Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo M50

Kite Foil League - KFL competitors fight for control on Day 1 of Ledbetter Classic

by Kite Foil League 22 Aug 2021 00:49 PDT
Kite Foil League Ledbetter Classic Day 1 © Kite Foil League

To be the fastest in league, you need to push the limits of control in the face of an ever changing playing field. Today, Santa Barbara served up a variety of challenges for the KFL racers that tested even the top riders, both technically and mentally. Saturday dawned with uncharacteristic clouds and drizzle leading to a long postponement ashore. Throughout the early afternoon the breeze built and died several times, teasing riders with almost race-able conditions. In the late afternoon a line of blue sky began creeping towards the race course from offshore, brining with it more stable breeze for a 1600 first warning.

Immediately out of the gates, the tone for the day was set when a tight sprint to the top mark saw Kai Calder round first, only to stumble in a patch of kelp, allowing Markus Edegran to take the lead briefly before finding the same speed bump lurking under the surface. Evan Heffernan, who barely managed to escape a tangle on the starting line was able to tack and sneak across a starboard tacker, picking up seaweed early in the beat, but hanging on to a position in the top four until he could clear his foils around the top mark. After the race Heffernan commented,

"It's a pretty normal Santa Barbara race course - I mean the right is definitely working well - but on top of that I think there's a lot more kelp than we normally see just because there's been a lot of swell over the last couple of days, so there's a lot of loose stuff. So you really have to be eyes up and looking for that."

Around the race course, current lines collecting kelp made for difficult strategic decisions. Amongst the whole fleet, it was easy to see an evolution of strategies throughout the day, evaluating factors such as wether to go right for extra pressure, or tack out early to avoid sailing through the deadly kelp patches on the current line.

Kai Calder, who won the US Open event in San Francisco last weekend came out of the gates strong, rallying back in race one after taking a spill in the kelp, to win the race. For the Bay Area local, showing that he can play the game on the 21 meter kites - not just the small, heavy air gear - is an important milestone. To be the best in the fleet, you need to be able to prove it in all conditions, and the 21's are a different beast as many of the competitor's noted on land.

"The kites turn so much slower," commented Tyler Karaszewski, "You turn the kite and then wait for the foot switch - sometimes it's hard to know when to actually move your body because it takes so long."

Again, Will Cyr is showed the power of consistency today, keeping all scores in the top five and letting many of the top kiters take themselves out. Good speed and consistent boat handling sees the San Diego local five points off of the lead with a good chance to win it all tomorrow. The slow and steady approach has definitely given Cyr the opportunity to win going into the last day, but we'll be looking tomorrow to see if he continues the consistent approach, or takes more risk to try to seal the deal.

Markus Edegran was untouchable at the Seabreeze Invitational last month, but stumbled in the first few races of the day today. Playing the long game, Edegran took DNF's in the second and third races to focus on improving specific skills. The practice clearly paid off in the final two races of the day with two bullets. The question now, is whether the late rally will be enough for Edegran to get back to the top of the leaderboard. With another throwout on the horizon, Edegran will be able to throw out both DNF's after race 9, but that leaves him with a razor thin margin for error.

Santa Barbara native, Ryan Satterberg showed the power of local knowledge and experience in the challenging conditions, taking fourth in the first two races of the day - his best finishes of the KFL Triple Crown series so far. The scores put Ryan in contention with the top of the fleet, as he currently sits in a tie with Xantos Villegas for fourth.

It was the other Santa Barbara native, Evan Heffernan who navigated the challenging race course best today, proving that consistency was about technique - not luck - by keeping all of his finishes in the top three.

"You've got to find the opportunities to clear the kelp when you can," he noted. "Depending on what foot you're pushing with, I think that if you can leave a little bit in the bank to save yourself when the kelp hits, you can push a little bit harder, and work through the downforce of the kelp on your foil. You've got to be ready for it when it does hit."

Tomorrow's forecast is slightly better than today, so be sure to tune in to our social media channels to follow racing as we gear up for the final day of the 2021 California Triple Crown series!

Related Articles

Oman Kite Festival 2025 concludes in Sur
After 10 days of international competition The Oman Kite Festival 2025 came to a close after ten days of exciting competitions and vibrant events held across several coastal locations in the Sultanate of Oman. Posted on 29 Jul
Antonia & Georgia Lewin-LaFrance 1pt from podium
In the 49er FX class at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance from Chester, N.S., took the fourth position in 49erFX at the fourth and next-to-last event of the 2025 Sailing Grand Slam Series, the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta. Posted on 21 Jul
Oman Kite Festival kicks off from Barr Al Hikman
With the official opening ceremony and race launch The Oman Kite Festival 2025 launched on the 15th of July on the scenic shores of Barr Al Hikman in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, welcoming more than 90 athletes from Oman and around the world. Posted on 18 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 4
ILCA 6 & 7, Men's & Women's Formula Kite and 470 Mixed Teams Wrap Up The racing for the first 5 classes of the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta wrapped up with a twist in conditions and breeze just to mix it up for the competitors. Posted on 17 Jul
Strong start on LA waters for Australian Sailors
A valuable week of racing at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta Australia's top Olympic class sailors have wrapped up a valuable week of racing at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta in California, gaining firsthand experience at the future venue of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Posted on 17 Jul
Sail Canada Regional Championships Preview
More than 300 young Canadian sailors in action this weekend across the country More than 300 young Canadian sailors will be in action this weekend as Sail Canada will present its three regional championships: Sail East at St. Margaret Sailing Club, Sail Central at Hudson Yacht Club and Sail West at Gimli Yacht Club. Posted on 16 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 3
Mother Nature teases the competitors Mother Nature teased the competitors today and made them wait a bit, but she did not disappoint; the sun came out and a big westerly built to 18-20 knots! Posted on 15 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 2
Classic Long Beach conditions return The weather conditions at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta shifted noticeably today, delivering the classic Long Beach breeze that many expect from this world-class venue. Posted on 14 Jul
2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta kicks off
The first week of the OCR includes five Olympic classes The highly anticipated 2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta officially commenced on Saturday, 12 July, marking the beginning of Olympic campaigns since the venues were announced. Posted on 14 Jul
Australian sailors take to Olympic waters
Regatta serves as an important test, not just for sailors, but also for organisers The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta is set to get begin, marking the first major combined event on the waters of the LA 2028 Olympic Games. Posted on 12 Jul
V-DRY-XPredictWind - Offshore App 728x90 BOTTOMRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTER