Shane Rodwell on one of last year's speediest and certainly most remote speed runs. He was riding near the South Pole.
The 05-06 Snowkite Speed Ranking has come to an end. We would like to send a huge thank you to all of the riders who competed and sent in their speeds. And it would not be half the fun it is without our incredibly generous partners who provided both weekly and 2 huge season end prizes: Peter Lynn, Flysurfer, Ozone, Dakine, Ultra Nectar and Himaya Sun Protection.
Andreas Dahle won 1000 Euros from Flysurfer: Andreas was the rider who, over the course of the entire 05-06 season, achieved the fastest speed while riding a Flysurfer SPEED kite. He went 58.3mph on a Speed 7m kite and skis in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Andreas has a habit of speed - he won the entire season with a Speed kite last year as well.
Chris Krug won a Venom 10m from Peter Lynn Kiteboarding: Chris was the rider who, over the course of the season, achieved the fastest speed while riding a Peter Lynn kite (any model). He was on a Venom 13m and skis on Silver Lake in Maine, USA. He went 69.1mph to win the kite and top this year's entire speed ranking. Chris also has a habit of speed winning the Kitestorm speed contest in Vermont.
Last year's entire ranking can be found by clicking on the speed ranking 04-05 link here or at the top of this page. The rules are listed below.
The rules:
1. You must have been on snow or ice - skis, snowboards, sleds...
2. Your power must have come from a kite. Be honest and have good kite karma.
3. Units must be in miles per hour
4. We need either the gps file or a readable digital photo of the gps with your max speed. Put your face in too and we'll post it
5. Include your name, location, what was on your feet, max speed, date and kite size/type in an e-mail to [email protected]
Weekly Prizes from the 2005-2006 snowkite season:
Top Speed of November: Marty Roy 50.7, skis, won: StormboardingT-shirt Week 1: Marty Roy 33.7mph on skis, won: Dakine Beanie Week 2: John Zietlow 54.4mph on skis, won: Ozone Wallet
Week 3: Marty Roy 41.1mph on skis, won: Ultra Nectar T
Week 4: Jeff Blais 47.6mph on tele, won: Peter Lynn Beanie
Week 5: Marty Roy 49.6mph on skis, won: Dakine Gloves
Week 6: Doug Remsen 42.1mph on skis, won: Dakine Beanie
Week 6: Gary Kjelleren 35.9mph top snowboarder, won: Dakine Quick Wax
Week 7: Mark Groshens 55.8mph on skis, won Himaya Cold Formula
Week 8: Frederic Gauvin 52.8mph on skis, won Ozone cap
Week 8: Ylva Timner 36.0mph on tele, highest lat.:Himaya Cold Formula
Week 9: Joe Levins 65.8mph on skis, won: Peter Lynn rash guard
Week 9: Doug Remsen 44.4mph on skis, fastest in East: Dakine Quick Wax
Week 10: Andreas Dahle 54.6mph on skis, won Ozone Ninja Cap
Week 11: Jeff Blais 54.9mph on skis, won: Dakine Wallet
Week 12: Chris Krug 63.4mph on skis, won: Himaya Cold Formula
Week 13: Gary Kjelleren 56.7mph on skis, won: Peter Lynn Beanie
Week 14: Molly Savard 36.6mph on skis on: Ultra Nectar Beanie
Week 15: Mike Winter 52.7mph on skis won: Ozone t-shirt
Week 16: Chris Krug 69.1mph on skis won: Himaya Cold Formula
Week 17: Marty Roy 58.9mph on skis, won: Dakine Beanie
Week 18: Seth Merriam 44.2mph on skis, won: Peter Lynn Beanie
Week 19: Brian Beveridge 45.9mph on skis, won: Himaya Sun Protection
Week 20: Dan Prideaux 45.4mph on skis, won: Dakine Quick Wax
Week 21: Keith Kallio 46.6mph on skis, won: Ultra Nectar Beanie
Week 20's list:
1. Dan Prideaux
45.4mph
Georgetown Lake, MT
skis
Frenzy 10
4/14
Week 21:
1. Keith Kallio
46.6mph
Georgetown Lake, MT
skis
Frenzy 7.5
4/23
2. Dan Prideaux
45.mph
Georgetown Lake, MT
skis
Frenzy 7.5
4/23
3. Ylva Timner
37.9mph
Kiruna, Sweden
tele
Speed 10
4/23
2006 Snowkite Speed Ranking List (click to enlarge)
Keith Kallio won the last week of this speed contest. The snowkiting world suffered a great loss with his recent passing. We will miss his incredibly infectious enthusiasm, his great skill and knowledge and his well-tuned sense of adventure and fun.
