The first stop of the ExPix Euro Tour Part II saw the ExPix crew return to Dublin for Battle for the Bay 2014 held at Dollymount Strand, Dublin on Sat 24th & Sun 25th May. It’s been a few years since the ExPix team have covered this event, so when we were asked we jumped at the chance to partner with such an amazing event; the biggest kitesurf event in Ireland.

From the offset it was obvious how the event had grown. Now in its 8th year, there was a much bigger setup for Battle for the Bay 2014. Bringing together some of the biggest brands in the industry; Best, Cabrinha, North and Mystic, and by partnering with national and international governing bodies and event organisers and tours; IKSA (Irish Kitesurfing Association), Irish SUP Dublin, The KBC Tour (Kite Boarder Cross Tour) and the Stand Up World Series Waterman League; Battle for the Bay 2014 had a truly international feel.

With numerous events in the UK going under over the years and tours feeling the effect of the recession as sponsors tighten their budgets; it was refreshing to see how Pure Magic Kitesurfing owners, François and Christophe Colussi and Catherine Etienne, event organisers for Battle for the Bay, have not only survive these harsh times but have manage to develop and grow their event to what is most definitely up there with the best of the beach festivals world wide.

What makes Battle for the Bay so popular is that this event is organised and run by people, who for them extreme sports are a way of life. They’re eager to share their passion and their enthusiasm is infectious. Add to that the healthy mix of action and activities, geared towards connecting with a diverse audience and you have yourself a winning formula.

Arriving early in Dublin on Friday morning we headed to Wakedock, Ireland’s first cable wakeboard park, located in the heart of the Dublin Docklands area, where 3 x World Champ, Nick Davis was holding a demo session and clinic, ahead of the Mystic Big Air comp which was to be held on the beach at Dollymount as part of Battle for the Bay. To the backdrop of the Dublin city skyline, the setup at Wakedock made for some dramatic pictures.

In the afternoon it was over to Sutton with the kitesurfers for a cheeky practise session before we headed back to Pure Magic HQ for the official Battle for the Bay opening party.

Saturday brought with it wind and the 2nd round of the KBC Tour (Kite Boarder Cross Tour) got under way. If you’ve never seen Boarder Cross then you’re missing out. As one rider put it,

“KBC brings together racing and jumping and throws in bouncy castles too, what more can you want!”

Whilst at times you could be mistaken for thinking you were watching Takeshi’s Castle; boarder cross is definitely entertaining and most certainly sorts out the experienced from the inexperienced riders. Kite skills come into play as the riders manoeuvre their kites to ensure they jump over each of the floating obstacles, as missing any incurs a penalty, whilst all the time keeping an eye on their opponents as they race to the finish line. The KBC ran heats for juniors, amateurs and pros and at the end of the day the winners were:

King of the Bay - James Boulding UK

Queen of the Bay - Hannah Whitely UK

Not to be outdone by the kitesurfers, a variety of S.U.P competitions were held over the weekend including individual races, team relay races, a 6km and a 14km marathon. Organised by Irish SUP Dublin and part of the Stand Up World Series Waterman League, the competitions attracted both national and international riders and the level of racing was outstanding.

And the results are:

As the day drew to a close we left the beach and made our way into Dublin city for the Battle of the Bay after party which was held in Generator, a huge and amazing hostel right in the city centre.

On Sunday and the wind had dropped and the sun was out; perfect for the Mystic Big Air wakeboarding competition and not to mention those who were suffering from the night before! Mystic team rider, Nick Davis opened up the competition with a demo and then the action got underway as wakeboarders of all abilities tried their hand at hitting the kicker with spectacular effects!

Results are:

And if the competitions weren’t enough and with the emphasis on fun, there was plenty to do for everyone of all ages over the weekend; slacklining, beach volleyball, mass Zumba classes, lip sync competitions, battle of the Brand, live music & DJ sets, kids play area, trade village, beach hammocks to chill out in and stalls offering a huge range of fantastic food form around the world, oh and not to mention double trouble on the mic with François and Christophe Colussi!

For the ExPix crew it was like we’d never left Dublin; the welcome as always was the warmest, making catching up with old friends and making new ones so much easier. Huge congrats to the Pure Magic Crew for putting on such an amazing event; you did well guys! And thanks for inviting us over!

But we’re not sure we can wait a whole 12 months for Battle for the Bay 2015; so watch this space, you never know we might just be heading back to Ireland sooner than planned!