Candians got the chance to shine at the 2015 Kite Clash.
The opening day of the three-day event on Friday (Aug. 21) featured more Canadian content than a maple syrup factory. Canadian freestyle champions were crowned in four divisions on Friday, and organizer Thor Kaze said it was a great new format for the event, which has been held for the past three years.
鈥淲e finally had a true Canadian nationals,鈥� he said. 鈥淧reviously we have just thrown Canadians in with the international pros, but the problem is they knock out all the Canadians. This gave them a great chance to show their stuff.鈥�
Quebec junior rider Jason Blanchard thrilled the crowd on Friday, winning the junior division and earning second in the men鈥檚 division.听
Sam Medysky from Ontario was tops in the men鈥檚 division, while Vancouver鈥檚 Min Kim won the Canadian female crown. The Canadian masters champion was Billie Kipling.
Kaze said youngsters Blanchard and Jack Rider really impressed him.
鈥淛ason Blanchard had a great day and Jack Rider, who is only 15, scored the highest technical trick 鈥� he鈥檚 fantastic,鈥� Kaze said.
Day two of activity on Saturday saw international riders and Canadians compete. The men鈥檚 champion was Brandon Scheid from Oregon, women鈥檚 champion was Colleen Carol also from Oregon; Blanchard won the junior division and Jake Cook earned master鈥檚 champion.
The final day of Kite Clash on Sunday featured the big air competition and best trick. Saskatchewan鈥檚 Corrie Coons earned the women鈥檚 championship and had the highest height of any competitor. Coons reached 10.3 metres to win it all. Lewis Crathern from the United Kingdom won the men鈥檚 big air title, reaching a height of 9.8 metres.听
Best trick winners were Blanchard for the men and Kim for the women. Kaze said his personal highlight was hosting the event with kiteboarding legend Crathern.
鈥淭o be joined on commentary by one of the biggest extreme kite surfers in the world was huge for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e commentates on the pro tour and he鈥檚 exceptional. He really loved Squamish, and it was his first time here.鈥�
Kaze said hundreds took in the event. Conditions were gusty but good all weekend long. He said the event wouldn鈥檛 have occurred without the help of North Shore Ski and Board and his event co-organizers Steve Tulk and Sheila Sovereign.
He confirmed Kite Clash will return for 2016 and a shuttle will transport spectators to and from the action at the 麻豆社国产Spit.听
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For more details and complete results from the event, visit www.facebook.com/kiteclash
