Family Day Kite Festival Public Website

Performers

David Gomberg - Principal of Gomberg Kite Productions International, Vice Chair of the International Kite Federation and Chairman of the World Sport Kite Championships Organizing Committee. Two-time President of the Kite Trade Association (KTA) International and ten-term President of the American Kitefliers Association (AKA). David and his wife, Susan, are accomplished fliers who are known all over the world for their big show kites, including the Biggest Kite in the World, a 10,000 square foot American flag. They perform at 20-30 events each year and have participated in festivals in 35 states and 25 countries. David has received the three highest awards bestowed by the international kite flying community: the AKA's Edeiken Award, the KTA's Checkley Award, and the World Kite Museum's Hall of Fame.

Dave Culp – President of KiteShip Corporation. KiteShip Corporation, winner of two Guinness World records, will attempt a new record by deploying one of the largest and most innovative traction kites ever built, to power a 140-ton, 65-foot barge, the largest commercial vessel ever towed by a kite in US waters. Educated at Stanford, Westlawn and the University of California at Davis in Engineering, Industrial and Sailcraft Design, Dave has worked in professional boat building, commercial fishing, yacht design and logistics. His life's work is designing and building traction kite-powered yachts, shipping and related marine structures. Culp-designed speed sailboats have competed at more than a dozen international speed sailing events during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. In 2001, commissioned by Larry Ellison’s Oracle Racing Inc, Dave invented a new type of spinnaker—a free flying kite that adhered to America’s Cup rules for conventional spinnakers. He formed KiteShip Corporation in 1996 to research and develop ultra-large traction kites used to power commercial vessels and yachts. KiteShip won the California Clean Tech Award in 2006 for its contribution to helping ship owners save fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Dean Jordan - Vice President of KiteShip Corporation. A kite builder and competitive kite flier from a very early age, Dean holds a number of world and national records in the fields of sport stunt kiting and traction kiting (kite buggying). Since he was a teenager, Dean has been among the world’s few professional kite designers, fliers and demonstrators. He designed many of the innovative features of stunt kites during their heyday in the 1980s and his company Jordan Air Kites was the first to build ultra light kites and hyper-lightweight kites for indoor (windless) kiting. Dean was among the first to perfect the design of kites for land sailing (kite buggying) and his Jordan AirForm kite set the world standard for single-line large ram air kites. A test pilot, trouble shooter, kite designer and kite builder, Dean studied under master kite designer Peter Lynn and has trained dancers, skaters and performers all over the world in the physics and art of kite flying.

Troy Gunn - TKO Sport Kite Flying Team Member. Multi-year member of the American Kite Fliers Association (AKA) Board of Directors, multi-term AKA Region 8 Director (for which he earned the AKA Regional Director of the Year in 1999). Director-at-Large for the internet kite magazine Kitelife.com, and Chief Judge of the 2006 Weifang World Kite Championships. A US National Champion and World Record Holder, Troy is a multi-talented sport kite flier, who has participated in and won competitions for sport kite team, pairs team, and individual dual line, quad line, and indoor kite flying. Troy’s performances and judging appearances have taken him all over the United States and the world.

Christoph Riddle - Eighteen-year-old Kite Surfing, Ground Boarding and Buggy Protege. Christoph tied for first in the 2005 North American Buggy eXpo (NABX) Kite Ground Boarding Freestyle and claims David Sabilino, Chasta and his parents as his heroes. When not pursuing one of his many kiting disciplines, Christoph enjoys singing, musical theater and photography. High schooler Christoph prides himself on bringing sport kiting to his West Coast peers. He is not a fan of homework, as "it keeps me from kiting." Christoph is sponsored by Ozone USA, Ground Industries, and Madkiting.

