evelien's blog

Impressions from a windy day at the kite beach. By Phoebe (7) and Zack (5) Domini.

The Windmagic bar now has a free WiFi hotspot! You can bring your laptop or other wireless device and go online while enjoying a cup of coffee or a refreshing drink!

Stand-up Paddle boarding (SUP) is coming to Saint Pierre-la-Mer. Yesterday saw the delivery of 2 stand-up paddle boards made by Starboard for us to try out. The board will be based on the beach for all guests to try out for a small fee.
Stand-up Paddle, or in the Hawaiian language Hoe he'e nalu, is an emerging global sport with a Hawaiian heritage. The sport is an ancient form of surfing, and began as a way for surfing instructors to manage their large groups of learner surfers, as standing on the board gave them a higher viewpoint, increasing visibility of what was going on around them.

Tomorrow (19 April) we are kicking off the 2010 watersports season. The first week is booked up with future kitesurfing instrutors, doing a week of intensive training and hopefully passing their exams to become IKO Kiteboarding Instructors.
The temperatures have been good this week, with a lot of sunshine. Afternoon temperatures have been around 25 degrees so this should have heated up the water a little bit, after a long and cold winter.
If you are thinking of coming out to Saint Pierre for some action on the water, please contact us in advance to check availability, as we will be running events and groups over the next period.

Work has started to prepare the watersports centre for the coming season. The heavy machinery came on Friday to flatten the path and move the rocks. Next week the paint brushes will come out and the flags will be hoisted up so that we can check the wind anytime. We cannot wait to get back on the water again, can you?

In 2010 we will be using Best kites again. Over the last 4 years we have been using Best kites and they have proven to be very suitable to our local wind conditions. The new 2010 Kahoona V2 flies easily in light winds but also holds his shape in stronger winds. Together with the new double depower bar, also made by Best, it looks like this year's equipment is going to make learning to kitesurf easier than ever before!

From 13th until 16th of May 2010 the Saint Pierre Kitezone and Sudwindsports will organize the 6th edition of the European Junior Kitesurfing Cup, with a freestyle competition and also a Cata-Kite competition. 50 young kitesurfers on 7 different nationalities and in the age group from 10 - 19 year will show off their best tricks to a internatinal team of judges. Like in former years the event spots young talents and future champions; we have had the honour to see hotshots like Gisela Poulido and Youri Zoon when they had only just started kitesurfing and were still wet behind the ears. 

The cata-kite competition is the first kite-drawn catamaran regatta in the Languedoc Roussillon. This is an entirely new sport accesible for all; a cata-kite team consist of a pilot flying the kite, and a helms (wo)man, steering the boat. No need for super powers because the kite is attached directly to the boat! During the EJKC event in May 2010 twenty teams can sign up to participate in the competition; no worries if you don't have a catamaran - we will make sure equipment is available, just bring your team! Read more.

Do you want to take part in the competition? Contact us

Want to sponsor this event? Contact Christophe Hamon at infohamon@ aol.com. 

Happy New Year everybody!

We hope that 2010 will bring you lots of health and happiness, and also a lot of windy days! Saint Pierre has had a good start of the year: today the Tramontane started with howling wind speeds and gusts up to 110 km/hr! Enough wind to get rid of your wooden head....?

Sudwindsports will be reopening for the 2010 season on 19 April. The Windmagic Bar will reopen on 1st of May. Hope to see you then!

Winter is here and it is cold, even in the South of France! A few weeks ago we saw the first snow appearing on the Pyrenees mountain tops which we can see from the centre on a clear day. And last week: snow in Saint Pierre! Although it didn't stay it reminded us of a cold spell a few years ago (see picture) when the snow caused total chaos on the roads. Locals are not used to this weather and with the first signs of snow and ice they lock all doors and windows and hibernate for at least a week. And when they do have to leave their houses it will not be without snow chains, pick axel, crampons and a hot water bottle!