of October, after which it gets fresh.

Windy Season

You will find wind in Sicily all year round. The pre-season has strongest winds in general. During May-June the Sicilian weather system changes and the thermic season starts with lighter wind conditions. This usually keeps up till the beginning of September when the weather changes again. During the weather system change in September, you won’t get that many days as in pre-season, so it is worth calculating this in on your trip. However, from mid-October, you can get very lucky with summer conditions and good wind days.

Why Sicily?

You will kite! And you will kite in exceptionally easy conditions. The large lagoon of Stagnone has 50cm-1m water everywhere. There are no dangerous things in the water however half the lagoon is muddy bottom wherever you touch the ground. The water is glass flat in every condition and a true freestyle paradise. Due to its easy conditions, it’s also perfect for beginners who are still not sure in their skills to practise. So you can easily take your friends or loved ones to this place and get them hooked up in the passion of flying over the water with you!

Get the right kite equipment for the Sicilian ride

Sicily can always surprise you with some extra wind. However, we can give you some guidelines on this. For the pre-season definitely prepare with smaller kites 7-9-12m depending on your weight. For the high season take bigger kites 12-14-17m. Kiting a big size is not a crime!

What to eat

Sicilians know how to feed you well. You will find some amazing breakfast options around the lagoon. The Saro bar is one of these reachable with a bike with wide choices of breakfast and dinner options. But if you wish for a cosier solution and where budget is also of question just a few hundred meters away from Saro you will find the ‘Il Mulino’ bar. Would you like to try a bit of all for the evening? Then go visit Divino Rosso restaurant with moderated prices and all the local food what Sicily can offer. Travel tip: book a table beforehand, everybody knows this is an awesome place and it can be full quick.

Wanna get comfy fast?

The kite lagoon itself doesn’t feature many services you can, however, get the most necessary things for your stay. Small bars and some basic food options are available. If you want to fulfil your Italian culinary trip, wine tasting, restaurants, city visits we recommend you to rent a car. If you arrive by plane the easiest is to get this right at the airport, but cars are available sometimes at the kite schools too. You will find well-equipped shops as well nearby if you want to cook or just to have always some cold beer in the fridge. There is a pizza ordering option next to the lagoon from Master pizza. You can find pharmacy 10 mind drive from the spot and a modern hospital 20 min drive if needed.

Gear up

Whenever you plan to visit Sicily we are ready with clothes for you. For springtime, a high neck hoodies are perfect protection and style while for mid-summer you can find your perfect match of dress to show yourself on the beach parties of Stagnone.

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Top Kitesurf Destination For 2020 – Zanzibar https://evokaii.com/top-kitesurf-destination-for-2020-zanzibar/ Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:22:00 +0000 http://3.127.24.41/?p=6411 2019 is over. A decade has just finished. After a long and nice Christmas holiday, we all went back to work but hey.. is it just me or you are already thinking too where to travel and spend your kitesurf holidays next?

Still not too late to hit on one of the world’s most beautiful kite beach which is on Zanzibar. This stunning tropical paradise lays East-Mid Africa in front of Tanzania has 2 windy seasons as kite spots around the equator normally do.

If you are lucky you still find a good price ticket from Europe and travel to the old continent. So till March, you can enjoy living in a postcard and kitesurf. Tickets variates from 350 to 700 euro (return) depending on the timing of your purchase.

Why Zanzibar?

Pros:

Amazing Nature

  • This island is the real tropical paradise. You will only find small villages. Even the frequented places with the bigger hotels are seeming just a street from the jungle. Further up from the structures on the beach is still just white sand and coconut trees with the huts of the locals. Nature is thriving here. You will find all tropical animals in and out of the water and during kitesurfing. Our favourite trips were the early morning dolphins watching when we always had luck. Travel tip: get there first! When the other boats arriving at the dolphins starting to migrate and getting more nervous.

Diving beside kitesurf

  • We can strongly suggest snorkel trips over to north.east part of Zanzibar with a daily bus trip. Travel tip: ask the boat drivers to take you to the side of the deep water on the reef where the corals have a better condition and more fish passing. As well take the fins with you because the current is very strong.

