Stiff Chilli’s Putu Eka managed a near clean sweep of the board at
Hot Air! - Bali’s premier kitesurfing event at Semawang beach Sanur,
over the weekend of 26th & 27th August. With a steady 13 knots of
wind, plenty of kites and smiles were lifted both in the crowd and
out on the water, though the wind strength did favour the lighter
competitiors.
The 2.5km marathon started out downwind in the water in front of
main sponsor, Stiff Chilli, and while a few of the competitors
struggled to make it around the buoy, Jeroem van der Kooij finished
first at the line, in front of the host, Blue Oasis beach club.
Second was Bernard Fode, while Putu Eka was third.
The wind wasn’t strong enough for the more complicated tricks in the
freestyle but the four person judging team enjoyed the efforts made
by the competitors over eight minutes for difficulty of tricks and
landing correctly. The crowd vocally encouraged Putu Eka on to win,
Jeroem van der Kooij took second, and I Made Budha (Lollo) third.
The hang time event, in which competitors attempt to stay up in the
air for as long as possible with one jump took place the following
day. Again lightness was the key, with Putu Eka winning, Jeroem van
der Kooij, second and I Made Budha (Lollo) third. While in the
overall hangtime standings, it was Putu, then Andrew Grant, second
and Asian Games windsurfing champion Oka Sulaksana, third, who also
went on to present the prizes.
It was the main and final event on the card – jumping for the stiff
chilli and a cash prize of five million rupiah. After many attempts
it was Putu Eka, who also won himself entry, air fare and
accommodation as Bali’s representative at the Mana Mana Air Blast!
kitesurfing event in 2007, courtesy of Stiff Chilli, Singapore and
Trikora resort, Bintang.
