International Idols
This year, the Kite Festival is thrilled to be joined by some of the world's top kite fliers and designers! Here are just a few of those International Idols...
Al Farsi Kite team
The Al Farsi Kite team, is one of the most influential names within the kite world. The team led by head of the family, Abdulrahman Al Farsi, has commissioned many important kite designs over recent year’s including the current Official Guinness World record holder for the World’s Largest Kite made by Peter Lynn of New Zealand in the shape of a colossal 3D Kuwaiti flag. The Al Farsi kite team use their love of kites and patronage to entertain and involve communities and to promote better understanding of Kuwait culture helping to bridge the gap between East and West.
This year the Al Farsis will be sending team members to Bristol to display some of their impressive kite collection. Subject to weather conditions over the weekend they will attempt to set a new Official Guinness World Record with their newest acquisition a giant Mega Ray – which measures a colossal 50m wide by 120m long!
The Thai Kite Heritage Group – supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
This group of dedicated flyers will visit Bristol for the first time. They will bring the history, traditional and practise of making and flying these beautiful Thai kites to the festival through flying displays, running hands on workshops for the public to take part in plus an exhibition in the Main Information Marquee.
Patrizio Mariani (Italy)
Making his first visit to Bristol Patrizio Mariani creates complex 3D cellular kites, with a myriad of different panels of colourful rip stop nylon supported by a lattice of spars, that seem to defy gravity as they soar into the sky.
Fausto Marrocu (Sardinia)
Another new face at Bristol will be Fausto who designs and makes dramatic large multi-coloured flat kites which light up the sky like flying stained glass windows complete with long striped flowing tails.
René Maier (Switzerland)
Rene's kite career started in 1999 with the purchase of a small stunt kite while on summer vacation on the north sea island of Borkum. This led to bigger kites, and a greater understanding of how to match kites with the perfect wind. Soon he wa building his own kites - reading books and visiting kite festivals to learned as much as possible about single line kites. His first model was a small Bell box, built exactly according to the plan. Today he builds a range of beautiful kites, some to tried and tested designs, others to his own invention.
Heinrich Hohmann (Germany)
Heinrich works as an architect planning and building various office buildings, industrial plants and community buildings such as schools and sports areas. In recent years most of his kites have been entries for design competitions. Focussing his creative skills, finishing a new concept and working to a deadline is similar to his work as an architect. His designs are often an ensemble where a graphic or visual effect works across more than one kite. Besides building kites Heinrich also writes articles for kite magazines, instructions for classic kites and transferring Japanese kites into models made of modern materials.
Heinrich and Rene Maier have recently developed a spectacular kite pyrotechnic show involving flying kites with lights and fireworks
Eduardo Borghetti (Italy)
Making a welcome comeback is Eduardo who creates vast colourful rings which rotate in the sky. His stunning designs are the featured image of this year’s festival. His creations will also participate in the special charity slot supporting the Great Western Air Ambulance – with the spinning wheels reflecting the rotors of the charity’s distinctive helicopter.
Janneke Groen (The Netherlands)
Janneke is one of the longest standing overseas guest flyers to the Bristol Festival. She is one of the leading experts in applique which involves stitching different colours onto the kite to create a patchwork quilt which when flown allows the light to create a stained glass effect. Janneke has a background in textiles and her trademark is the application of her designs onto distinctive Japanese ‘sode’ or kimono kites. Janneke has recently been involved in the O-Mills kite wind power project with Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels and also has many other passions - including gardening, cheese and rollerblading!
Robert Van Weers (New Zealand)
Although born in New Zealand, Robert grew up in the Netherlands, where he was introduced to kiteflying (in 1981, when he was working as a chef!). This led to not only a love of flying kites, but also making them as well, originally on an old pedal- driven Singer sewing machine. Since then he has made numerous kites in all shapes and sizes, and in the last few years has started designing his own as well, including the award winning "Pirouette" and "Garfield". Recent designs include a monkey with a banana and a series of fish designs called ‘Fish in Line’ and other sea creatures.
Gerard Clement (France)
Gerard is the Founder and President of the French Federation of Kite and Vice-Président of the International Federation of Kites. With more than 30 years of kite flying, Gerard is the owner of an impressive kite collection from around the world, and as the author of of 5 books and editor of numerous articles, he has been acknowledged for his work in development and in preservation of the traditions of the kite in France. Gerard has also organised the Berck-sur-mer Kite Festival for the past 24 years.
Rolf Sturm (Germany)
Rolf is making a welcome return to Bristol having last visited back in 2000. He is a regular on the international kite circuit and known for his fun soft kites including his daredevil Snoopy and the Red Baron in their flying machines
Robert Valkenburgh (The Netherlands) – Wind Garden
Builders of Kites and Musical Wind Objects, Robert is a frequent guest of kite festivals around the world with his Wind Gallery Aerial and Aeolian displays. Fascinated by the humming of a tightly stretched kite-line, Robert started experimenting with wind generated sounds. This resulted in a wind orchestra, where various types of instruments, in different sizes and materials, give an extra dimension to these Festivals of the Wind. There are strings, bells and flutes, all played upon by the wind. Instruments which range from a copy of 16th Century European Aeolian cither to a Polynesian Bamboo organ, all together giving off a constantly changing and very pleasing and musical performance.
Caterina Capelli (Italy)
Caterina is well known on the international festival circuit and, along with her father Claudio, also organises the legendary Cervia Kite Festival.