Kitesurf Experience

  • The wind is low, but hey who says having a kitesurf holiday in light wind is a crime? Best to practice wakestlye and freestyle moves or just cruising over the optical white sandy bottom lagoon. There are several places on Zanzibar where you can kite. Always plan your trips well. Zanzibar is huge.

Food of Zanzibar

  • We really liked the food, well-spiced fresh fish food, vegies, beef..all. And the fruits are just AMAZING. Travel tips: don’t check in the kitchens.. However, we tried restaurants and street food places all over we didn’t have a problem with food poisoning.

Local People

  • Even you arrive in a Muslim country the locals are very welcoming and very smiley! We had a very nice experience getting in interaction with the Masai people and the locals of Zanzibar on the kitesurf spot or any other places during ur travel.

Night Life in Zanzibar

  • Believe it or not this off-grid island around Paje has the best atmospheric nightlife I have ever experienced in kite scenery. Almost every night there is something uniques to visit. Starting with the famous B4 beach club, the Jambo reggae club and definitely visit the Red Monkey lodge for a Thursday jam session. The best jam session of my life.. and every Thursday is! Travel tips: only take the money you need for drinks. No watch, wallet or phone. Having robbed can occur on the way walking not on the spot but like this is no place for failure.

Cons:

Services:

  • Zanzibar is a third world island with all its beauty and difficulty. Restaurants, transportation and supermarkets are pretty expensive and you can bargain. We really tried.

Sea Urchins

  • There are really many of them. Luckily, the white sand helps to spot the little, black spiky bastards. Despite that take a lot of care where you kite and walk.

 

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BIG HOODS https://evokaii.com/big-hoods/ Sun, 11 Nov 2018 17:32:54 +0000 http://3.127.24.41/?p=5238

The Origins

When we started off with our first hoodies in 2011 we didn’t know much about how to produce fashion cuts. We solely had the ideas and visions in our head how they should look and feel. Like any human being we started with the products which already were out there. Then we started with the improvements we wanted to see ourselves.

We took apart our favourite surf hoodies and created cut templates, piece by piece. We reached out to a friend of ours who studied fashion design and who assisted us in including our ideas and visions of improvements. Change the pockets for the hands, create custom inline fabrics to contrast and style.

We really wanted to make the hoodie of our surf pullover to be spacious and comfortable. Most of the hoodies back then were lean cut for your head, as soon you have more hair, big beanies or scarfs on they would be super tight.

Snow Kiting on Bernina Pass
Kitesurf Big Hood Fashion Model Shot Front Colour Brown
Kitesurf Big Hood Fashion Model Shot Front Colour Pink

Signature Models – A Vision Comes Alive

The big hooded hoodie cut was the first improvement we would make to our line of production. Through the years it kept our styles apart from other conventional brands. The big hoodie feature today is part also on our other hoodies like the beloved Freestyle, or the Bombora with its distinctive wave pattern. Of course depending on the individual style the cut and designs vary. However the idea and spacious big hoodie design is kept as a constant.

KITESURF HOODIE

Kitesurf Hoodie Green Front

The Origin of Our Inspiration

When we were little our parents were teaching us their beloved water sport. As with most people it used to be windsurfing at the time. Of course the material we trained with was our parent’s (and not some fancy lightweight kids gear). So the struggle to keep balance on the choppy waves was real.

And as a small kid we wanted to quit numerous times. In retro perspective we really are happy we didn’t.
Then as soon as we mastered the technics half-way through we were hooked. We spent most of our vacations somewhere close to the water with wind and waves in our face.

Nowadays, 25 years later, we mostly kitesurf. The sport has developed amazingly but the constants of wind and waves stayed.

 As constant our Zipper Wave Hoodie features not only a big hood but also a high neck style cut. It keeps the wind out while we are at the seaside. It is the little things which improve life.
I wish I had this when were little and were Windsurfing in South of France during Christmas time. I vividly remember coming out of the water with blue lips and freezing hands, whereas our mother would await us with hot chocolate at our van.