Dan Prideaux getting in some late season fun in Montana. He won week 20 with a speed of 45.4mph with an Ozone Frenzy 10 and a pair of twim tips.
Andreas Dahle on his SPEED kite and the winner of the 1000Euros from Flysurfer for his early season run of 58.3mph.
Chris Krug after his 69.1mph blast. His Peter Lynn Venom 13 is behind him and the sun has set. See his story to the right.
My friend Mike and I went out today at lunch on Lovewell. I told myself yesterday that I was done on Lovewell for the season as big holes have opened in the middle of the pond and the ice is REALLY BAD. Today you had to go through water to get onto the ice. Mike and I went anyway (becuase We're a couple of dumbasses) and I scored 60mph! Too bad I was on a 7m Frenzy and not the Venom. But I figured it would be a good posting for the week at least.
Later we went out on Silver Lake for another night flight. The sky was clear and the wind was blowing steady at about 15-20mph. The ice is pretty sketchy on Silver but still way better than Lovewell and very smooth now. Very much like Lovewell on my 63.4 day. I was having some good fast runs back and forth while Mike was setting up. At one point I got going pretty fast into this big cove which is notorious for funneling super strong winds. I was going what I would estimate about 56-58mph when I suddenly got yanked so hard I thought I bruised a kidney. I got this insane acceleration and thought to myself that this was as fast as I've ever gone outside a vehicle. I just set the edge as best I could and held on. I've been doing this funny sort of slingshot thing that blows you out of the wind window but gives you short bursts of excelleration before hand. The shoreline was going by faster than usual off in the distance I thought.
The thing about flying at night is it's hard to tell how fast you're going. In low light everything seems fast so your perception is a little off. After the big yank I ran out of space and crashed the kite (broke all 3 kite lights doing it) then I was proccupied with re-launch,thin ice and proximatey to shore and I forgot to check my GPS.
A while later after Mike and I were ripping back and forth on some good solid gusts (You could see the stars reflected on the ice) the wind finally died as the moon was comming up and we were talking and I remembered to check the GPS. I hit the indiglo and couldn't believe what I saw, 69.1mph! I just started laughing like a madman! Then I got the shakes something fierce. I know it's only 5 mph more than my best speed but holy cats its exciting! I can't believe it still!!!! I thought I was going to fall over i was shaking so hard.
Now here's the little extra funny thing. I was in too much of a hurry/lazy to try to sort out my line issue on the Sabre from the night before but I needed something with more pull than my 7m Frenzy so, I busted out the Venom. Oh yes, I'm going to marry that kite.
So that's the story. I was hoping to get 70mph for the season as that seems to be the number to shoot for, I'm not going to get it but there's always next season... I'm glad someone was there with me tonight. If someone knocks me out of the top or out of the PL thats fine with me, they totally deserve it. I've got no complaints, I've won a kite this year and believe me I think about how lucky I am everytime I flew the Venom. Also how much I owe you for putting on Kitestorm and giving me the opportunity to win that kite. Theres a few weeks left out there in some places I'm sure, and people get crazy when it comes down to the wire. ( I sure do.) I think I hurt my back.
For more information, please call Stormboarding at 802.578.6120 or e-mail: [email protected]
Burlington, VT
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