With the rise in the profile of Snowkiting in NZ & Internationally the '2009 WANAKITE Snowkite Freeride' is set to be the biggest & best ever!

All my years of snow sports, finally hooking myself to a kite way back in 2000 while on a snowboarding trip to Canada it all became apparent what the potential of this could be...then that first 'Wanakite' back in the winter of 2000 with Kane Hartill & the keen Christchurch crew, till now...every year just gets better & better... I'm more stoked on this sport than ever:P

This year 'Wanakite' is coinsiding with the www.wintergamesnz.com being held the same week, August 24-30th. This will certainly raise the profile of our sport, but also allow for other activities in between sessions...plus make for some huge parties!

Allowing a week will ensure that everyone who makes the trek south to Wanaka will certainly experience what the South Island of New Zealand has to offer with the awesome sport of Snowkiting!

So, lock in the dates team 'last week of August' place to be...WANAKA!

Get online & book your accomodation as early as possible as Wanaka is going to be a hive of activity that week. More details will follow...

Later, Tim
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ra ra ra! its all on. The boys have been hitting the snow farm already and hopefully with the huge amount of snow the north island has been having im goign to get my first ruapehu sesh of the year this coming week,

as per last year im bringing a few lads down fro the wanakite Tim.... Was a mint time last year and definitely dont want to miss out this year either.

Bring it on!!!

Looking forward to it!!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/2838861247_a4f99fe45f.jpg?v=0

I just booked accommodation at YHA Wanaka (where else?), which still seems to have plenty of room available in the form of 3, 4, 6, or 7 bed multishare rooms from $25 to $27 per person per night - get a group together and book one out - online booking at http://www.yha.co.nz/Hostels/South+Island+Hostels/Wanaka/ .

There are other backpackers, or you might prefer a house. I found some still available on http://www.holidayhouses.co.nz/Wanaka.asp:

http://www.holidayhouses.co.nz/properties/4622.asp Sleeps 9, 4 bedrooms/2 baths, weekly bookings only in ski season, $200 per night for 4, + $20 per extra, + $20 cleaning fee p/person (works out at ~$1480 to $2300/week) .

http://www.holidayhouses.co.nz/properties/1601.asp Sleeps 10, 5 bedrooms/2 baths, weekly $1850.

or maybe

www.holidayhomes.co.nz/for-rent/new-zeal...go-southland/wanaka/

Good luck.

Hello Everyone!

We will be offering a package for the week of Wanakite based out of our lovely private lodge in Wanaka.

This will include:

7 nights accommodation (twin share, 23rd-30th August)
Airport transfers
Daily mountain transport
Daily cooked breakfast

All for just $595NZD per person.

Check out photos of our Wanaka Lodge here.

You can contact us on our website or just email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We have been chatting to the guys at Boarder Patrol and are looking forward to getting into it this year!

Angela

What a bargain. We stayed there last year with our Chasta Camps and the place is a perfect venue for a group of snowkiters. Good people too! Jump on that deal.

More bargins to be had...

Anyone grab one of the $15 jetstar flights down South for Wanakite? I missed it. $25 for 20 kgs of luggage landed in Chch. Now that was a bargin!!!

This year Wanakite is going to a new level so if you have considered coming down for it, this is the year. Record early snow means we've already had good snowkiting all over the show. By end of August we should have great kiting at all the spots. This year we'll be organizing some missions to some of our local spots down here other than just riding Snow Farm the entire week. Access will be determined by the conditions but will be arranged via 4 WD, snow mobile, snow cat or helicopter to areas such as the Pisa Range, The Hector Mountains and the Old Man and Old Woman Ranges. Costs will be shared but for heli is generally about $100 and for snowmobile / snow cat about $50-$75. The Red Rock in Wanaka will also be hosting a "Snow Kite Night" on Thursday the 27th of August. There always seems to be plenty of Video and photographers so this will be a time when you can show off some action from earlier in the week. Chasta will be here again this year also so it's an opportunity to see just what is possible in the realm of snowkiting.

*UPDATE*

Get an event T-shirt for $30
email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or buy online at www.kitesports.co.nz

-Snowkite PARTY- Wednesday 26th in town @ REDROCK!
Dimensions Snowkite DVD, prizes & give aways!

-GET SMART! Snowkite Avalanche Awareness Presentation. Thursday 27th 5-6pm, Plantation Rd, classroom next to Mt Aspiring College Pool. Presentaion from mountain expert & seasoned kiteboarder Mark Sedon! Text Tim on 021542770 if you get lost.

Check out some of the events of the 'Winter Games NZ' which is running the same week at local skifields...

Hope to see you in Wanaka...

Join the Wanakite Snowkite Freeride group
www.kiteforum.co.nz/kitecommunity/groups...Freeride+2430+August

All future postings regarding the schedule and details for the event will be there. We need to have an idea of numbers for access logistics for the difficult to access spots so join this group so we can communicate with you.

Thanks to everyone involved with the 2009 Wanakite Snowkite Freeride, it was an epic week of high wind snowkite action & freshies for everyone who ventured high into the Pisa range on Saturday for some of the best snowkiting ever!
It was however difficult catching up with everyone who was there, as we were spread out & with so muching kiting, leaves not much energy for socialising...

Wednesday nights 'kite night' at the Redrock bar went off! Great support from Jon at Boarder Patrol, & Shane from Kitesurf Nelson. We all, including KITESPORTS put our heads together & came up with some great spot prize give aways for the kiters & the public too.

Thursday saw a wee bit of the fresh stuff, & our crew getting out in it early... Mark Sedon put on an Avalanche Awareness talk, with visuals, for snowkiters...this was certainly under utilized by the snowkite freeriders (who were still on the hill), but eight of us turned up...with help from experienced mountain guide & the local who probably does more kiting than anyone in these hills, Whitney. I was very impressed with the information passed on & now certainly have a better understanding of avalanche danger in the backcountry & how to avoid it. Good on you guys for putting in the effort!

Well, on my third trip to Wanaka this winter, once again, I got riding everyday...that's the amazing thing about Wanaka snowkiting...I'm not saying it's on everyday, but I believe it is on most, even the lightest of breeze can be utilized with a kite on the snow.

WANAKITE tees, still have a few tees left if anyone is interested, just email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2010 Wanakite is going to be the 10th anniversary 2000-2010...so expect it to be bigger than ever!

A BIG thanks to Chasta & team OZONE, always a blast to see you ripping, & great to meet up & ride with you all.

See you all at events over our summer!

Cheers, Tim

Just got back, to the Dorkland, wrecked and warm, but sad to be back. tuesday was deep snow. great wind again, and the Auckland crew (DAN , Glenn and Steve) are all stoked on how much riding we got in, Out of the 10days we were there, we kited the first day and the last day (had to pack the kite gear in the Airport so we could kite) and countless others in between.

Big thanks for all the folks who made it possible, Tim, John, and the riders all sharing the stoke high above the car park ( no lift lines either)

Bring on next year

PS riding with Chasta is kind of intimidating and inspiring at the same time some times i would just drop my kite and watch him as he flew off a hill to the bottom etc.

We have an awesome sport!!!