25 July 2024

Road to Double loop / EP 5

Jetto is locked and loaded to pull the biggest double loop of his life. Will he stick a big one with a 100kmh swing under the Kite?

18 July 2024

Road to Double loop / EP 4

Episode four is live - It’s time

04 July 2024

Road to Double loop / EP 3

Episode three is live - Free Falling x10

27 June 2024

Road to Double loop / EP 2

Episode two is here - and whether Jetto likes it or not, he’s making his ‘Double Debut’.

20 June 2024

Road to Double loop / EP 1

Would you do a double loop for a North Kiteboarding sponsorship? Jetto would, or at the very least - he’ll try.

17 June 2024

North Welcomes Wingfoil Prodigy Ernesto de Amicis to International Team

The 15-year-old sets sights on World Champion with North International Team 

22 May 2024

Nathalie Lambrecht wins Full Power Tarifa

Nathalie Lambrecht takes out 1st place at Full Power Tarifa. 

02 May 2024

Driven | Capucine Delannoy's life as a Kitesurfing World Champion

As published by Kitesurfing Magazine Nationality: France, French Republic Sponsors: North, Mystic Specialist discipline: Strapless Freestyle, Surf Home spot: Prea Brazil 

08 April 2024

The Rise of Baby Shark

Tune into the remarkable kiteboarding journey detailing the ascent of Josué San Ferreira, aka ‘Baby Shark’, as he goes from raw talent in rural Brazil to international acclaim.

26 March 2024

Mixing it up: North welcomes Oswald Smith to International Team

North Kiteboarding is thrilled to announce the latest addition to the International Team: the dynamic Oswald ‘Ozzie’ Smith.

13 February 2024

North welcomes Francesca Maini

Soaring to New Heights in the World of Kiteboarding.

15 January 2024

Nathalie Lambrecht joins North

A force to be reckoned with. North welcomes Big Air / Freestyle Pro Rider Nathalie Lambrecht to the team in 2024. Read her Q&A from El Gouna, Egypt below.

22 December 2023

Here’s to Jesse Richman

14 December 2023

BIG Jump - Nick Jacobsen

The one and only, Nick Jacobsen dares it all at the BIG HQ Building, designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group. BIG Jump - WATCH NOW How did you find setting up your kite?   Setting up and launching the kite was the main hurtle. When I had the permit to jump, I went into the research process straight away. I could pick any wind direction I wanted. The North-Easterly winds were the best, as it would be a nice mellow and stable wind coming from the ocean, without any obstacles disturbing. When laying my lines out, we noticed that I had almost no space on top of that roof. So, we had to launch the kite with slacked lines, and just hoping for the kite to catch wind before the lines would get caught up with different things popping up from the floor. As soon as the kite was above my head flying, it was such a big relief. From that point the rest was a walk in the park.   What was your favourite thing about the BIG HQ iconic building?  My favorite thing about this building is, its location. I have been kiting a few times around the area, and always thought to myself, that it would be great to fly off one of these buildings one day. The architecture is quite mind blowing. The attention to details is next level. When walking around inside the building, there´s just small things catching your eye constantly. A piece of art.   How did you feel on the day about the jump? I felt great after the jump. I was not too happy with my first descent, so I decided to jump it again.After my second jump, I rushed home to pick up my son from daycare.

01 December 2023

Tough battle for Cohan

"I'm a powered rider, so I need wind to perform, and I really had to battle to make it happen, and yeah, just didn't get enough out of the wind and the waves. I just did my best"

25 November 2023

Home Turf. Luca Ceruti.

Luca Ceruti talks mindset, competition pressure and finding his happy place while competing.

24 November 2023

Marc Jacobs X Orbit Pro

Listen to North Team Rider and 2021 Red Bull King of the Air Champion Marc Jacobs' introduction of the new Orbit Pro - competition-driven, podium-proven.

23 November 2023

Big C - Cohan Van Dijk

Meet Big C. Listen to Red Bull King of the Air favourite Cohan Van Dijk on Kitesurf 365.

22 November 2023

Next Gen Josue San Ferreira

Josue Ferreira talks life as a North Next Gen rider, beating the pros and making it on to the Red Bull King of the Air lineup.

31 August 2023

2024 Surf Collection and new all Carve

The ocean has its own timing and flow. There is no rush. Simply an ever-changing rhythm. North has engineered its new 2024 Surf collection for carving up a wave face, tucking into a barrel and boosting strapless. Let the journey begin.  Watch North Kiteboarding Surf Collection Video: The journey

23 August 2023

Capucine Delannoy fights back to come out top in tight final at opening of world cup in Sylt

Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt, Germany 2023 Brandenburger Strand, 22—27 August  

22 August 2023

WingFoiler Jeremiah McDonald joins North team

Jeremiah McDonald, a wing foil coach, competitive racer and freestyle athlete, debuts with North alongside a new Learn to Foil program being launched tomorrow.

16 June 2023

Never Miss A Day

Ride with Jesse Richman and join us for the breathtaking realms of Big Wave Kitesurfing.  

26 March 2023

Podcast: North Foiling - Mike Raper

In this weeks The General Foiling Podcast, Freddie and Liam chat to Mike Raper - Brand Manager and Co-founder at North Kiteboarding and North Foils, all the way over in Auckland, NZ. Mikes been around the watersports industry for a very long time and has held numerous senior positions within it - initially with the Pryde Group and Cabrinha Kites, and now running the ever successful North Kiteboarding and North Foils. Liam and I both enjoyed Mikes interview on the Progression Project back in October 2022, and jumped at the chance to have a chin wag with him - although both very conscious that our interview would likely be quite a different style! For anyone who wants to know more about Mikes early days in the Industry and how he got his start, we urge you to go and listen to the episode - it's a banger.

