Friday, September 22, 2006

More world tour madness


So since last writing the year has become even more hectic jam packed with even more competitions. Since fuerteventura I have been to Germany where I finished 5th, Canada where I finished 4th, Tarifa where I finished 5th and I'm currently at the last stop Brazil!

Brazil is a beautiful place, but instead of being off the beaten track as I imagine we are on the outskirts of a really big city. In the evenings I go for a run on the beach and when I reach my furthest point and turn to come back I feel as though I'm making my way to New York or Miami or somewhere. Instead it is actually the city owning the most easterly point of all the Americas - Joao Pessoa.

For the contest the wind has been really light, but it has been enough to run the competition using our largest kites. Normally I ride best in strong winds, but this week I guess i had a new determination. I rode super well landing my hardest technical repetoire including raileys to blind, down loops raileys to blind and more stuff to blind - all with surface handle passes.

I had a hard draw and a couple of close heats, but came up against the current world champion in the semi's - for sure I was going to lose - or so I thought, but I was going to go out with a bang. I knocked out every trick I knew, plus nealry landed my back to wrapped (latest trick I'm working on. I could hear everyone on the beach cheering for me and when I had to run back upwind to stay in the competition area everyone helped - it was awesome. After an extremely tiring heat I heard them anounce that I was the winner and I made my way to the final.

Unfortunately after a lot of tiring heats especially the semi finals I was given just 10 minutes to rest before the final - only resting wasn't an option. Becasue the wind was so light I had to run upwind really far in order to make it to the very top of the competition area. It took my last ounces of energy to make it through the heat and it showed. I wiped out on a few of my techinical tricks which was necessary to be the winner. I was beaten by Bruna Kajiya - from brazil and currently ranked 2nd in the world.

Double elimination is up next - I've rrested and I'm ready. I get a second chance to take first place! Lets hope I can do it!!!

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