After a very hectic summer I have a few weeks to relax and enjoy some time at home. From early December I have been fully booked for lessons, demos and contests.

For December and January I was based at Orakei Korako, Cave and Thermal parked. Being based on the water’s edge this year saw a huge influx to the number of lessons and camps that I could hold. Holding regular camps for 2 different age groups, 9-13 and 14-19. Also dedicating time for the Enzeel team riders kept me on my toes for Dec and Jan. The boat ran great and the Demo gear supplied by Koenraad from Liquid Force took a hammering with most kids off to get new set ups.

On that note. After dominating the NZ nationals in Feb 07, The team has continued to grow and dominate the NZ contest and free ride seen. With major notables, Talor Walters and Nick Gibson. Nick also finishing 3^rd at the World champs in Qatar in the juniors.

Even though I mainly focus on the juniors here in NZ, I also put through a few adults that are more on the social side of riding. But Obviously I enjoy them just as much.

The outstanding support this year from not only sponsors but from the New Zealand wakeboard community has only fueled my ambitions of continuing the development of riding here.

One of the developments of Enzeel Wakeboard has been to work alongside Wakeboard New Zealand, the governing body. They organized funding from a sporting foundation to run three camps for 2 days each. Supplying location, fuel, food and students. This was a great opportunity to reach out to riders and families that I had not previously met. The camps were another success for the summer and I am looking forward to continuing on with WNZ in the future.

In mid January I helped sponsor the Mastercraft groms competition by donating my boat and driving for the event. The event was a huge success with a high level of riding and rider parent turn out. The boat was on a great display and had many great comments about her.

In early February I made the move to the South Island. Hitting up my local river with my Team riders was a welcome site. The Wairau River is always a special place as this is where I spent so many hours back in the early riding days.

Next stop was a trip off to my favorite lake in the country with a group of friends and to show off the boat of course. Rotoiti is renown for its glassy days in late Feb with the bonus of being quite vacant with kids having been back in school for a couple of weeks.

Then onto Lake Brunner for some coaching with a strong adult cliental I have there. Once again the sun was shining there. Which I find common in late Feb. Normally Brunner has about 300 days of rain there. Since the weather was so good my girlfriend and I decided to hang out and enjoy the butter for a couple of extra days.

From there it was time to head to the Southern Lakes Free ride contest on Lake Dunstan in the deep south of the South Is. We took a few extra days for the drive on the beautiful West coast route. Stopping where ever we felt to camp the night.

Old Cromwell provided the perfect backdrop for quite possibly the best contest in the South Island. There were 45 riders and a large number of locals turned out to support the event. Enzeel Team rider Guy Robinson took first in the Juniors and myself with the win in the Masters division. Definitely looking forward that event each season.

The trip north back to Brunner and the finally Blenheim is a very scenic one with a few stops at the lakes for some free riding.

THE REMAINING 4 WEEKS.

Taking a week for myself at the moment to catch up on some emails and book keeping, but then its back into coaching mode. Another WNZ clinic and some local coaching on the Wairau. In mid march I will travel back up to Orakei Korako to get my Team riders ready for NZ Nationals which is on March 27^th. I leave for Florida April 1^st.

Hope all is well with you. Look forward to seeing you soon..

KURT

 www.enzeelwakeboard.com