Oldschool picture of a men holding his windsurfing board
Oldschool Windsurfing
Windsurfing during cold weather in South France
Cold Christmas Surfing in Hyeres, France
Oldschool Mercedes Traveling Van Bus
Cozy Van Life
Picture of a family with in south France with two kids and a dog in sunny windy weather
Windy times in South France with the family
Father holding an old windsurfing sail with his two kids
Flying in the wind with the kids
Windsurfing Training 10 Years in Naxos Greece
Trying to keep the sail steady
Windsurfing Training 10 Years in Naxos Greece
Training in Naxos, Greece
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KiteSurf Colombia https://evokaii.com/kitesurf-colombia/ Sat, 03 Mar 2018 19:22:25 +0000 http://3.127.24.41/?p=3543 Oh Colombia

When you hear Colombia most people think of Pablo Escobar, the drug cartels and the FARC rebells. Not only through the news, but recently the series Narcos has produced so much publicity, that even the labs and houses of the Narcos have become famous places for people to worship and lay down flowers.

Pablo Escobar - MugShot
Pablo Escobar

So Why to Come to Colombia

This country however offers so much more than those old stereotypes which lots of people have still in their mind. Of course there is still the good old fiesta – but the landscapes of this country is as versatile as the food and the people.
The Caribbean Coast, where the people call themselves fondly “Costeños”, feature stunning islands and beaches. Only an hour away is snowy Sierra Nevada which basically is literally next door sporting dense jungle, lost cities and amazing treks.

View of Lost City Trek
View of the Lost City

As divers as the nature, so are also the cities. At the coast, Cartagena is one of the most picturesque towns with colonial heritage. Whereas Medellin in the middle of the country has such modern and hip districts by now it, could be in any of the first world metropoles. Nothing shows the signs of the struggle the people have gone through just over 15 years back, when Comuna 13 was under siege by the military. Further down south Cali on the other hand is celebrated as the capital of Salsa and in this town, the dancing never stops.

One of the famous graffitis in Comuna 13

Where To Find The Kitespots

After travelling 10 months down south in Central America I did settle with the fact that kitesurf spots are more of a rarity. Therefore I looked at training up my wave surf skills instead, which was dearly needed! However I did find two spots in Nicaragua to kitesurf. One was in the beautiful island of Ometepe, in the Rivas region next to Granada. Unfortunately due to the short visit and low wind conditions it wasn’t possible to go out. However the two volcanoes and jungle mischief in between provided enough activity to discover.

Ometepe Volcano Gang On Discovery
On discovery mode on Ometepe island

The second spot was on little corn island, where the kitesurf school KiteLittleCorn provides you with any hospitality you require. Though I had the same luck as in Ometepe and with no wind the only alternative was the spectator sport diving. We did see some beautiful coral riffs and had some nurse sharks following us around. Though having seen much more beautiful spots during my travels the little island and it’s charm couldn’t really score against those experiences.

Once arrived in Cartagena by sailing boat from Panama I started scouting the country for potential surf spots to further hone my board riding skills. Out of pure curiosity I googled for kitesurfing spots and was surprised to see that the most northern point in South America, Riohacha respective Cabo de la Vela actually did show up. And not only did they show up – they also showed up in dark purple colour on Windguru, which usually let’s any heart of a kitesurfer beat faster!! Although showing quite some gusts in the forecast – it put my long forgotten hunger to kitesurf back onto the plate!

Pumping Kites

So after a short stay at the coast half way up, it was time to pump some kites again! A quick search and vetting of kitesurf schools and I had my decision made.

I was going to contact KiteAddict Colombia and inquire for the current conditions on ground, availability to rent gear and to agree on an approximate schedule.
When traveling without a fixed endpoint, schedules become a rather flexible thing. And it definitely does help to leave fix Swiss schedule thinking behind when traveling through more relaxed cultures like the latin one, where manaña is a very constant variable.

When calling KiteAddict Colombia via whatsapp to make the arrangements, my still a bit broken Spanish must have not been the first encounter for Sophie, who after a moment asked me in perfect English where I am from and switched to German as soon as I said I was from Switzerland. As our phone connection wasn’t really good I was pretty happy to arrange everything in German and so it was settled.

The next day I was off to Riohacha to meet with the KiteAddict team which took me out to their homespot Mayapo, half an hour jeep ride outside of town.

