After the competition in Brazil I had some time for training. Nils Wesch could film some parts of that and edited a great video. We shot the whole thing in one session. The conditions have been great even for the 7 meter GP which I’m riding in the video.

This weekend we had the Austrian Championship. The weather was beautiful the event setup was great… only the wind kept missing. On the last day we got at least something and ran an expression session. I could wind that one which makes me quite happy!

The Pkra tourstop in Brazil is over. It took place at a small rivermouth in a little fishertown called Barra do Cunhau. The spot is very nice with lots of flat water so it wasn’t hard to believe that the level was really high in the comp! The local riders also didn’t make it easier so I was allready happy to survive the trials and get into the mainevent. In the singleelemination my first heat was against the Brazilien champion Madson. The guy ripped and kicked my ass so I had to try it again in the doubles. My first opponent was Kevin Langeree. I knew that I would have to give everything and so I did. I had one of my best heats ever and landed some very difficult powered tricks. My final trick was a clean landed Blind Judge 5… In the second round i faced Reno Romeo. I had a good heat again but not as good as the on before. I lost in a close desicion and had to take the 13th place. After the comp I used the time to train and to take some videoshots. The video is allready done and it will be uploaded as soon as I’m at home. Internet is way to slow here.
So tomorrow I will start the trip to get home and on the weekend there is the next competition waiting. The Austrian Championship. Can’t wait for that all tho the forecast looks really bad for the wind…

The last weeks have been a bit stressfull with two Pkra worldcups and lots of wind! I participated at the Worldcups on Fuerteventura and in St. Peter Ording/Germany. On Fuerte things didn’t work out like I thought and I could only get on the 13th place. I struggled in the gusty and winds and did not feel as confident as you need it there.

Last week we had the Pkra Worldcup in Germany. With 65 riders registrated for the men’s freestyle it was allready a big challange to get on of the 16 left spots in the main event! Everyboday had to win 2 heats to get in the main event. I managed to do so and that made me allready really happy. In the singleelemination my first opponent was Kevin Langeree. It was his comeback after a competition break for over one year due to a bad knee injury. Never the less he hasn’t unlearnd anything. We both had a great heat and we threw down a great show for the spectators. In the end the judges decided Kevin to as the winner… So I had to go into the doubles to make my run for a better place. I had some really good heats and ended up 9th after all. I got stopped by Hilario Robinson from the Dominican Republic. This kid just rips on the water! But still I’m very happy with all my heats in the competition and I feel really confident again!

There are also BIG news from my Sponsor BEST-Kiteboarding. The all new GP freestyle kite is finished and its even better than expected! The best kite EVER!!!!!!!!!! I post the video from the kite down below. You have to watch it!!!

After a great weekend with lots of wind I found out that I made it onto the cover of the latest Iksurfmag…
The picture was taken during the Pkra Worldcup in Morocco on the speedspot there.

What can I say… I love spring in Austria and this years spring is even better than all before. I can’t remember a year with so much time on the water at the lake Neusiedlersee here in Austria. Feels so good to ride at home and to be able to train where you life!
Last week I went to Cape Hatteras in the USA for the BEST Kiteboarding Teamshoot of this year. I have been really excited about that trip and it was great to be on one of the most legendarys spot in the US. The wind wasn’t that great but we still managed to get the work done. With some sundownersessions and even more sunriseshoots we used every possibility to get good pictures. The spots at Hatteras are awesome. So much flatwater and consistant wind made kiteing really easy and to hang out with the team made feel like traveling with family.
Here are some pics from a recent session at my homespot in Podersdorf…

Yesterday we finished the doubleelemination at the 3rd Pkra tourstop in France/Leucate. I had a excellent day and could win 4 heats in a row which brought me up to place 6.
I could beat very strong riders and so I’m quite proud about my preformance. I was up aganinst Ariel Corniel, Mario Rodwald, Mike Blomvall, Mark Jacobs and Alex Pastor. After winning against the first 4 guys I felt a bit tired in the 5th heat and so Alex took the win and got 2nd in the end.

The wind was very strong and pretty gusty. Most of the guys took their 5’s and 6’s. I stayed on my 7 the whole day and it was just perfect. Never felt so safe and selfconfident on an other 7. My new baby is just an amazing kite!

I also got a cover on a magazine again. I’m on the latest issue of the German „Kite“ magazine. So all in all a great week form me!!!

In two days I’m leaving Austria to fly to France for the 3rd Pkra Tourstop of this season. Like every year the comp will be in Leucate and the forecast looks really scary! With predicted wind around 30 knots and rain like hell its gonna be business as usual for that spot.

The last two weeks here in Austria have been just amazing with wind almost every day. I could ride on all sizes and the training was perfect. I hope I can take the good shape and show some good heats in Leucate. I also made it onto the cover of the spanish “Kiters” magazine which I’m really proud of.

So two more days here in sunny Austria with some mountainbiking action and my next update will be from France…

The competition is over in Morocco and I’m already back in Austria. The trip to Dakhla was good for some training but the competition went all wrong for me. Due to the new contest format with only 8 seeded guyes in the mainevent I had to go into the trials. The first time since I am on the tour. The trials alone have been pretty hard for everybody because so many awesome riders had to do them. I managed to get into the mainevent but couln’d get any better than 17th. Disappointing!!! In 2 weeks I will have a chance to do better in the 3rd Pkra tourstop this season in Leucate/France.

For now I look forward on a week full of wind here in Austria. I had a good session on my 15 Taboo yesterday and according to the forecast it looks like I will have wind every day till next tuesday…

So the first competiton of this season is allready the past. I had a good time in Thailand meeting friends and to kite with them. The competition wasn’t that great for me. The conditions in Hua Hin have been unpredictable with strong rains and gusty wind. I got 13th in the end. Got kicked out by Andy Yates, worldchampion 2010, in the doubles so no shame I guess but it was a very close heat and so I’m positive that my training this winter was allright and that it will be a good season.
The next possibility to proof so is happening allready next week in Dakhla/ Morocco. The spot is very good for competition and the level will be incredible high so lets see what happens.
I’ll keep you up to that from there as good as possible…

After three windy, sunny and warm weeks in Capetown I’m back home again in Austria. The temperature difference is quite alot. 30 degrees Celcius in Capetown and minus something here are pretty shocking in the first moment! But anyways I won’t stay in Austria for long because the Pkra Worldtour season is kicking of in 2 weeks in Thailand. I’m very excited about this years start at the tour because this is always the first time that you can see if your training paid off and if your equipment works in the comp. With my new Best kite the expectations are high for myself and I hope that everything developed in the right direction.

During my last stay in Capetown I was able to get some footage from me on the water. After arriving at home I had to learn how to edit the hole thing. After some troubles in the beginning it kind of worked out and finally I could finish my project… I hope you like it

Watch and enjoy…

Unleash The Be(a)st!!! from Michael Schitzhofer on Vimeo.

After 3 exciting weeks in Capetown I flew home for some days to chill and to get some distance from the training. My hole body felt so sore that my level went down and the pain was rising… As I really have a problem to stand on the beach and say no to my kitegear for one week  I decided to invest some miles. So now here I am in good old Austria and freeze my ass of. But not for long… on Thursday I’m off to Capetown allready to finalize my new toy and to get in shape for the first PKRA tourstop which will be held in Thailand in the middle of March. I’m also editing a video from some shots we took in Capetown. Will be out very soon so stay tuned!!!