Moehau Goold- LF International Team Seattle Demo

Following what turned out to be one of the most epic kite sessions that the Hood River Sandbar has ever seen, the NW Liquid Crew and made the journey to PDX late at night to fetch Liquid Force International Team Rider Moehau Goold. Moe arrived into Portland under the cover of darkness, having surfed his local break in Tahiti, Teahupoo , 2 days before and spending one night back in Maui, before landing in the Northwest…

Whats up everyone, this is Da Goose bringing you the skoops from the NW Liquid Tour! Just got off the plane sunday night from Tahiti.. then Hawaii and now I’m in Oregon. I got in at night so didn’t know what to expect from Oregon…

So i woke up to see a mountain full of snow…I was like “WOW!”. Its a whole lot different from waking up to coconut trees and white sand beaches. So after we got up we drove 5 hours to Seattle. We met up with Bill Gates, Jason and Katie from Seattle Kiteboarding Center and Jetty Island Kite and Skim which was located a minute from Jetty Island- Which is Seattle’s best kite beach.

Jason Slezak and Davey Blair Hangin at Jetty Island Kite and Skim before the session.

They had the craziest set up we’ve ever seen. Its not a typical spot where you just show up, pump up and ride… It’s a mission to ride there! After cruzin at the shop for a lil, we all drove to the jetty. Once there, we were stunned by how many inflatable kayaks there was in the parking lot. So we were like: “what da hell!? are they pumping up kayaks?”. I thought this was kite beach not kayak beach. So they were actually getting ready to paddle across a freezing cold channel to jetty island and once you get there, you have to walk across the island to the kite spot… Then you pump up your kite and ride.

Hands down. respect to the Seattle crew.

Fortunatly, we didnt have to paddle across the channel. We had a house boat waittin for us at the jetty with a cooler full of booze and women thanks to Jetty Island Kite and Skim shop and Seattle KiteBoarding Center school.

The Goose- making the hike along the jetty beach.

But we still had to walk across the island to set up our demo and ride. They had a sick set up. Perfect for rails and kickers. We only had one afternoon this trip, but for sure we’ll be back with the crew to setup some shit and session this place.

Setting up for the Jetty Demo… Hard to get any of the gear in the photos because it was all out on the water being demoed all day!

Moe sessions the Jetty Island on his Liquid Force 6′ Surf Board

Jason Slezak- Jetty Island Nuclear Grab on his signature model Mission 144 Kiteboard!

Jetty Regular/SKBC Coach Brad Gordon rocking his LF Recoil and Union bindings in a fat Jetty Kiteloop!

Jetty Local Steven Sibborn- rocking a Jetty Indy

Slezak- S Bend over Jetty

Davey Blair- Jetty Indy Glide over Everett and the Snow Capped Cascades

After we sessioned Seattle- Jetty Island kite beach, it was time to grind…”Davey take it from here”…

Moe steps away and leaves it to Davey Blair to finish up…

“Whats up my playas”, this is D to the A to the V to the E to the Y chucktizzle my nizzle…
So after the LF demo at jetty island, we headded to Flyin Pigs restaurant for $4 quesidillas. We were hungary!! So.. we ordered more then we could eat. So we offered $100 to whoever could eat a 6 inch thick quesidilla sandwich with fries, chicken strips and all the other Flying Pig Happy Hour yummies… So Brad Gordon took the offer and went home with $100!!! Pause.…………NOT!!

The Liquid Force / Seattle Kiteboarding Center Crews rocking the Flying Pig. Brad Gordon goes for the $100 leftover bite!

After stuffin our faces with 20 quesidillas and washed it down with a shot of Jager each, we headded to Jason and Katies home in Seattle, where we hung out around a bonfire of magnesium…. After gettin blinded from the magensium bondfire, we all crashed. Thanks Jason and Katie for letting us crash at your pad!!!

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Clockwise From Left- Jason Slezak, Juaqine, Mauricio Abreu, Moe Goold, Davey Blair, Katie and Jason Clack, Axl- Morning after at the clack residence.

And just like that the boys were out for the night. Tired and weary the next day the crew headed back towards the Gorge for more riding and the 2nd Wind Party….

Liquid Force Team in the Hood!!

The Liquid Force Team is in town and in Classic LF Style has been stepping it up, with the creation of the LF 4×4 Kite-Slider Mobile!

