Another Day @ Xelerator's Office Cape Town

Cape Town the Movie "THREE"

2012-01-23T23:35:00.001-08:00

South Africa THREE from Surfskolan Crew on Vimeo.

Cape Town the Movie "TWO"

2012-01-19T06:59:00.000-08:00

South Africa TWO from Surfskolan Crew on Vimeo.

Cape Town the Movie "ONE"

2012-01-19T06:55:00.000-08:00

South Africa ONE from Surfskolan Crew on Vimeo.

Helicopter View from the 2011 Ludertiz Speed Channel

2011-11-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

What size and shape waveboard should I choose??

2011-09-08T02:52:00.000-07:00

It is always difficult to answer this question although also here size does matter.

Choosing the right Kite waveboard depends on so many different factors and let’s not forget personal preference either.

Let’s have a look what the basics are to take into consideration when next time you are considering a new board before we will have a look at the different shapes.

#1 What size surfboard?

The first step is choosing the right size; a good rule of thumb is to get a board 2” longer than yourself. In case you are a very big guy you either get a board with a bit more volume or a touch longer.

#2 Riding style?
This is arguably one of the most if not the most important factor in determining what waveboard you need.
If you ride with a lot of power in the kite and with a lot of speed you will need a board that allows for higher speeds. If you ride unhooked/strapless you will use a board that is not as fast and will generate a lot more drive of the wave.

#3 Riding conditions?
Riding in onshore conditions or cross/cross offshore conditions makes a big difference in the riding characteristics of the board. In onshore conditions you like a board that picks up speed easily, goes upwind well and maintains drive through the turn. In side shore you don’t have to worry that much about going upwind and it is a lot easier to pick up speed. Therefore you want the board to ride rail to rail and is able to drive tight turns and goes as vertical as possible.

Ok now we have figured out the basics let’s go into a little more detail and see if we can translate the earlier mentioned different characteristic into some more technical aspects of the final shape of the board.

Rocker
In basic terms, the amount of rocker will have the largest impact on the planning, speed, and turning of the board, where a lot of tail rocker will allow the board to snap more easily off the top and drive a tighter bottom turn. Less rocker will improve the planning speed and the ability for the board to carry speed through a turn, (which is very important in onshore), along with improved upwind ability.

Bottom shape
The bottom shape should be viewed more from the point of how it is changing the rocker of the board, and to a certain degree, how it is affecting water-flow. Designing V in the board basically increases the overall rocker, whereas adding a single concave would reduce the overall rocker.

When it comes to water-flow, the V allows the board to roll consistently from rail to rail and soak up chop, while a single concave will keep the board loose and contributes to the snappy feel.

Linking the bottom shape back to #2 Riding styles If you ride with a lot of power in the kite and a lot of speed a double concave into V will help to soak up the chop and gives a more precise transition from the heel-side to toe-side rail in high speed bottom turns.
For the more surfstyle way of riding whether it is unhooked or hooked in a deep single concave will give the board a loose and snappy feeling.

Rail
Thickness and release are the two main aspects of the rail. Although there is a lot of debate around the finer details of rail shapes, a thicker rail is going to allow you to keep your drive at lower speeds, and a thinner rail can be driven harder through a turn, sitting deeper in the water.

I do think rails can be too thin and this results in a board that sits too deep in the water when bottom turning, similar to driving a bottom turn with too much front foot pressure and having the board dig in and lose drive.

Our faster boards have slightly thinner rails so the boards can be driven very hard through the bottom turn. Our more surfstyle oriented boards have a slightly thicker rail to compensate for the lack of speed and provide more drive through the rails.

Fin Configuration

The biggest consideration with fins is the overall centre of drive in relation to the rider. If you have the fins further apart (back to front) the board becomes stiffer (to a point). Closer to each other loosens the board up. Larger fins in the front tend to loosen the board up, which is ideal in smaller waves. For more information about fins: http://ww w.futuresfins.com/fin-school.php

Flex

Surfers don’t like the wind and the kiters need the wind essentially this means that when you are kiting there is wind, when there is wind there is chop... If a kite surfboard has the ability to flex it will absorb the chop and ultimately will improve control, this is more important for kiting then it is for surfing as the speed when kiting is a lot higher then with normal surfing.

By utilizing the flex in the board you will also be able to generate more drive out of the board when on the wave as the boards naturally will adapt to the changing conditions. The boards with either a wood/bamboo or a pvc foam sandwich look good but will have very little flex due to this stiff sandwich construction. Therefore we only use the sandwich construction where it is absolutely necessary on the high impact areas like the heel sections. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdceo_0YUmc

Complicated well no it’s just one click with the mouse and your board is being shaped....

I hope this provided you with some useful information will help you deciding what will be the best board for you.

If you like to get some more detailed information about our boards the constructions we use etc. please have a look at the following links:

http://xeleratorkiteboarding.blogspot.com/2010/11/xelerator-epic-custom-waveboards.html
http://xeleratorkiteboarding.blogspot.com/2011/04/kiteworlds-test-on-xelerator-epic.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRpSkl7EffI&feature=grec_index

If you still have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me Xelerator@polka.co.za

See you on the water!!

Hitler's Surtftrip ruined; guess who he will order from next time..

2011-06-17T01:12:00.000-07:00

Luckily we pride ourselves delivering in time and thank our clients for their continued support. Yes also our SUP's will be on time!!

Noordwijk Kiteboard Open 2011

2011-06-04T05:48:00.000-07:00

Kiteboard open 2011
11/06/2011 | NL | Noordwijk

Kiteboard Open is one of the biggest kitesurf / beachlifestyle events in Europe. More then just a competition, there is a big beachparty with the most surfy bands and dj’s around.

There are free lessons for newcomers, all the big brands are present and you can test the latest gear and there’s always a big surfmarket with stands of shops and brands related to the beachlifestyle.

Xelerator will be present with the entire 2011 range so come and test them! Maybe see you there and be sure to enjoy the atmosphere at this fun event in Noordwijk.

Test of the Xelerator Kick Freestyle board in Kiteworld Magazine

2011-05-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing

"A word from our Dealers": Marten Bjornsson from Sweden

2011-05-19T03:14:00.000-07:00

a Word from our Dealers” introduces the person behind the brand to the global kiting community.

This month Marten Bjornsson from Kiteskolan Bastad in Sweden

Who are you and briefly tell us about your business?
My name is Mårten Björnsson and I come from Sweden. I started kite surfing 12 years ago and it was the best thing I have ever done. In 2001 I started Sweden's first kiteboarding school and I have worked for many years with Xelerator Kiteboarding. We sell their boards and we use their products in the school as well.