14 March 2023

GWA Wingfoil World Cup New Zealand Recap: Bowien van der Linden 3rd

There was a light breeze for the final of the GWA Wingfoil World Cup in New Zealand where we managed to complete men’s elimination 5, and women’s eliminations 12 and 13.  

11 December 2022

Reconnect. The Documentary.

Tune in this weekend for Jalou's new documentary, RECONNECT. Streaming free at northkb.com/reconnect for just 48 hours.

24 November 2022

Tom Bridge rocks the Boat

Colin Carroll watched Tom Bridge's return to competitive kiteboarding after a 6-year hiatus in disbelief. 3 heats. 6 tricks that had never-been-done. Not one of them scored above 7.0. Everyone, from judges to opponents, was willing him to conform. But he didn’t. 

15 November 2022

Bruna Kajiya wins 2022 Vice World Champion title in Brazil

Three-time World Champion, Bruna Kajiya, placed 2nd in the GKA Freestyle Championships in Taiba, Brazil, for an overall Women Runners-Up podium finish to the 2022 season. Following earlier events in Salinas del Rey, and Neom, Sauda Arabia, the Copa Kitley GKA Freestyle-Kite World Cup Brazil was one of the most hotly contested and thrilling encounter ever seen in kiteboarding between the world's top riders at what is most likely the best freestyle spot in the world. Over the course of three days of action we saw world-first manoeuvres dropped in competition for the first time, while the general level of riding at this event was at a jaw dropping level throughout.  Maxime Chabloz summed up best how the butter flat water and smooth 18-22 knot wind conditions made for the ultimate throwdown: "The level is insane. There's nothing affecting a rider's performance except their own skills. It's just so good." According to GKA commentary by Jim Gaunt, Bruna still had an outside chance of reclaiming the world championship at this event if the first place champion Mikaili Sol had finished in fourth position or below.  At 35, Bruna is the veteran of the women's fleet, but is widely acknowledged as the rider who inspired more female participation in this discipline when she became the first woman to land a backside 315 in 2016. Showing all the grit and composure that has propelled her to previous success, the Brazilian dug deep during another tight battle in the final against Rita Arnaus, pulling out a signature sweet back mobe under pressure on the final trick to overtake the Spaniard and take second.  Next event for the Freestylers is the opening round of the 2023 season at Fuwairit Kite Beach resort, Doha, Qatar from 31st January - 4th February. Photos: Svetlana RomantsovaWords: Jim GauntRead more GKA News from the GKA Kite World Tour here

09 November 2022

Dakhla Calling 2022

Mission Dakhla 2022 Dakhla has a very unique and special vibe, you can feel the magic of the desert coming to you. It's an ancient place and nature is really powerful down there.

09 November 2022

Jesse Richman x Code Zero

Surf style. Jesse style. Code Zero Born to drift, the Code Zero’s playful, agile feel and fun dynamic steering, makes it ideal for wave-riding in smaller surf. I rode the Code Zero in a wide variety of conditions, from light to strong winds. Onshore to offshore and the whole time the kite truly amazed me with it's smoothness and stability. I was totally impressed. — Jesse Richman Watch the full edit here

08 November 2022

The Prince's Portrait

The making of a King. What actually happened at the 2021 Red Bull King Of The Air? Shot and edited by Colin Colin Carroll, this documentary follows the rise of Marc Jacobs to the most esteemed title in Kiteboarding. 

19 October 2022

The Progression Project

Listen to head of North Foils, Mike Raper, on the Progression Project Podcast with host Erik Antonson.

10 October 2022

Capucine Delannoy Crowned The Queen of the desert at The GKA Kite World Tour, Dakhla 2022

GKA Kite World Tour, Dakhla 2022 was certainly one for the history books! Capucine Delannoy (FRA) took yet another win at the first Kite-Surf tour stop of the year. The young and hungry North rider powered through the event knocking down everything in her path. Capucine demonstrated elegant wave riding with a sense of power when ripping through every turn.

29 September 2022

Being King. By Colin Colin Carroll

A Big Air World Championship documentary featuring Jesse Richman, Marc Jacobs, Janek Grzegorzewski, Giel Vlugt, Nick Jacobsen, Tom Bridge, Andrea Principi and Lorenzo Casati following the action at the GKA World Tour in Tarifa 2022. View our Big Air collection here.Watch the North Men's GKA Edit here.Read about Capucine, Karlie & Bruna's experience at the GKA here.

08 August 2022

Fully Focused with Jesse Richman

"We can’t be sure how high up Jesse was, but it looks like he was fully Focused, Flexing his muscles, and Reaching for the sky... what a Navigator... Mmm, in case you’re wondering what the h*ll we’re talking about, that will be his board, bindings, kite and bar..." - The Kite MagDiscover Jesse's set up here. See more from The Kite Mag here. 

05 August 2022

Tarifa GKA Recap: North Men's Team

Did you tune into the Biggest Big Air Event of the Year? Get your fix with our GKA Big Air Men's Recap video with Jesse Richman, Camille Delannoy Luca Ceruti, Nick Jacobsen and Marc Jacobs.

04 August 2022

Cape Town Storm Chase with Graham Howes

With 4.5m Swell and 55 knots winds, Graham Howes and his crew decided to hit a big wave surf sport in Cape Town.With off shore winds, lots of rain, and some big rouge sets coming through. Next stop is Antarctica... "The Boys just landed back home in Cape Town from Tarifa, Spain after the GKA world championships, and they were treated by one of the biggest storms of the season" - Graham Howes

27 July 2022

Chucho Nonnot Joins North Foils

Foiling prodigy and latest signing to the North Foils team, Chucho Nonnot’s enthusiasm for adventure and foiling is catching. "Adventure is what life is all about. I'm excited to see what the future holds for us in this rapidly growing sport. One thing is for sure, wherever I go the foiling gear will come with me.”