Brian Champie - American Kitefliers Association Region 11 Director, Cofounding Board Member, Bay Area Sport Kite League, and Northern California Kite Club Manager. Known for his fast, aggressive style of kite flying, Brian flew sport kites competitively and for five years and in 2002 earned the title of Master's Precision National Champion. Brian and Miguel Rodriguez flew together as the pairs team, Avispados and qualified to compete at the first World Championships in Malaysia in 2002. Brian has appeared at kite festivals across the United States and has represented the United States at international festivals in Malaysia, Guadelupe For the past five years, Brian has been collecting and flying BIG kites. Among his sky toys are the 550 square foot Sutton, the 25-foot wide Giant Crown and the out-of-this-world 20-foot diameter Flying Saucer.

Saul Griffith - Inventor and Kite Boat Pioneer - demonstrates (with colleague, Don Montague) this new form of boat propulsion. Their Kite Boats have reached speeds up to 28 knots and traveled distances of more than 100 miles. Continuing innovations in kite boat technology are leading to developments for kite-powered ocean crossings, races and extreme adventure.

Don Montague - Pioneer of Kite Surfing and Kite boating - has for the last thirteen years has devoted himself to the research, development and design of kite surfing and kite boating equipment.

Chris Shultz - Vice President, HQ Kites-USA. Smithsonian Institution Kite Festival Committee Member, Former President of the Kite Trade Association International (KTAI), TKO Sport Kite Team Member. Chris began his kiting career twenty years ago working as a professional kite flier and showman for Kitty Hawk Kites, the world's largest hang gliding school and kite store. He founded the ECU Corsairs, the first collegiate sport kite team and after college became an enthusiastic sport kite competitor. Known as The King of Diamonds, Chris holds a Kiting World Record, for flying 51 (4-foot) Peter Powell diamond stunt kites simultaneously – at the Wright Brothers National Memorial July 1993. In 2006, Chris formed Team Full Moon to compete at the 2nd World Kite Championships in Weifang, China, where his team placed third. Chris has performed all over the world and has organized and assisted with many national and international kite festivals and competitions.

Rakesh Bahadur - Indian Kite Fighting and Indoor Kite Flying Expert. Rakesh pioneered and popularized Indian fighter kites and indoor kite flying the United States during the early 1970s. Rakesh's love of "painting in the sky" has never diminished. Rakesh demonstrates his mastery, as he introduces the allure of kite flying to young people, with his signature "catch-a-tail" games that have been a perennial and hilarious hit at kite festivals for decades.

David Sabilino - Kite Buggy Artist and Daredevil Extraordinaire. David is a four-time first-place winner (and one-time second-place winner) in Buggy Freestyle at the North American Buggy eXpo (NABX) Spring Break Buggy Blast. He draws inspiration for his extreme kite buggying from skate boarding and BMX freestyle. Ozone wings and Peter Lynn buggies are his favorite gear and his favorite saying is: "You don't stop playing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop playing." David is sponsored by Ozone USA, Windzup and Madkiting.

Jose J. Sainz - Member of the Board of Directors, The Drachen Foundation, American Kitefliers Association (AKA) Kite Art Committee Member - Jose has been making and flying kites since 1989. Jose's mentor was Randy Tom, an AKA National Sports Kite and Single Line Kite Champions. Jose was a member of Randy's Hyperkite Elite Flight Team and it was Randy who encouraged Jose draw inspiration from his Mexican heritage in his kite designs. His bold and colorful kites have won him numerous national championships. His Aztec Calendar Kite, a replica of the ancient Aztec calendar, earned him his first AKA Grand National Championship title in 1992, and his Aztec Warrior, a depiction of the legendary warrior Chuactemoc, earned him his second. Jose has traveled to kite festivals all over the world and his kites have been featured in Algebra and Geometry textbooks. According to Jose, his greatest enjoyment is, "Sharing the sky with the wonderful friends I have met over the years."

Slawek Krauze - Professional Kite Buggier - is taking the sport to the third dimension - jumping. Slawek rides the wind whenever weather conditions permit and his innovative tricks take him all over the sky. Slawek is sponsored by Flexifoil and Live2Kite.


