FRIEND
Favorite Spots: Long Point Slicks, Ceara Coast Brazil, Hatteras
Favorite Conditions: 20 knots and flat water
Favorite Moves: Back to Wrapped, Shifty Back to Blind
Sponsors: Liquid Force, Rip Curl
Board: Influence Grind 138
Bindings: Watson CT
Kites: HiFi Comp
Harness: Comp Series
When, where and why did you start kiteboarding? I started kiteboarding in 2005 at my home spot in Long Point, Canada. I was always into other water sports and one day while I was at the beach one of the first guys that kiteboarded in our area went out for a session. I was stoked and wanted to learn so I bought a used kite off a local rider and went from there.
Have any other sports or disciplines helped influence your kiteboarding? Oh for sure! Wakeboarding, Snowboarding and Skateboarding I think have helped out in my style and creativity with kiting!
What riders influence you the most/inspire you? Guys pushing the wakestyle movement like Brandon Scheid, Eric Reinstra, Jake Kelsick and James Boulding! But riding with my crew any learning new stuff with them helps push me more then anything. Dan Steiner, Sam Medysky, Dave Drinkwater and the rest of the Ontario crew helps me really push my riding!
What do you do off the water to help you on the water? Not much haha. That reminds me I should really start hitting the gym!
What trick or style are you currently working on and what is the challenge? Right now I'm home in Canada so I'm focused on getting some of the new stuff I learned this season on the water to translate into my snowkiting!
Can you give any tips to riders when hitting their first sliders or kickers? Charge it! If you're not confident or don't have enough speed you're probably going to crash.
Do you think that riders without a surfing background should get a directional wave board or just stick with their twin tip to maximize their fun factor? Do whatever makes you happy! Kiteboarding is just about having fun so dont restrict yourself to just learning what's cool or the latest trick.
Do you have any plans to compete? I'd really like to go to the Superfly Open in Utah for the snowkite contest. Other than that if there is sliders or kickers at an event I'll try to make it!
What is something about you outside of kiteboarding that most people wouldn’t know? I finished school for Power Engineering in 2008.
Where is your favorite place to kite and why? Cauipe Lagoon! 20-25 knots and glassy water!
What is your most memorable kiteboarding experience? That's hard. Lots of great experiences, maybe being able to just kick back and focus on kiting for three months in Brazil!
