Caribbean trip - swimming with sharks

And yes, I am still with Linn in the grenadines islands ...

It has been almost 1 month and a half we have been staying here on the island of Union. We are now spending our last week down here before we go to Grenada for a few days and after that we go to coche, Venezuela in front of Margarita where the PKRA will be happening.
Unfortunately I won't be there for the contest because I need to get my new gear, but I hope to arrive there before the end of the comp to see some of my friends that will be competing.




The wind wasn'treally good the last days down here in the Caribbean, but we had some great sessions, taking pictures and filming more for my next video.

When the wind went down, I went spear fishing with Lee and Thomas, two friends on the island.
The diving here is incredible, the clear blue water has thousands of fish to offer. We are fishing only the big ones like barracudas and spanish makrel.



To see what's under our boards is quite a different from what we are use to see when we are kiting, and scary in the same time.
I just realized that there were many sharks around the different spots we have been kiting.
While spear fishing with Lee, we crossed many different kinds of sharks with different sizes.
Lemon sharks, nurse sharks and the black tip reef shark.



Most of them are not really dangerous and didn't cause many deadly attack in the world. They are beautiful and strong animals that can take off your arm or leg in a second ... hahaha so it is always a bit scary to swim around them. they were coming really close to us and once, ..... Read the rest on www.jeremietronet.com

Cabrinha Race Series #1, OR represents!

Congratulations and a big shout out to regional team rider and SF Crew member Chris Slocum for his outstanding performance in the first heats of the series. Chris battled it out with well over 40 competitors in sketchy Crissy conditions to end up 7th place overall. The was the first time that Chris, Eric, Allen and Stefaans had raced on their Rise kites!

Stefaans pulled what appeared to be the most balsy move of the night when he tried to port tack the fleet as it was clearly the favored line....unfortunately it not pay off when another rider who had the same idea balked when the rest of the fleet was heading straight for them on starboard. The result was a twisted mess of kites that ended the heat for him altogether and resulted in a very late start in the second.

Thanks very much to Steve Gunn, Cabrinha, Ozone Travel, Adventure Sports Maui and the St.Francis Yacht Club for doing such an excellent job!

Ocean Rodeo tutorial video - Jeremie tronet Grab slim chance slow motion

source: www.jeremietronet.com

I am still in Union island with Linn, I just extended my visa to be able to stay more and get more footage ... I have been here for one month already but it seems like 2 weeks or even less.
I met a guy named Lee, he is living here and he is a really nice friend, we have been spear fishing barracudas and Spanish mackerel between some big 2.50 meter black tip sharks ...
This was scary especially when one was following me while I was going for a fish, Lee just made some signs that there was something big behind me ... scary I tell you, even if they don't attack ....

As some of you already noticed I created a new forum on the website ( check the forum link in the menu ). It is a forum where you can comment on the news, ask me a question about your next trip or ask me for advices to land your tricks . Beginners to handle passes, don't hesitate to login and ask your question or post your videos for me to comment on the mistakes .


Here is my new small video clip. It is a Grab slim chance in really slow motion with the explanation on how to do it. It is also helpful if you want to land a simple slim chance.
Enjoy:


high resolution:
http://www.kiteforum.tv/video/Jeremie_tronet_tutorial_grab_slim_chance.html

low resolution:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-FnStVdX9g

download:
http://www.kiteforum.tv/download/Jeremie_tronet_tutorial_grab_slim_chance.html

jeremie Tronet http://www.jeremietronet.com/

Ocean Rodeo Learn To Ride Centers

Ocean Rodeo is proud to announce the launch of its Learn To Ride Program.

In conjunction with 8 of its key North American shops and their schools Ocean Rodeo has established destination Learn To Ride Centers in some of the nicest cities and towns in North America. We will also soon expand this program into Europe and into many more key North American cities.

Proper lessons are the best way to learn to kite in both a safe and efficient manner. Approved Ocean Rodeo Learn To Ride Centers offer trained instruction in some of the world's nicest kiteboarding locations.

For more information on the program click here. To apply to have your school added as an authorized Learn To Ride Center please email john@oceanrodeo.com for more information!

Jeremie Tronet Extreme Slow motion video

Hey to all of the crew !

Here is a small teaser of one of my trick in slow motion, really slow motion ...

I am using the AMAZING new 2008 diablo "C" kite and my signature model board the ZEN 129x39 !

I hope you will enjoy this short video clip .




Here are the 3 direct links:

High res streaming :
http://www.kiteforum.tv/video/Jeremie_Tronet___Extreme_slow_motion.html

Low res youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV3ykPnRf0I&fmt=18

high res Download : ( click on it or right click and save as... )
www.jeremietronet.com/slowmo.avi


See you

Jeremie Tronet

www.jeremietronet.com

Double Rise Session At Hookipa, Maui w/ Richard Tamplin and Kevin Collins

Riders: Richard Tamplin/ Kevin Collins Photo: Jon Malmberg

Over the past couple months I have been meeting up and riding with Kevin Collins, a long-time Maui local and regular kiter at Lanes. As a well-accomplished wave rider, Kevin knows the in and outs of this narly spot very well.


For those whom don’t know, Lanes is the downwind break connected to the “point” at Hookipa. Due to space, kiters are not allowed to launch at Hookipa so Lanes is our reefy, gusty home launch!!! Hookipa is world renowned for windsurfing and surfing. Plagued by rouge, powerful sets and nasty off shore currents, Hookipa is the source of many humbling wave stories.


Many times when others just say its “closed out” and no good at Lanes (in other words: too big), Kevin is game. I became well aware of this the day after my birthday. (Yikes) Here’s a picture to describe what some may call “closed out”. That little speck up in the corner is my kite.

"Close-out" Rider: Richard Tamplin Photo: Jon Malmberg

Working with photographer, Jon Malmberg, Kevin and I wanted to get some shots with two of us on the same wave. In doing this I feel like I was able to learn a lot about the local wave and the positioning from Jon and Kevin. In waveriding, each person has his or her own style, strengths and weaknesses. This experience allowed me to gain more potential out of this very tempermental wave.

"Happy Birthday!" Rider: Richard Tamplin Photo: Jon Malmberg

On this big day, the waves were too closed out and we didn’t really get any shots, other than white walls. A couple of days later we were able to get some shots on some smaller, more manageable waves.

Riders: Richard Tamplin/Kevin Collins Photo: Jon Malmberg

Riders: Richard Tamplin/Kevin Collins Photo: Jon Malmberg

Rider: Kevin Collins Photo: Jon Malmberg

Riders: Richard Tamplin/Kevin Collins Photo: Jon Malmberg

Kites are such efficient tools; however, some may argue that they are too efficient with wave kiting. They allow kiters, some with no surf experience, to get in and out of some very advanced surf. When I started wave kiting, I had no idea what these waves were capable of. Like an excited kid with way too much candy, I would eco-tow myself into waves without any idea of what this giant or not-so giant wave could do to me. I did some good humbling on my own to knock this innocence out of me. My advice would be to surf, swim, observe, listen, and most importantly ride. (Even if the wave is not over head, it can still swallow you!!!)

I would like to thank both Jon and Kevin for the invaluable knowledge they both taught me and Ocean Rodeo for supporting my wave & wind addiction.

Aloha,
Richard.