	Performers Performers	Home / Performers / Performers Performers David Gomberg - Principal of Gomberg Kite Productions International, Vice Chair of the International Kite Federation and Chairman of the World Sport Kite Championships Organizing Committee. Two-time President of the Kite Trade Association (KTA) International and ten-term President of the American Kitefliers Association (AKA). David and his wife, Susan, are accomplished fliers who are known all over the world for their big show kites, including the Biggest Kite in the World, a 10,000 square foot American flag. They perform at 20-30 events each year and have participated in festivals in 35 states and 25 countries. David has received the three highest awards bestowed by the international kite flying community: the AKA's Edeiken Award, the KTA's Checkley Award, and the World Kite Museum's Hall of Fame. Dave Culp – President of KiteShip Corporation. KiteShip Corporation, winner of two Guinness World records, will attempt a new record by deploying one of the largest and most innovative traction kites ever built, to power a 140-ton, 65-foot barge, the largest commercial vessel ever towed by a kite in US waters. Educated at Stanford, Westlawn and the University of California at Davis in Engineering, Industrial and Sailcraft Design, Dave has worked in professional boat building, commercial fishing, yacht design and logistics. His life's work is designing and building traction kite-powered yachts, shipping and related marine structures. Culp-designed speed sailboats have competed at more than a dozen international speed sailing events during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. In 2001, commissioned by Larry Ellison’s Oracle Racing Inc, Dave invented a new type of spinnaker—a free flying kite that adhered to America’s Cup rules for conventional spinnakers. He formed KiteShip Corporation in 1996 to research and develop ultra-large traction kites used to power commercial vessels and yachts. KiteShip won the California Clean Tech Award in 2006 for its contribution to helping ship owners save fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Dean Jordan - Vice President of KiteShip Corporation. A kite builder and competitive kite flier from a very early age, Dean holds a number of world and national records in the fields of sport stunt kiting and traction kiting (kite buggying). Since he was a teenager, Dean has been among the world’s few professional kite designers, fliers and demonstrators. He designed many of the innovative features of stunt kites during their heyday in the 1980s and his company Jordan Air Kites was the first to build ultra light kites and hyper-lightweight kites for indoor (windless) kiting. Dean was among the first to perfect the design of kites for land sailing (kite buggying) and his Jordan AirForm kite set the world standard for single-line large ram air kites. A test pilot, trouble shooter, kite designer and kite builder, Dean studied under master kite designer Peter Lynn and has trained dancers, skaters and performers all over the world in the physics and art of kite flying. Troy Gunn - TKO Sport Kite Flying Team Member. Multi-year member of the American Kite Fliers Association (AKA) Board of Directors, multi-term AKA Region 8 Director (for which he earned the AKA Regional Director of the Year in 1999). Director-at-Large for the internet kite magazine Kitelife.com, and Chief Judge of the 2006 Weifang World Kite Championships. A US National Champion and World Record Holder, Troy is a multi-talented sport kite flier, who has participated in and won competitions for sport kite team, pairs team, and individual dual line, quad line, and indoor kite flying. Troy’s performances and judging appearances have taken him all over the United States and the world. Christoph Riddle - Eighteen-year-old Kite Surfing, Ground Boarding and Buggy Protege. Christoph tied for first in the 2005 North American Buggy eXpo (NABX) Kite Ground Boarding Freestyle and claims David Sabilino, Chasta and his parents as his heroes. When not pursuing one of his many kiting disciplines, Christoph enjoys singing, musical theater and photography. High schooler Christoph prides himself on bringing sport kiting to his West Coast peers. He is not a fan of homework, as "it keeps me from kiting." Christoph is sponsored by Ozone USA, Ground Industries, and Madkiting. Brian Champie - American Kitefliers Association Region 11 Director, Cofounding Board Member, Bay Area Sport