Where are you located?
I'm located in southern Sweden in a small town known as Bastad

What inspired you to get involved in the kitesurfing industry?
It is important that new kite surfers get the right equipment good quality and easy to use.

What is your Life motto?
Live life and have fun!

Favourite kiting spot?
I have a few spots that I like! 365 in South Africa and Dalen five minutes from where I live these are two magical places.

Anything else you would like to share with us…?
I would like to share some waves with you and I will make sure you get the best!

kitemarten@hotmail.com

Publish Post

http://www.kiteskolanbastad.se/

"A word from our Dealers": Jose from Genetrix Spain

2011-04-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

“a Word from our Dealers” introduces the person behind the brand to the global kiting community.

Who are you and briefly tell us about your business?
My name is Jose Ivan Nuñez Vazquez. I am 38 years old. I am a distributor for Spain of Genetrix kites. We are a small local business with a passion for kitesurfing and have a passion for helping anyone who starts in this sport.

Where are you located?
I´m located in Vigo, Fragoso on the southern coast of Galicia in Spain, very near the northern coast of Portugal

What inspired you to get involved in the kitesurfing industry?
I started kiting and I could not stop, every day I want more. My life is sport, I enjoy dowhill mountain biking rider, snowboarding, etc ... but I when I discovered kiting I gave up everything else. My dream is to get the best equipment and to offer it to all my clients and friends

What is your Life motto?
My philosophy is "to kitesurf always and everywhere"

Favourite kiting spot?
I have several favourite spots - Cesantes (redondela) Spain, Freestyle -Mexilloeira (O Grove) Spain, Freeride- La Lanzada (Pontevedra) Spain, wave -Viana do Castelo (cabeledo) Portugal, wave, freestyle -El Medano (Tenerife) Spain waves

Anything else you would like to share with us…?
I want to thank Xelerator for the passion they put into making their boards. I am looking forward to personally visit Cape Town and meet the team, Greetings

genetrix.spain@gmail.com
http://www.genetrixworld.com

Kiteworld's test on the Xelerator Epic

2011-04-05T01:21:00.000-07:00

The guys from Kiteworld were here in Cape Town to test all the new 2011 gear in what can be seen as one of the windiest summers in a longtime.

The Epic, once again showed that our design and construction proves to be a success!! Quote: "Great Stick, probably one of the most easy to ride surfboards in powered conditions"

Open publication - Free publishing - More kitewave

Spring is in the air!!!

2011-03-31T02:44:00.001-07:00

We just received a picture from Morten Bjornsson from Sweden who was here a while ago escaping the European winter.

Morten is back now in Sweden and it still is a bit cold ..... The good news is that soon the gloves and booties can be put in the cupboard again as Spring is in the air, Kiting time!!!

For Kite lessons in Sweden contact Morten:
http://www.kiteskolanbastad.se/index.html

Kiteworld Mag 50 out now

2011-03-15T23:26:00.000-07:00

Kiteworld Magazine Issue BIG 50 is out now and is a good read. Get the mag and see what the test team of Kiteworld thinks of our new 2011 boards!!!

Trailer of the Thalassa documentary about Luderitz 2010

2011-03-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

For the people that haven't been to Luderitz this documentary shows the amazing landscaping in the areas surrounding the windy city of Luderitz in Namibia.

Organizing an event in the middle of nowhere takes a lot of effort this documentary will give you an idea about what the Luderitz Speed Challenge is all about. You will also see some of the locals that have absolutely no clue what these guys with the big kites are up to, without their support this event wouldn't be possible.

Enjoy!!

javascript:void(0)

Miguel Willis Epic Sri Lanka trip

2011-03-10T22:44:00.000-08:00

Xelerator and Best teamrider Miguel Willis traveled to Sri Lanka chasing the Monsoon winds. Check out Miguel's latest video of this Epic journey!

Vayu from simon on Vimeo.

Marten Bjornsson Cape Town Trip

2011-03-10T02:57:00.000-08:00

Marten Bjornsson my longtime friend from Sweden comes every year to Cape Town, escaping the cold and the snow, having some fun with us here in Cape Town.

Marten is always looking for new ways to promote kitesurfing and his positive attitude and smile are very contagious.

This is what he wrote on the Ozone website: http://www.flyozone.com/kitesurf/en/news/headlines/18181

Marten Bjornsson >> Cape Dr.

In the search for waves, I packed my new Catalyst and took off to Cape Town. For the first time the focus was on just the surf, no speed kiteing and no racing, traveling light with a 6m & 8m Catalyst. Before I slammed the door back home in Sweden, I also took a new C4 9m, I just couldn’t go without it.

One of the many great things about Cape Town is where you find Xelerator boards and the owner Fred tried a Catalyst 4m and bought one the day after. He knows how to shape a board and he also knows how a kite should feel.

When I landed in the end of November “Cape Dr.” was on. Cape Dr is what they call the wind down here, it is wonderful but can be a minor shock to first-time visitor. Windguru says 18 knots so expect that there will be a lot of wind in the afternoon.

This year I wanted to try the Catalyst again and after the first wave I felt that this was the kite that anyone could ride. So easy to handle and relaunch is a joy. Windrange is great and unhooked riding in the waves is just soo fun and easy. I got some big waves down at Witsands with the 6m and 8m. Charles the Ozone photographer in Cape Town got a few pictures from a beautiful day.

Before Christmas I got my new Shadowbox and then we started to jump. Cape Town around Christmas and New Year is a popular destination but there are many beaches and after seven at night there are not many people left on the beach when the wind blows 40 knots and more.

Shadowbox is an instrument that logs height and airtime during your jumps. It is a really fun thing to put on your board and head out with mates and go for it.

Both C4 9m and Catalyst 8m I had with me worked fine to jump with. I have jumped over 50 feet with both but the Catalyst has a bit better hang time of the two and comes a bit higher. Now I’m waiting to test the new Edge with the Shadowbox.

For those who like freeriding I can say that C4 is an incredibly fun kite. It is excellent for waves and for the love of kiteloops.

I have spent many of my winters in this paradise of wind and waves, and this year I could go home happy after a few months with great conditions and great kites.

Mårten Björnsson
http://www.kiteskolanbastad.se/

Haakgat some wave action

2011-02-25T04:57:00.000-08:00

Haakgat in the Western Cape is an exposed beach and point break that only works when the conditions are just right.