26 July 2022

Wherever I Lay My Hat : The Kite Mag #48

Kitesurfing nomad Capucine Delannoy, along with her brother Camille, discuss the upsides and downsides of a life spent chasing the wind, and how competitions feed into their drifting lifestyle…

13 July 2022

Gunnar Biniasch wins the fourth stop of the Spanish Wing Foil Cup

"We had some pretty nice conditions at the two-day event in Palma de Mallorca." Riding the 7m Nova Wing and 4'8 Seek for all 12 races over two days.

08 July 2022

New kid on the block

The young South African taking the scene by storm. "I don't remember a more meteoric rise in Big Air." - Adrian Kerr, Kitesurf 365.

29 May 2022

Playing by your own rules with Marley Franco

Ever wondered what it's like to live the Grom Dream, like Maui local Marley Franco?

29 May 2022

Never bored with Marley Franco

Cut loose from the chores and bores of daily life, and chase that feeling with Marley Franco.

01 May 2022

Welcome to Team North Karlie Thoma!

"What do I love most about kiting? The flying part. I like being in the air. It's an expression of myself. I feel like I don't really have a lot of words, or I can't explain things sometimes, which frustrates me a bunch. But through these sports, I can express myself without words. I'm showing everyone what they need to see." - Karlie Thoma. Living outside the box North welcomed self-confessed daredevil Karlie Thoma to the team after her first photoshoot on Maui with Jesse Richman, Annabel Van Westerop and Marley Franco.  "I like doing things that are scary because it puts me in the moment more. I'm not sure where that comes from. I think I've been like this since I was a kid, a daredevil, doing intense stuff. I don't really feel very present in my day to day - I feel more focused when I'm surfing or doing a crazy mega loop; I'm very dialled-in. More so than in my normal life. And when I put myself into 'scary' situations, I am super-humbled. When I fall, then come up, I'm like: "Holy, I'm good. I'm alive; this is great.”  "In the last five years, it's just been injury-surgery, injury-surgery, or double surgeries. So right now, I finally feel like I'm coming back like I'm injury-free. It's been a long time coming to get to where I'm at now." "I don't really believe [being a pro-kiter] is my reality yet. I know it is on paper, but I'm still trying to accept it. I was so young when I started kiting, I didn't know how to take it to the next level, and my family wasn't really involved in it, so it was kind of like a hobby. When I was 19, I got my real estate license. I thought I would just work a regular job for myself and make money. Being a professional athlete wasn't even a consideration. I thought it was long gone.  "I am a free-rider. I just want to progress, keeping everything interesting, exciting and fun. I'm not sure if I can push to the level that they're going at King of the Air, considering that I don't really want to die or get to a point where my limbs give out! I'm taking it super slow. I just want to get better at Big Air on my own terms and safely send it as much as possible." Karlie’s newest trick is a front roll – fish pull – megaloop, but she’s up for any big jumps with a loop. When learning or mastering a trick, she tries to visualise beforehand. “Then I try it, then I get really, really slammed in the water! It helps when someone takes a video because I can see whether I've been taking off too early, sending the kite too late, or the rotation needs to be a little later. So just kind of like dialling all that in together.” The 24-year-old grew up in Maui – just one beach from Jesse Richman. She spent most of her adolescence down at Old Man's, blasting around on her kiteboard every day after school. "I'm super grateful to have grown up here on Maui, with the conditions that I have here - wind and waves all year round, and the people that I'm surrounded by." At first glance, you'd think she was another uber-talented local Hawaiian kid, with the ocean running in her veins. But unlike many of her generation on Maui, Karlie's parents weren't into water sports or windsurfing. "My Dad's from Germany, and my Mom's from the Philippines. With those two different cultures, being in the US and, more specifically, Maui, it was quite an interesting upbringing. Mostly, people think I'm Hawaiian, but I'm not." When Karlie was eight years old, her Dad rented a room in their house to a couple of Swiss kitesurfers for the summer. "I think I went with them to the beach one day, and I was like ", whoa, this is so cool! I wanna learn! So they did some sort of exchange with my Dad, teaching me to kite in return for a discounted rate to stay. We went right away to the local shop because I needed a super small kite - I was tiny. So, we got a 3m kite, and then I basically spent all my time at the beach. I was the only kid on the scene – Jesse was super close, like right around the corner, but you kind of just stay in your zone. All the kids surf around here, but kiting wasn't really a bit thing back then – even now, there's not a lot of young kids doing it, so I was surrounded by like 30-year olds and up. That was my squad." Her passion for surfing started when she was around 16. "I love it so much! Many more variables go into getting better as a surfer, like if the swells are hitting correctly or if your equipment isn't good, or people burn you on waves. Kiting is super consistent, and you can really take it to where you wanna go. But the further I wanna go, the more taxing it could be on my body. "I think it's sort of like everyone's dream to start surfing with a kite. I've spent a couple of winters on the North Shore, but I'm still trying to perfect things - like where to park the kite when I'm going down the line. I haven't found it similar to surfing in any way, but once those two things connect, I think it'll be more fun. Definitely, this winter, I'll be out there! Karlie’s advice for other girls who are into kiting or watersports or want to be is that you must be persistent and really want it. “The progression doesn't come without it. It's not like a soccer ball – you kick, and it's done. You need to really want to do it.” Karlie knows a thing or two about tenacity, having undergone four shoulder surgeries after dislocating her shoulder. "My first set of surgeries was to repair the tendons, but they ended up tearing again. In the second round of surgeries, I had a bone block. I have screws in my shoulder, so now, physically, it can't dislocate anymore. But I definitely have some fear around it still. Also, between those shoulder surgeries, I punctured through my knee cap. I was in physical therapy for three weeks, trying to bend it and learn how to walk again. That was a little setback. But right now, I think I'm the best that I've ever been in my whole, like 14, 15 years of kiting, despite all the injuries and surgeries. I don't know what switched in my brain." Underlying her desire to overcome fear and keep going is a strong belief in herself. "I know I can do it. My fear is not being able to do it. It's kind of like a double-edged sword because I'm scared that my body will give out; I'm going to get hurt again, and I physically won't be able to do these things. But then also I know I'm capable of getting to where I wanna go (if my body will hold up). I like getting better at things - I feel like that's my purpose." Karlie believes the ocean is a form of therapy and being engaged in what you do helps put her "in the moment". Neuroscientists have called this a "flow state" or "blue mind", and it has been shown to have incredible effects on our wellbeing. At this moment in time – with the pandemic and so many people struggling with their mental health, it seems more relevant than ever for us to be turning to the ocean as a form of therapy. “The pandemic didn't really affect Hawaii so much. I think there was a lockdown at the beginning of it in March for like two weeks. But after that, everything slowly opened up. For me personally, I haven't really felt affected by it. I stayed on the same program that I've been on for a long time, other than, you know, going to the store with the mask on. I can't imagine what some people are going through out there. I know it has changed a lot for people around the world. I've been seeing many more people on the ocean, and definitely a lot more people coming to Hawaii and realizing that there's more to life than a concrete jungle. It makes me super happy that people are going in more of that direction now, like taking life more down the organic route. Keep an eye out for Karlie at her new spot at home in Maui, Pro Pool, when it's blowing 25knots +, or on her latest blog-style video series on YouTube where she'll focus on kiting, surfing and being as active as possible while documenting the process."

