The men were not as lucky for the kiting race as the women. By the time their turn came, the wind stopped blowing! With the competitive energies flowing, we didn't want to disappoint, so we turned it into a SUP race!
So here we go….My name is Jenny and I am crazy about this sport. After nearly 8 years of watching from the beach, following Christophe’s developments and achievements, I was being faced with constant “NO! You can't kite, you are disabled”, “It is too dangerous”, “I can't help you”, or simply just ignoring me. I finally found a group of what I now call friends in Northern Ireland who made my dream possible and linked me to the GKF and to them I am forever grateful.
The first cata-kite and kitesurf clinic for people with disabilities has just finished in Greece. 10 participants took part in the week long event- it was a fantastic success and welcomed volunteers and the participation of people from Greece, Belgium, France and Ireland.
The Clinic marked the start of GKF's ongoing training courses which are aimed at training people with disabilities to develop the skills to become independent in kiting. Training is progressive and follows an important learning curve so that everyone achieves new skills according to their preference and ability. Everyone who participated had already learned kite flying skills during our introductory 'Wind that Works' workshops. Now they were each ready to take it to the next level!
For participants, there were two main courses: introduction to cata-kite, and introduction to the seat for becoming an independent kiter.
Our big thank you to Volkswagen Greece- Kosmocar for supporting the Foundation. They have given us the use of the fantastic VW Touran to help with all the travelling we are doing at the moment for our different events. It has been invaluable for transporting the participants and all the equipment and kiting gear during our workshops and clinics.
For proof of how much it packs away, check out this photo. It was taken as we arrived at the cata-kite clinic after picking up Christophe Martin from the airport! Inside: wheelchairs, boards, kites, kiting seats, medical equipment and 3 very comfortable people. It was easier to get it all into the Touran than onto the airplane!!
Thank you again, Volkswagen Greece! Drop by their Facebook Page and give them a like!
The GKF team just finished celebrating Global Wind Day 2012- what a great event! Held in partnership with Enel Green Power Hellas, the event was dedicated to teaching the next generation about wind energy and much more, and was held in South Evia -Nea Styra and Karystos- on the 9th and 10th of June 2012.
What made it such a success?
Global Kiter Foundation’s mission is to enrich the lives of people with disabilities through our wonderful sport. Up until recently, our experience has been with people with physical disabilities- more precisely, people that are either paraplegic or tetraplegic.
Our workshops have been so well received we are excited about planning as many workshops as our budget will allow in different countries, enriching the lives of as many as possible.
We have just launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to buy the amazing chairs you see below.
The seat is developed by Christophe Martin- one of the pioneers in the development of kiting for people with disabilities. Made of carbon fiber and the latest technology, it will last many years!
The seat itself is clipped on to a regular kite board and is fully adjustable, making it possible to cater to different people's needs.
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