Latest News, Blog & Videos
Ride with Blake | How to Jump Higher
How to Jump Higher Kiteboarding - Ride with Blake: Vlog 17
So you can jump, that's great! Now, you're wondering how to get more air. In this episode, Blake has 5 tips that will take you to the moon and back!
So here it is, five steps for you on how to jump higher with your kiteboard.Step one:
Have good board speed, a lot of people think that being overpowered will make the jump higher but that’s a common misconception. If you have to much power, you will get a lot of lateral jumps but n
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23rd Jun 2017
Ride with Blake | How to Ride Upwind in Light Wind
How to Ride Upwind in Light Wind - Ride with Blake: Vlog 16
For some, riding in light winds can be a little challenging. How can you ride upwind? Blake goes through the "Blake Necessities" on how to ride in lighter winds.
1. Get a big board or a foil
Look for something flatter with little rocker. Good suggestions are the North Spike, Cabrinha Stylus, or Liquid Force Overdrive.
2. Shorten the wind window in strong winds - keep within the power zone
3. Perform S-turns with
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31st May 2017
Ride with Blake | How To Transition on a Kiteboard
You've take a kiteboarding lesson and mastered the Waterstart that's awesome! However, there is one little problem... How do you go back the other way? Fear not, I've broken down the kiteboarding transition into five easy steps. The next time you hit the water give these a try and see if they help!Step one
Practice on the beach with a trainer kite. Visualization goes a long way with learning anything. If you can get your hands on it that's even better. I recommend taking a day
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5th May 2017
Ride with Blake | How To Jump on a Foilboard
With so many friends coming to visit recently, I haven't been working nearly as much as I should. The last week I've mostly logged a lot of hours at work. That said, I thought I would talk about a really fun event that takes place in Key West. The Havana Classic, a Hobie cat race from Key West to Havana Cuba. Last year a few close friends and myself followed the racers quite a ways out. We didn't make all the way to Cuba but it was an incredible experience non the less. One of my long term go
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28th Apr 2017
Ride with Blake | How to Ride Your Kiteboard Upwind
Hey folks! In the latest installment of MACkite’s Ride With Blake series, Blake Olsen chats about how to ride upwind - a critical skill in the learning process of kiteboarding for beginners.
Blake: Today’s lesson is on how to ride upwind. Once you get your first start, you end up going back and forth on the beach and you end up walking back up the beach, and that’s all part of the learning process. Everyone’s got to do it, so don’t worry about the walk of shame - we’ve all been there bef
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9th Apr 2017
Ride with Blake | How To Do a Back Roll Hand Drag Transition
The Back roll hand drag is possibly the most stylish way to transition
The last week in Key west has been epic. Exploring the islands with my kite, paddle boarding the mangroves and snorkeling the reef. The abundance of wildlife in the ocean never ceases to amaze me! For this week's blog I thought I would share five steps to nailing your first back roll hand drag transition. This is one of the most stylish ways you can transition with your kite. Like most kiteboarding trick
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31st Mar 2017
Ride with Blake | How to Throw an Inverted Front Roll
The inverted front roll is a slightly more advanced variation of the front roll.
The last few days in key West haven’t been that windy. In truth, it’s a much-needed break! I thought I would take a bike ride down to the White Street Pier and break down my favorite trick for you. The inverted front roll! One of the most fun aspects of our sport is taking these basic tricks and adding your own personal style to them. This is an intermediate level trick, that said if you can do three sta
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25th Mar 2017
Ride with Blake | Tips for Water Starting
So, you've taken a kiteboarding lesson or two and you're ready to try your first water start. That's awesome! Welcome to a new reality, my friend! I have five great tips for you to remember when you're first starting out.
Tip One
Learn to fly the kite in one hand. Kiteboarding is 80% flying the kite, so it's a no-brainer you should have some serious kite time under your belt. I recommend finding a clear area and just hanging out with a friend. Remember to keep your hand on the middle
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11th Mar 2017
Ride with Blake: How to Live on a Sailboat
In the second episode Blake gives us a glimpse into his life on a sailboat in Key West. Kite dreamsQuit your job, move somewhere south. Pick up a sailboat and spend your days kiteboarding with friends. Live a care-free life. It sounds impossible, I know. I'm here to tell you it's not. Four years ago I moved to the Florida Keys. Since then I've lived in more than a few apartments and surfed a lot of couches, some nicer than others. Along the way, I've learned a lot about myself and made
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2nd Mar 2017
Ride With Blake | How to Foilboard
Blake Olsen will be covering a variety of topics including trick tips and the basics behind foilboarding for the first time.
Foil boarding is beyond fun Many claim it's akin to snowboarding in endless powder. That said it can be intimidating for first timers looking to get on the water. I have a few tips to make the process easy and reduce those pesky crashes.Tip One
Keep your weight centered over your front knee. This is as simple as keeping your shoulders lined up with your fro
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25th Feb 2017
Blakes Travels C2SKY Kite Center
MACKite Location Review on C2SKY kite Center
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The location:
Location: Mũi Ne,Southern Vietnam, South China Sea. Nearest airport: Saigon (Ho Chi Min City) 4-6 hour bus ride. Season: November- April with winds all year. Wind: 25-35 knots Average kite size: 4-9m during windy season. Beach: Miles of sandy coastline with 27 kite schools. Break: Flat water close to shore and sandbar break with kickers 100 meters out. Kite School: 12 multilingual IKO i
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17th Nov 2016
Blake Olsen - A kiteboarding saga begins
Four years ago, I moved from Michigan in search of endless summer. I found a piece of paradise in Key West, Florida where you can Kiteboard in gorgeous, neon-blue water, ride with board shorts in January, and explore the southernmost islands of the Florida Keys.This winter was unusually windy and cool due to El Nino; as a result, temperatures stayed around the 70’s and the average wind speeds clocked in at around 15-25 mph. Locals who have lived in Key West for over 30 years said they have neve
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11th Apr 2016
Kiteboarding Video: Blake Olsen | Kiting Smathers Beach
Blake Olsen: Smathers Beach
Ah, Key West, Florida. Home to warmth, simple pleasures, and to Smathers Beach. If you have the gumption to wake up early, take a walk down the beach and catch the sunrise. Sit down and enjoy the sun, the waves, and the surf as you soak in that much-needed Vitamin D.
Sounds perfect, right? That's what our Team Rider Blake Olsen thought as well. As he catches a sunset sesh in the month of January, you'll see him pop, glide, and rock the big blue.
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13th Jan 2016