INDUSTRY PROFILE: Bruce Johnson
I met my good buddy and business partner Nico at a local kite spot and we found out through Arnaud of Kitemasters that F-One was looking for a new distributor for the US market. ... Read More...
Interviews
Close Up: Adam Koch
If you’ve been following kiteboarding for a number of years then you have probably heard of Adam Koch.... Read More...
INDUSTRY PROFILE: Litewave Dave
I was a windsurfer building my own boards and I went to Maui so I could learn to build better windsurfers. ... Read More...
Close Up: Adriana Harlan
Adriana began kiteboarding just two years ago, and she has spent that time on kiting in powerful waves both strapless and strapped. ... Read More...
The Unstoppable Billy Floyd
Even the loss of his legs can’t keep Billy Floyd from kiteboarding.... Read More...
From the Beginning: The Franz Olry Interview
There is a good chance that you have no idea who Franz Olry is.... Read More...
INSIDER: North Kiteboarding’s Dan Schwarz
Eat a lot, sleep a lot, brush ”˜em like crazy, and never try to argue with someone on a public internet forum.... Read More...
The College Kiteboarding Contingency: An Interview with Matt Sexton
In the U.S., the CKA is the only kiteboarding tour in the country and is responsible for getting hundreds of college-aged people started in kiteboarding. ... Read More...
CAUGHT ON TAPE: Chris Tronolone
Led by Chris Tronolone, the kiteboarding movies made by Tronolone Productions have been instrumental in inspiring people to learn to kiteboard and in exposing kiteboarding to a much wider audience than would otherwise know about the sport... Read More...
The Man Behind the Scenes: The Story of Naish Kiteboarding
Mention Naish Kiteboarding and most people immediately think of Robby Naish, the man who basically put windsurfing on the map and has been killing it as a kiteboarder since the beginning of the sport. Most have never heard of Andy Church, the brawn on the business side of the company, who has been working behind the scenes at Naish for years.... Read More...
Born & Bred in the USA: The Story of Slingshot
Slingshot was one of the first companies who was strictly a kiteboarding company in an emerging market of manufacturers who produced both windsurfing and kiteboarding gear. Their cool graphics and unique approach turned heads quickly.... Read More...
GUMBALL SPEAKS: Interview with Best Kiteboarding Co-Founder Alex Shogren
Best Kiteboarding is one of the most controversial brands in the history of our sport. In their first year of business, they were blackballed from certain magazines, banned from a demo testing event and often criticized for their aggressive marketing strategies. Under mountains of opposition, Best has matured into a major player in our sport.... Read More...
The Bearded BANDITOS: The Story of Caution Kiteboarding
If you kitesurf at any beach near Santa Cruz, California, there is something that will jump out at you immediately. An overwhelming number of people ride gear from one company: Caution Kites.... Read More...
Bill Tai: The Kite Guy of Silicon Valley
Like many kiteboarders out there, Bill Tai is passionate about the sport. He is just like the rest of us addicts, every possible opportunity and talking the sport enough that some know him the “Kite Guy” in Silicon Valley, but what seperates Bill from most of the rest of us kite bums is what he does for a living.... Read More...
Kiteboarding’s Biggest Punk: Ruben Lenten
"Energetic, powerful, and solid." That’s how Ruben Lenten describes his riding style in his own words, and I don’t think anyone could come up with a better description.... Read More...
Niccolo Porcella: All Grown Up
I was on vacation in Maui back in 2000 when I crossed paths with Niccolo Porcella for the first time. I remember it like it was yesterday because he immediately lipped off to me.... Read More...
RELENTLESS ROOTS: The Liquid Force Story
When I learned to kiteboard, my first board was a 171 cm Liquid Force Picklefork. It was big, heavy, and had four sharp corners that were always trying to murder you. I thought it was the coolest piece of equipment ever. We all laugh at the Pickleforks now, but the design helped kiteboarders shift from directional to twin tip boards.... Read More...
Who Is Joe Cool? Extended Feature
The first few times I heard the name Joe Cool, I had no idea he was a real person. I thought it was a joke; a name you call someone when they are acting too cool for their own good.... Read More...