The News !

Today is an historical day for the sailing world:

indeed, a kitesurfer, for the first time ever, took over the Speed Sailing Outright Record, ousting the windsurfer Antoine Albeau.

The man in question is the US citizen Rob Douglas, officially timed at 49.84 knots ! He was using a BOW kite, more precisely a Crossbow IDS from Cabrinha, which particularly pleases us since the Crossbow(1), first BOW kite on the market (August 2005) has been designed by Bruno Legaignoux in collaboration with the Cabrinha team.

That occured in Namibia, on day 4th of the Luderitz Speed Challenge, an event that will lasts for a month.

Access to the official website

It is nearly certain that the mythical speed barrier of 50 knots will be broken by a kitesurfer in the next days or weeks. Keep tuned !

It is interesting to see that the KITE speed record went from 38.28 knots in 2003 to 41.79 in 2005 (+3.5 knots) then to 49.84 in 2008 (+8 knots). This is a great demonstration of the Bow kite efficiency and how it revolutionized kitesurfing.

Getting a patent issued is a long process ! Our patent on the Bow kite concept was applied on March 2004 in France, then on February 2005 in USA and Europe.

The french patent was issued the 6th of July, 2007 and we are proud to announce that the US patent will be issued the 20th of May 2008 under number US 7374129.

We expect to get the European patent in the next months too.

Accordingly, lawsuits against infringers will soon start in France and/or the USA, what will allow our licensees to work in an healthier market.

The brands that haven't yet signed for a license are invited to quickly contact us at license@inflatablekite.com

"It was a fantastic adventure, to which I devoted 24 years of my life. It is time for me to move on to other things. I do not have an accurate idea of what I will do. I'm still interested in R&D, but not in the business side. I'll maybe work on kite-boating. And I want to travel, sail, fly... One thing is for sure, I will not be bored!"

Consequently, Bruno wishes to sell his shares of Diamond White, the company which owns the Bow patents, as soon as these patents are delivered by the concerned Intellectual Property Offices, which will occur in the upcoming months.

Diamond White's activities, which consist in collecting the royalties and fighting the counterfeiters, will continue operating as previously.

Diamond White and Bruno Legaignoux are pleased to announce that they have entered into an ongoing intellectual property licensing agreement with Best Kiteboarding, one of the leading brands.

The licensing agreement settles all intellectual property rights between the parties for inflatable kites and control systems, past and present.

Ian M. Huschle, CEO of Best, commented: "Bruno's original work gave birth to kiteboarding and his ongoing innovations have made the sport one of the most exciting ever invented. We're delighted to support his groundbreaking efforts and to do our part to make kiteboarding more fun, more accessible, and safer than ever before."

With a retail network that includes 500 accounts in 50 countries around the world, Best Kiteboarding is the fastest growing brand in the industry.

Said Bruno: "It's been interesting to watch the evolution of Best, and I've enjoyed getting to know them. They take their role in the industry seriously and they are committed to nurturing the true essence of the sport."

Now, more than half the sold kites are under Bow license.

Here is the updated list of licensees, by date:

We are pleased to welcome some new Licensees and especially Slingshot, one of the major brands.

Take care to purchase your BOW kite from one of these brands. Their BOW kites have a Certificate of Authenticity sewn on.

30th of June 2007 was a special day for the kitesurfing world:
Less than two years after the introduction of the Bow kite concept on the market, a EH Ripper. WON the Cabarete PKRA Men event, a Cabrinha Switchblade made 4th while a Best Waroo WON the Women Freestyle even and a Cabrinha SB WON the Women Board Off contest.
So three of the four titles went to flat kites.

It's also the first time in the PKRA history that an unknown rider wins an event.

We at Diamond White are glad to congratulate dominicans ARIEL CORNIEL, ALEX SOTO and german SUSI MAY.
Congratulations to designers Pat Goodman from Cabrinha and Eric Hertsens from EH Cabarete for designing these great kites.
Both companies are Diamond White patents' licensees.