22 November 2021

Kiwi Marc Jacobs takes the crown in world's most prestigious kite event

NZ professional kiteboarder Marc Jacobs edges out three-time champion Langeree to win the Red Bull King of the Air 2021. Kiwi Marc Jacobs celebrated his 32nd birthday in style when he beat three-time champion Kevin Langeree and rookie Stig Hoefnagel in an action-packed final to secure the Red Bull King of the Air 2021 title in Cape Town, South Africa - the most extreme international event in kiteboarding. Jacobs, who claimed the iconic trophy after 22 heats and six hours of competition spread over the two days, said: "I'm beyond stoked with the win. It's been four years of full-on dedication to make this come true. The fact that it happened on my birthday and that it played out exactly how I envisioned it is just crazy. It feels so good. We had a really good training season in New Zealand from June to October, so coming straight here was perfect timing.” Event Commentator Jim Gaunt said: “It’s unbelievable how he has transformed his riding to perform in both directions – left foot forward. Clean, technical, powerful. He just keeps it coming, stomp after stomp after stomp.” After a quarter-final against North Team Rider Tom Bridge, Jacobs came up against Liam Whaley in the semi-finals, with the points playing in his favour. Three-time champion Kevin Langeree narrowly beat the megaloop-master Nick Jacobsen, progressing through to the finals against rookie Hoefnagel and Jacobs. Jacobs won the event with two Frontroll Contraloop Boardoff, a Boogieloop Double Rotation and a very high overall Impression Score of 9.08, to gain a total score of 32.28. The fact that he pulled off 16 landed tricks versus his competitors nine put pressure on his competitors early in the heat. He rode with incredible power and precision.  Jacobs said: “I completely changed my game plan two years ago, it’s taken hard work and dedication. I’m no-one special, I just worked my ass off”. 12 x NZ Kiteboarding Champion, Jacobs competed on the World Freestyle Tour for 10 years before turning his skills to Big Air. This was his 5th King of the Air Contest. Jacobs is an International Team Rider for Auckland-based North Kiteboarding, and spends a good deal of his time testing with the North Product Team here on the constantly windy coasts of Aotearoa, New Zealand. North Product Manager Uli Sommerlatt said: “Marc has trained so hard for this and shown so much dedication and commitment. He’s the full package! Well deserved, what an athlete. When he won he brought tears to my eyes.” Brand Director Mike Raper agrees: “Marc is a passionate kiteboarder who is also extremely humble. He has dedicated his life to kiteboarding and NZ should be so incredibly proud of this amazing athlete. I know Marc’s recently been working with a sports psychologist, which has helped him to visualise the win. We’re so excited to see where he takes it next.” Not only did Marc take a well-deserved win, it was also his birthday, and only three days before he flew out for the competition, he married his sweetheart Sophie. The wedding took place in Waikato during lockdown, so her terminally ill Mum could be there for the wedding day. Marc is returning to New Zealand to MIQ for two weeks on 5 December. The NZ kiteboarding community has suggested making the 21st November “Marc Jacobs Kite Day” - an NZ public holiday. New Zealand Kiteboarder Marc Jacobs crowned Red Bull King of the Air in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: Tyrone Bradley Find out more about Marc Jacobs HERE RIDER NAME: MARC JACOBS AGE: 32 HOMETOWN: TAURANGA, NEW ZEALAND, LIVES IN AKL KOTA: 5 BEST RESULT: WINNER 2021, SEMI-FINALS 2020 MEMORABLE: FIRST TO LAND A BACKROLL BOARD-OFF QUIVER: ORBIT KITE 9M OR 10M, NAVIGATOR 45-50, ATMOS 138, FLEX GO TO TRICKS: BOARD OFF ROTATIONS, CONTRA LOOPS AND KUNG FU HANDLE PASSES WINNING TRICK: FRONT ROLL CONTRA LOOP BOARD OFF Here is all you need to know about the Red Bull King of the Air:  - Traditionally run in a strong wind weather window from late January to early February, the big-air kiteboarding event took place in great Kite Beach conditions in the new waiting period from late November to early December.  - With non-elimination Round 1 completed on Saturday, the forecast looked ideal to finish the event on the Sunday, with winds predicted to reach around 30 knots (55km/h) south-southeast from 14:00.  - Heralded by the iconic 'table cloth' of cloud being pulled over Table Mountain, the infamous Cape Doctor wind showed up fashionably late (just before 15:00), but didn't disappoint and stayed constant throughout the afternoon - giving athletes enough of an opportunity to perform.  - It signalled a new era in the sport - something which the event has been known for throughout its history. Heats were close with the impression score often being the heat decider, while Spaniard Liam Whaley bagged the Mystic Move of the Day thanks to a front roll kiteloop board-off.  - Sportive Director Sergio Cantagalli declared: "The sport is growing and developing fast. We are keeping track with that. They are fast! It is exciting times for the sport. Also we have a new King, he was consistent throughout and he brought a lot of technical moves with extreme height."  For more information and to watch the Official Replay visit our Red Bull King of the Air 2021 Event Page HERE (Final heat: 3h22min)

