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Editor/Publisher |
John Barresi |
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Assistant Editor |
Dave Shattuck |
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Directors-at-Large |
Troy Gunn
Central USA |
Al Stroh
Southwest USA |
Al Hargus
Midwest USA |
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Contributors: |
David Gomberg |
Rob Vreeland |
Lee Park |
Debbie Park |
Ajay Prakash |
Robert Valkenburgh |
Lam Hoac |
Steve Santos |
Gustavo Di Si |
Lucy Burningham |
Stephen Trimble |
Robert Brasington |
Scott Skinner |
Jose Sainz |
Alan Cunningham |
Bunnie Twidwell |
Terry D. Cornell |
Jason Benedict |
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Founder |
Mike Gillard
1954-2006 |
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It's been a lonely winter holed up here in Oregon without any kite festivals to attend... But, we've been busy getting in touch with people from all over the world in our efforts to stimulate and connect the kiting community as a whole. As a global body, we're in a year of rebuilding and are poised to redefine and reinvent ourselves, as well as how we reach the general public with this wonderful pastime we call kiting. |
| There is a recurring theme coming to the surface again and again this year... Grassroots and "organic" projects focusing on setting up festivals and competition with a minimal budget, making them accessible cost-wise, and encouraging an influx of fresh faces with programs tailored to the new participants! People all over the country are taking personal responsibility for kiting in their area... It might be time to ask, what can you do to help? |
| This will surely the busiest year of my young life with over a dozen festivals on the Kitelife Tour for 2005, beefing up our bi-monthly issues, joining the AKA Sport Kite Committee, expanding our archival projects and flying with a brand new sport kite team based in Vancouver WA... I'm not complaining mind you, and I look forward to every step in each of these tasks. |
| We'll be providing daily updates from more events than ever this year, with day-by-day coverage and photos from KTAI, Wildwood, the World Sport Kite Championships, WISKF and the AKA Grand Nationals... Always an extremely popular feature of our site, you can count on tons of exciting content from each of these. |
| I'm also pleased to say that the Kite Lines archival project is underway... We've secured two full collections (thanks to Harold Ames and Felix Cartagena) which we'll be scanning and processing into full color PDF format and archiving on the Kitelife site for all to view! These will be available for download free of charge, and will provide an incredible resource for plans, articles, interviews and much more spanning from 1977 to 2000. |
| With nearly 3,000 pages and 50 issues in 13 volumes, this is the largest undertaking we've ever had here at Kitelife... But oh, so worth it! If you would like to assist us in this project, please consider becoming an official subscriber and take an active role in helping us reach new levels of kite media on the world wide web. |
| Our goal is to make available one volume (four issues) at a time, in-between our regular bi-monthly issues... Look for the first volume to be posted sometime in mid to late February! |
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AKA Corner
A word from the president, giving us the latest news from the AKA's efforts to standardize world kite records, such as those with Guinness. |
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Dave's World
The Gombergs and friends visit the KTAI trade show in Primm, Nevada where the newest products are first introduced to your local shops! |
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Join the Team
Our staff here at Kitelife extends a heartfelt invitation to share your experiences, your insights, your knowledge, and your delight in kiting. |
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Letters to the Editor
We love to hear from our readers... Critique or praise, we read and reply to every single letter, sharing them here with you whenever possible. |
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ProFile: Aerial Experience
Lee and Debbie Park talk with us about the delights of training, world-wide travel, and flying in front of audiences as a way of life. |
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Full Circle... Got Kites?
At a time when kiting seems to be in a decline in the USA, people nationwide are looking at going "back to roots" and building from the ground up. |
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ProFile: Robert Valkenburgh
Robert Valkenburgh is into breaking old ground, by bringing "Windmusic" back into kite flying... Does your kite sing to you? Robert's does! |
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Tangents w/out Trivia
Al Hargus takes a look at the history of modern kiting, why people get started, and some of the reasons fliers disappear from the sport over time. |
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Kites at Super Bowl XXXIX
Kiting gets an opportunity for exposure to an estimated 10 million fans worldwide, doubling the reasons to watch this year's Super Bowl! |
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ProFile: Rob Vreeland
Power Kiting offers extreme views which photographers love, and Rob Vreeland is certainly one of the best Power-Shooters around! |
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Remembering Cris Batdorff
Insight into the life and times of SKQ's founder and editor, a man who saw great things in the world of sport kiting and shared it with the world. |
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Team Tirades: Manuevers
Veteran team flier Al Hargus shares his experience and takes us step by step through two classic team manuevers, and a bit of the history behind them. |
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Milking the Breeze - Part 2
Following up on last issue's dual line article, this segment is devoted to handling and further enjoying your quad line kite in light winds. |
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Empty Spaces: Merv Cooper
Memorium to a dear friend who shared the skies with us for many years at events all over the country, his presence will be sorely missed. |
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International Goa Kite Carnival
International correspondant Ajay Prakash takes us on an exotic journey to Goa India for their international festival and some amazing sights. |
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Wind Party in Buenos Aires
These folks put a great festival together from scratch down in Buenos Aires, Argentina... And they've never seen a kite festival before! |
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Contours in Utah
Brolly Arts invites famed kite maker Robert Brasington to help educate adults and children about Great Salt Lake birds and Ornithology. |
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Newport's First Night
The crew from High Flyers Kite Company partners with the City of Newport to promote and educate the public about kite flying. |
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Festival/Comp Schedules
Looking for an event? You can find full schedules and contact information for events all over the country on the web sites listed here. |
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Up the River Indoor Festival
Oregon welcomes a brand new indoor kite festival to the Pacific Northwest featuring competition, demonstrations and lots on fun flying for all! |
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Zilker Park Kite Festival
Located just outside of Austin Texas, this event features competition and a bevy of premier kite fliers from all over the United States. |
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World Kite Museum - Feb/Mar
The WKM offers kiting programs and workshops throughout the year, both in celebration and in the effort to further educate the public. |
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Lincoln City Indoor Festival
Take a cruise down the beautiful Oregon coast and fly kites with some of the best fliers in the country, both indoor and outdoors. |
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Richmond/Washington RSKC
True to the theme of rebuilding sport kite competition in the United States, the RWRSKC is making it more accessible via a brand new event. |
Photo Collections
(added since last issue) |
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We offer a wide variety of kite related apparel through our shop at CafePress with the Kitelife logo, Kitengruven, Quadengruven, Shut Up and Fly, WWJF, and even offerings from our very own sponsored performance team, iQuad! |
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