Videos 2006

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The Molokai Challenge

The Molokai Challenge, a charity event designed to educate and motivate the youth of Hawaii, was held on July 22nd, and included 4 Best kites in the top 6 places. In addition to John’s 1st place finish, the three-man Best Team consisting of Paul Schrommer, Gian Saetti, and Josh Masslon, finished 4th, 5th, and 6th respectively (team Naish Paul Franco-2nd & Jim Bones-7th) .

The riders launch from the West side of Maui, crossing an 8-mile wide section of the Pailolo channel, landing on the east end of Molokai, in Kamalo (for the 1st check in). This is the amateur portion of the race.

The Pro race is from Maui to Kamalo, and then onto the Hotel Molokai in the Kanakakai Harbor. This leg is 13 miles straight downwind, 30 miles as the kiter tacks. Kamalo to Kanakakai is a very windy stretch, with reef on one side, shore line on the other and flat windy water in the middle. Top riders plan on 50 to 100 kite loops on this stretch.Here is John’s writeup of the event:

This year’s Maui to Molokai Crossing shifted to Pirate Rules early.

At launch time the wind line was barely visible from West Maui’s Embassy Suites Beach Park. Painfully light 2-3 mph southerly winds filled in place of northeasterly trades.

“…The wind line is at least 2 miles off shore … but there is wind … trades.” said Paul Franco.

“The first guy to the wind line will win,” said John Holzhall.

Event Producer, Clare Mawae said, “Start time came and went with no chance of wind launch … we had to shift to Pirate Rules.”

Pirate rules mean do whatever you can to get across. The first guy there is the winner.

Laughter filled the beach and the heckling began as KITEs Method author, John Holzhall hit the water with a 12 Waroo.

John had his kite in self-rescue position, his bar tied down to his board. He was trying to pull himself to the wind line, then he was planning on doing the very technical Center Line Slide.

“…They were all laughing at him, but I knew he would make it, I knew the race just started,” said Paul Franco.

“…When you hear Pirate Rules, you either wait until the wind line comes to you, or you go to the wind line,” says John. Here is how he breaks down the Slide: Bungee the bar in place on the board. Self rescue to the wind line. Let enough line out on the high side to keep the kite on the water. Slide down the center lines using the harness hook as a break. Hook into the harness and release the bungee

Shortly after John launched, Maui’s top instructor Paul Franco caught a southerly gust and launched off the beach. Riders were pumped up, then Paul’s kite fell out of the sky, but Paul didn’t turn back, he some how made it to his kite and headed towards the wind line in self rescue mode with the board attached to the bar….after a few miles… Paul finds the wind! and then he slides back down his center lines back to his bar & board, relaunching the kite and arriving at Molokai with plenty of time to play… behind John but way ahead of the rest of the competitors…….

Paul Franco, looking for wind. Photo: Lucia Livoti.

North West

A few veteran riders and Team Best were set up at DT Fleming’s beach park on Maui’s upper west side.

They were gambling that the wind would fill in there earlier than Embassy Suits beach. They were right and as soon as race officials called pirate rules, a dozen riders hit the water. It didn’t take long before the pack at Embassy Suites saw kites at DT Flemings. They quickly de-rigged and moved, the race was on. Team Best were quickly out in front.

Once in the wind, the action was good. John hit the wind line an hour before the front pack launched. “I thanked God when I hit the wind line, then I did the slide. My bar was perfect, I was beyond stoked!” said John.

“They were both way out there, then we saw John’s kite go up and the guys on the beach went nuts…no kiter wanted to ride a ferry over, we were all kiting over,” said Jim Bones.

Tough Choice for Best

“We saw John deep downwind, Paul was a bit closer, they were both catchable,” says Gian, “But we had a tough choice, our rescue boat was an hour away and our photographer was on it, we decided to wait.”

Holzhall had made it across the channel to Kamalo, the first check in. “I got to the first finish and asked the guys on the boat if anyone else had launched…they said no…I was bummed. The wind was perfect, I had a smoke’n 30 mile down wind reef run left and it looked like I was going to ride solo. I knew that couldn’t be right, I knew Paul and Bones (Jim Bones) had to be on their way,” said Holzhall

He was right: Paul Franco had launched and was half way across the channel.

“We took off after our boat arrived, we saw them hit Kamalo. John had a huge lead, but he is no spring chicken and I am. I knew we could make the time up in the straightaway,” said Paul Shrommer.

“I got to Hotel Molokai and saw Paul’s girlfriend in the crowd, she told me that at least three guys launched and had passed the first check in and six more were coming in, I looked up wind and saw Paul Franco and Ovi’s kite coming downwind fast,” says Holzhall. “I was stoked, but I realized that I could easily lose the race so I hauled ass.”

Holzhall powered into the final finish with a comfortable lead, the race was now for second. Ovi beat Paul to the first check in….?, (Franco skipped the first check in boat and got carried away riding waves for at least 15min…)   but Franco had recovered and still beat Ovi around the harbor wall to the finish.

Team Best closed in like rain, said Franco. “I looked up and they were about to drop down on me”.

Team Best came in 4th , 5th and 6th.

Paul Franco-2nd Team Naish and Ovi-3rd.

In all, 49 out of 52 kiters made it to the first check in. The one kiteboat in the event did not make it, and best count is that 6 out of 34 windsurfers made it to the first leg.

- John Holzall

Congratulations again to all brave riders!