30 kts Mayapo

Mayapo is an indigenous region and a lot of people still live in their territories while trying to survive the modern impact by selling fruits or wild catched rabbits on the side of the streets. Famous is also the available ‘street gasoline’, which basically was smuggled in from Venezuela and gets cheaper the closer you get to the actual border to Venezuela.

The region itself sports several smaller and larger lagunas of which some can be used for kitesurfing. At KiteAddict’s Mayapo spot, it is possible to kitesurf in the ocean using the waves as a kicker for some freestyle tricks or then go all out on the super flat laguna. At some places the laguna is more like a hand deep so those tricks rather be landed!

Flying through the water in the laguna with Martin’s own 9m² Vegas felt amazing, of course I haven’t been kitesurfing for several months but also the combination of high speed winds and super flat water, surrounded by desert-like vegetation was brilliant.

Martin on his Jeep at Mayapo Kitesurf Spot
Martin on his Jeep at Mayapo Kitesurf Spot

Exhausted but with a big grin I ended my first session after 2 hrs for a short break for water and snack to get back some energy for the sunset session.
When coming home in the evening I only needed some food and fell into bed straight away. Just in order to awake the next morning with the known stomach ache, which did signal that all my muscles had been working overtime the previous day. Feeling good to have been out kitesurfing, I went on for the next session after the beautiful breakfast at Happy Hostel, which truly cared for its guests and is a hostal gem in Riohacha.

Kitesurf Happiness Hostel Crew and Hospedes in Riohacha
Happiness Hostel Riohacha

Kitesurf – Riding Boots

Second day at Mayapo, Martin, co-owner of KiteAddict Colombia, let me ride with his own kitesurf board with boots. Since quite some time I wanted to give such a board a try and was super stoked that I got the chance now. Boards with boots are mostly used for tricks in freestyle/wakestyle. The boots look and feel very much like snowboard ones with the only difference that:

A) the closing mechanism is laid out for quick close/release

B) your feet are not freezing inside the boots

Compared to normal bindings it feels like you are riding on a pair of clouds. Like when you are finally buy new running shoes and you notice that the old pair really should have been out of the window much earlier …

Kitesurf Board with Boots
Kitesurf Board with Boots

Rocking through the water with the boots is fantastic for freestyle tricks because you don’t have to care respective think so much about your feet but you can concentrate more on your trick. Boosted with new riding feeling I’ve had a go at my best trick the F16, which frankly is simply an unhooked backroll-kiteloop. As I haven’t been riding in a couple of months I only landed two of a few of these jumps I tried. One F16 I miscalculated that much the kite slammed onto the water and me crashing into the wave. Riding with somebody else’s equipment and crashing never feels good and of course Martin who did watch me going through the whole manoeuvre wasn’t happy at all. So it was better to scale back my euphoria about new boot freestyle riding and pushing my tricks while I clearly didn’t been at my heights yet.

Kitesurf Mayapo Laguna Panorama
Kitesurf Mayapo Laguna Spot

The World Is Too Small For Swiss People

At the kitesurf spot in Mayapo there was another camper van parked with some other kitesurfers. After closer inspection after the kitesession, I realised that the van had actually Swiss car plates, and not just any but from the same town I was from! Usually Swiss people have mixed feelings when they meet their own kind abroad (because we have enough of them at home already) but meeting like-minded Swiss abroad is a different story all together!

Danny and Flavia have been travelling over South America and painted their way on their transport. Listening to their incredible story kitesurfing and climbing throughout the whole continent made me feel like I want to jump right in and take a ride!

Tail Shot from Kitesurf Van Lucy and it's travel map
Kitesurf & Climber Van Lucy

Having such a ride is super comfortable because you can chuck in all the gear and stop at any point you want which is just amazing. However it also takes a lot of nerves when the van breaks down and you have to haggle with the customs for weeks just to get the replacement part sorted out!

Van Lucy gets it's repair done!
Van Lucy gets it’s repair done!

