Where the Kitesurfing Industry Meets - AWSI Hood River

In this video we give you a behind the scenes look at AWSI 2021 in Hood River, Oregon. We chat with Matt Aiken, President of AWSI, about the event, cover the trends we noticed, the pro kiter sessions, and even had a wing lesson!
Special thanks to Matt, Kyle (@TheOKKiteboarder), Froth Masters (@frothmasters), Axis Kiteboarding, Fanatic, and the Flysurfer crew!
___
Gear we use + discount codes: www.ourkitelife.com/p/gear-we...

[@kenpearce2727]

Fantastic video!..Awesome to see Mike J, Ray , and the Frothys representing from Santa Barbara!

[@OurKiteLife]

Seems like you guys have a great crew there!

[@bigwave888]

Thanks for the update. I used to race windsurfers in the Gorge in the late 80s and 90s. In the later years the Event Site was redone which was great. We'd often watch a crazy guy fly a kite in 30 knots on the sandbar. He would stand on the sandbar and get dragged downwind, leaving train track-like drag marks. Then one day I saw him out with the kite and water skis. When I first saw him I looked all over for the boat, wanting to avoid a collision. So as far as I know that sandbar is where kitesurfing was born.

[@OurKiteLife]

That’s awesome - good to know!

[@mikejablonski8510]

Great summary video! Looking forward to seeing you again at the next one!

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks Mike! Looking forward to seeing you there too 😀

[@MrCalifornia1234]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing! Come to Long Beach, CA. We have wind everyday. Epic conditions.

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks, glad you liked it! We will have to check out Long Beach in the future :)

[@MrCamsawyer]

Underrated content... keep pumping these videos out Laurie!

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks! It’s Yuri pumping out the videos though :)

[@jeromeserre]

Please keep us current on your upcoming "Our Wing Life"!!! 😂

[@OurKiteLife]

Haha that was almost the name of this video 😁

[@BaskinTapkan]

Great vibes, had fun watching it!

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks, glad you liked it 🙂

[@IRWE905]

Charles your putting the wrong leg up first with your Wing Start (8:30). Front leg (direction you are going) goes up first. It would have been easier to ride on a Port Tack(Left Leg Forward) like the Winger in front of you. Come to Young's Harbour Park (Lake Simcoe) and learn to WingSki with us this Winter:)

[@diar427]

Excellent videos!!!! Loved it

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks! Glad you liked it 😀

[@nemotaylor240]

Great job Laurie!

[@LotetaCartel]

Great video as always 🥰🥰🥰

[@OurKiteLife]

Thank you 😊

[@nelsonlivestock]

Awesome video! So cool you guys were there.

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@neworange7796]

Music on background of your reels is fantastic! Make video about how you do your videos!

[@lucas_kitesurf]

Muy bueno el reflejo de la industria del Kitesurf en un lugar como ese!!!

[@manfredanderson2080]

Thanks for the AWSI 2021 coverage! Like the wing lesson. Rome was not built in a day!

[@OurKiteLife]

Thanks Fred 😀

[@Chris_PerthWA]

Kite you in the next one - Love it. I want to go there and you need to come to Western Australia (when the borders open) - December and January are epic

[@OurKiteLife]

We are both dying to travel to Australia but not sure when exactly that will be!

[@ishtarluesby5269]

Laurie and Yuri looking forward to series of vids that document your wing foiling journey.

[@OurKiteLife]

Haha not sure we are committed to that just yet 😄

[@ishtarluesby5269]

Have efoiled yet, if nice pair of vids. Just took an efoil lesson with Phil Kingston. Mad fun really rewarding and he has a perfect classroom.

[@OrlandoMulder]

🔥🔥❤️‍🔥

[@lrc87290]

Yeah a few if our guys got the wing foils as part of their wind arsenal. Alot going on to try to learn that. Probably be seeing more wing foils in your videos if that guys predictions are correct.

[@OurKiteLife]

It will be interesting to see how it goes over the next few years. There are some definite advantages to the wing, especially if you don’t have a good launch spot for kiting. We were honestly surprised to see just how popular they were at Hood River!

[@krisjehaes276]

Where can we find maker info for the tow buggy?

[@OurKiteLife]

There are some forums discussing how to make it but we don’t know of a dedicated website by the maker, sorry!

[@jessecrawford-lang7715]

How we do find the tow boogie?!

[@tomasknutsson7560]

Generous of you to share the winging. 😅 Humbling. Also, I never realised how microscopic this event is. Looks like 10 stands and few people. Is this really the largest in the industry?

[@OurKiteLife]

Haha, thanks! 😄 could’ve used more wind for the lesson but it was still fun to try! From the drone it looks smaller than it did on the ground. Also less people than normal due to travel restrictions.

[@Angela-un2tx]

Awwww you were here?!

[@OurKiteLife]

Yeah, we hope to be back again in the future :)

[@s2oooo]

So not boasting 🤣 . But my first ever go winging and only every go. 110L 5m . Got up flying first attempt after pumping like mad. My god straight back on my kite foil never again 😂😂😂

[@OurKiteLife]

Nice! I wasn’t so fortunate with my first time winging… I’m going to blame the wind though ;)

[@cjam3660]

wind surfing is and always will be at the top of the foid chain. the rest are tip outs , windsurfing is what the real george animal rides on. blessings

[@canolando3499]

I wanna towbug , forget the winging.

[@OurKiteLife]

Us too! 😄

[@mikemiller774]

Anyway, why would you bother about wing, since you can't ride it on your usual lake spot :)

[@OurKiteLife]

That’s true - it wouldn’t be good for our home spot. Given how popular it was at Hood River it was worth trying!

[@r.rsport15]

She said AAAREGON

[@OurKiteLife]

Sorry for my Canadian accent, eh 🤦‍♀️

[@pacificenduro8002]

Just say no to wing foils

[@JohnPerryKiteboarding]

Stay out of hood yo

[@r.rsport15]

Is a public place isn't it?