20 November 2021

Driving force Marc Jacobs talks to Graham Howes

"If you do not know how to control your mind, you will not perform in King of the Air" - Marc Jacobs, Red Bull King of the Air 2021 contestant. Has Marc been Jedi training with Yoda? Find out in Graham Howes' Porsche Car Confessions... What advice would Marc give his 14-year-old self? Watch the Car Confessions to find out here! 

03 November 2021

Nick Jacobsen - daring greatly.

Big Air is not a sport for the faint-hearted. You're alone in the sky in massive conditions, relying on just your skills and your kite. North Team Rider Nick Jacobsen is well known for his 'daredevil' antics. As a successful extreme athlete, he has developed a healthy methodology for managing and overcoming fear. We talk to the Danish pro-kiter as he celebrates his third Big Air season launch with North about how he tackles fear and what it takes to stay at the top of your game for more than six years. Everything you want, is on the other side of fear. "Every time there is fear, you should listen to it. And you can either make it shut up, or you can challenge it in a way that feels right." Red Bull performance coach Gary Grinham says, "fear causes a negative mindset. It instils in you elements of doubt, reluctance and lack of trust". Nick comes into the game well prepared to eliminate that mindset - for him, risk assessment and visualisation is important.  "If I don't see it happening, then it's not going to happen. I trust my equipment 100%. There are so many factors that could go wrong, but being with a brand like North eliminates that thought. If I know I've done my homework, then it's down to trusting my own skillset, trying to visualise what I have to do. "I wouldn't go somewhere in the world and say, "that's a cool building. Let me take the lift up with my gear and jump off it". I would never do that. I'd take the lift without my gear, but with my notebook. I'd try and calculate as much as possible, then team up with my friend, who is good at analysing wind conditions. That's the process I usually go through. I'm incredibly nerdy with the stuff that I do, and I know the risks.  "But I think the fear that comes from your surroundings is different to the fear that comes from within. I had to study this quite a bit to understand how my brain worked, and my conclusion was that every time there is fear, you should listen to it. And you can either make it shut up, or you can challenge it in a way that feels right. "I always get frightened when I'm standing on top of a building, so I'll take it in for about a minute, sit with it, then review it. Ask what it is, where it comes from, is this a type of fear I've had before, or is it a new type of fear? If it's a new type of fear, I won't jump. I'd need to examine it and figure out what and where this fear actually comes from. "I've only met with fear like this a few times. Then I've put my kite down, looked at it multiple times, teamed up with people in that field who know how to analyse wind near buildings, near trees, you know, updrafts or whatever might be. Once I have the knowledge, I'll go back to it."  This kind of rationalisation, defined by Dr Pippa Grange in her book Fear Less as "using logic and statistics to take yourself out of your fear", is a common technique used by Nick and other kiters to overcome fear. "Everything is very planned, even though it doesn't look like it. I like putting stuff online that provokes and makes people think that I'm crazy. But I would never do something that didn't FEEL right. "I know it can seem crazy when you list what I’ve jumped with a kite, but I take great honour in being in control and assessing the origin of the occasional fear, so when I do it - It never feels crazy.  "I've gotten a bunch of email and Instagram messages from parents – they're like; 'you shouldn't do this, it's crazy, and you're not even wearing a helmet! My son looks up to you, and now he wants to jump off things.'   "I try to put myself in their shoes, but it's difficult for me. When I look at Travis Pastrana, I'm like, HOLY BANANAS, I will never try and do something like that in my whole life because I know my limits. I can't even do a wheelie on a dirt bike, so why the hell would I try to do a double backflip? If you don't know your limits, that's when it goes wrong." In 19 years of kiting, Nick's only broken an ankle and a finger. "I don't know if I've been lucky, but if anything happens to me during those "crazy" acts, then it would be pretty fatal. You wouldn't just break an ankle. But I do the risk assessments and calculate everything well. I think I'm the opposite of crazy. But that's the brand side of being Nick Jacobsen. "When I get home and cook dinner for my girls, my girlfriend Marie, and her 8yo daughter (who has to be in bed by 8.30pm), I'm so different to that maniac flying around on a kiteboard. If you can't compartmentalise those different aspects in your life, then it becomes a maze, where you don't know what's up, what's down. Without structure in my life on a day-to-day basis, I sort of lose myself. Before I met Marie, I was just this single professional kiteboarder flying around. I didn't have any responsibilities other than being sponsored by people and having deadlines to meet. But now, this is actually a job; it's not only passion. It's what puts food on the table and fills my car up with gas. Taking all these things slightly more seriously really helped me a lot. Nick lives on the beach, in a small village just north of Copenhagen, close to his Mama's house. He and Marie are expecting a baby boy in December. "I think it's going to change a lot of things – hopefully not all the good things, but I think not. Already my relationship with Marie's daughter has changed me – but only in a better way. I talk to Jesse a lot about it, and I can't wait. I think it's going to be such a positive anchor in my life. But I think I will ask myself twice, no, ten times before I actually do stuff." What scares Nick most? Losing control of something he thought he had control of. "When I'm taken by surprise, like 'holy shit, I didn't think about this," - that really scares me, because the consequences, the things that could go wrong, are things I haven't thought about. Underneath that is the idea of other people looking at me and telling me, "I told you so". You shouldn't have done this. Usually, I don't give a shit what people think of me, but if something goes wrong, then how the hell do I justify my next big stunt? I would lose respect from people I work with, friends who trusted me and my ability to do what I do."  Nick's words describe some universally human fears. If you peel the layers back, three big ones come to mind – the fear of not being loved, failure, and not being 'enough'. Nick's ability to overcome these fears as an athlete has helped him prepare for other challenges in life.  "I think being able to lean against something you're good at can really help you, but only for a short time. In the summertime, when we're out kiting every day, you feel 100%. But when you're at home the whole winter like, during Corona, you don't get to travel. It's cold, raining, you don't get to kite and get filled up with adrenalin. As extreme athletes, we need that in our lives. "During Corona, my girlfriend told me: "Man, I don't know what you've turned into, but please do something". So, I started working out. Not like pushing iron, but I started indoor rowing. It's really boring, but it gives me what I need. "My alarm goes off every morning at 5.21am, and I sit up in bed (not that I want to). Then I put on my training shirt, shorts, and shoes, grab my yoga mat and go. If I don't do that every morning, I can really feel the difference in my day.  "I row every morning from 6am-7am, then I come home, drive Marie's daughter to school, and eat breakfast. I experimented with not doing it for a month, just to see if it was this or a third party that was putting me in such a good headspace. But it was exercise, and it was me getting out there and pushing myself cardio-wise. There were stages when I'd think: "I can't go any further because that's not what my body wants," but I'd row another 2km to see what happens. I would want to scream, puke, and run from all my responsibilities – it was so far out that I would rather die than have the feeling I was having at that moment. But a minute later, when you regain control of your breathing and your muscle tension, you're taken to a different place. For me personally, it really helps to just go there. Move my body. Do something.  "Every Thursday, there's no rowing class, but I wake up at the same time, go for a run, go for a swim, or Marie and I will go for a walk in the forest or something. It feels good. I mean, holy bananas, I went to a party until 4am a few weeks ago and felt terrible for four days after. It was such a shock to my body. It was crazy fun," Nick admits, "but you know, I'm ok with not doing that again".  Nick with close mate Graham Howes, in Capetown. Photo Craig Kolesky.  