Catch full slideshow and video presentation from the LF Northwest Trip as well as other Gorge kiteboarding photos and videos!!

Where / When:
River City Saloon, Hood River – 9pm

More Info:
2nd Wind Sports – 541-386-4464

Here’s what’s been happening in the Hood!
The Words of Liquid Force International Team Rider : Davey Blair

Jason Slezak, Mauricio Abreu, and Davey Blair from Liquid Force rocked up to the Gorge in Style.. We had Ruben’s old 4×4 subie for the week and turned it into a mobile slider… Fresh paint and a solid plan the boys were off to make history..

The CGKA (Columbia Gorge Kite Association) rallied together for the Delta cleanup and and got a permit from the port to drive on the sandbar. This was needed to clean up all the debris from the flooding and glacial outburst of Mt Hood and the Hood River last fall. The melt caused hundreds of ancient logs to converge all across the sand bar… This allowed permitted vehicle access and one 3 day window when the mobile slider car could work…

Friday the action started. Most the good o’ boys showed up in there monster tucks and started the clean up process. The Liquid Force crew took there freshly painted 4×4 mobile slider down to the waters edge to begin the action.. the session started out with some sick riding.. Everyone was throwing down..

Local boy Dylan Thompson showed us his snow skills and jibed every way possible across the liquid force slider car.

Moris killed it with smooth style, his gap to blind over the car was like a tony hawk video game..

I was geting hungry watching all the action so busted a nose press pretzel to blind.

Local boy and NW Regional LF Rider Joby Cook gapped over the car spinning a solid flat three stomping it with authority! This guy rips anything he gets his hands on..

By the end of the session Morris had put his ass thru the windshield. The same time our geotto slider fell apart ending our session.. I cranked the car up and drove home to tekkos Labortory..

The rest of the pics coming first thing in the am. Too late.. time to sleep

“For real, this is the easiest slider I have ever set up”. Drive right to where you want it and turn the car off. Thats it.. Every trick in the book was being thrown by the crew of guys assembled.. This was day one witch set the pass for the next couple days..

Back at Tekkos labortory The crew repainted and gave the car some much needed TLC.. The next day the boys re invented the slider car by adding in a gap to the roof.. Wait a minute this was built with in an hour , and was not the prettyest thing.. The up ramp was two 2×4s with pvc piping up the hood.. This created a gap over the windshield to an old windsurf board we srewed to the roof.. Jason Slezak arrived the night before and was ready to ride.

Fresh off the plane Slezy set up his 138 mission with some union bindings. This guy was so charged. He was pressing every angle of that board with some solid weight on top.. I was amazed his board didnt break…Slezy is no small dude. As the session progressed our getto, up ramp, broke and so did the wind surfer.

This caused some Crazy action, I’m so stoked no one got hurt hitting our getto gap. I mean I’ve seen some getto gaps in my time but damn…. Just like the day before when the session was over I simply got in the car started it up and drove off.. thats it, no man power, no huge crew needed to lift..

After spending 2 valueable access days with ghetto crap ramps, the whole crew, was sick of this sh@t falling apart. The next morning we all assembled and went to work on the Liquid Force subie slider…. We didnt mess around this time. 200 bucks later we had 30 ft of trek. and enough lumber to build a house..Trek is the stuff we use to slide on.. you can buy it at your local hardwear store..

Joby being the sick contracter he is, scribled a plan on a table napkin.. the plan looked good so we got to work.. A couple hours later we had some legit shit going down.. No getto windsurfer, no getto up ramp.. We had a 3 trek wide up ramp. With the smotthest angle ever.. We put a 3 trek wide 20ft slide box on top of the car. These angles made for some sick action..

The car evolved from Rubens beat up whip to LF’s newest moble slider.. Sunday was the day.. We pimped the car out so hard.. No way was it going to break.. It was solid… sunday was a day for rekoning.. We placed the Liquid force slider car in positioin and started sessioning..

The up ramp was so solid. It was smooth as butter, like night and day compared to the other two days..The tricks were twice as big and twice as smooth.. Now after two days of building and painting the car evolved to something from a furturistic world.. a mobile slider.. “got doooawg thats pimp”!!!!..

The last and final day, sunday, will always be stuck in my mind.. We sessioned till dark and the slider was still strong..

