Cascade Pro Series Kiteboards rock U.S. Kite Nationals S.F.

Cascade Fiberglass · Since 06 Jun 2008 8 Posts Mosier, OR. (gorge) Shop Owner

Cascade Pro Series Kiteboards rock U.S. Kite Nationals S.F. The boards are Coarse racing prototypes shaped by Cascade's Gary Swanson and designed by North's Ken Winner and ridden by North Team members.

Overall 2nd: Sean Farley
3rd: Sky Solbach
6th: Jon Van Malsan 1st: Juniors
10th: Ken Winner 1st: masters

Other 1st. Place wins: PKRA France and Mexico: Sean Farley

La Ventana Classic: Sean Farley
Texas: Sean Farley

tjgulizia · Since 06 Feb 2007 123 Posts Hood River Stoked

Just bought my 3rd board from Cascade in Mosier, OR. Gary's kitesurf shapes are custom, to your specifications. I just got a 5' 11" pin-tail strapless to complement the 5' 11" strapped swallow tail thruster. Sweet boards for the Gorge and West Coast. Support your local shapers!

T.J. G

fearlu · Since 17 Jun 2008 4 Posts New Member

Hello Northwesterners! I had a chance to observe the phenomenal athletic demands of kite-racing first-hand this weekend on San Francisco Bay at the US Kiteboarding National Championships sponsored by the St. Francis Yacht Club. Unbelievable performances-- one of my friends clocked over 120 miles of course-racing on his GPS over the five days! Grueling...

In order to be "in the game" you had to have the right strength, stamina, mind-set, tactics, tide knowledge, course-racing experience, luck and GEAR! Gary's boards combined with Ken's design expertise in this emerging segment of our sport proved to be state-of-the art. They are certainly leading the charge (along with a few other shapers from the Bay Area, Florida and Corpus Christi.)

If you have an interest in giving this a try (and let me tell you, everybody is raving about how fun it is, even freestyle purists) you have the goods at your own back door! Ken's board development is revolutionary and many racers that borrowed his designs for a heat or two immediately started placing higher against their competition. Notably, Sean Farley had three straight bullets on the final day of racing!

Do you guys have some racing events scheduled up there? If not, get on it!

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Have you heard of KB4C event last August? It's coming around again this August and should be even bigger and better. There's a sticky at the top of the forum I believe. 120 miles in 5 days is peanuts compared to the milage these guys got in 7 hours of non-stop racing. Come on up and enjoy!

fearlu · Since 17 Jun 2008 4 Posts New Member

Sounds killer! Maybe some of the same riders will be there? (We saw this weekend that those Florida guys are downright dangerous too.)

shredjim · Since 07 Jun 2006 188 Posts Stoked

Gary is making killer kite surfboards now too. I just got my quad fin that is a 5'10" design a little bit wider and lighter weight than most kitesurf boards built today. Great for riding the wave without as much need for pull from the kite. We are lucky to have such a creative shaper/designer board builder here in the gorge !!

chanson · Since 31 Jan 2006 1873 Posts WISCONSIN Chimey

NICE..

you guys got any pics or a website...?

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

http://business.gorge.net/cascadecustom/Location_Hours/location_hours.htm

Think we saw sky and ken with those boards - sorta looks like the front half of a surfboard with two angled fins

turbo · Since 06 Jul 2007 34 Posts

Hi, The Gorge Games are on July 17-20 and include Course Racing. Race days are July 17th and 19th. Hopes are to run at least 3 races a day. Come on up and participate. Register at www. gorgegames.net

Cheers

Cascade Fiberglass · Since 06 Jun 2008 8 Posts Mosier, OR. (gorge) Shop Owner

Hi and thanks for your interest. My old web site gorge.net/cascadecustom is currently being moved to my new domain www.cascadeperformancefiberglass.com. The new address will link to my updated site that will have info on all my products including kiteboard specs, pics, prices, availablity,etc. I hope to have most of this done in a few days. I've been busy and the foam dust keeps clogging up my key board! You can check out my surfboard site for background info @www.hammersurf.com. Gary Swanson

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1736 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

Here's a couple of images from last week's race, actually just some shots of the boards they used.
I got lots of respect for all the racers who competed. While I was there to kite, and not race, I watched some of the races. Extremely grueling with constant overpowered and gusty wind conditions, fighting for position with other riders, rough choppy water conditions. Even though they were on the water for 60 minutes at a time, the expectations to push themselves to the limit are tested.
White knuckle kiting at its finest.
Team North was there and represented very well. Great job Sky, Sean, Ken and John Van Malson, who actually is a freestyler with very little race experience. He did very well considering it was his first race.
Other popular boards riders used were the KafKa Neptune racing boards.
Good job to Cascade for producing a race competition board locally.

I spoke to a couple of riders on these boards and they told me while they go upwind very efficient, they still are not quite dialed in for downwind conditions.