Summer offers the favored conditions for surfing. Offshore winds blow from the east.

Haakgat tends to receive distant ground swells and the ideal swell direction is South West.

Last Friday the swell forecast was around 10-12 ft with a period of 14 sec. Haakgat only works aound high tide which was 09h00.

The swell was just high enough for Haakgat to work another nice session!!

More pictures: http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=32793&id=100001458395552

Good swell is heading our way!!

2011-02-24T02:31:00.000-08:00

12 ft, 14 sec swell is coming our way. The wind forecast is great so I hope it will be another great board meeting, waveboards only!!

No wind, just another day at the office

2011-02-15T01:02:00.000-08:00

Let the picture tell the story:

Langebaan Downwind Dash

2011-02-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

The 26th edition of the 2011 Langebaan Downwind Dash attracts nearly 300 athletes to Langebaan beach in South Africa for Kiteboarding, SUP, and Windsurfing racing and this year it blew doors.

For the past 25 years, the worlds fastest have gathered in South Africa for the ultimate downwind racing adventure. The racers start at the main beach, Langebaan and head straight to to Dial Rock Saldanha for a total distance as the crow flies of more than 20km. The event started originally as a windsurfing race but has gown over the years to include kiteboards, SUP and even a Hobie Cat or two.

Way back in 1983, some keen windsurfers from Saldanha sat down and planned a 17-20 km windsurfing giant slalom from Langebaan to Saldanha. It was dubbed the “Downwind Dash”. It would feature a “LeMans” start on Langebaan’s beach and zigzag down the bay powered by the bay’s prevailing summer southerly. The sailors would finally round Dial Rock and sprint up the beach at Saldanha to cross the finish line.

Xelerator had also this year some good results, Greg 1st kiter, Seb 4th and Sophie the 3rd Lady.

We are already looking forward to next year's race.

www.waterhound.com

BOOT Tradeshow Dusseldorf

2011-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

The 16th of Jan I left sunny Cape Town, on a KLM flight to Amsterdam. Upon arrival it turned out that my luggage was missing. All the stuff I needed for our stand on the Tradeshow was in my luggage not mentioning my very cold toes (Amsterdam was -4 degrees) as I was travelling on my flipflops and my normal shoes and socks were in my lugage.

With 1,5 hour delay I finally got through customs but without my luggage. Luckily within 4 days my luggage was returned just in time for the opening of the trade show the 22nd of Jan.

The show has been a great succes and we are welcoming quite a few new dealers. The 10th of Feb I will be back in Cape Town with a portfolio full of new custom orders, hopefully I still can find a gap to catchup on a bit of waves...

For more pic's visit our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=100001458395552&aid=29814

Xelerator's Raceboard Concept Part 2

2011-01-18T09:05:00.001-08:00

This is the new Hypersonic MKII!! Unfortunately we can't show the new retractable fin setup as yet.

The board has a deep double concave from the nose going into a deep single concave at the tail. The board is now in it's final testing stage in Cape Town

More info will follow soon.

Our new Raceboard Concept

2011-01-12T03:20:00.000-08:00

Last year’s success during the Leucate Mondial du Vent where Seb dominated the Races on one of our first prototypes hasn’t been unnoticed.

We have received a lot of enquiries for custom raceboards. Based on this success we have decided to continue the development of our Raceboards.

After extensive testing and prototyping we have come up with a complete new revolutionary design for the board as well as a new fin system.

Currently a raceboard either goes well upwind but lacks speed downwind or it goes well downwind but looses track on the upwind tack. The combination of maximum performance on both tacks has proven to be problematic.

Our new boards are a lot shorter but wider than most conventional raceboards, furthermore we developed a new retractable fin system. This system allows the rider to tune the board while riding. The combination of the new shape and the fin system has increased the overall performance of the board tremendously.
More info will follow soon!!

Witsands another day in Heaven

2010-12-22T01:40:00.001-08:00

Last week we have had some pretty good days with waves at the Southern Peninsula here in Cape Town. After a week of incredible strong winds Morten and I decided to go very early to try to spend some time on the water before the wind was getting nuclear again.

The picture above is taken when we arrived very light winds and no one on the water beside a few surfers perfect!!!

The picture below is taken an hour later by Morten on his 8m During the day the wind got stronger and stronger and I ended up again on my 4m but it was another day of great kiting. We will be back soon!!

Sophie on top @ 1st SAKT Event in Langebaan

2010-11-29T21:52:00.000-08:00

Sophie still recovering from her hand injury competed at the Langebaan SAKT tour.

She won 5 out of the 7 races and became 2nd in the Freestyle and Big Air and is leading the SAKT ladies division. The next stop will be in windy City Port Elizabeth.

Well done Sophie!!

Interview Sebastian Cattelan

2010-11-25T06:38:00.000-08:00

Interview taken from the Genetrix website: http://www.genetrixkites.fr/en/home/268-interview-seb-cattelan

Background: Seb “Catman” Cattellan (Genetrix/Xelerator) is both the organizer of the Luderitz Speed Challenge held annually in Luderitz, Namibia and a fearsome competitor in that same event. He shocked the speed world by breaking the 50 knot record in 2008, and wrote his name in the history books again this year by being the first kiter or sailor of any discipline to reach 55 knots over a 500 meter course, while also taking home the French and European records in what has traditionally been a completely French-dominated event.

Only this year, an American (Rob Douglas) was able to snatch the overall record from Seb by 15 hundredths of a knot, bringing the overall record to America for the first time in memory and laying the groundwork for what is certain to become a battle royale between speed sailors from old world and the new in years to come.

- How was your journey to becoming the fastest speed sailor in France and Europe with a record of 55.49 knots over 500m?

Above all it was a result of a strong team around me; I couldn’t have done it without them. It seems obvious to say this but this is probably the biggest part of my performance. The trust and support of my better half, my family, my friends, and my team were all integral. Through their support and faith, from the very beginning I was able to find the strength to keep me going. This was key during this fourth edition of the Speed Challenge, now that the level of competition has increased dramatically.

I clearly recall the run when I broke the world sailing speed record. Despite a bad start, I knew this run was good. When I crossed the finish line in a spray of white water and heard shouting, I knew that this could be potentially great news. At the sight of the display board, Martial Camblong from Genetrix, my kite sponsor jumped on me saying “Bloody hell, you exploded the clock!”

