GREETING WISSA FRIENDS!

 Here is a promo video produced by a member of the organizing team at Fond du Lac.
Not much time left, so please make your plans, and don't forget to register now
 Cheers
 Will



https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BrxuhxRo6PY

 THE ICE IS NICE IN WISCONSIN!!!!

http://wilakeweather.com/rec-park-webcam-1/


 Only 65 days left until      http://www.wissa2015.com/

                                              The gang at Kalajoki, Finland, 2013


Hello WISSA Friends
 At this time of year you are most likely hoping for reliable ice and good winds.  It soon will happen.  In fact, the WISSA-competition site for 2015 in Wisconsin, USA is already frozen.

William Tuthill and a few other WISSA-members (including myself) have been working with the organizing committee in Fond du Lac for almost a year.  Back in February we even tested the competition site on Lake Winnebago and also made sure the required infrastructure and competence for running the races are in place.  Over the past few months the organizers have done a truly impressive job preparing for the event.  They deserve our praise and admiration.  Between February 9-14, 2015 they also deserve success.

Lake Winnebago is located about 250 km north of Chicago.  The Lake gets very thick ice as well as clean winds (the shore has wind generator installations).  Equally important, we have been receiving solid support from the host community of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin from the very beginning.  We are also blessed to have motivated and experienced people in place to conduct the races.  In my judgment, WISSA-2015 has the potential to turn into one of the best world championships ever.

David,  I am very much looking forward to seeing you and your team members at the start line next year.  Also, please encouraging everyone you know to pre-register at wissa2015.com/registration.

Greetings and kind regards from Lake Ontario,


Klaus Faisst

Have a look at this link. There is a weather tab on the site. -18C low temperature tonight!
http://www.windpowerwindsurfing.com/

Oxanna carves a beautiful turn on smooth Russian ice last season


But watch this short [46 second] video taken yesterday in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin- site of WISSA 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OuTlej4mZpQ

See you on the ice!
 Will

ICE in Fond du Lac!

In the words of WISSA 2015 Race Master Kevin Gratton

OUR SEASON IS ON!!!!
 Have a look at these links. Perfect forecast for ice building and smoothing.

http://wilakeweather.com/rec-park-webcam-1/

http://www.windpowerwindsurfing.com/http://forecast.weather.gov

22 November- Plymouth Pond. Maine- Cam Lewis, Kitewing

FIRST ICE!!!!
 Well not really. There is always ice somewhere, but this ice is first ice for New England.
 The organizers of http://www.wissa2015.com/    
reported smooth ice 10-12 cm thick last week on Lake Winnebago in Winsconsin.
 The time is fast approaching!
Here's hoping to see lots of folks in Fond du Lac Wisconsin for WISSA 2015
 W

17 November 2014- Lake Winnebago NOW!

MORE BREAKING NEWS:

 This is a photo of Lake Winnebago today! Lake Winnebago http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Winnebago   
 is so big that you can not see across it! And now it is frozen!!
 Let the games begin
 W

Lake Winnebago is snow kite paradise!

Why do they call it the "Sturgeon Stampede"?

Lake Winnebago is snow kite paradise!

http://www.wissa2015.com/

Juha Mannermaa at Val Brilliant 2008

Juha Mannermaa at Val Brilliant ~ Lac Matapedia, Quebec WISSA 2008

HEAD'S UP!
 The organizers of WISSA 2015 have offered  one free  night of accommodation and breakfast to a few folks to register now on http://www.wissa2015.com/
 The offer was for "the next 10 registrants" but that was 3 days ago, and I know one who has already registered to get the savings.

 The Retlaw Plaza Hotel has offered VERY favorable rates to WISSA participants. Here is a link to their site http://www.retlawhotel.com/

The team in Fond du Lac is really working hard to welcome WISSA racers.
SEE YOU ON THE ICE!
 Will

Carve a turn anyone?

Carve a turn anyone?


Kite sailors- do not feel left out- we are searching iphoto for vintage kite carve turns...standby- RETURN  to wissa.org.

The WISSA 2015 the site is UP!

Check it out!

http://www.wissa2015.com/

Finell in Newport

Kitewing CEO Martin Finell recently visited Newport, Rhode Island and Lake Sunapee New Hampshire for meetings and plans regarding the coming year at Kitewing. Look for a fully revamped web site, new products, more dealers and a major campaign to get more people out sailing on ice & snow in the coming year.