13 September 2021

Is depression & anxiety the new normal? Graham Howes speaks up.

"I had my 1st panic attack while kiting on a long downwinder. It felt like someone had stuck their fist down my throat, I couldn’t breathe or get air into my lungs, my heart was pounding through my wetsuit. I thought I was having a heart attack. I had to somehow hold it together for another 3 kilometres to get to where my car was parked, every minute felt eternity. It was the scariest moment of my life. Depression had now taken from me, what I loved the most: The Ocean, my happy place." Read here about Professional Kiter Graham Howes struggle with mental illness and his proposed call to action - be part of the conversation. By Graham Howes - Professional Athlete, Artist and Dirty Habits Founder. When I was diagnosed with Major Depression in July 2019 my life changed forever... It was one of the biggest turning points of my life. After years of confusion, anger, frustration and in a very, very dark place, I could finally make sense of why my mind had turned on me. A mind that had always been so powerful, so creative, so great had just stopped functioning. It&rsquo's incredibly scary when something we rely on, something that controls every aspect of your life, your health, relationships, skills, your wellbeing, all of a sudden fails you.  I fought it for so long, trying to figure it out until it fully exhausted my every being and left me crippled on a couch with the blinds shut for 2 weeks.  I was so fortunate to have my incredible fiance, Candace, in my life at that point, otherwise who knows if I would be here to share this story. She supported me throughout the episode and at the darkest of days, she finally dragged me to a psychologist, who sent me straight to a psychiatrist, and the words that he said shook my world: ‘You are suffering from major depression.’ At that point, those were ironically the best words I could’ve heard at the moment. It was as though I had been forced to build a 10,000 piece puzzle, but the puzzle was upside down, and there was just 10,000 grey, oddly shaped pieces in front of me. However with this new information, the puzzle was flipped, and now I still had a mess of 10,000 pieces in front of me, but now there was some colour, and I could slowly, piece by piece, begin seeing a picture. I had a long road ahead of me but with a bit of hope. When I got home, I scraped together all the energy and physical power my overweight, slow body could (I was over 90kg’s by this point, I’m 79kg’s today) just to open my laptop, and start to research this and try to beat it by educating myself. The Doc tried to put me on medication, but I was too stubborn: ‘ I’m not weak, I have been through much worse than this in the past, and I managed, I’m a survivor.” I would spend the next month trying to muscle my way through it, with this new information I could take back control of my mind, or so I thought. After weeks of reading self-help books, trying meditation, changing my diet, quitting booze, talking, writing, even ice baths... you name it, I tried it. And then before I knew it, I was back on that couch in the dark with curtains shut! I hadn’t surfed or kiteboarded in over a month, I had zero physical energy or motivation. But I wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. So in one last attempt, I scraped myself off the couch and forced myself to go kite, back to my happy place, the place that fixed everything, the ocean. Where, when I’m in my flow... and nothing else matters. Or so it did in the past... I had my 1st panic attack while kiting on a long downwinder. It felt like someone had stuck their fist down my throat, I couldn’t breathe or get air into my lungs, my heart was pounding through my wetsuit. I thought I was having a heart attack. I had to somehow hold it together for another 3 Kilometers to get to where my car was parked, every minute felt eternity. It was the scariest moment of my life. Depression had now taken from me, what I loved the most. The Ocean, my happy place. Graham Howes Wave Riding - photo by Samuel Cardenas "The miserable truth is that suicide, depression, and other mental illness only end up in the media when that athlete's silent and lonely dark road ends in their death." I started to google other extreme sports athletes who suffer from depression or anxiety or any mental illness. ‘No search results found’. This does not exist in our world. Well I lie, it does... “Andy Irons, dies alone in a hotel room after suffering silently with bipolar”. “Sunny Garcia (World Champion surfer) in a coma after a failed attempt at suicide after suffering from depression”, “XGames Gold Medalist, Dave Mirra dies of suspected suicide’ the list goes on and on.  The miserable truth is that suicide, depression, and other mental illness only end up in the media when that athlete's silent and lonely dark road ends in their death. And then, for the few weeks that follow, everyone talks and posts about it, saying “how terribly sad it is”, and that the person seemed “so happy, and shared so much love and made a huge difference in people’s lives” and that they are all “shocked by this sudden passing”’.  "The truth is, statistically, as a male in my 30’s, suicide is the most likely thing to kill me…Read that again, shocking right?" - Graham Howes. Photo by Ydwer. Strange as it may sound, but I have a good idea of how my obituary would sound, I’ve written it in my head many times, “Graham was such a happy, positive influence and created a culture that has brought so many people together, and inspired people to live their best lives, this is such a shock to the community and his friends, we had no idea he was suffering”. Okay, that's a bit morbid, but you get the picture.  