Kiteforum.com

can't wait to see; i can hardly believe it!

It's true and I am in the process of obtaining the video. As as soon as I have the mini DV in my hands I will post it. With all the professionals on the beach with cameras you'd think everyone would have it on video from all kinds of angles...NO. Lots of stills...some with about 15 shots, but can't accurately time with the still shots. After over an hour of searching everyone on the beach with a with a video camera..a recording of the entire jump was found. I reviewed the video myself...started at 15:25 and ended at 15:47...and he stuck the landing. The jump was not of the high variety, however, he did 7 high kiteloops (think it was 7) in order to keep getting lifts and floats. Video not of high quality, but it is of the entire jump. Video was actually caught by accident by an non kiter and is focused on the rider without the kite...but there were 500--1000 witnesses. Also, Stacy of Best captured 17 seconds of the jump on video.

Jesse just turned 15 last week and is an International Team rider for Cabrinha. He was using one of his SB2s. The jump was in one of the preliminaries of the Big Air Wind Jam. This event followed on the heals of the first ever US Nationals (Kite Course racing) where Jesse finished first in the Juniors followed by Cabrinha riders Jon Modica and bro Shawn Richman. Jesse was also 3rd in the Open class, where Cabrinha rider Jeff Kafka was second and Naish rider Anthony Chavez was crowned Champion.
steve

steve, do you know the strength of the wind at that time and the size of the Switchblade?

can't wait to see the video...

22 secs...

a.

Ikitesurf says lulls about 11-13, avg about 16-18 with gusts 25-27...his jump wasn't more than 40 yards off shore and I don't know where the wind indicator is located. also, the more south the wind the further it moves off shore; the wind was shifting from wsw to sw. think he was on either his 8 or 10 Cabrinha SB2
steve

22secs. Shittttt........KF

kitefrog wrote:22secs. Shittttt........KF

but then again..the kid is made of helium...or that is..he must be made of helium. 22 seconds wow.

a.

Nice, that's already gliding
So than was that a thermal again,
or to be a lucky rider who recognized that conditions in that moment

Could be the combination of the above with that kite,
because I call the SB2 as a Looping Kite

DrLightWind

I witnessed this jump on Saturday and counted the seven kite-loops. I'll take the "video's word for it" when they say 22 seconds. It was a long time, that's certain.

However, what didn't seem clear (when I read the above posts) is that he did a series of overhead helicoptor-style loops that just kept taking him downwind for the duration of the flight. Looked like a snow-kite vid!

It's not like it was a traditional jump with some huge apex-- he floated the thing up and down, loop after loop. Fun to watch, and yes it's real, video will confirm I'm sure (if you're still skeptical!)

(It may have been even more than seven loops too...)