Tag Archives: Snowkiting

Snowkiters Will Harness the Wind, Soar During ‘Masters’ Event

DATE 02/19/2007 9:29 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Snowkiters Will Harness the Wind, Soar During ‘Masters’ Event

Ever wondered what would happen if you harnessed the wind? Come and see for yourself at the U.S. Open Ozone Snowkite Masters being held in Sanpete County March 3 to 4 at the top of Skyline Drive.

“This event will be the largest U.S.- based snowkiting event and will feature riders from all over the world in an all-out jam session,” says Brian Schenck, an instructor and owner of Windzup, a Utah snowkite company. Some of the best snowkiters on the globe will take part in the U.S. Open Ozone Snowkite masters and will soar across the spectacular terrain of Sanpete County’s Fairview Canyon. The free public event will include races and competitions, with riders showcasing both the freestyle potential of the sport as well as the backcountry side with Freeriding Expression Sessions, X/C Tours and a Winduro race.

There will also be free clinics, lessons, workshops and information sessions. Registration will be held at 11 a.m. each day. Some 100 snowkiters and at least that many spectators are expected to attend.

The event is designed to showcase the sport, and everything is free of charge, making it an excellent opportunity for the general public to try out snowkiting. The sport involves large kites pulling a skier or snowboarder across the snow and is one of the fastest-growing sports around.

The only thing growing faster than the sport’s popularity is Sanpete County’s reputation for having the best conditions in North America for snowkiting. These include acres of open flats and hills of every angle and direction.

Schenck adds that snowkiters from all over are particularly drawn to Fairview Canyon’s Skyline Drive, which has an altitude of 9800 feet and is known for its excellent snow and wind conditions.

Schenck is moving his company, Windzup, which he owns with his wife, Heather, to Mt. Pleasant City’s industrial park. The company has purchased a four-acre parcel of land and is relocating its primary offices and distribution warehouse to the area. The move will create a new world headquarters for Windzup, with all operations based in Sanpete County. In addition to corporate offices, Mt. Pleasant will be the new home to Windzup’s nationwide distribution facilities and in-house marketing.

“This year is shaping up to be an epic year for snowkiting, and our new 2007 kites are definitely taking rank in some of the best kites ever produced,” Schenck says.

More information about the U.S. Open Ozone Snowkite Masters event and a map of the location is available online at http://www.snowkiting.com/snowkitemasters/.

More information about Schenck’s company, Windzup is also available online athttp://www.windzup.com/.

# # #

For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Snowkite ‘Masters’ Set to Soar Along Skyline Drive

DATE 02/21/2006 7:15 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Snowkite ‘Masters’ Set to Soar Along Skyline Drive

Some of the world’s leading snowkiters will be in Sanpete County March 25 & 26 for the Ozone Snowkite Masters being held along Skyline Drive.

The free public event will feature snowkite races, demonstrations, freestyle and backcountry riding, clinics and workshops, information on the latest technology and more. Activities get underway at 10 a.m. both days, with a barbecue lunch being held each day.

The Snowkite Masters is being hosted by France’s Guillaume “Chasta” Chastagnol, one of the top snowkiters in the world. He is spending two months in Utah promoting the sport and exploring new snowkiting areas.

“This is the snowkite event of the season,” says Brian Schenck, who is helping organize the event. He is an instructor and owner of a snowkite company, Windzup, one of the only companies in the country that makes kites especially for the winter sport. “It’s a non-competitive event designed to showcase the sport, and everything is free of charge. It’s an excellent opportunity for the general public to try out snowkiting, everyone rides together and shares the experience.”

Snowkiting, one of the fastest-growing sports around, involves large kites pulling a skier or snowboarder across the snow. Recently, the sport was featured in news articles published in National Geographic’s Adventurer magazine, the New York Times, Men’s Journal and Utah’s Deseret Morning News.

“But it is still a relatively new sport, only five to six years old,” Schenck says. “We are still only at the beginning of where the sport can take us.”

And one of the most popular destinations for snowkiting enthusiasts is Skyline Drive, which has an altitude of 9800 feet and is located up Fairview Canyon. “It’s at the top of a mountain range, the snow and wind conditions are excellent, and it has mind-blowing terrain. It’s ideal. Skyline Drive has quickly become known in snowkiting circles as THE best spot in North America,” Schenck says.

He and his wife, Heather, “discovered” Skyline Drive for themselves a couple of years ago while searching for locations for good snowkiting. They were impressed by the acres of open flats and hills of every angle and direction. “It offered the perfect ride, no matter what,” he says.

Schenck expects about 100 snowkiters to attend, as well about more than 100 spectators and people interested in learning more about the sport.

A special highlight at the Snowkite Masters will be the Winduro kite race, an endurance challenge that pits kiters against the terrain and wind conditions. Kiters will chase each other along a downwind course across the Skyline Drive ridge. If the wind fails or riders choose a “bad line,” they must finish the race by kit or on foot.

For more information, visit the website: http://www.snowkiting.com/snowkitemasters .

# # # # # #

For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-250

Skip to content

On this website we use first or third-party tools that store small files (cookie) on your device. Cookies are normally used to allow the site to run properly (technical cookies), to generate navigation usage reports (statistics cookies) and to suitable advertise our services/products (profiling cookies). We can directly use technical cookies, but you have the right to choose whether or not to enable statistical and profiling cookies. Enabling these cookies, you help us to offer you a better experience.