My life flashed by me: the successes and failures in my career since my start in freestyle in 2000, successive battles related to the organization of this completely insane competition in the Namibian desert, where the hard work of the past four years paid off.

The thing to understand is that being able to set records like this is the culmination of so much effort! It's tough to explain...

Even assuming Rob Douglas ends up with the official world record with 55.65, getting my records was a great moment for me. I believe my tenacity in facing what was at stake allowed me to combine my athletic and organizing abilities. Wearing two hats in moments like this is physically and mentally challenging, but I managed to do it.

One may ask why am I crazy enough to both organize the event and compete in it. I would say that I’m fortunate to do both! The speed canal that I dug is my baby ... it is hard to imagine but each angle of the run has to be positioned exactly, every detail is considered, so all my years of experience have really helped in its realization. Finally, I compete because this is why I am here, still taking part despite my seniority. I'm still trying to improve and pass down the knowledge I have learned. It is my reason to live. It's not a job, it's a passion that never dies ...

- What changes have you made this year regarding your fitness and training as well as your equipment?

This is the first time that I used a physical trainer in my preparation. Thanks to a customized training program from this Olympic coach, it boosted my potential. He also worked on my diet, and gave me a nutritional regimen for before, during and after intense physical effort in a competition like this one.

My progression also benefited from having coached Sophie in speed kiting for months. Finally, an intense and regular interaction with Martial ultimately paid off. Having worked extensively on research and development, the 9m Genetrix Hydra revealed itself to be the ultimate weapon for me. Very difficult to do better.

Board-wise, the South African brand Xelerator intensifies its development by participating frequently in the speed event, to better understand the needs of this discipline.

- You were the world record holder for a brief period before Rob Douglas during that epic day when both of you crossed the 55 knot barrier. What was your first reaction when you realized you'd just given him your first place?

"It's the law of the jungle, except that I am a cat and a cat has nine lives..."

- You're a competitor and organizer. Your point of view?

The fact that I am also a competitor is a weakness for me and that I am also the organizer is a strength for the other competitors.

- What has been most striking in the 2010 edition of the Speed Challenge?

The smiles on the competitors’ faces when they see their extraordinary times on the results board. It is my reward.

- The windsurfers were invited to the party this year -- what is your assessment of the outcome for them?

It was the first time we tried to be constructive together to try to develop valid competitive conditions for them. It made me think of our transition 2007-2008 where we had changed the run for the first time. We deduced certain things and avoided some problems for windsurfers. I have tried hard to integrate their needs into the competition so that many possibilities are open to them. I think that windsurfers can go faster than kiters. They simply need an appropriate playground.

- As an organizer, how did you get to come up with a run of 500 meters capable of recording average speeds of over 100 km / h?

I did countless tests with my GPS to learn in detail the necessary elements while taking into account various criteria. You have to take into consideration biology, currents, tides, weather and the fact that our competition was held in a natural reserve. A Namibian headache! Yet, there were still a few disgruntled people who did not realize the magnitude of the accomplishment in simply hosting an event like this. To them I say: never bite the hand that feeds you.

- You promised 50 knots in 2008. It happened. You have predicted the 100 km / h for this year. Four competitors (including yourself) made it. What can we expect next, is 60 knots possible?

I am proud to have lent credibility to my event by giving riders a chance to prove themselves.

Until now, the best ever recorded top speed on GPS is 62 knots (see www.gps-kitesurfing.com). (I set this record using the Genetrix Hydra). On a run like this year’s, with that kind of top speed, an average of 60 knots in the 500m is achievable, but for that I still think there will need to be a step up in the development of the gear and a tweaking of the run.

- Any final words?

To all readers ...:

Before turning the page, be sure you have retained enough information to be able to impress at your next dinner party with all the knowledge about the quest for the 100 km / h!

2010-11-24T22:00:00.000-08:00

The first edition of the SPRITE Maputo Kiteboarding Open 2010 will be held on 26th, 27th and 28th of November 2010 at the Southern Sun Hotel, Maputo, Mozambique. This kiteboarding event will gather a total of 40 riders, which includes some of the best African and World pro-riders but also amateur riders, to compete during 3 days in 3 disciplines: Races, Freestyle, and King of the Air.

Race competition: Downwind and Slalom! 40 riders at the same time in Maputo Bay will be an amazing show! The 2 times Speed World Champion will be participating!

Freestyle competition: 4 Riders competing per heat, performing mind blowing tricks for the judges. Impressive jumps and tricks expected! Some of the best freestyle riders from various teams will be competing!

King of the Air: 4 Riders competing per heat, performing the longest hang-time jump!. The judges measure the time each rider stays in the air.

The Maputo Kiteboarding Open 2010 is not only a sport event but also a family event where you will enjoy a full range of side activities such as live music, DJ's, jumping castle for kids, beach soccer, BMX and skateboard demos on a half-pipe, food stalls, bar, and much more!!!

This is an event not to be missed!

Xelerator Epic Custom Waveboards

2010-11-21T21:26:00.000-08:00

Our Epic custom waveboards are hugely popular especially here in South Africa. The main reason is that the boards are performance surfboards and the boards are extremely durable. Here in South Africa a lot of the guys use their boards on a daily basis in the most harsh conditions. Often I get the question how it is possible that the boards are so strong as they look and feel like a normal surfboard.

Let's start with why our board feel like a normal surfboard. The core we use is a Closed Cell HD Styrofoam core its properties are very similar to Polyurethane foam that is being used for normal surfboards. The foam however is both stronger, lighter and has excellent flex properties.

Most production boards use EPS as a foam core. The main reason that this is the most commonly used core is that it is cheap, light and easy to work with in moulds due to its compressibility. However from a performance point of view this comes at a price. The normal EPS Styrofoam has a lot of air inside. This means that these boards will be very buoyant and are “floating” more than normal surfboards. The standard production boards are moulded which means that due to this production method they are extremely stiff. The stiffness in combination with the buoyancy make the board feel bigger and more nervous than a similar sized surfboard.

Our boards flex and this is something completely new in surfboards. The main advantages of the flex are that the boards are very easy to ride - little chop is completely absorbed by the board; it gives the board more drive on the wave and makes it very responsive.

There are a few reasons why our boards are so durable. Firstly the core being used is a very High Density core with excellent compress strength properties as there is very little air inside. For the critical areas, like the heel areas we use Balsa reinforcements. The boards are glassed with only the best materials, Hexcel glass and SP UV stable Epoxy, the boards are not sprayed so it is not possible to hide anything under primers.

