Well, I finally did it. 

I made my way to a race in San Fran... well, sort of. It was a part-business, part-racing trip, but oddly enough even after years of travel for kiteboarding, I had yet to have been to the bay area for this sport. In fact it has been about a dozen years since being there at all. 

As for the racing, it was the very last day in the 2010 Cabrinha Series, so I figured it would have the most heated battles for position and generally the best racing. I'm not sure if I am right or wrong in that respect though because right at the start of the first (and only) race, the fleet was hit with a huge wind lull. Most kites fell out of the sky, including my own - which meant I didn't get a chance to race in SF. 

hmm... not ideal. But on the brighter side I did manage to get out for a few hours of training before the race, and had the opportunity to meet everyone down there. Crissy Field truly is a gnarly place to kite though. crazy erratic chop, frieghters coming in a full speed, the GG bridge with a massive wind shadow and generally gusty and slightly offshore winds. Awesome! I like a challenge. 

I decided to hang out in town through the weekend and tried my best to meet up with some old and new friends for some water time. Unfortunately the winds didn't cooperate due to a heat wave in September (there's some irony in there somewhere for a Canadian). But I did manage to get two extra days at 3rd ave on a big kite + surfboard. Very very cool spots. 

But for me, the whole city was fairly awe inspiring. I'm a tech geek, and I'm a business fan. In fact, I run a business in the tech industry, so from that perspective the bay area, and specifically silicone valley, is a bit of a mecca of sorts. I spent a lot of time driving around admiring the various different campuses of the giants of an industry in which I am infatuated. It was a cultural experience of sorts and I find the general attitude and vibe to be very very conducive to innovation, with an overwhelming aura of "sure... we can do anything. Why not?" I must say, it's been a while since I've been awestruck, but when I saw the Oracle/BMW America's Cup yacht moored in the lagoon on the Oracle campus, my own personal dreams and ambitions were kicked up a couple of notches (and that's already quite high, as any of you who know my cockiness will be able to attest). 

The bay area is a hub for innovation and development in the two things that seem to be consuming my life: tech business and kite racing. Couple that with the weather and close access to world class waves, and it makes me think that it wouldn't be so bad to spend a few years living in NorCal.

To be continued... enthusiastically. 

Day 2 Report on SBC Kiteboard Magazine's website. 

Full event photo gallery HERE. 

We had some really challenging conditions, but still managed to get off enough racing to make the event a success. Really high level of riding. I was impressed by a lot of people. In the end I took 2nd overall. I'm pretty happy with that result, although I feel I still didn't ride to my full potential. I was organizing the event AND competing, and I had my concentration split 50/50. I think in that case, you compromise on both sides. But more importantly, Adam Vance just flat-out rode very well, and congrats to him for taking the win! He's a great rider and genuinely deserved it.

Still, I am happy with my final result, it was a lot of fun, and I'm really glad we did it. Here's to hoping for another successful event for next year! 

Day 1 Report on SBC Kiteboard Magazine website. 

The Squamish Summer Racing Series is going really well so far this summer.

I won the first day of competing, but Stefano managed to take the second day. We'll see how it goes for the rest of the summer, and for the big event at the end of the month. Soooo much fun this racing stuff! 

Check out a full photo gallery HERE.