Hood River weekend
The Columbia River Gorge wind has made Hood River and other nearby towns top destinations for windsurfers and kiteboarders worldwide.
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The Columbia River Gorge acts as a funnel for wind that barrels down along the river throughout the summer. Where the wind blows, thousands of people follow, looking to surf and ride the waves of the river.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Tonia Farman first started teaching friends to kiteboard because she wanted people to be on the water with her.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Cascade Kiteboarding has started to turn people away for lessons in the next few weeks because instructors are booked out for the end of the season.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Cascade Kiteboarding owner Tonia Farman stores all of the equipment for her school in a stationary truck, including helmets, wetsuits, boards and kites, at the Hood River Event Site.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Cascade Kiteboarding first opened in 2007, and now boasts 13 instructors and has between 15 and 20 lessons daily.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Ford Huntington, 18, first started windsurfing when he was 6 years old. He works during the summer at water sport company Big Winds at the Hood River Event Site.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Windsurfing and kiteboarding season usually wraps up around Labor Day when tourists head home and kids go back to school.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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The Columbia River Gorge has a number of sites for windsurfing and kiteboarding. The Hood River Event Site is particularly popular for kiteboarders and also stand up paddle boarders.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Water sports started to gain popularity in the Columbia River Gorge in the 1980s. Now, Hood River and the Gorge are known for the world-class wind.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Cascade Kiteboarding owner Tonia Farman says water sports can seem intimidating because of the upfront costs. Used equipment to start can cost up to $1,000.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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The wind in the Columbia River Gorge has put Hood River and other nearby towns on the map for water sport enthusiasts worldwide.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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A number of dogs were present for the annual King of the Hook Competition in Hood River Saturday. Some even participated by standing on their owners' windsurfing boards.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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At the annual King of the Hook, participants are encouraged to dress up and do tricks for the judges.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Greg Stiegel, executive director of the Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association, emceess the King of the Hook Saturday. He says he's never participated, but he has organized the event for the past four years.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
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Onlookers watch the annual King of the Hook Saturday.
Lizzy Duffy / OPB
