From 26th to 27th April 2013
Peter Foulkes aka Gannet
Kites; Ozone prototype race kites , sizes 2.3m , 3m, 4m.
Witnesses and support team;Daniel Spiegel, Paul Crafar and Karen Conner
Location; Mooseland, New Zealand
Wind; W to WNW 15 to 30 knots
I used a Ozone harness with a Splitter MK Race (not hotwired)
New World Record 704km in 24hrs
Hi from Mooseland NZ,
Daniel Spiegel and I have just finished doing an epic 24 hours of land kiting.
We started at 9am Friday morning inland as high tide was at 10.30, Dan on the 10m Summit and I with the 4m race kite. After a hour I left Dan in the hard sand of the dry lake district, as it was to gusty for the race kites and went over the dunes towards the beach front, finding a nice hill with good clean wind. The wind was a bit light but after a hour it kicked in, and I had to change down kites from a 4m to 3m. At 2pm we meet up on the hard sand and clock up the k’s, all was going good for me, the modify Ozone harness with Splitter MK Race quick release was comfortable and the buggy and kite are perfect, maybe a little over powered
Dan was running the 5m Frenzy. The sun set across the water as the full moon come up, just perfect and so beautiful, we worked the beach till 9pm as the tide chased us back into the dunes for the night. I went back to my hill to bounce away, but taking some time to level bumps in my way with my foot on each pass to make a smoother ride. One time when I was checking the GPS’s are still on, I got off course and hit some hard bumps only to find out later that I lost my camel bac water tube, Not stopping to look for it in this light and I box on. At 1am I stop for food and water and look for the tube, not to be found. I move back to the main beach and work the hard sand totally over powered till 2 am when I go to find Dan as he is not showed up yet. He’s at the truck getting ready, That was a relief, I change to the 2.3m and get back to the beach. I do a quick bit of maths with the GPS and realise I need to pull my finger out. That was the last time I stopped for water
yup, I’m going to have one hell of a headache tomorrow.
Dan pulls the pin and goes to bed, it’s too hard in the strong and gusty wind, his legs are giving out and he’s getting dangerous, good call. I know what that feels like, it’s gutting to get so far and you can’t finish, I did the same in 2010 on my 24 hr kitebike record and left David land boarding by himself.
So the beach is all mine with a light at each end for turn point markers, I work the kite harder then before and push myself even more, downing a energy drink though a straw at 60 / 70 kph is fun
I’m also dying to go toilet, but this bus is not stopping. 6.30 the moon is setting now and good morning to the sun, awesome and beautiful. At 7.30ish I go passed Gerd’s world record, I scream with joy and punish the air in victory. Then said sorry to my good friend Gerd who gave me the Splitter MK Race quick release that I’m using.
With 1.5 hours to go, I work the hard sand to the end and race back to camp for the last 10 minutes.
I finish with some time spare so I don’t go over 24 hours on the GPS’s , I feel good, not sore, hands are tender and I look like I’ve been though the washing machine.
A special thank to all my supporter’s, family, friends, Ozone Team and Kitezone NZ
We have two new World distance records. Dan on kite skates flying a Ozone 5m Frenzy and 8m Summit with 216km. I was in my kitezone minimax buggy, flying Ozone prototype race kites 2.3m, 3m and the 4m with 704 km.
This is what I sent Dan a week before, I think it’s quite fitting;
It’s better to look back on life and say: “I can’t believe I did that”. Than to look back and say: “I wish I did that”
Land kiting on, Pete Foulkes aka Gannet
Many congratulations Peter from popeyethewelder.com
https://www.flyozone.com/landkites/en/