Flysurfer Kiteboarding

Some exciting news! I recently switched my primary gear sponsor to Flysurfer Kiteboarding. It is an honor to be included in this team which has recently been a powerhouse in Kite Racing.

I would like to extend a great thanks to my sponsors over the past few years, F-One Canada and Kitebroker. I would not have been able to get to the point I am at now without their support.

I am very excited to share my thoughts and experience with Flysurfer’s new race kite, the VMG 2. I first saw prototypes of this kite in Mexico this winter. Now that I have had my first VMG2s for a few weeks, I can say that I am very impressed.

Some notable improvements that I can see over previous generations of kites are as follows:

• Drastically reduced drag profile through new bridle line plans and semi-rigid wing structure. There exists more internal rigid structure in each cell of the kite which is a new technology to the kite racing scene. By moving the structure inside the wing, it reduced the amount of lines needed outside the kite, therefore reducing the overall drag profile.
• Much higher or efficient upwind angles. The kite flies much further forward in the window than past equipment I have used. This may be due to the reduced drag profile. This in-turn allows the rider to sail at higher angles and pinch off competitors.
• Smoother flight through maneuvers. Typically, I would not expect to immediately be able to perform good tacks and gybes on new equipment. When I went to perform my first tack on the 21m VMG2 I was pleasantly surprised at the ease. The “loft”, or feeling of being lifted up in my harness was nothing like I had previously experienced.
• Unparalleled depower: It feels as though these kites have much more consistent pull and are easily depowered by releasing the bar. I feel that I am able to carry a much larger kite upwind without being overpowered. For example, the 21m can be flown when I would previously have chosen an 18m or 15m size kite. This allows for larger sail area downwind and therefore deeper angle at similar or greater speed than smaller kites.

This is just the start and I hope to see an improvement in my performance at the FORK Regatta this summer here in Kingston, COVID permitting the event happens.