PETER SAWYER

NAME- Peter Sawyer

DATE OF BIRTH (MEANING OLD BUGGER OR NOT?)- 28.11.1970 Old enough for kiting to be a mid life crisis! Who needs a motor bike when you can have a kite in hand, a raging gale mixed with 6 foot of swell, perfection!

TIME KITING- I was a late starter. I started in January 2009 as a present to myself! I was getting a little tired of surfing after 20 years. I still loved the waves and power of Croyde but the busyness and sheer dick headness of some of the other surfers was beginning to wear me down. I surf to get away from it all not to fight! Kiting gave me that distance and stress releif again. It is like surfing was 20 years ago.

FAVORITE SPOT- Hard one. I love Westward Ho! for the waves as they float my boat but there is something about Instow I love. Instow is good for practising new tricks when you need to work up the balls to try a new one. You havent got to worry about the swell. Does get boring after a while though.

MOST MEMORIBLE SESSION- That had to be one with Gary and Nick but memories for all the wrong reasons! A load of kiters were down the beach that day but not going in, I spotted Gary. After stopping the van it was still moving! Got out and nearly lost the door, walked at 45 degrees towards Garys car....Going in then? Its 54 mph was the answer! After a quick chat we were both kitted up! I launched first with a 7m, it was bloody horrendous, I couldnt get to the water. Nick walked up behind me, grabbed my harness then walked me to the water, put the board on my feet and let go! Once in, it was fine, you could really edge and disperse some of the power, when you lost your edge you were flying...high! Gary came next, luckly he has more ballast than me and managed to walk to the water! Nick also came in....everyone else just watched (thinking bloody nutters!!). We only lasted about 30 minutes as it was that bad (or good if suicidal!), Nicks lines broke and all of us took some good pastings! It was good to be on dry land again but very exciting and adrenaline fueled. Good experience...

WORST KITEMARE- Mine had to be receintly when trying to pull off a back loop. Got my hands mixed up and pulled my rear hand while inverted. The kite loop that followed ripped me out of the back loop and slammed me into the water at about 40mph. I saw stars for a while and thought my nose had exploded...It wasn't blood just sea water...The same sea water that had been shoved up every hole ive got! My next attempt was so slow it must had looked pants! Did scare myself a little!

WHAT KEEPS YOU KITITNG- I love pushing my limits and kiting does that alright. As soon as you push a limit you find another one, conquer that and another appears! Love it. Its exciting from the moment you put the kite up to the moment you drop it. I love surfing the waves with a kite, it seems almost 3D. Ride up and down then over and up...Fantastic....See you out there!!