KB4K 09 Kick Off

Written by Susan Park

The rain that seemed to linger two weeks prior to the event seemed to disappear, and a sunny day greeted the registrants. Local junior and men riders lined up at the registration table outside LEK beginning at 10 AM, and more riders trickled in throughout the early afternoon.

The sound system arrived and pumped up the jam and the beach with pop songs. LEK’s, Laurel Eastman initiated the registration by MCing and welcoming onlookers to the event. The mandatory skipper’s meeting was held at 1 PM, and the endurance race began at 2pm. Approximately, 55 racers lined the coast, and Kee Park carried the blue flag staggering the rabbit start. It was a brilliant take off as kite boarders launched off the beach into the Caribbean blue ocean! Spectators watched in awe as bright, colorful kites fluttered in Cabarete’s sky. The endurance race lasted three hours. Racers followed the course of four buoys, and patient scorers sat with binoculars keeping track of the number of times racers went around the race course buoys. Cabarete Real Estate’s Steven Shank whizzed on by lapping other riders countless times on his race board. Jan Marcos performed a rescue and changed kites during the race. LEK’s Mika Taymeda commented on how tired she was after one hour of riding but stuck to it for the next two hours. Other riders commented on their sheer exhaustion after 30 minutes to one hour of riding.

Throughout the three hour endurance, spectators sat glued staring off into the ocean watching these tired riders kite board back and forth around the buoys. Steven Shank was in the lead the entire time! Many people stopped by the Presidente’s tent and made fifty and one hundred dollar contributions. An official KB4K lycra was also raffled off.

The Junior Category began with a mandatory Skipper’s Meeting. Juniors were also released into the blue of the ocean with a staggered rabbit start. Kee Park held the blue flag and pointed to each rider when it was their turn to go. In the junior category, all junior racers completed the course. Winners would be announced at the closing ceremony.

People left the beach around 5-6pm and prepared for the evening venue at Onno’s. Hamburgers, fries, and drinks were finally brought to the hungry riders and volunteers, Dominican speed. Stomachs were filled and dreams set for the next day’s Big Air/Best Trick Competition.