BVI Kite Jam 2010 Takes Off

Sir Richard Branson and friends at BVI Kite Jam 2010 in BVI

The sport of kite boarding is new to the British Virgin Islands, but next year when the 2^nd annual event is held, it will definitely get more of the territory’s attention.

The waters of the BVI and certainly the prevailing trade winds are perfect for the sport and the kite boarders who are taking part in the inaugural event from February 28 to March 5 can definitely attest to that.

The event is the brainchild of billionaire Sir Richard Branson, who owns the private Necker Island and Moskito Island in the British Virgin Islands. “I did a kite surf last year from Anegada to Necker Island with Larry Paige who runs Google. It took us four hours, and after we sat around the bar, Charlie (Smith) and Abby (Abigail O’Neal), we just decided that maybe we should make this an annual competition,” Sir Richard told Virgin Islands News Online on Wednesday in an exclusive interview.

He added: “They said they’ll take it on and they have worked very hard to turn it into a great event and I think it could be a great annual event for the BVI. It’s a very beautiful thing to do kite-surfing utilizing the wonderful winds the BVI has.”

One of the major sponsors of the competition is Billabong, a surf clothing company. Vice President, Marketing, Graham Stapelberg, said Billabong has always been involved in action sports and has been working with Virgin (Sir Richard’s company) on some other global properties. “In discussions with Sir Richard, we decided to support this initiative and we’re committed to next year and look forward to a long term relationship.

Pete Sampson is a kite boarder from the United Kingdom. For him, this experience was really great. He has been amateur kite boarding for the past four and a half years in places from South Africa to Asia to Australia, South America and Europe.

“It’s a hobby for me and it’s my first time kite boarding in the BVI,” he said. “We got some good winds today on Anegada, which is just perfect; the experience has been fantastic. The BVI is a beautiful place, nice people, good food.”

Antiguan Andre Phillip, a professional kite boarder for the past ten years, also took up the invitation to take part in this inaugural event. He said the experience has been awesome. “It’s nice to travel with a bunch of kite boarders and do downwinders. The BVI is a beautiful place and it makes kite boarding that much better.”

Phillip, whose major sponsor is Cabrinha, a kite boarding company, has kite boarded all over the world, including the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, Tahiti and Australia.

The name Susi Mai is synonymous with kite boarding around the world. Mai was born in Germany but moved with her family to the Dominican Republic since age 5 back in 1989. “The spot where I lived was a windsurfing spot and it evolved into a kite boarding spot and so that’s where I saw it,” she recalled, also speaking exclusively to VINO.

Mai said at the World Championship in 2002, she saw twelve girls riding and “got interested”. Competition for her started in 2003, and she placed fourth overall in the world. She has since kite boarded in Spain, Montreal, the Dominican Republic, Australia and other places. Mai, who rides for Red Bull, Cabrinha and clothing brand Animal, also won the Red Bull Queen of the Air in Mali three times in a row – 2003, 2004 and 2005 – an unmatched achievement. “And things just snowballed from there.”

Mai also now is involved with media and promotion and hosts a number of shows for Red Bull TV.

She says of the BVI: “It is definitely one of the most beautiful islands I’ve seen, they’re stunning.” Of the event, she says: I think this event is the turning point for our sport because it’s attracting a lot of attention because of Sir Richard. It has always been a high end sport and this event will put kite boarding on the map.”

Founder of BVI Kite Jam Charlie Smith told VINO that while the wind didn’t cooperate on the first two days, the winds improved in Anegada on Wednesday and they were able to do some proper kite surfing.

“Everything came together nicely and we’re definitely making this an annual event to be held around the same date next year,” Smith said.

Some 43 kite surfers from all over the world, including Norway, Australia, the UK, USA, Brazil, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and the BVI, are taking part in the competition. German World Champion Kristin Boese is among twelve top world kite boarders also here. The competition is taking place at key spots around the territory, including Anegada Reef, Cow Wreck and Pomato Point on Anegada, Bitter End on Virgin Gorda and Necker Island.

BVI Kite Jam 2010 is sponsored by the BVI Tourist Board, Sunsail, Cape Air, Bitter End, Necker Island, Phillip Stein, Billabong, and Digicel, among others.

International media covering the event include Kiteboarding Magazine, NBC News, Plum TV, OK Magazine, Just Kite It, Robb Report, Vela Uno TV, Kiteworld Magazine and Esporte de Especula.