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With so many friends coming to visit recently, I haven't been working nearly as much as I should. The last week I've mostly logged a lot of hours at work. That said, I thought I would talk about a really fun event that takes place in Key West. The Havana Classic, a Hobie cat race from Key West to Havana Cuba. Last year a few close friends and myself followed the racers quite a ways out. We didn't make all the way to Cuba but it was an incredible experience non the less. One of my long term goa …

Hey folks! In the latest installment of MACkite’s Ride With Blake series, Blake Olsen chats about how to ride upwind - a critical skill in the learning process of kiteboarding for beginners. Blake: Today’s lesson is on how to ride upwind. Once you get your first start, you end up going back and forth on the beach and you end up walking back up the beach, and that’s all part of the learning process. Everyone’s got to do it, so don’t worry about the walk of shame - we’ve all been there before …

The Back roll hand drag is possibly the most stylish way to transition The last week in Key west has been epic. Exploring the islands with my kite, paddle boarding the mangroves and snorkeling the reef. The abundance of wildlife in the ocean never ceases to amaze me! For this week's blog I thought I would share five steps to nailing your first back roll hand drag transition. This is one of the most stylish ways you can transition with your kite. Like most kiteboarding tricks …

The inverted front roll is a slightly more advanced variation of the front roll. The last few days in key West haven’t been that windy. In truth, it’s a much-needed break! I thought I would take a bike ride down to the White Street Pier and break down my favorite trick for you. The inverted front roll! One of the most fun aspects of our sport is taking these basic tricks and adding your own personal style to them. This is an intermediate level trick, that said if you can do three stand …

So, you've taken a kiteboarding lesson or two and you're ready to try your first water start. That's awesome! Welcome to a new reality, my friend! I have five great tips for you to remember when you're first starting out. Tip One Learn to fly the kite in one hand. Kiteboarding is 80% flying the kite, so it's a no-brainer you should have some serious kite time under your belt. I recommend finding a clear area and just hanging out with a friend. Remember to keep your hand on the middle of …

In the second episode Blake gives us a glimpse into his life on a sailboat in Key West.  Kite dreamsQuit your job, move somewhere south. Pick up a sailboat and spend your days kiteboarding with friends. Live a care-free life. It sounds impossible, I know. I'm here to tell you it's not. Four years ago I moved to the Florida Keys. Since then I've lived in more than a few apartments and surfed a lot of couches, some nicer than others. Along the way, I've learned a lot about myself and mad …

Blake Olsen will be covering a variety of topics including trick tips and the basics behind foilboarding for the first time. Foil boarding is beyond fun Many claim it's akin to snowboarding in endless powder. That said it can be intimidating for first timers looking to get on the water. I have a few tips to make the process easy and reduce those pesky crashes.Tip One Keep your weight centered over your front knee. This is as simple as keeping your shoulders lined up with your front kn …