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Steve Donovan
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I have been kiting in some form, or another most of my life. With learning to fly with brown paper and bamboo, and butchers twine in the late 1960's. Then progressed while living in Asia to learning how to fly single line fighters as a child, using glassed or fishing line.
I became interested in dual line stunt kites in 1983 with my first Skynasaur stunt kite. Then in 1985, I began my transition, and introduction to first generation sportkites, flying both Top of the Line Spin Off's, and Team Hawaiian's. While living in San Diego for a time. I met up with Don and Pat Tabor, who manufactured Top of the Line kites, and my sportkite path had been set from then on.
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 246kb Hi Res |
Around this same time, I purchased my first Flexifoil's from Ray Merry, which are still the fastest kites in the world, and hold the world record for it. I was also to meet Ron Reich for the first time in the US. As he was to be the driving force with TOTL Flight Squadron, and to really take the Team Sportkiting discipline to the next level. To many Ron Reich is a legend and a mentor also.
I then moved to Hawaii, and enjoyed flying on a beautifully groomed park which had Diamond Head in the background. The winds were so smooth, as the breeze would come directly off the ocean a few metres above sea level. Perfect for all aspects of flying indeed. I used to meet up regularly with Alan Nagao and Robert Leuera from Team High Performance, and practiced with them, which was always great fun.
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When I returned to Australia, I came back with a bag full of sportkites that were not to be seen in the country for the next 2 years. My first experience with Australian club kiting was with a couple of "bearded gents", on Wanda beach near Cronulla, who were from the AKS. I enjoyed very much flying with these pair of larrikin's, as it was all about just flying sportkites.
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I also enjoyed the Festival of the Winds as well, and met up with many people in the AKS and Peter Lynn from NZ at this time also. By 1992 the first NSW titles were to be held at Maroubra Beach, they were to be great fun, and it seemed that sportkiting was taking off in Australia. It was to for the next few years, with many state and national's titles conducted, and then World Cup in 1995 at Lakes Entrance, Victoria. I had attended World Cup's at Seaside Or, Berkley Ca, and Odawara JPN. But Lakes Entrance AUS was a great place for World Cup kiting.
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| In the past 20 odd years, I have travelled to many Sportkite Championship's, and International Festival's including: France: Dieppe, Berck sur Mer, USA: National's, and AKA Westcoast festival's WC Seaside Or, WC Berkley CA, Wildwood IKF, Niagara IKF, China: WSTC Weifang IKF, ShenZhen IKF, Qingdao IKF, India: Ahmedabad IKF, Surat IKF, and Managlore IKF, Japan: WC Odawara, and Osaka IKF, Thailand: Bangkok IKF and provincial festival's, Malaysia: Pasir Gudang, Kota Kinabalu, Indonesia: Bali IKF, Taiwan: Taipei IKF, Cambodia: Phnom Penh IKF.
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I have flown both Dual and Quad line Team, Individual Precision and Ballet for more than 20 years. And have competed at Masters level competition in all disciplines. I am currentlly flying Team Demonstration with a dedicated group of sportkite pilots, who are generously sponsored by BrisKites our premier kite store in Qld. Team KAOS is now my 6th team, and I have found the team members great fun to fly with. To also be able to hand on information, that I have learnt over the years to improve their skills and formation flying abilities is great too. I am also a member of the Queensland Kiteflyers Society, which Qld's most credentialed, multi talented, highly experienced, and only kite association. |
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I am currently the Field Operation's Director for the IGA Coolum Kite Festival, which is Australia's largest, and premier kiting event. The IGA Coolum KF Committee are a highly professional group of people, and it is a pleasure to be able to assist them with what we do as sportkite pilot's, to keep the huge crowds in attendance each year constantly entertained, and for the Coolum community.
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I own more than 600 single, dual, quad line kites. Ranging from single line historical fighters and display, custom prototypes, to very large display inflatable animal's. Dual and Quad line sportkites through the whole spectrum of design's. My favourites include MEFM Aus standard and vented sportkites, Level One sportkites, Benson Sportkites, Revolution Quad line Sportwings, L'Atelier Sportkites, Speedwing and Flexifoil, PKD, and Peter Lynn speedfoils.
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