The ultimate argument used by the C-kite addicts was that Bow kites are not as good as C-kites for hardcore freestyle and they often refered to the pro-riders that don't use Bow kites in comps.
On our side we announced one year and half ago that the Bow would soon excel even in free-style.
It is now clear with the new high aspect ratio generation of Bow kites as the EH Ripper. Eventually we had to wait that a new generation of riders use Bow kites in comps, because the free-stylers that are used to C-kites can't easily transfer their skills using Bow kites.

Whatever their talent is, and we know it's huge, it was noticeable to the experienced spectators that the Bow riders spent less time going upwind, so had more time for their tricks.
Moreover they were well powered at any time during their heats while the other riders were sometimes slightly over or under powered.

Now Bow kites do everything better !

Bruno remitting a check to Ariel on behalf of Diamond White to help him pursue his young international career.

In parallel to the case mentioned the 18/07/2006 in our news page, Diamond White continued its legal actions.
This time, it is the GLOBERIDER brand and one of its retailers, PALAWAI, who were condemned in appeal for counterfeiting and sale of conterfeiting objects.
Here is a partial and rough translation of the Judges' decisions:

FIRST JUDGEMENT

The publicly ruling Court, by contradictory judgement, in the first instance:

- says that by importing, offering on sale and by holding for sale the kites GK LIFT 6,8, GK LIFT 6,8, GK LIFT 8,8, GK LIFT 11,5, GK LIFT 14,2, GK LIFT 17,5 and the GK control devices, the companies GLOBERIDER and PALAWAI made themselves guilty of act of counterfeiting the claim 1 of patent BP-0.202.271 and claims 1, 3, and 4 of patent FRB-2762583 of DIAMOND WHITE company

- Prohibits to the companies GLOBERIDER and PALAWAI to continue the acts of importating, offering on sale and selling in any place including internet, or any other act of selling kites and control devices, and this under penalty of euros 1.000 for each recorded breach as from the notification of the judgment to intervene.

- orders the publication of the judgement in five newspapers or magazines at DIAMOND WHITE's choice and at GLOBERIDER and PALAWAI expenses but within the maximal limit of euros 3.000 per publication, and this, if required, as additional damages.

- orders the GLOBERIDER company to display on its web site's front page, in readable characters, a copy of the sentence, as soon as the sentence is served, and under Euro 1000 penalty per day of delay, and this during two months.

- enjoins the companies GLOBERIDER and PALAWAI to pay to DIAMOND WHITE a Euro 100.000 deposit insolidum at the height of Euro 50.000 for the repair of the patent breach as well as of the economic damage.

- establishes a damage valuation and appoints, to make it, Mr....

JUDGEMENT IN APPEAL (may 2007)

The court,
Confirms the referred decision in all its dispositions not contrary to those of the present judgment. But reforming it for the surplus

Tells that there is no need to damage valuation and condemns in solidum the companies PALAWAI and GLOBERIDER to pay to the company DIAMOND WHITE the sum of Euro 100.000 for the damages;

And adding to it, condemns the company GLOBERIDER and Maitre MARION, as liquidator of the company PALAWAI, at the costs of first instance and appeal and authorizes the SCP SOREL DESSART, associated lawyers, to recover directly against it those of the expenses whose advance would have been made without having received sufficient reserve;

Condemns them to pay to the company DIAMOND WHITE the sum of Euro 5000 in pursuance of article 700 of the new civil procedure code.

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We remember that any distributor and shop can be sued for selling without authorization products that fall in the scope of patents, in the countries where these patents are in force. It is thus in their interest to get the information from their suppliers and, in case of doubt, from Diamond White.

To write us

Copies of Diamond White's patents are available here.

After the success of the first 4.5 m² bow kite prototype at the beginning of 2006 (see Incredible kite !), the Legaignoux brothers' project of developing a high performance ultra flat kite went on with 10m² prototypes to end up in a 10-identical-kites set intensively tested since february 2007 by different build and level riders.

