USA Wind Sports is taking you to Kazan Russia with Ravil Muslyumov
Ravil’s kite addiction started in Egypt in Feb 2001 or 2002. He was so impressed by kite jumps of competitors at 3-d Red Sea Cup in Safaga that he immediately bought second hand kite – 16m Fuel \ C kite in 2000 produced probably\ for 1000$ and used custom Take Off board. For 200$. A guy who sold me the stuff charged me to extra 50$ for one hour kite lesson and then immediately vanished)). We departed to winter Kazan. He couldn’t wait the summer to try kiting at home at Volga river. Ravil had no idea that time how bad is my inland wind consisting in summer mostly from thermal gusts and turbulence. Ravil was or overdosed or my old C kite just fell down dead. So he gave up and prefer more common windsurfing for that type of wind.
Next time Ravil came back to kites happened in winter in the beginning of 2004 when local Paraavis Kites dealer Damir Valeev gave me and other folks to try B2 foil kite on skies, and this opened real snowkite era in Kazan. We started to explore huge frozen Volga and Kama river spaces. That winter with 3 others we were the first ones who made 100km snowkite marathon from Kama river to Kazan.. And also I made the first attempt to snowkite local terrain. I was very bad surprised by unwanted lifting off by turbulence. It looked totally crazy and unsafe so I decided to wait and come back later and continued explorations of flats.
Farther and faster! I began to take part in all happening Russian snowkite events – races and marathons. . It was really inspiring time – all events were new and happened first time.
This is just short list – Rybinskiy Horizons in Cherepovetc city, Peterburg Forts and WISSA in S.Peterburg, Gigulevskoe Sea Marathon in Tolyatti city , 100km Imandra Lake Marathon in Montchegorsk.But my mind was still thinking about kiting at terrain. And in 2006 Ravil seen announcement about upcoming in Feb Royal Battle event organized by Ozone at amazing Lagonaki Plateau in Caucasus Mts Of course Ravil was in! He grab his kites – 2 handle race Elf kites 4m and 10m Respect and 7m B2 and off to the races he went.
The first experience shocked me. The wind was 30 to .45 mph I took out my 4m handle Respect. I could do only one ride- mostly downwind and when tried to land got epic fail.. All lines was tangled and became a full mess).
Thanks to Slava Voroshilov -Ozone Russia rep. He gave me to try Ozone Access The first time I snowkited real terrain .in high mountains Exciting and lifetime memorable ride. Even proriders of other Russian kite brands preferred to kite there only on Ozone Frenzy. Ravil seen there even 90mph wind. No kiting , just observing – it was scared experience . Once Ravil tried kiting in mountains then you got sick of flat terrain and are thinking only how to ride there again So in the same year April Ravil went to snowkite trip to Russian Far North West – to Khibiny Mts . He kited with local guide Sergey Lavrentiev – thanks to him for sharing with us his spots near Monchegorsk and Kirovsk cities and Teriberka town.. The crown and most exciting of NW destination became snowkiting at Rybachiy Peninsula. Later Ravil kited at Elbrus Mt- at plateau situated between Barrels 3850m and Shelter of 11 -4200m.
In 2010 -11 Ravil began to discover snowkite America. Ravil took part in North America Snowkite Tour competitions in amateur division. Dillon Lake Open, Super Fly Open , Snowkite Soldiers- were cool events. Ravil made alot of friends over this trips . Ravil was so thankful for their hospitality and support. To kite with strangers from different countries and especially very thankful to Dennis Garoutte from Canon city CO who was the first who introduced me snowkite America…Also in Jan 2011 during European freeride trip with Konstantin Platov snowkited at Lautaret Pass in France. It s funny but only after America trips He started to search for and explore local Kazan snowkite terrains.. Kazan locals ride only flats. Ravil figured out that the best snowkite terrains are paraglide spots! Even in my plain area I found nearby Kazan my mini Strawberry, Skyline and even Bondurant spots.It came true my another dream in last winter March -to snowkite Skyline. UT where he met up with Leo Chan Utah’s most consistent kiter. In the Spring of April 2015 another long time kept trip idea was done – Ravil snowkited at Polar Urals Mts. It’s Russian Far North area . Ravil got a week of coolest terrain snowkiting at Sob river racing at the top of Sob Mt with wild deers!. As far as Ravils Dreams or plans to kite for future? Before I die?)- To make Round The World snowkite trip including Europe, Norway and Russian NorthUS North West AK and WO and Montana – Snowkite Jam Alaska. Jackson Hole New Zealand – Snowfarm.. one Summit on snow..Of course to do this I need a little help of my friends over the world – especially in such exotic places like NZ and Aussie.Not enough? More bigger dream ? – To snowkite Antarctic! Even more bigger?! Something that sounds absolutely crazy? – to snowkite at Mars glacers!!
https://www.facebook.com/ravil.muslyumov