 

Let’s Self Rescue

Just before finishing our kitesurf session that afternoon the wind completely stopped for a moment and our kites fell out of the sky onto the water. As the wind slowed down before already a bit, so I had not as much height on the water anymore. Therefore I came dangerously close with the kite to the edge of the laguna which was filled with cactuses. After a quick thought I decided to release and do a safety-packup. Though with most of the self-rescue manoeuvres, they are done in a hurry and hence my lines did become the traditional spaghetti dish. Once all gear was safe I was walking back through the laguna to landing spot which took me about 40min.

Having bought a 10 hr renting package from the KiteAddict school, I was pretty sure my time was up after those three days. When I checked later that day with Sophie as I was about to go to their primary school up north in Cabo de la Vela, I was surprised when she sent me my timesheet in a excel spreadsheet. Bit overwhelming to see such organisation in Latin America! But well to be fair Sophie is also German and I think as the Latin people have dancing in the blood the Swiss and Germans do have organisation in their blood!

Martin kept track of all my renting times and was so generous to not put down the 40min laguna walk, which left me with enough renting time for my first day in Cabo de La Vela!

Cabo De La Vela

Having said goodbye to the Swiss crew and organising my transport with Sophie to Cabo I was off the next morning with merely a small back of clothes and little bit of food. Because what do you really need when you are in the desert and kitesurfing? Exactly!

The journey to Cabo went through the capital of the indigenous people Uribia with a shared taxi, followed by a 4×4 jeep through the desert. While still running on the main road we heard a hard chuck on one of the back tyres. Shortly after the jeep was shifting slightly to the left and came to a stand. It seemed the tyre got pinched by some iron piece lying on the road and we had to switch the wheel. Everything was down so quickly by the driver and his son that it really was in their routine to perform this act.

Driver and son changing tyre on the jeep
Changing the back tyre on the way to Cabo

Life Off the Road

After leaving the main road and mainly driving through the desert you really realise why it is better to go there by 4×4 transport. Passing the indigenous houses I really loved their way how to build their fences. Nothing quite says stay out of my yard like a fence of cactuses!

Showing Cactus Fence with clothes on top
Cactus fence at a indigenous house in Cabo

Cabo de la Vela is quite a small village with wonderful nice people and just the basics you need. I think staying in such places always puts your life again into perspective. Especially when there is no internet, people tend to come back to the core of what’s really life, stripped off all unnecessary things.

Beach view of Cabo De La Vela
Beach view of Cabo De La Vela

Cabo De La Vela Kite Spot

The kitesurf spot in Cabo is flatwater with strong offshore winds which are pushed through the hot desert land onto the ocean. The right side of the bay is good for teaching (as it is also flat enough to walk). The middle part of the bay is for the more experienced kitesurfer who can shred from side to side and show of their tricks close to the beach.

Dany cruising
Dany cruising

 

Dany Bunny Hopping
Dany Bunny Hopping

I have seen some crazy kite-kids back in Vietnam when I was teaching at the Kite-N-Surf school, but the kids here in Cabo really pushed the limits. 8-10 years old and they are pulling crazy jumps like they have done it forever! If some of them aren’t showing up in the future worldcup series then I really don’t know!

Collection from KiteAddict Instagram
KiteAddict Instagram

KiteAddict Colombia

The story of KiteAddict Colombia all started with a watersport passionate girl from Germany. Back in 2008 during her travels in Venezuela she heard about untouched places, up north in the desert of Colombia where the wind always blows. Made curious, she didn’t have to think twice when a opportunity came along to go to the Colombian coast for a non-governmental company. Located in Barranquilla, which was famous for its Carnaval, the whole Caribbean coast of Colombia was at her fingertips.

The Story behind of a Kiteschool Born

She looked into improving her windsurf skills shortly after she settled in and maybe try kitesurfing too. Close by of Barranquilla she found the kiteboarding school Nautica Velero, which offered kitesurf lessons. The locals which run the school were super friendly, and Sophie had a fantastic time learning kitesurfing with which sport she fell in love heads-over-heels. But not only fell she in love with the sport, but also with her kitesurf instructor Martin. After a wonderful year discovering and kitesurfing together all along the Caribbean coast, they found Cabo de la Vela. Cabo back then was still untouched, and seemed like a dreamland for a kitesurfer. Flat water, strong winds and sunshine. Only palmtrees where missing but who really cares when you want to be riding on the water!