This production method is time consuming as it is very labour intensive. Take a look at this small clip were we prepare the board for the reinforcements.

After this is done the boards bottom will be glassed, 1 day later the top will be glassed and then the finishing takes place. We are standing behind our products and that's why e are the only company that offers a full year warranty against breakage and delamination of the heel area on our Epic Surfboards. Try one and your life will never be the same again. See you on the water!!

The final of the Luderitz 2010 Speed Challenge!!

2010-10-29T00:44:00.000-07:00

One big day still to go for the competitors at the second lagoon. Rob will not take part as he broke his wrist and has to return to the US . Alex and Seb will definitely give it all they have today.

The UNOFFICIAL results up to Day 11 (excuse any errors & omissions) :
Visit www.luderitz-speed.com for the OFFICIAL Results. Demands of speed records under sail, are subject to the official ratification by ISAF/WSSRC.

Rank No. Name Nat. Speed
1 55 Rob Douglas USA 55.65
2 69 Sebastien Cattelan FRA 55.49
3 21 Alex Caizergues FRA 54.93
4 64 Sebastien Salerno FRA 54.28
5 53 Sylvain Hoceini FRA 52.90

First to do 50 now First to do 55 knots!!!!

2010-10-29T00:10:00.000-07:00

Sebastien Cattelan yesterday did it again!! After writing history just over two years ago by being the first kiter to break the magical 50 knots barrier he has done it again. Yesterday he was the first person ever to reach a speed over 55 knots average over 500m.

His speed was 55.49 knots this still has to be ratified by the WSSRC. Today again it looks like a very food day with potential record conditions 56,5???

Back to Work!!

2010-10-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

After spending 3 weeks in Luderitz I am very happy to be back in Cape Town again, home sweet home. Yesterday I had my first session on a wave board – nice! Riding a 5.5m kite in 22 knots instead of a 9m in 45 knots…. The new season has started, the SE’er is back and I have loads of work lined up. The airplanes with visitors are arriving soon so I still have a few weeks to get ready.

When looking back at Luderitz I think it has been quite a success for Xelerator with now 12 National Speed Kite records on Xelerator boards. Unfortunately there is only one missing -the Outright World Record. However - most of the days that Seb raced he was had the top results. Yesterday Seb was again the fastest rider of the day with 52.81 knots in relatively light winds. During 4 weeks of racing it all comes back to that time slot of less than 20 seconds where it all comes together and records are broken.

I think that we as a team learned a few valuable lesson during this year’s event. If riders don’t stick to the rules of the event organisers their results should be discarded no matter how tough of a decision that is to make. Organising an event in the middle of nowhere takes a lot of energy and it definitely distracts from competing.

Seb has put speed kiting on the map and now the Speed windsurfers know about Luderitz as well. At the start of the event there were a lot of people who very critical about the course - especially the safety, and I strongly believe that there were also a lot strategically/politically tainted team complains. Sometimes I had the feeling we were rowing in a bathtub through the sand uphill…. Luckily there were also a lot of competitors for who the glass was always half full instead of half empty no matter what happened, thanks guys!!

The conditions to go as fast as you can were there and there are no limits besides your own. Nobody said it would be easy but … Seb proved all his critics wrong and it is official - the Channel Seb dug is absolutely the fastest strip in the world. At the beginning of next week, after the Luderiz event has officially ended, the X team is getting ready for a road trip to relax and have some fun. Next year we will be back with another episode of the Luderitz Event, although most probably in a different format.

Sebastian Cattelan 53.19 knots

2010-10-22T03:35:00.001-07:00

Catman in hot pursuit

2010-10-17T02:31:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

This is an up and close video on board with Sebastian following the windsurfer Anders Bringdal.

Check out the Kiteloop at full speed after the finish line.
Enjoy!!

Ludertiz another day for the Speed Hall of Fame

2010-10-13T00:05:00.000-07:00

12 Oct

I woke up at 7 o’clock and the wind has already blown our washing line over – which is in a sheltered courtyard and stands on a solid block of concrete. This clearly indicates that the wind will be nuclear later during the day.

This morning Sarene and I took over the tasks from Seb and Sophie regarding the organization of the event as they need to take it easy and rest in order to focus on the race.

8 o’clock I was at the speed strip to finish digging the last part of the channel. Anders Bringdal, the Swedish windsurfer, was already there and we discussed the windsurfers requirements to improve the track for them. It was going to be a race against time as it was low tide and the water was out of the channel plus there was still a lot of sand that needed to be removed. By one o’clock it looked like we would be ready in time.

2 O’clock was the skippers meeting with a possible start at 3 o’clock. The wind was strong, 35-40 knots, my legs were being sand blasted. The tension was tangible with all the riders, as everybody knew that the channel was ready and this was going to be THE DAY. I also started to get nervous as I was pumping up my 9m Genetrix Hydra.

This was going to be the first time in a year that I was going down the speed strip in such strong winds. I knew that the kite size we needed to go fast are ridiculously big for this kind of wind and I started to worry that the 9m was too big - I felt really uncomfortable
.
The water was still low and this meant that the best part of the day would be in the beginning when the water level in the channel is lower as it would be very smooth. At the same time we will be flying down the strip in some places with half a meter of sand down wind. I started thinking about what can go wrong if I crash. I have had two serious windsurf accidents in the past - the last one 3 years ago where I fractured my L1 vertebrae and I consider myself very lucky that the functionality in my left leg is now back to normal and besides lower back pain and stiffness all is fine - after all I was now standing at 2nd Lagoon in Luderitz about to enter the fastest speed strip in the world!

I tried to get answers from Seb whether the 9m is ok for me - although I knew I shouldn’t ask him, he’s using a 10m already and can’t wait to start - his answer was “I think the 9 is fine for me but I will try the 10 first” not much help to me… The wind was still getting stronger and upwind in the bay there were signs of mist – indicating that more wind was coming - adding to my uncomfortable feeling.

I decided to wait and see how the other riders were coping. Alex, Rob, Seb and a few others were going out. The track was still closed as there was no water yet at the starting line. Tim Pumpa from Australia also went out on a new Genetrix V5 7.8m kite.
The green flag went up and the track was open. Seb was the first one down the track at 48.7. The 10 was too big and he decided to take a 9m with longer lines. What happened next was unreal! All the guys who were going down the track were improving on their personal best by 2-3 knots. Alex came flying down the track and crashed hard at the finish line, he released his kite, his kite went down wind onto the rocks and the scoreboard didn’t display his time.