We created something sick in the last three days. This last week in the Gorge has made history in the kiteboarding world. It has been one of the best trips of my life.. I love it here in hood river.. this place rocks.. The whole crew will be around all week and can’t wait to meet and session with you.. Thanks to everyone involved with the evolution of kiteboarding.. mad respect… } -DB

HR Sandbar going off!

The Hood River Sandbar kite spot at the spit in Hood River has been delivering the goods! Locals and visiting pros alike are getting epic sessions and stepping up the progression across the board!

From Dylan Thompson’s ‘ghetto rail’ PVC slider to Shawn Richmond going HUGE… the sandbar has been a happening place the past few days.

We’re only stepping it up from here!

The Liquid Force Team is assembling in the Hood!!!

Davey Blair- Been here almost a week
Mauricio Abreu- arrived thurs, sessioned sandbar friday
Jason Slezak- Arrived late fri- sessioned River City
Moe Goold- The Goose- Arrives sun pm.

Stay tuned to find out about sessions, demo’s and photo ops with the NW Liquid Crew!!

Davey Blair laying it out over Hospital Hill

Shawn Richmond- bringing big air back to the Gorge

LF Team in the Hood

Summer is here… and so is the Liquid Force Team!!

Yesterday was a great day to get out and riding. Liquid Force Teamriders Julie Simsar and Davey Blair had a great day out on the river in Lyle and at the Sandbar.

Julie lays it out at Lyle showing off her hot new Liquid Force Aura

Wanna see the next frame with the grab?? Buy the Magazine! Davey Blair- Recoil 136

Check out that HOT pink board! Julie pulling into a kiteloop.

Gorge Local Laura Maher getting her unhooked style on!

Julie with an unhooked grabbed front! Yeah Girl!!

Local Gorge LF rider Joby Cook- WAKE style

Inept_To Blind

Stay tuned, as NWLiquid continues to bring you daily updates and pics from the LF team visits and demos!!

5/15 Sauvie’s Island Demo Goes Off!!!

The first of the 2007 Gorge Performance Kiteboarding Demos at Sauvie’s Island was a great success!! Although many watched their computers all day and had no faith.. Sauvie’s delivered in unusual style… with winds kicking in about 5pm and forcing us to small kites by about 6-6.30pm.

NW Liquid arrived around 3pm to a hot sun and glassy conditions. No one would ever believe that it would be a kiteboarding spot by how it looked when we arrived. This was my fist Sauvie’s experience.

Without Haste, we tossed up the Liquid Force Tent, as we needed some serious shade to survive the 80deg+ heat. As soon as the tent went up, the coolers came out and it was as if there wouldn’t be a session at all.

Since not too many people have had a chance to check out the new Liquid Force Havoc and Assault2 Kites, Shawn and I started pumping so the kites would be out and ready.. for when the wind filled in. We even arranged the kites opposite of the usual wind direction, upwind of the tent. Perfect! If the kites blow into the tent.. we’ll know it’s on. Just in case.. I had made the mission to the LF warehouse on monday and picked up a 19m Assault2… as the sacrifice. We were just about to begin pumping it when the kites started blowing into the tent… it was on!

First out, Portland local and GP employee Tucker headed out on the Slingshot TD2 14. Much to everyone’s surprise, he was cruising upwind on his first tack out. Seeing this, Hood River local and Gorge Performance employee Shawn Shawn put up the Assault2 16m and grabbed a new LF Recoil 136 with Luxury Footstraps and headed out. With enough power to cruise upwind and start jumping, and the texture increasing on the water, it looked as if it was going to be a firing afternoon.

With the breeze filled in, we got Matt ready on the Havoc 12m. Coming from 2004 Cabrinha C kites, matt was in for a great time riding the Havoc. It wasn’t long before he was way upwind of everyone and starting to get the feeling of jumping it.

Within only a few moments, kites were in the air and there were about 15 people on the water. People were able to get out on the Slingshot TD2’s, Liquid Force Havocs and a variety of Slingshot and LF Kiteboards. When the LF flags snapped their poles and the tent was about to blow over, it was windy enough and time for the Ruben Len10 show. Without a wetsuit, Ruben went out for a quick flurry of moves in standard, chill, smooth, handle pass 30′ up, Len10 kind of way.

