Couple rounds in Hip-Notics

I have had GoPro Hero3 about 3 months, but I haven't filmed a lot.

Now I'm in cable park Hip-Notics Turkey and was testing little bit. I install camera to helmet and when I found right view of angle, it looks almost like you would be riding yourself. I mean readers of my blog who haven't tested cable-wakeboarding, it looks something like this by view of rider.
I'm not doing any special or amazing tricks in this video, just riding around and using some obstacles to have a fun, just what wakeboarding should be!
Maybe it's possible also to see, what kind of nice riding place is HIP-NOTICS!!

Hip-Notics warm up!

I had a chance to go for 3 days to Hip-Notics before Easter. Meaning was to get used to riding again in real cable.

From Russia it’s easy to find cheap flights to Istanbul e.g. by Aeroflot  St. Petersburg – Istanbul – St Petersburg.

From Istanbul to Antalya and back e.g. by Atlasjet 61€!!!

If you must stay night in Istanbul I recommend to use some internet services e.g. Agoda.

I found really near from the airport “Istanbul Gonen Hotel”, it is 5 stars and almost new. I got it from Agoda special price 71€/night, in reception of the hotel I checked normal prices; 360€/night!!!

Hotel was nice, but not for 360€/night. They tried still to charge me, they told that you can’t pay via internet, if you were using Agoda and I must pay now by my credit card. I was sure I paid it already and I told it quite clearly and then they were apologizing sorry sorry. Maybe unintentionally, but I don’t trust anybody.)) Also funny that the next question was that you're not first time in Turkey.... Yes I'm not and I know how you try to cheat me!

Taxi from airport to hotel is 5-10 min and about 10 TL (4€) by taxi meter, don’t pay more, for sure they try to get more!

Just beside of the hotel is big discount center, so if you’re traveling with girlfriend or wife you can make them happy. If you want to economy; Arrive to hotel late evening and leave before 10am.))

If you're traveling from Finland better to check last minute trips, it’s possible to find straight flights Helsinki – Antalya - Helsinki sometimes 200€ including even hotel, where I have never been.))

Then rent a car and you’re free to go where you want. If you book a car from internet, it’s waiting in the airport and costs about 20-25€/day. Gasoline is expensive in Turkey about 2€/liter.

Well Hip-Notics was like always (only without Jamie Smith), little bit colder than my last times, but I've been there normally in May. Now trainer in Hip-Notics is James Young and must to say that cool guy and riding too. I shot some pics of his riding session:

James Young

James Young and 315

It was nice to ride 2 full days, now it’s time to recovery little bit, body hurts everywhere... well I will be back there again 23.3 and will stay full week.

Me and tail press

My nose press

Swedish wakeskating!

German wakeskating

Evenings in Hip-Notics!!

Now recovering and after a few days I'm back in Hip-Notics!

New Star by Quiksilver and Nokia in Igora

Last Saturday was New Star happening in Igora (SPb) Russia sponsored by Nokia and Quiksilver.

Hans Kestilä on the wall!

I got invitation to join, NOT really to ride))), these kind of kickers are no longer like my kind of old farts, I got just VIP-pass to watch and shoot photos! Big thanks to organizers, VIP-pass was really necessary (outside temperature was about -12 C), there was nice big tent where to warm with food, hot drinks etc..

I went already on Friday to check the place and a new kicker. Also I wanted to meet Hans Kestilä my old riding friend from Tampere (FIN), who got invitation to participate to competition with 2 other Finnish guys; Petja Piiroinen and Henri Laakkonen.
Guys were just starting first jumps, when I came. Kicker was HUGE!
I asked; are the kickers nowadays always so big; They told that kickers themselves maybe not, but this is maybe very peacefully, but table actually not very long!!??

Anna Moskal  164cm and kicker ???cm

Friday's training session they were jumping just peacefully, stylish and grabbed 540's, 360's and some corks. Session was in the evening and bright lights were disturbing a bit visibility of landing (not badly). Looks like everybody liked the kicker.

On Saturday I arrived about 12:45 and Finnish guys and others were just starting their training session, it was fast over, they got just 3 jumps. They told that they arrived 10 am and now they got their 3 jumps.))) It's like always in whatever contests, lot of waiting and only little bit riding.))
Actually I got training session photo of every guy, who were then top 5 in final results:

Petja Piiroinen

Marius Scafferer

Henri Laakkonen

Hans Kestilä

Alexey Sobolev

There were also new school skiers participating in their category and must to say that they are really making cool things nowadays. Just spinning to every direction, making switch and tweaking and grabbing. Their jumps are so big, somehow even bigger than snowboarder's jumps.
Snowboard spins I can still read somehow, I mean how much they are spinning, but skiers spins I can't!!

Pavel

There was also my friend Pavel Karamysev (SPb) participating and he was 3rd in tough competition.

Results: 1. Thomas Ritsch (31) 2. Rene Schawabl (34) 3. Pavel Karamysev (26)

Congratulations!!

Then back to snowboarding!
Program of contest was following; Qualifications, Semifinals and only 5 guys to Finals.
Petja Piiroinen won Qualifications and was second in Semi's loosing just 0,4 points. I was watching and photoing with Finnish eyes))) and for me Semifinal results were not right!! Anyway really great that whole Finnish group got to the finals. In finals were 1 Russian, 1 Norwegian and 3 Finnish!
Finals I just somehow lost (maybe warm tent and drinks were even too nice), I saw only last round. Anyway there were double corks, 1080's, nice tweaked grabs etc... Happening was great. We spent whole day over there and tent was really necessary.))
Some photos from semifinals:

Petja

Alexey

Henri

Results:  (from right1. Alexey Sobolov 2. Petja Piiroinen 3. Henri Laakkonen 4. Hans Kestilä 5. Marius Scafferer

My congratulations to all finalists!