Let Florence give us her firt impressions (intermediate level):
" I was a bit skeptical at the beggining when I was offered a 10m kite in place of my 12 m, I am a small build - 122 pounds - but I like to have enough power to jump high. And it's on this point that I felt very surprised: I was able to start jumping in 12-13 knots of wind… the hangtime of the kite is really huge.. I had far enough power to make tricks, in spite of my rather small board (129x34) for those wind conditions. As soon as the wind rose a bit (15-16 knots), I really had the sensation of gliding high and for a long time. So my tricks were easier, and since the wing turns really fast on tips, I even tried kiteloops that I daren't generally do! I went out of the water delighted, it was such a good session ! "

Then Stephan (competing rider) :
"It's a very good kite to jump high. With it I can go very high and perform very big jumps. The kiteloops are fast but rather soft. Futhermore, I found that the relaunch was very easy. "

Gerard, who loves waves, appreciates its capacity to go upwind as well as its discretion when surfing, as the kite stays super stable, even when very sheeted out.

All the testers share this enthusiasm; they are all unanimous with its exceptionnal properties:

- The size/power ratio is far better than today's bow kites. It allows you to use a smaller kite, with all the advantages that come along:
o On a pratical sight, a large storage/carry easyness added to a reduced inflating time - combined with the "single inflation " system by the top skin extrados.
Let Bruno explain:
" With this inflating system, I position the kite face to the ground from the start, I launch it alone, I am on the water in less than 10 minutes "

o On the water, a light, responsive, fast wing;
o The power remains the one of a bigger size kite: a 120-pounds rider will use the 10m2 as his/her quiver's biggest kite. This wing having, as all the bow kites, a huge ability to depower and many setting points, its wind range is even increased: close to 15 knots.

- Concerning its piloting abilities, everybody is attracted by its surprising qualities on the water:
o Its responsiveness: a very high turning speed, allowing tight kiteloops in spite of the pulley bar;
o In the pulley bar version (from 50 to 55cm), the bar feeling is very acceptable and allows to well locate the wing during the jumps; it also works perfectly in the no-pulley bar version (60 or 65cm) for the direct connexion fanatics;
o At last, and it's certainly what most are allured by, its hang-time is mind-blowing, allowing to take off at the slightest blow: the jumps are easy, higher, we glide a long time and land softly…

Diamond White supplies for free this new kite plans to its licensees, as well as its technical support. Some of them are already preparing the production of kites inspired by those plans, and within six months at most they will be on the market.

The video is coming soon

Two divisionary patents were just applied (April 2007), based on elements contained in the 2004 patents.

One protects the arch bridle which connects the two front lines, the other one protects the sliding bridle which connects a front line to a back line.

Come and see our page patents for precise explanations on the patents that protect the bow kite bridles.

What defines a real bow kite ?

Come and see our new page Imitations to better understand what, beyond the known specific advantages we know - huge depower, easy relaunching, very large wind range - differenciates the bow wing from the other kites of the market.

Bow kite Takoon Nova 2006 concave trailing edge , kite flying, viewed from above

15 months after the introduction of the Bow concept by our licensees Cabrinha and Takoon, the results of the SBC Kiteboard Magazine industry survey are :

Total number of kites sold for the 2006 model year: 114,465
Number of SLE/Bow/Hybrid kites sold for the 2006 model year: 77,836

That means 68% of total kites !!! It's an even wider success than we expected here at Diamond White.
This number relates to the last 12 months, so that means that today high depower kite sales are probably closer to 90%.
There are no available stats for the accidents but it seems that the number of fatalities decreased this year while the number of sold kites increased.
The sport is now safer, easier to learn and cheaper (one needs less kites).
The market is benefiting from the BOW revolution !

Licensees
Here is the updated list of Diamond White's patent licensees:

Take care to purchase your BOW kite from one of these brands. Their BOW kites have a Certificate of Authenticity sewn on.

