BLUE OASIS BEACH CLUB - BALI - INDONESIA - Surfing, Diving, Kitesurfing and KiteBoarding

Check out the previous editions, click on the links here below!

HOT AIR 2006

HOT AIR 2007

HOT AIR 2008

HOT AIR 2009 4th Edition

Three unreal days of good vibe on Sanur Beach at the Blue Oasis Beach Club located at the Sanur Beach Hotel saw 28 competitors from 9 different countries in 4 different events ripping it up on the kiteboards to cranking music, mc's, mojitos & cold bintangs, fresh sushi, local food, vocal spectators, bikinis & palm trees blowing in the breeze......

Hot Air 09 is the 4th edition of this comp and Bali's only kiteboarding comp with local riders stoked getting amongst an international lineup to catch up with friends, make some new ones, check what's new & battle it out on the water. On the judging side it was a great mix, Mario Kite-instructor (pioneer bali kiter, event director & creator) - Italy, Marcel Kite-instructor - Germany, Simon local ripper - New Zealand, & Guest judge visiting West Oz pro Simon Witcherman! Bringing the big Kiwi kiteboard comp vocals was Luca Soulos of New Zealand on the MC, having a great time with Jonnie Deaker CEO - New Zealand and Simon W. all jumping in there to mix it up for the riders and crowd. The beach was looking great with big Rip Curl tents up all over, sponsors flags everywhere & a mash of bodies, all the color of the kites on the beach & in the air.

Strong support from sponsors Stiff Chili, Rip Curl & the Rip Curl school of Surf, Cabrinha Kites, AJ Hackett BUNGY, Takoon Kites, Decay boards NZ, & the Bali Kite Centre totaling around USD$10,000 in prizes & cash made a tasty prize pool! Of the females entered Nardia Witcherman of Australia led the women's freestyle charge - next year the comp will grow hugely again without doubt & having more women in the mix is a certainty with the event becoming so established & Kiteboarding bounding forward as one one the fastest growing sports worldwide. Bali has some incredible kiteboarding, flat water freestyle and wave kiting with a wealth of water being discovered by local & traveling riders.

The program - Freestyle, Marathon, Hang time (Big Air), Stiff chili grab 4 cash - a crazy event made up by Mario (the event director) years ago and exclusive to bali. - mixing big air and accuracy. As well as many european entrants, the Thai team was a strong force showing the high level of riding evolving on the Thai coastline.

First up this year was the Marathon - A mass la-mond exit from the beach, kites everywhere and the water being torn-up as boarders pushed hard to get in front & race around a course up & down the beach, it was all about skill in upwind riding, flat out speed & taking position chances then first to hit the sand on the beach would carry away the prizes and trophy. Local boys dominated the race showing home riding & wind knowledge skills that bought them home 1st Kadek Pande Bali ,2nd I Made Budha (lolo) Bali, 3rd Komang Pande Bali.

Next was the first round of the Freestyle (the main event) The heats were tight & light winds gave riders a challenge to throw down variation in styles and tricks to get them through to the second division...It was all flat water freestyle riding so for spectators a cross between wakeboarding, skate and snowboard tricks with variations, judges looking for variety, ampitude, style, landings.....lots of grabs and inverts!!!!! The Thai boys were tearing it up along with the Netherland boys, Bali & Japan standing out. At the end of the first round and day the winds came in strong so the call was made, finish the comp for the day and get out on the water as a mass expression session - everyone going off!!!!!!!! the riding was full on & riders still ripping until the tide ran almost dry - what a start!

Day two light winds - the Rip Curl Kite school put it on for the crew - opening up the toy shed for competitors - beach soccer, wakeboarding, surfing behind the boats, standup paddle boards, windsurfers etc....always on standby ready for the wind to crank up, Everyone chillin' out to music loving the day.... After a while the Italian Stallion Mario (event director) made the call that we were going for the hang time event using the wakeboard boat - james bond - good creativity!!! - sick!!!!! each competitor one by one sitting on the boat, kite in the air, once the boat hit the right speed the rider tweaked the kitebar and rocketed themselves into the sky - some around 40ft up!, judges clocked their time in the air and style of grabs etc before they hit the water. The competitors & crew were stoked - something different, intense & big air, super fun! Local boy Ketut Suparta taking it out and a new kite home!!!!!! 2nd was Komang Pande Bali & 3rd Putu Nelly Bali.

Kite Surfing in Bali - Hot Air 2008 - Sanur - Bali - Indonesia

Day Three - Finals for the freestyle!!!!!!!!!!! The wind came up - by the time we hit the beach the second rounds were on - riders ripping, all the tricks coming out & the crowd stoked!!!!!!! Music cranked, the mc action was non-stop!!!!! The sushi bar opened up as did the cocktails & cold bintangs from the surf shack, As the action heated up on the water the spectators got vocal keeping the energy up!!!! In the semi and final rounds it was one on one, Jordi Voogd (15) - Netherlands & Japan going for 3rd & 4th, and In the final Putu Nelly - Bali vs A. Joe from Thailand - with A. Jo charging out some super tech to take the trophy & freestyle title for 09"

One more event to finish the comp - the good times chili grab for cash! - the winds calmed right down in the afternoon, with everyone in a great mood Mario decided the wakeboard boat was coming out again, he lashed the big wooden chili (usually on a bule tower) to a blow up dolphin ring and dropped it out in the water. Like the hangtime event - riders launched themselves off the back of the boat at speed trying to land on the chili and take away 5 mill cash, two and a half rounds later, huge airs, crashes and laughs the youngest competitor of the comp 12yr old Sebas Voogd from Netherlands somehow made it!!!!!!! He gave the cash to a Women's Support group in Bali as a donation - big call from a young grom & big cheers from the crowd for it.

The Thai guys had been fishing earlier and a huge fish was put on the BBQ for everyone as we held the prize giving beside the Blue Oasis Beach Club (Rip Curl School ) all the prizes going out to deserving winners! great music, drinks flowing, plenty of good times, great people hanging out & magic memories as the bali sunset turned it on to wind up a super successful Hot Air 09!!!!!!!

Thanks to everyone involved in putting the comp on, the crew at the school, the riders for coming & ripping and the spectators for enjoying it all with us....see ya next year!!!!!

Rock on!