Kitesurfing News
Ok so the new 2013 season is fast approaching
and one brand in particular is making a lot of noise. BEST KITEBOARDING I get a
lot of people asking me what’s going on with Best? They are signing all the
best kite boarders in the world.
Yes very true they are, We broke the news
to you guys about Ruben Lenten making a move to Best kite boarding from
Slingshot. 48hrs later it was confirmed by the man himself.
Youri Zoon also signed a new Intl Team
riders deal with best leaving Slingshot after a number of years.
Why are best spending so much money?
Well I myself think it’s a excellent move
in what is a very small industry kite surfing is all about coverage and no one
gives you coverage like Ruben Lenten and Youri Zoon The two Dutch kite surfers
are a media monster Individually
let
alone together.
So where does this leave Slingshot?
Well other than without two of the best
riders in the world at the same place they left of last year I guess. But how
are they going to promote The Slingshot brand going forward?
Slingshot have always been a core brand and
they will find other riders for sure but it will take time nothing is going to
happen over night. Slingshot themselves say “We make Champions not buy them”
Well looks like even if they wanted to they couldn’t as All the Champions
Slingshot have ever had have jump ship why? That’s a question only Slingshot
will be able to answer look at the list:
Andy Yeates
Youri Zoon – Rides the Best GP kite
Gisela
Borrell -
Also not forgetting the other riders that
have done so much in the past, now these guys may not be ex world champions but we
all know who they are and what they are doing to promote both themselves and
the brands they ride for Again Best kiteboarding.
Lewis Crathern – The man that touched the Sky (Jumped Brighton Pier)
Rubin Lenten – (without a doubt the most powerful rider in the world)
I heard that big Money was backing best
kiteboarding and that the new Team members would get the chance to have a big
input into pro model kites, maybe this is the reason they left Slingshot For Best
Kite boarding, Maybe its not for the money at all as I hear everyone saying all
the time? Only the Riders know and its their business so fair play to them.
I have been told by a good source that the
owner of the High street brand ZARA is an investor in Best Kiteboarding if this
is true I for one think its excellent news high profile for our sport and more
importantly the Money to really push the R&D side of things as we all know,
In the passed we have bought a kite only to find it has a problem. why? This
sort of thing should NOT happen if the correct R&D is done the team riders
should be riding these kites for 6 months before we see them if nothing goes
wrong in that time with a pro rider then its not going to go wrong with us on
the end of the bar.
So more R&D = BETTER KITES & BARS
for us the end users.
Now that’s a lot of talk about Best Kites
what about Slingshot are they heading in the right direction? Losing their best
riders, Kites not changing though the years?
Im the biggest fan of Slingshot in the
world I really am but something is wrong. This is NOT like Slingshot I have
been riding Slingshot kites for 9 years and now for the first time Im not going
to be riding Slingshot Kites this season.
Why? Because the kites have not changed at
all other than graphics look at the Fuel the last serious change on that kite
was the Split Strut and even that was a 2004 Fuel release. The Split strut was
released in 2004 on the Fuel kite and removed some years latter only to make a
return to the Fuel in 2011 Other than that, Nothing.
Then you have the RPM the bread and butter
of Slingshot kites my personal favorite what’s new in 2013? NOTHING! Well apart
from Graphics again how can you sell your 2012 RPM’S and buy 2013 RPM’S knowing
that the it’s the same kite different colour? Slingshot I guess will tell you
if it isn’t broke don’t fix it but every kite year on year can move forward and
improve there is NO perfect kitesurf kite from any brand.
So this all leads me to start to believe
the rumours I have been hearing for 6 months and
now only last week heard it from someone I believe 100%.
BEST KITEBOARDING ARE IN NOGATIONS TO BUY
SLINGSHOT!
For more info on Any of the Slingshot or Best Kites get in touch via email info@s2as.com or call us on 0044 1202 738448
Thanks for reading
Angelo
Surface2Air Team Kitesurf Shop Poole,Dorset
