It is official! I am an IKO Level 1 kiteboarding instructor...

But I think I am jumping ahead a bit... so how about a recap?  I mean, I assume that is why you are here anyways, right?  You want the dirt on the IKO ITC held in beautiful Hood River, Oregon.

I got into town a few days early as I wanted to get on the water and practice up.  I was feeling mighty unsure of myself, having not kited since the fall, feeling completely out of shape as I never work out.  I know right...what am I thinking?

Anyways, wind is up on Saturday, but I get there pretty late, so the plan is to ride on Sunday. 



Tomorrow is supposed to be good, and the crew will be arriving.  Pat and Jus10 from Seattle are going through the ITC with me.  Also, Jeffro (who runs the IKO Kiteboarding School for Urban Surf), and who I will be working for this summer, as well as David, the owner of Morph Kiteboarding in the Mayan Rivera, will both be working towards their IKO Examiners certification.  All four of them will be crashing with me at the condo.

On Monday, Jeffro and David are busy with pre-itc setup.  They were meeting with the examiner, David Dorn of Action Sports Maui, to get set for the week.

Meanwhile Pat, Jus10, and I all head down to the event site to get a session in.

Holy crap this water is cold!!!  Later in the week I got a whistle (require for the class) that has a thermometer on it... 48 degree water!  Yeah, real cold.

So cold in fact that when I would crash, I would get a brain freeze that would rival and Slurpee!!!

Once I even feel and got dragged from my board. After 10 minutes of body dragging to get my body, I was initially dizzy when I got up again and started riding, at least until I warmed up again.

After getting a good 1 1/2 hr session in I came in and took a few pics.

Pat Robinson on a Naish Park 2011.  Pat rode for at least 3 hrs +

After riding we met Jeffro, David, David and Susie Dorn at Full Sail Brewery for a little pre ITC beers and grub.  Then we headed back to the condo, drank a few more beers and prepare ourselves for the upcoming week.

Stay tuned for a ITC day 1 recap... coming soon to a blog near you!