They immediately felt that this was the place for them to build their kitesurf school. Though as the place belonged to the region of the indigenous people in Colombia, they needed to first get acquainted with the locals. They have seen tourists passing through the village, but never had seen some with kites surfing across the water.
Once Sophie and Martin became friends with the locals, they started to train up the kids from the village, so that they can share their passion but also start working as kitesurf instructors. By doing so they offered them a possibility to support their families, while doing what they are passionate about. In the desert, where possibilities are very limited this has changed quite some of the local life.

By now the kitesurfing scene is a fix point for the local people in the village and made further possibilities available, as neighbours could open hostels to provide lodging or open small restaurants for the hungry and thirsty kitesurfers.

A Kite Spot on Progression

The transformation of Cabo has thanks to the passionate work of Sophie and Martin changed quite a bit, and I am certain that one of the upcoming kitesurf champions will come one day out of the ranks, which they have been teaching at that very spot.

Martin Looking Down From The Kitesurf School

KiteAddict Contact Details
www.kiteaddictcolombia.com
Email: info@kiteaddictcolombia.com
Whatsapp: (+57) 320 528 1665

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Monthly Competition https://evokaii.com/win-monthly-competition/ Fri, 01 Dec 2017 11:30:15 +0000 http://3.127.24.41/?p=2808 Sign Up Now! ]]> Nadine joins Evokaii Family https://evokaii.com/nadine-stippler-evokaii-family/ Wed, 29 Nov 2017 07:00:47 +0000 http://3.127.24.41/?p=2746 The Evokaii family grows! We are stoked to announce that Nadine Stippler has joined our family! She is an excited Kitesurf and Yoga girl who grew up close to Chiemsee in the southern Germany. Sharing the same spirit and energy as the family, she will be running ambassador and team rider for the family! Yeow!!

From the very beginning the wonderful blue has fascinated Nadine and it carries till today a magically positive energy for her.

She learned Windsurfing in the very young ages through her enthusiastic family and later in 2012 made her first Kitesurfing experience which changed everything.

Lago Di Garda - Nadine Stippler

Naturally did any travel destination from the moment she was hooked on connect to the water. From her home spot in Lago di Resia/Garda in Italy through Croatia, Malta, Spain until Sri Lanka and Dominican Republic. Many more countries could be listed here!

Evokaii Family Nadine Stippler KiteSurf Netherlands

If there is no wind to Kitesurf she is on the water with her Stand-Up-Paddle or then of doing other fitness sports, yoga and meditation.

Evokaii Family Nadine Stippler StandUpPaddle

Through her love to the element she started soon to work as a Kitesurf instructor, so that she could share her passion for the sport. But she is not only teaching Kitesurfing but also planning Yoga & Kitesurfcamps. She is currently running brand ambassador for Vivida Lifestyle, Airush Germany and Dkoko.

Evokaii Family Nadine Stippler Airush

Last year she competed in her first international competition “Snowkite Open Resia” and has immediately managed to secure first place in the Long Distance discipline and became European Snowkitechampion and winning the Swiss Snowkitetour 2017!

Snowkite Open Resia

Now Nadine has joined the Evokaii Family as team rider and brand ambassador! We are super stoked to welcome you!

Evokaii Family Nadine Stippler

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Behind the scenes https://evokaii.com/surf-fashion-photoshoot-behind-scenes/ Tue, 28 Nov 2017 19:46:46 +0000 http://3.127.24.41/?p=2738 For our new surf fashion collection, Polish top model Kamila Szczawinska and founder of health blog MyFitspirations, made her way with her family to Kołorbrzeg at the Polish seaside to take pictures for us.

Surf Fashion Shooting with Kamila Szczawinska

Kamila Photoshoot With Family

During her stay at the seaside she’s been also invited to run a cocktail workshop for Tchibo which main ingredient was coffee.
Of course all cocktails are super healthy with the touch of coffee to sport you through the day.

Tchibo Coffee Cocktail Show With Kamila Szczawinska

Of course her two children have assisted her during the workshop.

Tchibo Lato z family

Karo, founder of Evokaii, with Kamila for a selfie on the beach.

Girls Selfie with Karo & Kamila

More pictures over at the blog of Kamila!

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