Petja's spraying style

Hans and Henri spraying, when Petja and Alexey speaking Russian. Spray of Marius is not very strong.))

Näihin kuviin, näihin tunnelmiin! 

Trip to WinterWake Tartu Estonia

NGO AK Rahinge Wake-club organized 23.2. WinterWake contest in Estonia Tartu. http://winterwake.rahinge.ee/?lang=en
I got invitation and decided to participate, even that I don't like contests. Normally lot of waiting and little riding. Well this time I didn't wait at all, but still little riding.)))
We traveled already on Friday first to Tallinn by Silja Cruise Liner.

We had buffet-dinner and really fun!

My companionship was focused to make something really fun and interesting.)))

In Tallinn my friend Mika Tuupola was waiting and accommodated us. Really big thanks to Mika! I just met Mika first time in ThaiWakePark January and now he accommodated us and drived to Tartu and back (about 200km/direction). Wake family is big!

Mika and his cat

On Saturday morning drive to Tartu and pool wakeboarding!!

Size of pool was good 50x25m and information was that will be Wakestation 2.0 cable, kicker and slider. Because of 2 obstacles I knew that maybe flat tricks are impossible to make. Anyway sounds really nice!

WakeStation pillar in the corner

This picture is from finals, when operator pulled riders already near the corner.

It's really something great, that somebody organizes these kind of happenings. Possible to ride little bit in winter. All things were organized really well and big thanks to organizers!! Free participating to contest, free accommodation,  free food and drinks!!! COOL!
Some criticism: Cables was installed from corner to corner, what was the biggest mistake. Simple there wasn't really enough space after landing and cable operator had to stop cable always immediately after landing.
The second mistake was too BIG kicker, especially for this kind of small space. I have seen as big in Singapore Ski360, all you who has been there now what I'm talking about.
Big kicker and really low roof and its balks bring more extreme to this game!
Especially in the beginning operator was also still training how to use cable in pool and speed was sometimes so small, that you couldn't jump over the other side of kicker.

My contest:
I came to swimming pool little bit too late and they were already calling my name from loudspeakers. So I had to go straight to the pool and be the first who was riding. I made couple warm up runs and some hs bs 360 from kicker and slider was really nice, easy to make some presses. Anyway I didn't like too slow speed, big kicker and in that the cable stopped too early in corners.
Then in qualifications I couldn't land my tricks from kicker and that's it.))) I tried even to make really small backroll to revert from water and I landed it perfectly, but out from the pool, scary!))
I knew that not chances to get finals! So not waiting, but only little bit riding.)))

Other Finnish group who were there: Santtu Sander, Markus Heikkilä and Kristiina Nyman were riding much better than me; all of them.
They were waiting whole day, because their turn was the last. At least operator knew already better how the cable works, speed was better and had possible to ride more far to corners.
After all Kristiina Nyman won woman gategory and Markus Heikkilä got to the finals.
Kristiina made nice ts fr 540 and stylish slider riding like always and Markus did really nice ts fr 720 and some fronflips from kicker in qualifications, but couldn't repeat them so clean in finals and wasn't in podium.

Kristiina showed her nice butt to us and got for sure some points for this nice press.))

Markus and nose press

Markus and Slingshot (huom. suomeksi RITSA)))

Santtu and ritsa

Santtu and roof balks start to be near!!

Somebody with ritsa

After contest there was still official afterparty, but even that we had hotels and everything we decided to drive back to Tallinn. Mika Tuupola has nice apartment in center of Tallinn and here some pictures at night and morning.

About Swimming pool wakeboarding:
In Russia St. Petersburg we have good possibilities during winter to ride almost every evening in the pool. Russian water sport pioneers have had home-made cable in pool already maybe 30 years. They have trained back in the days Trick-waterskiing and nowadays wakeboarding.
Check one clip of my riding in St. Petersburg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gw-uC-1vi8

Riding, barbecue, friends, memories etc... from Thai Wake Park

I'm already back in cold Russia, but mind still in Thailand.))
I met so lot of new and old friends. Only waiting when I will get back. SOON I hope!

Me and gap with indy grab

My days in Thailand could be boring for some "normal" people, but some people understand that make it simple and make what do you like.
Here are some photos from those "boring days", when just riding, hanging around near of the park and having some barbecue dinners in luxury villa of one Finnish Vice President, riding and again repeating these all.

Mika Tuupola preparing meat @ luxury villa.

Again as always girls were beautiful, now @ terrace of luxury villa

Food was amazing good with nuance of Russian, Finn, and Thai kitchen and habits!

This Finnish/Thai happy and hospitable family served us unbelievable great dinner and evening. They are new wakeboarders, say hello from me, if you see them in TWP.

I can't remember was this same evening, but after all TWP was in flames. Don't worry for TWP, it was only because all riders were so fire during the riding day... or farmers just were doing something for their fields.

I saw some riders really in fire! Here are a few pictures.

Lior Sofer and CrowMob with grab.

Korean rider Ji Hoon and CrowMob 5 with grab!

Tom Axelsson showing nice press and lean.

Anna Moskal and nice boardslide 270 out!

Alex Savoie and nice press and lean too!!

Yan Tibo and ... no words "SICK"))

There were many others also in fire... me as well and I wanted to ride more that shoot photos!