Kite League, and Northern California Kite Club Manager. Known for his fast, aggressive style of kite flying, Brian flew sport kites competitively and for five years and in 2002 earned the title of Master's Precision National Champion. Brian and Miguel Rodriguez flew together as the pairs team, Avispados and qualified to compete at the first World Championships in Malaysia in 2002. Brian has appeared at kite festivals across the United States and has represented the United States at international festivals in Malaysia, Guadelupe For the past five years, Brian has been collecting and flying BIG kites. Among his sky toys are the 550 square foot Sutton, the 25-foot wide Giant Crown and the out-of-this-world 20-foot diameter Flying Saucer. Saul Griffith - Inventor and Kite Boat Pioneer - demonstrates (with colleague, Don Montague) this new form of boat propulsion. Their Kite Boats have reached speeds up to 28 knots and traveled distances of more than 100 miles. Continuing innovations in kite boat technology are leading to developments for kite-powered ocean crossings, races and extreme adventure. Don Montague - Pioneer of Kite Surfing and Kite boating - has for the last thirteen years has devoted himself to the research, development and design of kite surfing and kite boating equipment. Chris Shultz - Vice President, HQ Kites-USA. Smithsonian Institution Kite Festival Committee Member, Former President of the Kite Trade Association International (KTAI), TKO Sport Kite Team Member. Chris began his kiting career twenty years ago working as a professional kite flier and showman for Kitty Hawk Kites, the world's largest hang gliding school and kite store. He founded the ECU Corsairs, the first collegiate sport kite team and after college became an enthusiastic sport kite competitor. Known as The King of Diamonds, Chris holds a Kiting World Record, for flying 51 (4-foot) Peter Powell diamond stunt kites simultaneously – at the Wright Brothers National Memorial July 1993. In 2006, Chris formed Team Full Moon to compete at the 2nd World Kite Championships in Weifang, China, where his team placed third. Chris has performed all over the world and has organized and assisted with many national and international kite festivals and competitions. Rakesh Bahadur - Indian Kite Fighting and Indoor Kite Flying Expert. Rakesh pioneered and popularized Indian fighter kites and indoor kite flying the United States during the early 1970s. Rakesh's love of "painting in the sky" has never diminished. Rakesh demonstrates his mastery, as he introduces the allure of kite flying to young people, with his signature "catch-a-tail" games that have been a perennial and hilarious hit at kite festivals for decades. David Sabilino - Kite Buggy Artist and Daredevil Extraordinaire. David is a four-time first-place winner (and one-time second-place winner) in Buggy Freestyle at the North American Buggy eXpo (NABX) Spring Break Buggy Blast. He draws inspiration for his extreme kite buggying from skate boarding and BMX freestyle. Ozone wings and Peter Lynn buggies are his favorite gear and his favorite saying is: "You don't stop playing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop playing." David is sponsored by Ozone USA, Windzup and Madkiting. Jose J. Sainz - Member of the Board of Directors, The Drachen Foundation, American Kitefliers Association (AKA) Kite Art Committee Member - Jose has been making and flying kites since 1989. Jose's mentor was Randy Tom, an AKA National Sports Kite and Single Line Kite Champions. Jose was a member of Randy's Hyperkite Elite Flight Team and it was Randy who encouraged Jose draw inspiration from his Mexican heritage in his kite designs. His bold and colorful kites have won him numerous national championships. His Aztec Calendar Kite, a replica of the ancient Aztec calendar, earned him his first AKA Grand National Championship title in 1992, and his Aztec Warrior, a depiction of the legendary warrior Chuactemoc, earned him his second. Jose has traveled to kite festivals all over the world and his kites have been featured in Algebra and Geometry textbooks. According to Jose, his greatest enjoyment is, "Sharing the sky with the wonderful friends I have met over the years." Slawek Krauze - Professional Kite Buggier - is taking the sport to the third dimension - jumping. Slawek rides the wind whenever weather conditions permit and his innovative tricks take him all over the sky. Slawek is sponsored by Flexifoil and Live2Kite.