Seb went down for his second run - 52.5. This was insane - within half an hour 5 riders went through the 50 knot barrier! Tim Pumpa from Australia entered the track on his Kawasaki Green Xelerator board and immediately at 47,5knots he bettered the Australian record that he had broken on the first day of the event by a further 2.5 knots. However he didn'tt stop in time and crashed into the grass, splitting his chin open and the board hit him in the chest. The top of his chest has a huge blue purple bruise over the entire length - ouch.

Martial, the kite designer from Genetrix, came to me and said "Fred go go go - we need a new Dutch record GO GO GO". (no pressure then...) He instructed me to take the new 7.8 from Tim. I launched and hit the water. I headed upwind towards the starting line with plenty of time to think. I realized today that for me it will be more of a mental battle than a physical battle. I trained for hard for this event and I consider myself to be fit.
At 98kg's I am one of the bigger rider’s and should be doing well, I try to convince myself.
I arrived at the top and queued for the start. I decided to take the first run easy.

Green Flag up. I started over the chop into the channel, edgeing and accelerate.. I shot down and hit the starting line, looking at the sand dunes downwind and trying to keep my kite fully powered. Coming closer to the finish I saw the buoy and the beach approaching very fast. I opened my kite too early and pass the finish line, managing to stay on the board. 45knots -Not fast enough but it went smoothly and I am getting more confident.

Over the next few runs the tide was rising and the speed strip became choppier. The wind droped a bit halfway along the track I didn’t have enough power and I was not improving. I debated on taking the 9m but my legs are tired and I decide to wait till tomorrow as we still have plenty of wind coming. I was disappointed in myself as I should have taken the 9m kite. I am thinking too much and I don’t know how to turn that off. It is amazing to see how the guys were stoked after today - the first day of racing in windy record conditions.

No official speeds have been released and this will only be done tomorrow after all the records have been ratified by the WSSRC. The new Outright World Speed Record came back to the kiter’s that is for sure, again history has been made here in Luderitz congrats to all of whom set new records!! And we still have more than 2 weeks of racing ahead of us. This keeps me wondering how much further the limits can be pushed. To be continued.

New world records today @ 2nd Day of Racing

2010-10-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

There are no official results yet but it is a 100% certain that the Hydroptere no longer has the Outright Sailing record, the kiters got it back!!

There were several guys diving deep into the 50's. More info will follow soon. Here in Luderitz the majority of the rider's are on Xelerator boards. I think currently the counter for National Records on Xelerator Speedboards is on 12 National Records. Lets see what more there is to come.

I am tired and need some sleep.

Luderitz 9/10 Oct.

2010-10-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

Oct. 9

6:00 am this morning I went with Seb to the speed strip as it was low tide and we started to clean up the channel, improving the entry of the channel for the windsurfers. After 6 hours of digging with the digger we managed to get about 50 m past the starting line. Hopefully tomorrow morning we will be able to make more progress but all the riders were excited about the improvements.

Oct 10

6:30 am. I collected the digger operator and took him to the speed strip. There was still a lot of work to be done as tomorrow, Monday, is an official race day again. The worst possible scenario that can occur with a digger is a “flat tyre” – and yes – at 7.30am, when we had only a few hours to work in the channel before the tide came in, you guessed it - the entire chain on 1 side of the digger came off. A Sunday morning in a small desert town in Namibia – in the middle of nowhere with 4 hours before the water comes back and the “tyre” – which is actually a 500kg chain – came loose and ended up sinking to the bottom of the world’s fastest speed strip….

To recover and then replace the chain took us the best part of 3 hours. One small slip of a chain and we lost a full day of digging in the channel. The result was one VERY upset Frenchman! We were all very disappointed as we were just starting to make good progress and the channel was well on it’s way to being finished in time for the Big Wind forecast for Tuesday.
By 1 o’clock the chain was back on - just in time to get the digger out of the water before the tide came in.
Tomorrow morning will be an early one as we have to be out there again. Tomorrow will be a long day for the Luderitz team as the wind forecast is about 30 knots – and we have to put in a few hours of training before “Record Setting” Tuesday.

After the hard work we all went for lunch at the Nest Hotel for the Sunday buffet - eat as much as you want (or can). There is a good possibility that they might stop this special till the kitesurfers have gone home again as the some hungry French kiters simply removed bowls of whatever they fancied from the buffet, grabbed a spoon and proceeded as if it were a medieval feast – all that was missing were the dogs lying around waiting for the bones to be tossed their way. A great feast was had by all!

I am extremely tired as we have spent 2 full days working in the sun so I hope I will be fit tomorrow. The fin problems have been sorted and we are ready.

Luderitz Oct 8

2010-10-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Friday was the first official race day which was scheduled as a training day for the kiters and a real race day for the windsurfers. This was because during the afternoon it was spring high tide - good for the windsurfers. I did a few test runs with the tide coming in to try to get some footage but the GoPro died- RIP. I had some problems with our new fins which are not working as we had hoped. I went down the track feeling I was drunk as I was swirling and fighting with the board to prevent it from breaking out. Most of the day I spent working on the fins and UFO is also sending new fins down so all in all it looks like we are on track.

A few of the riders were getting quite comfortable in looping the kite while passing the finish line. I must admit respect for them; this separates the boys from the men. Personally I feel that I am still in my diapers as I focus too much on the approaching sand at the end of the run instead of finishing as fast as I can. Maybe it would be handy if Ruben was here to gives me some tips re. “speed kite looping for dummies”.

Martial, the designer from Genetrix Kites, has arrived to Coach Sebastian and Sophie. He brought some new prototypes for the Hydra and on Monday there are more proto types arriving. Next week the forecast looks promising with strong winds for Tuesday. I will make sure we are ready as this is potentially a day for new records.

Sophie did very well today and did a few runs and finished 1st overall in the Women’s section. She beat Charlotte by 0.5 knots. I am very happy as Sophie is a lot better in stronger winds than in the lighter winds we had today – so it was an excellent performance. It’s great to see the progress she has made. Tim Pumpa from Australia, who is also on Xelerator and Genetrix set a new Australian record of 40.73 knots on his 1st day at Luderitz. Seb did a few runs to try the fins and the new kites but took it very easy.

Luderitz Oct 7

2010-10-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Here in Luderitz everything is still quiet and peaceful, no wind, Locals close their shops from 1-2 for lunch and everyone stops at the stop streets for at least 5 minutes - even if there is no other cars to be seen. Life in Luderitz...

