Riding in Light Wind is fun again!

WITH NO WHITECAPS IN SIGHT AND THE WIND METER READING LESS THAN 10 KNOTS, KITE REPUBLIC/NAISH TEAMRIDER EWAN JASPAN TAKES THE NEW FLY OUT FOR A SPIN. CHECK IT OUT!

Click here, or the picture above to go to video!

The Fly goes in virtually no wind and is incredibly fun to ride. Its exceptionally light weight is primarily the result of removing the center strut. In doing this, the center section of the canopy performs like a spinnaker and generates incredible power in light wind.

The Fly uses the Park's proven easy-handling design, which gives it superior turning ability, but it incorporates more overall sweep, which helps the Fly relaunch in marginal wind conditions.

Love your work Martin! A bit of the fun and games the KR Crew got up to this past season.

Enjoy!

I had a great chance to demo this when up at the Naish Dealer Meeting this year and I can tell you it flies in next to no wind and the power is great yet it still maintains Naish's huge depower (for a massive kite ).

I was very impressed with the relaunch ability and most of all this kite is going to be the best way to learn new unhooked tricks in winds that aren't going to make it really hurt when you inevitably miss a few!

We'll offer the pre-order discount if you decide to take one and either deposit or pre-pay by the end of July. If you're keen email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NO WIND? NO PROBLEM: INTRODUCING THE FLY!

The Fly goes in virtually no wind and is incredibly fun to ride. Its exceptionally light weight is primarily the result of removing the center strut. In doing this, the center section of the canopy performs like a spinnaker and generates incredible power in light wind.

The Fly uses the Park's proven easy-handling design, which gives it superior turning ability, but it incorporates more overall sweep, which helps the Fly relaunch in marginal wind conditions.

Design Characteristics:
* The power of an 18 with the turning of a 12
* Exceptionally lightweight
* Based on the proven Park platform
* Two strut design
* Amazing low-end
* Superior water relaunch in light winds
* Includes 10m extension lines

Check out the FLY Tech on naishkites.com >>

Q&A WITH FLY DESIGNER, DAMIEN GIRARDIN:

Why did you make the FLY?
The Fly concept came from the idea that riding in light wind should be fun. To me, just because the wind is light, you shouldn't necessarily have to use a kite designed for racing - that is slow turning, heavy and not fun to ride.

What are the benefits of two struts for a light wind kite?
When the wind is light, you want to maximize the ratio of power to weight of the kite. To do that, you want to have as much power with the lightest kite possible. The two struts offer significant weight savings. Think about the amount of dacron and TPU (which are the heaviest materials in a kite) that are saved. At the same time, having no center strut allows the center of the kite to act like a spinnaker. It can expand slightly to harness more wind. The result is that the Fly has the highest power/weight ratio on the market.

How can the FLY be stable when it only has two struts?
In my opinion, adding struts or other things to a kite to add stability means that your original plan was wrong. If you start with the correct platform, then you barely need any struts on the kite. The Fly is the result of years of kite design where I have finally found a way to get a kite nicely balanced and stable. The Fly is a brand new kite that carries with it a legacy of 13 years of kite design!

Read the full interview >>

Richard Branson has entered the record books as the oldest person to kite-surf the English Channel - on his second attempt in 24 hours.

The 61-year-old Virgin tycoon crossed from Dymchurch, Kent to Wimereux in northern France in three hours and 45 minutes to establish the first Guinness World Record for the oldest person to make the crossing by kite-surf.

He failed to secure the second world record he was also eyeing, set by his son Sam a day earlier for the fastest cross-Channel kite-surf.

Sam Branson made the 50km journey from Wimereux to Folkestone in two hours and 18 minutes, shaving 12 minutes off the record set in 1999.

He was followed on to shore by eight friends and relatives who entered the record books as the fastest group of kite-surfers to make the Channel crossing, for which there was no previous record.

Branson, who turns 62 next month, had to abort his part in Saturday's challenge after realising his kite was too small to carry him over while he was halfway across.

But he immediately vowed to try again, saying he wanted to "finish the job".

He jokingly told his son to enjoy the next 24 hours as the fastest cross-Channel kite-surfer because he aimed to take the title from him.

After completing the journey Branson said it was "far more challenging" than he thought, with strong winds and large waves.

"It's wonderful for the family to have set three world records in two days. I have even more respect for Sam's world record having taken so long myself to get across."

Two years ago, Branson had to abandon an attempt at setting the same records due to poor weather conditions.

In 1987, his hot air balloon Virgin Atlantic Flyer crossed the Atlantic, setting the record as the first balloon to do so.

In January 1991, he was in the first balloon to cross the Pacific from Japan to Arctic Canada.

And from 1995 to 1998, Branson, Per Lindstrand and Steve Fossett made attempts to circumnavigate the globe by balloon.