Seb Garat: News Mexico.

Hi
Last Week, I was in Playa del Carmen, in Mexico during the MINI Kiteboard World Cup. Freestylers Alberto Rondina and Myself been invited by the local crew to make some Freestyle show between the Races.


It was not that windy but we still be able to ride 2 days and make some awesome pictures with the crystal clear blue water of Playa Del Carmen.


Watch out also the pics where I seat on Julien's Board while I'm riding ! Pretty Funny.




I'm already back to France now, and Festikite starts tomorrow at home. I'll be there for Kite Demo's and RRD Kites and Boards test !


Cheers !
Seb

Seb Garat: got 6th at Mondial Du Vent - report

After a bad start on the 1st event in Morocco, I had a much better competition here in France, almost at home.
Many competitors registred for this event, and the first day of competition was only for the trials. As I was still in the top 8, I could keep my energy for the main event!



On Sunday, we started the single elimination in a very strong wind. These day, I pumped only my 6 and 7 meters Obsession Pro on the beach. I think the wind was blowing over 40 in the gusts!
I met the Austrian rider Mike Shitzofer in my First heat of the day. We both were overpowered on our 6m kite, but I still manage to crash less than him and passed this heat.



On the next one, I met the Liam Whaley who just had beat Youri Zoon in his previous heat. I crashed way too much on my heat, and had trouble trying to keep control of my kite in the very strong wind. Liam landed a lot of tricks and beat me !
We had to wait until wednesday that the Tramontane wind came back to finish the double elimination. I met first Patrick Blanc from spain. This young rider rode very well, but I win over him with more power in my tricks.


Then I met the dominican rider Ariel Corniel in the fight for the 6th place. The wind was good for my Obsession Pro 10,5 in this heat. I had my best heat of the comp, and scored a 48 points heat. With the new scoring system, only the 7 best tricks count, and we have 12 attempts maximum per heat. And each trick has a note between 0.1 and 10. That mean that my average tricks note in this heat was over 6,8.

Than I met Youri Zoon for the 5th place heat. I went still on my 10,5 Ob Pro in this heat, and was perfectly powered during the 2 first tacks of my heat. Then the wind totally dropped and Youri could make some tricks at the end of the competition area as I had my board under the water ! I expected the race direction to cancel the heat and to re-run it in decent conditions, but it didn't goes this way and I lost...



I was just frustrated that I couldn't express myself in this last heat. Anyway, I finish 6th on the second event of the year. I'm sure I can get better if I ride in good conditions and reach the top 5. That's my goal for the next event in Holland in May.



While I was Freestyling, my windsurf Team mate Antoine Albeau was racing against the kite on the Speed challenge, fighting every run for the victory, and in the end he took a good 3rd place.
Congrats !
Cheers, and thanks for support.
Seb

Seb Garat: PKRA Morocco report

Last week I was in Dakhla. A windy spot lost in the desert, in the south of Morroco.

For the 1st PKRA event, we had a new Scoring System. We are not anymore judged on an overall impression:

In a 7 minutes long heat, the judges will pick the best 7 tricks and we have 12 attempts maximum to score that. As every trick have now a note on 10, we will push more in term of technicity, lower kite position, more speed and more power...

We now have to perform more "Quality" tricks than "Quantity". This new scoring system want to push us to take our time before a trick. I'm sure this new scoring system will bring some new excitement in the competition. As a new system, we will have to make some adjustement on it for sure...

And now we got a result more concrete with a note at the end. On the Single elimination, I rode my 10,5 Obsession Pro, pretty well powered by the Dakhla Wind! In 1/8 final Against Spiesburger I had a 

really close heat but lost 43,6 points against 44,8. My best trick of this heat was a massive back mobe that I perform very powered, and with the kite low! I got a 6,8 on this trick. But then, the average
of my tricks was a little bit below Spiesburger ones...

