Local Sports Journal

A special thank you goes to a number of great people the Local Sports Journal met during King of the Great Lakes 2012.

Steve NegenMACKite
Negen started KoGL 10 years ago and has been in the kite business for more than 25 years. When asked about what changed in the sport of kiteboarding, Negen wasn’t short on words. “The technology behind the equipment revolutionized the sport about 5 years ago,” said Negen. “The old sea kites lacked power and were much more dangerous. Today, kites are faster, get off the water easier and are much safer.”

Brent Beringhaus – Miami, FL
Beringhaus arrived in Grand Haven via Cabrinha Kites and demonstrated Cabrinha equipment this weekend for festival goers. “Crazy eh,” said Beringhaus about the size of Lake Michigan. “You don’t picture that as a lake. For how big the lake is, it’s not as cold as I thought.”

Marc Hoeksema – Muskegon
Hoeksema is a veteran in the sport of kiteboarding. Marc was introduced to the Local Sports Journal early this summer and educated the LSJ on the sport and penned a solid first article for the Localsportsjournal.com in mid-July. Many of the “big airs” spectators witnessed this past weekend were from Hoeksema.

Chris Bobryk – Whitehall
Bobryk showed what he’s made of this weekend, catching solid air while giving what seemed to be endless demos and instructions on the beach. A graduate of Whitehall high school and current North Carolina resident, Bobryk is an up and coming in the sport.

Matt Collins – Jupiter, FL
Collins has been kiteboarding for 8 years and says he’ll be doing it until he’s 90. When asked to compare the wind in Florida to West Michigan, Collins said, “It’s more gusty here and I like it. The beach here is unreal and I never could have pictured it until I arrived.”

Richard Proner – Oswego, IL
Proner, in his 40’s, said the four-hour trip was totally worth it after Sunday’s wind picked up and gave some incredible rides. “Some times I curse the wind wondering why I’m sitting on a beach, but then days like today happen and you realize this place (Grand Haven) is on the right side of the puddle.”

Gary Beleck – Beach Park, IL.
A hobby kiteboard builder who got involved in the sport four years ago.
“I started sailing when I was in college,” said Beleck during his conversation with the Localsportsjournal.com. “My cousin from Ft. Lauderdale, FL said kiteboarding was worth a try and very cool. It defines the whole concept of wind and making sure you can move.”

Steve Lee – First to participate in the new event “barrel bonk” which was made up while waiting on the wind.