Whilst doing shopping at 1 of the 3 local supermarkets it turned out that Seb and Sophie are the towns new celebreties. The national TV broadcastinng company has featured the opening ceremony on prime time news - putting Luderitz on the map as best spot for speed sailing.

Little do they realize that this is the first step in on our election campaign to have Seb elected the Mayor of the City of Luderitz - the "Fastest City in the World". What Governor "I'll be Back" Arni is for California, Messieur Cattelan will be for Luderitz! Sophie naturally will be the Carla Bruni of Luderitz...Please vote now.....

The Diaz coffee shop is the meeting place for all the riders.. well actually this is the only coffee shop in town. Everybody is looking at the weather charts as it looks like strong wind is on the way. Based on the current forecast there is a good chance we will have over 50 knots Tuesday next week.

Today I worked on getting an on board camera that will capture the action when going through the channel down the speed strip. We mounted the camera on the nose of the boards so we hope we will be able to shoot some awsome footage when blasting through the channel to give you a first hand view of the action. Stay tuned!!

Luderitz Oct 5

2010-10-06T00:10:00.000-07:00

The morning was cloudy, making it perfect weather to do final preparation on the boards. I eventually managed to acquire extra weights to put onto the nose of the boards. The new weights are flatter and fit better on the boards. This is very important - due to the vibration caused by the chop the bolts tend to come loose and if we crash the weigh will pull the bolts out - including the inserts, often resulting in the nose of the board snapping. I have fitted my new fins and am ready for action.

At low tide this afternoon I took my daily walk to inspect the channel. Yesterday was springtide and the water came up all the way into the bay, about 50m further than normal. When the tide receded again it moved a lot of sand into the channel and created small sandbanks. This sand has to be removed again but the digging is being postponed as long as possible as springtide isn’t over yet and it will continue to bring back more sand into the channel. We have a few days left and by the end of this week the wind forecast is 30 knots and by the beginning of next week 40-50 knots has been forecasted.

There is a lot of discussion going on about the new course for this year. The course has been moved 50m down wind. The main advantages are that lining up for the starting line is a lot easier. The course goes almost immediately down wind, compared to last year. The first 150m of the course will be substantially faster which will have a noticeable effect on the average over speed 500m and that ultimately is what it is all about - breaking records.
As a result of the course being moved 50m downwind there is less space after the finish line. Most riders brake by edging as hard as possible into the wind to come to a stop. In the new setup this is no longer possible as there isn’t enough space anymore and riders might end up on the beach.

After we pass the finish line we need to break by depowering the kite and flattenening the board in order to eventually stop. In theory this is not that difficult, however we have two problems: The first being that at a speed of 50 knots if we depower the kite and bring it back to 12 o’clock we will over take the kite and the kite will fall out of the sky. The second problem is the chop - if there is too much chop we will lose control and simply crash. My personal opinion is that we are here to break records and the new course guarantees to be a lot faster. Seb and Sophie are the only two who have tried it over and over again and both say that it is possible. I think that we should try it over the next couple of days as the wind won’t be too strong - around 30 knots - to see if it works. I can’t wait to get in the water. Tomorrow at 10:00 am there is a skippers meeting to vote which course we will be using. TO BE CONTINUED…

Luderitz Day 2 October 3

2010-10-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Today was the official opening of the Luderitz Speed Challenge. Competitors from 15 different countries gathered at the Luderitz Yacht Club along with prominent business people from Luderitz, The Deputy Mayor of Luderitz Town, sponsors and the media.

Tomorrow could be the first official day of racing. The wind won't be strong enough for new records but it will be good to get familiar with the track and try out some of the equipment. This afternoon we have been busy with fitting the new fins in the boards and we are ready to go. More news tomorrow.

Luderitz Day 1 October 2

2010-10-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

We left Cape Town at 2am, the car loaded with new boards for Seb, Sophie and myself. We were joined by Michael Ellison, a representative from the World Speed Sailing Records organization, who gave us some interesting insight into the rules and regulations of what is required to qualify for a speed sailing record.

The journey was an easy one – at 2am there is not much traffic on the road. The directions to Luderitz Bay from Cape Town are easy – get onto the N7, follow it for 863.4km, at the T-junction, turn left, for the last 487.6km and you arrive at the City of Luderitz.

We arrived at the South African/Namibian border crossing at 9.30am. All went smoothly so far – clear skies and the sun was shining. Little did we know…

Now African border crossings are all very similar – there are 3 basic steps:
• You arrive at the border and a customs officer write down your car registration and you go
with that piece of paper to the first stop counter 1, passport control
• From passport control the next stop is Counter 2 Anything to declare?? Nothing stamp number
2 and off you go to the next counter.
• Counter 3 always was the easiest and fastest although I have no clue where they are therefore
a police officer put on the last and final stamp and off you go.

I handed in the piece of paper for my last and final stamp the police officer started typing on the computer keyboard and all of a sudden looked at me as if I was Osama Bin Laden himself who just arrived at New York Airport with dynamite wrapped around his chest. He called in a colleague who looked at the screen and then turned to me and said “do you know you are driving a stolen vehicle?” After all the previous border crossings I thought I had seen it all but I must admit that this caught me by surprise. The only thing I could say but it isn’t my car it’s the car of my wife. She wasn’t very impressed with my explanation and neither was the police officer. I just thought that she could sort this better out way better then I ever could especially the way I looked, bare foot, a 5 day beard and red eyes due to the lack of sleep.

Any way to make a long story short it turned out that when we received our license plates that they made a mistake and used the wrong number and it turned out that this particular vehicle registration was from a car that was stolen. This also explains why my wife never gets fines.......
We were lucky that we got off without a fine promising we would sort out our license plates asap.

We proceeded across the border in Namibia – where the temperature soared to 35 degrees and our air conditioning/cooling fan decided it was time to take a break. As we approached Luderitz the air temperature dropped by 10 degrees due to the cold coming in air from the ocean. We drove directly to the 2nd Lagoon to take a look at the speed strip. I must admit that the new channel looks promising. There is more space before the starting line which make it easier to line up for the run. The run goes more down wind than last year which is good. My only concern is the finish, there is not much space to stop and it is not possible to edge upwind to stop as there is sand. I asked Seb how we need to stop and he mumbled something about down loop the kite at the finish and then bear off even more down wind and then tack back up to the starting line again. I try to picture this using a 9m kite in 45 knots of wind passing the finish line which the fastest part of the track with speeds above 50 knots and now you need to downloop the kite? The master has spoken we will see how we are going to tackle this one…..To be continued!!

