Tonia,
I was so psyched to see your announcement for the 2010 La Ventana camps. I had a great time and made so much progress last year. I went from having zero control on getting up on my board to being really comfortable with starts and stops, did my first downwinder, and started to work on transitions. My confidence and level of self-sufficiency in the water was so much higher at the end of the week, and I am an absolute machine when it comes to fetching my board now. Hopefully I'll make it down this year to work on the fancy stuff!
The accommodations, people, margaritas, and food at Palapas Ventana were all excellent. The side trip into La Paz to celebrate Carnival was a definite highlight too.
And I still can't believe that I actually made it out of bed for the sunrise pilates sessions...but very glad that I did.
Loved it, and highly recommend the camps.
Best,
Leah

Here I sit in north Idaho after being in the Gorge all weekend and just fresh from a lesson with Tonia. If you could only see the smile on my face and feel how content I am knowing that I can now, "rip it upwind" all because of a lesson with Tonia. I went to a kite camp in the Dominican for two weeks and had a few other unsucessful days with a kite above me BUT to to be taught via walkie talkie and have Tonia right there in the water on a Skidoo really was the ticket. Forget busy crowded spits such as at Hood River. Forget the upwind walk of shame (which takes away your energy and wastes so much time that would be better spent on your board). This is the real deal. No walking back up wind each time you unsucessfully get blown downwind. Your in the open channel and there is no body but you and Tonia and the wide open channel to get up in and begin the fun. As soon as I got up Tonia provided exact instruction to me in "real time" so I was able to adjust immediately. Within 1 hour I was doing cross channel runs upwind!!!!

All I can say is if I had gone to Tonia 15 kiting hours earlier I bet I would have been far more advanced than I am now. This was by far the best way to learn with a wonderful instructor. I plan one more trip to the Gorge this year and can not wait to have my sweetheart take a lession with Tonia. By that time I should be able to be out there own my own kiting my ass off!!! Thanks Tonia.....Grafully your in Idaho, Phillip C

I took a backroll and bigger-jump lesson from Tonia a few days ago, and it has sunk in already-- jumps are higher now and backrolls sweeter. I attribute this to her good teaching, plus the radio-helmets allowing her to immediately tell me what I did wrong and how to fix it on the next try. This speeds up learning by a factor of two or more. Having her nearby on a jetski was also great, because it made me feel more secure about recovering from various types of yard sales that might include the kite. You have to feel secure to be more aggressive, and you have to be more aggressive to learn. And, she retrieved the board if I crashed way downwind of it, saving lots of body drag time and energy!

My kiteboarding experience started with deep fear of "the kite." My boyfriend is one who thinks, "If you don't bleed, it's not an adventure"... and he was the one teaching me.

After months of frustration and the almost dreading of windy days, I decided that I needed a lesson.

Tonia was amazing! My first lesson marked a drastic change in my kite boarding outlook - I was no longer scared of the kite. I could launch, body drag, drag upwind, relaunch in deep water and even started putting on the board...by the second lesson, I was up and riding.

Tonia has a unique and effective teaching style. She's very patient and has the ability to explain a seemingly difficult concept by breaking it down into simple steps. Tonia also is very in-tune with her students and is able to adjust her explanations to different learning styles.

Tonia's a great instructor - but her best attribute is her enthusiam to teach and help people to learn to kiteboard. I willl always remember the sheer determination to help me get up and ride, and the loud cheer of excitement when I first rode.

Thanks again Tonia! I can't wait to take another lesson from you... maybe we can try upwind next time? ;)

Tonia, thanks again for the best lesson ever! I am so grateful for your instruction and patience. You explained things so well and I learned a ton! The entire experience was a pleasure, and I would not hesitate to take another lesson.
To anyone wanting to take lessons in the Gorge: don't waste one penny with any other instructor or school; Tonia is by far the best instructor around! hands-down!! Very clear & comprehensive teaching, a super awesome location, and a genuinely nice person!
thanks so much :0)
-Rebekah