Unfortunately, the double elimination has been runned in very light wind conditions.
I was able to beat the Morrocan champion "Hassouni" in my first round, riding my biggest kite, the Obsession Pro 13,5. But as the heat passed, the wind dropped again and in the next round, I was not enough powered even with my big kite. I was against Liam Whaley, the young boy. With it's 55kg only, he was able to ride and do some tricks while I couldn't express myself...

This is the disappointing part of the competition.

Now i'm really looking forward to the next competition that will start this week end in France, Leucate. One hour away from home... Strong wind for strong mens !!!
Keep posted !

Seb Garat Training and Enjoying Cape Town.

I came to meet Roberto and the local RRD Crew in South Africa to enjoy the place, riding and training for the upcoming Freestyle PKRA Season starting soon in Morocco !

I met the local rider Luke McGillewie with who I'm riding those days !
LIfe's hard down there as we have to go SUPING the Morning while waiting for some wind... !

Enjoy with those few pictures.
Cheers
Seb

Julien and Seb in Cape Verde

Strappless action in Cape Verde for Julien Kerneur on his RRD Religion MKII and RRD Maquina...

Go Julien go!!!

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Seb and Julien on the road to Cabo Verde

Red alert in France: super cold is incoming all over the Europe, so our RRD French champions decided to have a look around in search of warmer conditions to train...

...it seems they found a good couple of ticket to Cabo Verde, 

and that's where we'll find them soon...

Stay tuned on our RRD channels...

Garat Bros: who is who?

Here you can find the Garat brothers during a summer training session.

Sebastien and Valentin Garat in action...

Watch it and then tell us... Who's Who???

Seb Garat PKRA NC Report

The last PKRA event of the year took place on one of the best spot of the planet for a Freestyle Competition.

I decided for this last event, to ride with boots, as the spot is perfectly flat, and you can really push the power and the style with the bindings.

The 1st day of competition (Wednesday), we say the locals trying to get a spot in the main event during the trials. Then the main ladder started with the 2 first round. As I’m in the top 8, I started only in the 2nd round, and met one of the best local guy, Mickel Dinclaux.

I’ve been riding pretty well on this first heat, riding my 9 RRD Obsession Pro fully powered with the 25 knots of perfect wind! With almost no mistake in this heat, I advanced easily to the 1/4 final.

The end of the single has been completed on the 2nd day. This day, the wind was a bit crapicious, had turn a bit, and was lighter than usual, and a bit gusty. Really different from what we are used to on this spot. I had to go out on my 12 agaist Pastor (the only rider with me to ride with boots.). But I had one of wy worst heat ever this day. 

Then, on Friday, for the 3rd day, the race director decided to complete the double elimination as the wind was supposed to die the next day. I had to run first against Ewan Jaspan from Oz. Then I passed against Reno Romeu (Brasil) against who I had a really good heat.

Then came the hardest part of the job, as I met Youri Zoon who lost prematurely in the single for the 1st time of the year. I been pretty consistent, and strong in this heat, and thought I could have take the win. But the win went to Youri with a very close heat. 

I loosed my heat against Youri, butI won the people's choice contest (kind of game on the PKRA Web Page where everybody could vote for their favorite rider, and the best 2 peoples had a Super Session in New Cal Event.) again  with Youri Zoon.
SO I did one super session withYouri against Me. That you can see and vote for me here : http://live.prokitetour.com/
And I'm first so far with the last votes...

All in all
I finished this last event with a 6th place. And passed from the 7th to the 6th place on the overall Ranking, passing Reno Romeu. I’m just 20 points behind my mate Tom Hebert. 

Pretty good end of season for me. 

  

I really enjoyed riding with my new C kites this year, I can see they made me improving my riding style and my general Power.
Riding with the boots here was also a good thing.


Wants to thank RRD my main sponsor for the perfect gear they provide to me, and I can’t wait for the next year PKRA schedule to see where I will ride my RRD Obsession Pro’s.

Cheers Everyone, wish you good winds for Christmas

Seb Garat