Getting ready for Luderitz!!!!!!!

2010-09-26T04:18:00.000-07:00

We have been busy finishing the last boards for competitors of the Luderitz Speed Challenge. I managed to sqeeze some boards in for myself as well. My own boards are always last and often this means that I end up boardless! My new board has to be the best board I ever made to compensate for my lack of technique so they have to be awesome as there is a lot to compensate for.....!!

I will not publish any photos yet as the copycats still will have time to copy the designs. Recently I saw pictures appearing of boards that looked very much like the boards we used last season. Same outline, similar step bevel and even weight embedded in the nose. Well I strongly believe that being copied is always better than copying others. Nothing to worry about also this year we will have a few aces up our sleeve.

Besides some new improved boards we also worked hard on new fins, again nothing standard. The fins are only 3mm thick which should reduce the drag significantly and cut through the water as a hot knife through butter. The shape of the fins are far from conventional although the idea behind them is so simple that this is possibly the reason why we have overlooked this option over the last couple of years.

Seb and Sophie have been testing over the past couple of weeks in Luderitz and the results look promising!! The next couple of days there are strong winds forecasted and I think we can expect some fireworks from both Seb and Sophie.

The SE'ers are back here in Cape Town meaning that at least I have spent some quality time on the water drawing nice curves in the waves. I am not sure if this is the best preparation for Luderitz though but it has been great fun. February was the last time that I had a real speedboard under my feet but there is nothing I can do about that. I have been spending quite a bit of time in the gym trying to get/stay fit for Luderitz.

We will leave Cape Town on Friday for Luderitz. During the competition I will report the event daily with background information from a rider's perspective.

Sophie the fastest??

2010-09-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing

Demo weekend in Almerimar Spain

2010-09-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

The guys from Diversur in Spain are organising a demo weekend in Almerimat from the 23th till the 24th of October.

For more information: info@kitetotal.com

Sophie close to the 50 knots!!

2010-09-08T00:29:00.000-07:00

Sophie Routaboul and Sebastian Cattelan are in Luderitz training for the upcoming 2010 Luderitz Speed Challenge. Seb is learning Sophie all the trick of the trade' She has been steadily improving over the past year. Last Monday Sophie reached a max speed of 49,55 knots which is the first time a girl came this close to the magical 50 knots speed barrier.

Sophie is using now a new slightly smaller board with some new custom fins and the combo seems to work great for her. Keep an eye out for her during the upcoming Luderitz event as she will be one of the candidates to set a new ladies world speed record.

Miguel Willis on the Kick 136 in the new BEST Taboo video

2010-09-03T01:54:00.000-07:00

Xelerator Interview about the 2011 Board Range

2010-08-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

HD movie featuring Ozone's Zephyr and Xelerator Thrill

2010-08-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Morten Bjornsson our Xelerator importer in Sweden made this HD movie featuring the Xelerator Thrill and the Ozone Zephyr in extreme light wind conditions. Great movie in awesome scenery, maybe Sweden is the next Kiting destination - check it out!!

Coming Up Luderitz 2010 Speed Challenge

2010-08-12T09:35:00.001-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More speed kite

Interview Xelerator Teamrider Sebastian Cattelan Kitesurf July 2010

2010-08-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More xelerator

Xelerator @ Alkanstrand Richards Bay

2010-08-03T22:47:00.000-07:00

The demo days in Richards Bay were great. Richards Bay - being one of the windiest places in South Africa lived up to its reputation. We had wind over the weekend and during weekdays there are a lot of local guys kiting.

The conditions here at Alkan strand can be very good with the NE and the SE being the most predominant cross shore winds.

A nice day trip from Richards Bay is St Lucia - also a good place for kiting when the NE wind is too light in Richards Bay. The 2 hour boat trip up the river at St Lucia is excellent to check out the Hippo’s and Crocodiles close up. We have decided to stay in Richards Bay for another week as the forecasts are looking good. We will keep you updated.

May I present to you Xelerator's new 2011 Waveboard the Surf

2010-07-26T00:13:00.000-07:00

When we left Cape Town the new boards were not ready yet. I am happy they are here now, just in time to hit the warm waters here in Durban.

Unfortunately we haven't had many waves yet but good enough for a short strapless session.

More pictures will follow soon. The board on the photo is the 6'0" Surf.

Demo Day @ La Mercy in Durban

2010-07-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of the two demo weekends for the new 2011 boards organized by the Kitesports Team in Durban.

Unfortunately there was no wind in the morning but we all had an excellent “scuttle” breakfast on the beach at La Mercy Lagoon.

The wind wasn’t picking up but the local guys set up the wrench to do some board testing on the cable.

Despite the fact that there was no wind everybody had a great time.

Special thanks to Sin from Kitesports in Umdloti for organising this!

2010-07-20T01:13:00.000-07:00

We are on the road to demo the new 2011 range through SA. We already know that our new 2011 boards are hot and are going to fly.

However we never expected the people of Kokstad to be so enthusiastic that they would wait for us to go to sleep so they could break into the car and get their hands on them first! Someone must have tipped them off....

Luckily the would be thieves coulden't fit them through the windows so the boards were saved.

Seb enjoys the Atlantic in Portugal

2010-06-30T05:23:00.000-07:00

We just received some pictures from our teamrider Sebastian Cattelan who is together with Sophie on a roadtrip in the North of Portugal.

World Cup Fever

2010-06-30T04:48:00.000-07:00

It is winter time here in Cape Town. Luckily every once and a while we are still being lucky and have soem SE winds and some sun.

For us at Xelerator this is the quiet time. The 2010 orders are out and most of the 2011 product design work has been finished and is ready for production. So what do you do...wel pretty much the same as most people around the world we are watching soccer. I am orginally a Dutchman so my favourite colour at the moment is orange.

I am living in South Africa now since 2004 and slowly but surely I have been introduced to the South African habits, e.g. braai (barbecue) Klippies (brandy and Coke) Rugby and quite a few more however with me millions of people got introduced to South African Secret weapon during the soccer matches the VUVUZELA.

This is an interesting little trumpet..... I must it is not as easly as it looks but I went from zero to hero in about 90 min of soccer. I must say say that the next morning your lips are blistered and your ears having a continously beep.

Next week friday 16h00 CAT Holland will play against Brazil in the 1/4 final but I will leave my Vuvuzela at home and stick to the Klippies and a braai after the game.

I promise the in next post I will have some more kiting news.