Andy Wardley

December 2000

Visit just about any UK kite festival and you will see the figure of Andy Wardley flicking a Gemini around in the arena. The Gemini is Andy's preferred kite, not surprising really seeing as it was his conception. Tim Benson helped with the implementation, and between the two of them the Gemini was born.

During a lull in the wind at Berrow, we sat down with Andy at the mobile cafe on the seafront, and asked him a few questions before the rain returned...

Q. How long have you been flying kites ?
A. "I've been flying for six years, since I was 25."

Q. What was your first kite ?
A. "A Spirit of the Air Rapier which my wife bought me as a birthday present."

Q. What do you do when you are not flying kites ?
A. "I'm a Software Researcher."

Q. What is the attraction of kiting ?
A. "It is relaxing and exciting. I enjoy standing in a field flicking a Gemini."

Q. How many kites have you got ?
A. Andy confesses to having a loft packed out with kites, and "way over 100 Benson kites."

Q. How did your friendship with Tim Benson start out ?
A. "I started flying in March and by June I was being sponsored by Tim. I then started working on bridles and moved on to the Outer Space which I helped design."

Q. What is your most prized kiting possession ?
A. "The Gemini. It is designed to meet my requirements. It feels different and is more radical but controllable."
"The reason why it has two spines is because of the real wind and apparent wind. There is less pressure on the outer wings and more on the centre. It took 43 prototypes to get there."

Q. What are your kiting achievements ?
A. "I've competed for 3 or 4 years and at one point I was eighth in Europe. I've also been second behind Carl Robertshaw."
"The 'Freestyle' competitions came about as a way of trying to 'win' !"

Q. What are your fondest memories ?
A. "There are too many good memories. I've been to the States a few times. My first year of going to Wildwood helped spread the word of trick flying."

Q. Any scary moments ?
A. "Being lifted out whilst I was on a mountain board. I was flying a 4.9 Blade and was carried 20 yards down wind. I prefer a board to a buggy."

Q. What would you like to do next in kiting that you haven't already done ?
A. "Kite surfing."

Q. Where do you think kiting is going (buggying, surfing, etc) ?
A. "Totally towards the traction end. Surfers and wind surfers are switching over to kite surfing."

Andy tells us that the highlight of his kite flying life so far is the Gemini, and he feels that it is difficult to improve on it.
His latest project is a traction kite, single skin, hybrid, part inflated, part 'sticky'. He has written software to model the new as yet unnamed 'latest project' which generates the cutting plan. The Tim Benson partnership continues as Tim is advising on this.

In addition, Benson kites have just released the "Mini Gemini", which no doubt will become as popular as the original!

Watch Andy putting the Gemini through its paces in this 1m 49s video *.

"In!"

In the title sequence you can just about see a half Backspin combo'd straight into a Coin Slot back the other way, then a couple of Axels to bounce back and forth and then fly off. Check out the way I'm using large hand movements and constantly walking backwards and forwards to control the pressure on the kite.

The first main sequence starts at 7s with a gentle Axel Cascade all the way down the centre of the window, followed by a Fountain all the way back up. At the top we go straight into a Flic-Flac which takes the kite back down the window and at the bottom I pop a half Backspin into a hard Turtle and then Acid Drop down to land on both tips.

It's interesting to note the difference between the Cascade down and the Fountain up. Going down, the nose of the kite never points much above horizontal. In contrast, the Axels are popped harder and faster on the way up to get the kite to rotate around a little more so that the nose is pointing slightly upwards when the next Axel comes.

The next sequence starts at around 34s with a Tip Stand to Coin Toss followed by a quick smile from yours truly and a demonstration of crazy monkey style flying.

Back to the kite which we see doing another Cascade to Fountain, but this time converted into a Flic-Flac/Backspin combo coming down the window. This is a single Flic-Flac (flare out, fade up) into a 360 Backspin which you repeat, alternating directions of the Backspin. I call this combo a "Duplex" because it follows on from the "Mutex", a similar combination of Flic-Flac to 360 Flat Spin. There's also the "Triplex" which is alternating both together (e.g. Flic-Flac, 360 Flat Spin, Flic-Flac, 360 Backspin, repeat). To exit the Duplex, I extend the last Backspin into a 540 and I fly straight out.

As the clock passes a minute, you see a power dive flared out and popped back up into a 540 Backspin. This gets converted out into a Turtle and a Lazy Susan but it doesn't quite work out and I don't stick a clean landing. Not to worry, though, because the kite drops belly down and I pop it up straight into a 540 Backspin and fly out.

At 1m14s you see another dive into a Multiple Backspin but this time from a different angle. It looks like the entry into the Backspin is out of line and I wouldn't be surprised if the quick edit hides a horrible mess. Nevertheless, the wonders of digital video mean that we can cut straight into a successful multi-Backspin filmed by my stunt double and no-one ever gets to suspect that I'm really human after all. :-)

There's a bit of floating around and a few abstract shots which lead into the final sequence. This starts at 1m29s with a launch into a side slide, a Cascade on the right, Backspin roll in the middle, Cascade on the left, finishing out with a nice, snappy landing.

"Out!"

Andy Wardley

Filmed at the Kennet Valley Kite Festival - 17th July, 2001.

Andy Wardley's home page is at :
http://wardley.org

Tim Benson's contact details can be found at :
http://bensonkites.com

A Mini Gemini photo can be found at:
www.kites.tug.com/minigem/index.html