R1 V5 – PURE RACE PERFORMANCE
Capable of the highest speeds at super aggressive riding angles, as well as the most efficient transitions when fractions of a second count, all elements of the new design help to ensure you maintain as much momentum as possible in all situations.
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- IKA Formula Kite registered product for 2028 Olympic cycle
- Designed purely for hydrofoil racing performance
- 2 and 4 line designs in the range
- Incredible angles and riding speed up- and downwind
- Low lift overhead allowing for high speed and super fluid tacking manoeuvres
- Light bar feeling / steering pressure helps save riding energy
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COMMITTED PERFORMANCE
Every aspect of the R1 V5 design is focused on maximising true race performance with low overhead lift. The potential momentum loss through tacks is now absolutely minimal for pro level racers.
The faster you can ride, the more the kite wants to go upwind and, as it does so, feels lighter and easier to control at the same time.
Tuned to navigate courses with more efficiency and control allows the conservation of energy that could make all the difference to results across long days packed with multiple races.
Finding your “sweet spot” in a locked-in race position is intuitive and easy with the ability to play with angles or speed depending on your lines and tactics.
RIDER WEIGHT OPTIMISED SIZING
Riders can register 4 kites in their quiver for each IKA race event. The biggest kite allowed in men’s racing is 21m, while for the women it’s 19m. Both sexes can then choose one size from each of the remaining size groupings to make up their 4-kite event quiver: 15/14, 11/10, 9/8m.
Our decision to create an 8-size range gives riders who aren’t carrying as much body weight the option to choose to ride with slightly less power in the 4 sizes they can register for each event
The men nearly always opt for the biggest sizes possible and use their added weight and strength to take advantage of the extra power – so their quiver for an event would usually be: 21, 15, 11 & 9m.
But for women, or more lightweight riders, we’ve added in the 14, 10 and 8m sizes as further options to help all racers make the best choice for their weight or style.