Kitewing is coming to America

 Martin Finell CEO of Kitewing arrived in the US last night to discuss plans for a North American product rollout. Today is a "lay day" for sight seeing and jet lag elimination. Meetings commence tomorrow.

We will keep you posted.

Jack Lake Kodiak AK 1NOV12

Richard Saltonstall sails his Kitewing on fresh black ice - on Halloween!!

Light snow showers and solid winds make for a great session. With its treeless snow covered high peaks, and ice covered ponds at different altitudes, Kodiak Island, Alaska is proving to be a fantastic venue for ice & snow sailing.

Photos by Wendy Close Eskew

Merry X-Mas from KiteWing!

Martin Finell
CEO
Oy Kitewing Sports Ab

Mobile: +358 40 3576490
Fax: +358 9 4551717
e-mail: martin.finell(at)kitewing.com
Skype: martinfinell

Kitewing Goes Viral

I do not know what this means but hope Will gets some money for this shot =) D.

New Kitewing Distributor in North America

New NA Distributor Dan Hill in an interview with NBC reporter Harry Cicma.

Snow on the roof of Wingmaster Richard Saltonstall

Thanks to all who attended our "gathering of the wings" on Lake Sunapee this past weekend. We had a great BBQ under large falling snowflakes with no wind on Saturday, and good old rip raging day of sailing on Sunday. Our friend Harry from NBC graciously agreed to stick around on Saturday night in order to shoot Sunday, and hopefully it was worthwhile. The whole event is apt to be under a minute, but if it makes it onto nationwide TV it will be a wonderful thing.
A few take away thoughts form the week- end are:
- More is better. The more people out sailing together- the better
- Effort pays off. It is easy to stay home & sail locally, but meeting other riders, absorbing new ideas, making contacts,  and networking has distinct advantages over developing in isolation.
- North America: Finally has a committed distributor who stocks all replacement parts for all of the various wings, and is committed to growing the sport in a way that will benefit all of us. Here's to Dan Hill.http://www.kitewingusa.com/
- This winter: We can and should have more events where folks gather. Better yet we should start a racing series. Racing wings around the "cans" is tons of fun. Anyone care to organize?
- Thank you: Thank you to Charlie Meding for hosting every one at "Uncle Bob's" place. It is a tremendous luxury to have a safe place to park, rig and BBQ. Without Charlie, we would all be strangers cutting thru a right of way to the lake. Thank you to Charlie, and Bob.

The first in a series of 3 races with cash prizes starts next weekend in Venise de Quebec just on the north shore of Lake Champlain. It is for kites, but I plan to go. Any takers?
Will

william tuthill/WISSA

2nd Swedish Cup class 3 (Kitewing)

by Magnus Nordström



The 18th of January we had a magnificent race at a small place called Kvicksund, 200 km west of Stockholm. Very good hard ice and really nice wind 5-7 m/s (10-15 knots). During these conditions we sail as fast as up to approx. 70 km/h.



The first race in the Swedish Cup was held on a lake called Roxen also very good ice and weather conditions. Every season we try to race 3 Swedish Cup races, local district race, club race and of course the Swedish Championship.



It's always the same procedure: announcement on Thursday evening if the predictions look good and shippers meeting at 10 a.m. on the ice. "Only" 2 races for every class but they are quite long, 10 km each. It's always race on pure ice and never on snow! Now we are 2 active classes, the old Kitesail class 1 that looked the same since 1906 and the Kitewing class 3. Since 2006 the Kitewing class is larger than the Kitesail class. Kitewing is in fact the slowest class! and the fastest the Wingsail class with no active sailor today can speed over 100 km/ h.
It's always very exciting to race because it's often different persons that find a huge speed. We are about 5-8 persons that are able to win depending on the conditions. Alex Larsson the Swedish champion and the favorite took the 3rd place at Kvicksund.



We use special made up to 8 inches (200 mm) high skates because than we can raise the sail higher and also can lean a lot without the ski boot touch the surface, especially important when it's snow on ice.



The Kitewing class is growing a lot here in Sweden and we hope to have at least 50 sailors on the starting line in the Swedish Championship soon after the WISSA event in Riga.

Cheers Magnus

photographs by Ulf Lindner © used with permission