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THE British Kite Surfing Association Championship is returning to Barrow for its second year thanks to support from West Lakes Renaissance.

West Lakes Renaissance - the urban regeneration company for Furness and West Cumbria - has awarded the British Kite Surfing Association (BKSA) a £5,000 sponsorship package to host Round Two of the competition at Earnse Bay, on Walney Island.

The event is due to take place on June 13th to 15th and will see the country's top kite surfers return to Barrow for a thrilling battle of skill and technique. Kite surfing is a fusion of windsurfing, wakeboarding, surfing and kite flying and has a fast growing reputation in the world of adrenaline watersports.

Walney Island is the windiest low lying place in England and makes the perfect location for kite surfing. In May 2007 more than 50 competitors and 2,000 spectators from across the country came to picturesque Earnse Bay for the first ever British Kite Surfing Association Championship round to take place in Barrow, and indeed Cumbria.

The event proved a huge success, with popular support from the local community and enthusiastic support from spectators, dazzled by three days of fantastic freestyle tricks; mind boggling jumps and rip roaring speed runs. It proved such a draw that three times and reigning Kite Surfing World Champion, English rider Aaron Hadlow dropped in for a surprise visit.

Nicola Foster, Project Manager at West Lakes Renaissance, said: "We're delighted to be the main sponsors of this exciting competition yet again. Kite surfing has got to be one of the most exciting adrenaline watersports around and it's great that Barrow is to play host to what promises to be a fantastic few days.

"It not only showcases the very best kite surfing talent in the country but also highlights Barrow as a superb place for adrenaline watersports to audiences in the United Kingdom and across Europe."

Gary Powell, owner of Furness-based company North West Kite Surfing, is organising the event alongside the BKSA.

He said: "The fact that the BKSA have asked for another event in the area confirms the success of last year's event and my long time belief that Walney Island is one of the best kite surfing locations in the UK. Barrow is starting to play catch up with the rest of the UK and this is only possible with the meeting of project organisers and funding bodies with vision such as West Lakes Renaissance.

"There are a few additions to the event this year especially contingency attractions in the event of light wind such as kite land board and buggy freestyle displays, a display of large static kites including an 80' Gecko, kite boats and Thundercat race boats. There will be instructors and BKSA crew available throughout the weekend to offer advice and information and we are delighted to have local signed band Sevens for the Saturday party again."

Kite surfing is just one of the many adrenaline watersports to have made its home at Barrow. West Lakes Renaissance has supported national jet ski and power boat competitions over the past few years, highlighting a commitment to building up Barrow's reputation for high speed and action packed watersports.

West Lakes Renaissance is currently leading the £200 million regeneration of redundant dockland in Barrow. The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness is a package of regeneration projects including 650 new homes; a 350-berth marina and a host of new leisure and sporting facilities.

One of the projects is a new Watersports Centre on Ramsden Dock. West Lakes Renaissance is working with Barrow Borough Council on creating a new Water Sports Centre catering for canoeing, sailing, kite surfing, wind-surfing and power boat racing.

The centre will firmly establish Barrow as a national, if not international, centre for water sports.

11:26am Monday 14th April 2008

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