As Matt came in with the Havoc 12m, and Shawn watching the booth and getting people stoked on demo boards, I found a few minutes to grab the 12 and head out for a short session. Litt up on the 12m at Sauvie’s… and that is for a 230# guy! This was my first time to Sauvie’s Island, but I hear that doesn’t happen very often. Pretty soon, I was so powered that unhooked wake tricks were getting a bit uncomfortable, so it was time for some old school big air.

I have been on a personal mission this season to bring back the deadman. For so long, everyone was anti big air/dangle ohh that’s gay, etc, etc. Then the depower kites came out and dangle really didn’t work anymore. Without a second harness loop and with so much depower, it wasn’t possible to let go of the bar and do any classic danle moves, without the kite depowering and you falling out of the sky.

With the new Liquid Force Control Systems and the new, easily adjustable stopper balls, it is very easy to ride a kite with full depower capability, such as the Havoc and then right before jumping, slide the stopper down a bit, do your jump, hang lofty from the kite, as the bar sits on the stopper and then as soon as you land simply slide the stopper away to have your max depower and sheetability back!

Just about that time I was hucking deadmen, I saw the Liquid Force tent catch some air of it’s own. From where I was, there was nothing I could really do, so I just hoped Shawn could take care of it… and that it didn’t land on my surfboards, which were on the downwind side of the tent. Within a couple minutes it seemed that Shawn and the crew had everything taken care of and I was too juiced on the 12, so it was time to come in.

Perfect timing! It was just after 6pm, Philip and the Portland 9-5 crew had just arrived and I was headed back to the van to pick up more 8’s and 10’s !

Stevie P- Gorge Performance Kite Manager grabbed the Liquid Force Surf 5′8″ and was ready to give that a try.

We figured it was the perfect time to get him out on the Assault2- Liquid Force’s Bow style kite, with 2:1 Control System Stevie put up the 9m Assault 2 and headed out to get the feel of the Surf board.

After tending to the family, Matt was ready to head back out on a Havoc, so we got him set on the 10m. Since he was getting comfortable with the kite, he was ready to add a Recoil 136cm to is demo experience.

It just happend that this was when I had a few minutes to take a few shots. While they are not the best, I’m sure Matt will be stoked to see that for this demo, he was the star for a bit. Way to jump on a new kite and new board and have such a great session! It is seeing the stoke people get from kiteboarding and riding new gear that takes them to new experiences that keeps me so stoked on doing these demos. Thanks Matt, for having such a great time demoing the new LF gear! Maybe it’s time to put those Cabrinha’s on ebay and go see Bob and Stevie at Gorge Performance to get tight with some new LF gear!

Windy enough now for big guys to be on 10’s it was time to pump up the 8m Havoc and get some people out on it. Philip, the godfather of NWKite.com Was the first out on the 8m, after coming in on a TD2 9m.

Following his session, Tucker and Amery both had a chance to check it out.

With that, the breeze started backing off again and we were back to the 12m’s as the day was winding down. Back at the booth, JP and others were checking out the extreme comfort of the Liquid Force Luxury Interface kit. I think there will be some of these moving out of Gorge Performance in the next few days!

What a great reward to get such great conditions for the Sauvie’s Island Demo!

As everything was winding down and getting packed up, it all came full circle as the breeze died off to almost nothing and Shawn took the last few tacks of the day on the Assault2 16m that started it all off.

Thanks to Gorge Performance for putting on the demo and for all of those who had the faith, or willingness to give Sauvie’s a shot, even though the wind wasn’t guaranteed and was a roll of the dice. For those that missed out… we arer going to give it another go this afternoon and hope it holds. If you miss them both and are still looking to get some demo time on the new Liquid Force Kites or Kiteboards, just give the guys a call at Gorge Performance- 503.246.6646 and let them know what you’re looking for. We can arrange demo gear at most any time, either from Gorge Performance/Sauvie’s or we can meet up in Hood River or other spots in the Gorge.

DEMO to WIN !! As you may notice on this blog there is a page for Demo to Win. This is all still coming together and figuring out the programming, etc, for people to register. If you demo’d at Sauvie’s yesterday, don’t worry.. you will qualify. Just send me an email at gregg at NWLiquid.com and we’ll go from there.

This month’s Demo to Win prize will be a Liquid Force Luxury Interface Kit Winner will be chosen from all those who demo gear in may (or prior to may) and who register and post a comment about their demo within these pages.