The truth is, statistically, as a male in my 30’s, suicide is the most likely thing to kill me…Read that again, shocking right? It is the leading cause of death to men in their 30’s. More than cancer, AIDS, Corona. And yet everyone is so chicken shit to talk about it. “It will make me seem weak, I can’t show vulnerability”, “it’s too uncomfortable to ask my mate how he is really doing?” I get it, those things are all true, it’s taken me years to grow the balls to talk about this. But that’s because we, as a society and culture, have made it that way. And I have contributed to that virus for years. Making videos that are ‘cool’, hardcore and masculine, curating content around our perfect lives that are a lie. And I probably will continue because that’s what the world feeds off. And... it sells! Not only do my sponsors pay me to showcase this dream life, but Dirty Habits, the brand I created and run, makes sales that pays my employee’s salaries, because people buy into this lifestyle. "We also have this unhealthy culture around success which is achieved through drive, through power, through winning, through glorification of one’s self. It’s hard to be competitive and successful while showing empathy and vulnerability." - Graham Howes, Photo by Craig Howes. I mean don’t get me wrong, this is a very important aspect in the world, inspiring people to chase their dreams, to work hard and get through their struggles, their jobs, to give people a taste of this life, to strive for greatness, helping people keep their dreams alive, giving people an virtual escape from their situation. And very importantly, it is also making people laugh, smile and feel joy. I value that and I will continue to do that as it is my passion, It is what gets me out of bed in the morning, literally! But can’t we find some balance, and what is that balance exactly? It’s also important to understand that for people who have never experienced mental illness, have absolutely no idea how to digest or engage in this, and it’s unfair of us to expect them to understand such a foreign emotion. However, when you look at the stats, you’ll notice straight away that a large percent of the population is ‘unhinged’ in one way or another, which gives us power in numbers. So if we all (the unhinged) make an effort to destigmatize and demystify mental health, and find a new language for it, that is not so philosophical and artsy, can start a movement that can better the lives of those around us and maybe even saves the lives of our brothers and sisters. I can guarantee you that someone in your immediate family or friend circle is suffering, after all 1 in 4 men have a mental illness. 600 000 Million worldwide.  "The results were even more morbid, and filled with headlines containing the words “Suicide, Overdose, Addiction, Demise” - Graham Howes, Photo by Paul Ganse.  I broadened my google search from ‘depression in extreme sports” to “depression in athletes” and although the results were even more morbid, and filled with headlines containing the words “Suicide, Overdose, Addiction, Demise” I found some hope. “Michael Phelps (Olympic Gold Medalist) opens up about suicide and his ongoing struggle with depression”. It turns out he also contemplated his obituary. I got stuck into the articles and interviews he has done trying to create awareness about this epidemic, which lead me to NBA All-Star players Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan, who are now advocates for creating awareness around mental health. “One common misconception of professional athletes is that we're superhuman. It's hard to see inside. No one really gets a direct look into our daily lives and what we deal with on a daily basis away from the court. We have the same struggles that anybody has. Everyone is going through something that we can’t see” - Kevin Love.  "My deepest darkest secret and being vulnerable to the judgmental, cruel world social media makes" - Graham Howes, Photo by Ydwer. This is an open letter, it doesn't really have a point or a solution, there is, unfortunately, no call-to-action yet. I dream of setting up a foundation one day that can have an influence on the youth. But for now, all I know is that I cannot and will not ignore or stay silent about this, I also cannot contribute toward this virus. Does that mean I know what the next step is? Unfortunately not. I am fortunate enough to have people around me who I now can talk to about this. Am I fixed? Far from it, my journey has just begun. Is this public announcement serving my selfish needs? Maybe… If admitting my deepest darkest secret and being vulnerable to the judgmental, cruel world of social media makes me feel a bit lighter... and if showing people a side of me that I'm embarrassed by, makes me feel a bit less of a fraud. Then yes, maybe I have something to gain, but don't we all deserve to be a little happier, a little less lonely? And by no means am I doing this for attention, or pity or to be treated any different, that's the last thing I need. My only hope is that someone reading this can relate to it, and know that they are never alone, and they don’t need to struggle through this with shame, or fear. I also hope that those who are in denial, just as I have been for years, thinking that “I’m stronger than this”, or “I can beat this alone”, you aren’t and you won’t. If you have a toothache, do you not see the dentist? If you have a knee injury, do you not go to the doctor? We need to start caring for our minds, as well as our bodies. Just as we need to realize as a culture, mental health is as important as physical health. After all, if someone were diagnosed with cancer or had a heart attack, their friends and community would rally together to help, to be there, they might even set up a go-fund-me page to assist with the medical bills or to improve their quality of life… should we not provide the same support for an illness of the brain? What does my future hold for me? Well, hopefully I’ll be making less videos about drinking beer, partying and arses, and hopefully, use Dirty Habits as a platform for athletes and leaders to talk about real shit. Life changing shit. And inspire change and growth. Maybe talking openly about this topic might inspire someone just as Michael Phelps inspired me, to be brave. Maybe that person may be a role model to younger kids, maybe, just maybe, my obituary could instead read “Graham, gave me the courage to ask my friend how he really is doing”  And for now, I’m gonna put my laptop away, turn off my phone, put on some good music and go back to my beautiful puzzle. People don’t fake depression, they fake being ok. - Graham Howes, Photo by Ydwer. Remember that and be kind.  *Disclaimer - this may come across as I’m writing to a male audience, well Instagram says my audience is 96% male, and secondly, from research, I found that this stigma is more of a problem amongst men, women tend to feel more comfortable being emotional and talking about their feelings. Not to say they don’t suffer as much, It’s just easier for me to talk to men who can relate to my story. I also have zero education or professional knowledge about this topic, it is only my experience that I can share, everyone’s story is unique, and true to them.  Want to see more content like this from Graham and other Athletes? Subscribe & follow Dirty Habits Instagram: @dirtyhabitstv Graham Howes Instagram: @grahamhowes Get in Contact: dirty@dirtyhabits.com Join the Conversation: Mental Health in Extreme Sports Facebook group

