• Sandy Parker
• Donny Parker
• Your Name Here??

The summer of 2002 Donny Parker and Sandy Parker opened a Kiteboarding School in Rio Vista, Ca at Sherman Island. The name Ki'topia originated from a group of friends exploring the Islands near Sherman Island. Ki'topia is just an extension of Sherman Island but it is our little piece of heaven. Ki'topia is three miles up wind from Sherman Island giving our students a safe quiet place away from the crowded lower section of Sherman Island.

The reason for starting the school was in 1998 we didn't have many people to ask any questions to so our learning curve was slow and mostly trial and error. As the years progressed so did the sport, we watched many people try to learn in Sherman Island without lessons. Watching them make dangerous mistakes to themselves and the sport, we wanted to help them achieve the euphoria we kiters thrive on. Sherman Island is more of an intermediate to advance level of kiteboarding location due to the onshore wind conditions. In 1998 Sherman Island had at the most 6 kiters now today 2004 Sherman Island can easily have 40 kites on the water at any given time. Donny and I lucked out having a lake close to our hometown so we practiced there before venturing to Sherman Island.

Ki'topia is a PASA certified school with certified instructors. When you take a lesson with an instructor from Ki'topia you will still experience the same wind and water conditions the experienced riders love, yet in a much safer atmosphere.

In the winter of 1998 Donny introduced me to a 10 foot flexi foil kite. This was my trainer kite for the winter, after flying this kite all winter the spring of 1999 I was hooked. I became a team rider for the local kitesurfing shop, and was asked to become a certified instructor in 2002. I went to South Padre Island, Texas to get certified as a PASA instructor then returned to the Rio Vista area to open a kiteboarding school with my brother Donny.

During the winter season of 2002 I traveled to Key West, Florida. After Florida I then traveled to South Padre Island, Texas for the remaining winter months to teach and assist in the local shops.

During my stay in Texas I assisted with the organization of the 2nd annual free Kiteboarding festival. I helped Kite girl hold free kite clinics during the festival. As well as compete in the men's kiteboarding division. That next season in California I competed in the King of the Bay making it thru the first heat then up against the pros. Since they kite every day they better win.

Click here for some photos of me.

Donny Parker has been in the wind sports since the early 80's. He became a solid windsurfer through out the nineties, riding both the ocean waves and high wind surfing on the river. Donny worked with some of the local board shapers, learning the art of shaping windsurf boards.

In 1998 Ed Little the local custom board builder introduced Donny to Kiteboarding. Kiteboarding was going to be his lite wind sport. (This lasted one season before he sold all his windsurfing equipment.) He has carried his art of shaping into Kiteboarding. He started shaping kiteboards mostly for Sandy needing a smaller board but no manufacture at the time had a board designed for women. The boards Donny has designed have gotten noticed by many people. One in fact is the number one woman in the west coast. Bri Chrml. She has won the many of the most recent events in the west coast. She loves the board Donny Designed for her.

July of 2004 Donny quit his day job to become a full time Kiteboarding instructor as well as Board builder.

Click here for some photos of Donny.

We are always looking for great new instructors to join the team. If you are a PASA certified instructor, or are serious about becoming one, we are interested in talking to you. Drop us an email, and maybe your picture will be here!