Within the framework of our anti-counterfeiting fight, we come to gain in France in first instance a lawsuit against two French companies, distributing the C-shape kites and 4-line control bars of a foreign brand, which we will not name for now since an appeal can be made.
Here is a translation of the sentence:

The publicly ruling Court, by contradictory judgement, in the first resort:

* says that by importing, or offering on sale, or selling, and by holding for sale, since April 7, 2003 Kitesurf or kiteboarding wings, in particular the referred wings XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX and XXX as well as by holding the associated control devices, companies A and B have infringed in particular claim 1 of patent EP-B-0202271 and claims 1, 3, 4 and 5 of patent FR-B-2762583 of DIAMOND WHITE company, companies A and B respectively as owner and business tenant, made themselves guilty of act of counterfeiting

* consequently declares them jointly responsible for the damages undergone by DIAMOND WHITE company definitively evaluated to the sum of euros 100.000

* declares inadmissible due to its bankruptcy any request for judgment with repair of this damage aiming at company A as well as any request for future prohibition to market these products aiming this same company due to the suspension of its activity

* declares on the other hand the demandes admissible against the bankrupted company receiver

* condemns company B to pay to DIAMOND WHITE company a provision of Euros 100.000

* prohibits company B the continuation of the acts of importation, offer on sale and sale, or any other act concerning the wings and the control devices, and this under penalty of euros 1.500 per recorded breach as from the notification of the judgement to intervene

* says that the court reserves to itself the settlement of the penalty

* orders the publication of the judgement in five newspapers or magazines at DIAMOND WHITE's choice and at the expenses, on one hand of the receiver of company A, on the other hand of company B but within the limit of euros 3.000 per publication

* jointly condemns the companies A and B to pay at DIAMOND WHITE company the sum of Euros 5.000 on the base of article 700 of the new code of civil law

* condemns them to the whole costs which will include the expenses for the bailiff and for the seizure-counterfeit procedure, of which distraction to the profit of SCP X

* orders the provisional execution to the amount of half the allocated indemnity.
(in other words, the company B is condemned to pay euros 50.000 quasi immediately even if it appeals)

We remember that any distributor and shop can be sued for selling without authorization products that fall in the scope of patents, in the countries where these patents are in force. It is thus in their interest to get the information from their suppliers and, in case of doubt, from Diamond White. To write us
Copies of Diamond White's patents are available here.

It will have taken less than one year after the arrival of the first Bow kites on the market before a rider using Bow kites wins fame on the PKRA.

Alex SOTO, a Dominican practising kitesurfing for 3 years in Cabarete, sponsored by Cabrinha and whose best result in an international comp was 9th (PKRA Cabarete 2004), finishes 4th this year. An exceptional result for a Dominican rider against the professionals of the Tour, and which probably has something to do with the wing that he used.

In any case, that should calm down the detractors of the Bow concept.

The Bow, the wing of the next rider generation ! Who bets the opposite?

Credit: www.cabrinhakites.com

Finally it's done: all the press articles are now translated to english.
A source of information for those who want to know the details on the beginnings of kitesurfing.
You will then realize that the Legaignoux' ambition was from the start to create a sport more aerial than windsurfing.

Another Update: several banners are available on the License page for the websites which wish to support us and improve their referencing (exchange of banners).

Here is what could be the 2007/2008 bow kite evolution:

A high AR super flat kite, 7 struts, thin LE, two pulleys on the kite LE, no pulley on the bar, light bar pressure.

Let's Bruno explain :
"This is a 4.5m proto. Firstly it was supposed to be a pre-proto, a model with the purpose of preparing the design of a 10 to 12m light wind machine. But one day, there was 20kts, I decided to test it on the water. What a shock!
Incredible upwind, low pressure in the legs, fast riding, super fast turning, jumps are high starting 20kts. Its a mosquito but a 8m could be the right size for me instead of my actual bow 12m.
The longest strut is 98cm. A 8m longest strut would be 130cm.