10 August 2021

Kite Designer Pepijn Smit joins North

Studying Human Kinetic Technology helped Pepijn form advanced thinking methodologies and find functional solutions when analysing problems. He has now spent almost 20 years building and designing foil and tube kites. North Kite Designer Pepijn Smit's daily life is dedicated to the wind: "I can spend hours and hours analysing kites, making bridle adjustments and validating the theory behind it. I enjoy thinking outside of the box, devising alternative shapes to improve a specific aspect of the kite and give it unique flying characteristics." His passion for kite designing started when he was ten years old, building single line kites. This passion later evolved into stunt kites, power kites and traction kites (for on-water), unknowingly shaping his future profession. Studying Human Kinetic Technology helped Pepijn form advanced thinking methodologies and find functional solutions when analysing problems. He has now spent almost 20 years building and designing foil and tube kites. Recently Pepijn took a small excursion into AWES (Airborne Wind Energy Systems), designing 60sqm kites to produce green energy. See his current project for Kitepower Netherlands here. With his in-depth knowledge of the market, interest in (new) materials, eye for detail and a life-long passion for kite design, Pep's amping to embark on this new challenge with the team at North. He has been working in the background on a project for North over the last year, and goes full time at the end of August 2021. Brand Director Mike Raper says; "New designs, new materials, and the addition of an exciting new windwing range, has meant we needed more horsepower, investment in R&D and investment in the right people. People with open minds, who are able to think outside the box, real innovators."  Over the past three years the North Brand has undergone exceptional growth, and as a response, have strengthened our kick-ass team of designers with the addition of four new faces: Pepijn Smit (Kite Design), Dano See (Wing & Kite Design) Steve Calder (Wing & Kite R&D) and Dave Little (Materials Innovation).  “At North, we’re on a mission to become market leaders in all categories, and we have aspirations to change the way we ride," says Mike.  “In bringing this team together, we diversify our experience and increase our collective knowledge. When the design knowledge is shared, ideas are transplanted – and that’s what creates the magic. As Ryunosuke Satoro put it: “Individually we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”

10 August 2021

Introducing Wing & Kite Designer Dano See

Dano brings more than 20-years of experience working in the industry. He was involved in the early development of BOW kite design and has been a leading kite and wing designer for multiple industry-leading brands since. Over the past three years the North Brand has undergone exceptional growth, and as a response, have strengthened our kick-ass team of designers with the addition of four new faces: Pepijn Smit (Kite Design), Dano See (Wing & Kite Design) Steve Calder (Wing & Kite R&D) and Dave Little (Materials Innovation).  Dano brings with him more than 20-years of experience working in the kiteboarding industry. He was involved in the early development of BOW kite design and has been a leading kite and wing designer for multiple industry-leading brands since. Originally from Newcastle, Australia, Dano cut his teeth while living on Namotu Island, Fiji and mastering Cloud Break during the birth of kiting. Sailing and windsurfing from 12yrs old, he began sail-making from a young age with hang-gliders and windsurf sails, and studying aerodynamics. Dano now lives on one of the world’s most consistently windy breaks; Pagudpud in the Northern Philippines, where wave-sailing, kiting, wing-surfing and foil-surfing provide his innovation focus.  He has his own sail loft in the Philippines, with a cutting table, sewing machine and direct access to the beach. You’ll find him on the water, every day.  Brand Director Mike Raper says; "New designs, new materials, and the addition of an exciting new windwing range, has meant we needed more horsepower, investment in R&D and investment in the right people. People with open minds, who are able to think outside the box, real innovators."  “At North, we’re on a mission to become market leaders in all categories, and we have aspirations to change the way we ride."  “In bringing this team together, we diversify our experience and increase our collective knowledge. When the design knowledge is shared, ideas are transplanted – and that’s what creates the magic. As Ryunosuke Satoro put it: “Individually we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”