I was really sad on my way back home when I left Boracay… Life there has a different rhythm, everything is nice, people is always friendly and you can find some great kite conditions in a perfect weather and environment. Once you try it it’s hard to leave but I don’t want to get hooked to this lifestyle, it’s like a drug and it would be too easy.
I have so much people to thank for these 2 amazing weeks I spent, but mainly thanks to Normeth the NKB dealer for taking care of me, Dani for the great staying and care in 7Stones hotel in which I definitely had the most luxury hotel room ever, Reo for the help and all the rest of the people…

The little trip together with Susi and Flo for the French Kitesurf mag was cool, we had some nice shots, cool videos and I’m sure it will look great when printed. I show some screenshots of the videos… A clip should be out within the next months.
We also had the chance to experience a great massage at a nice Spa for some lifestyle and it was uhmmmmmm, so good!!!

Then the KTA started and I met the crew as well as all the riders from Asian countries and I really liked competing and doing kind of little shows for the crowd together with Flo! I ended second in that comp just behind English rider Robin Snuggs who has been spending some time in Boracay now… I’m quite happy for him as he’s a nice guy and it was his first win ever so I could see he was super happy about it, that’s cool. In the single elimination final I was on fire but as soon as it started I was stupid enough to make a Loop 3 landing my kite in a coconut, so I’m part of the “Coconut riders” now!!! Actually during the 2 weeks I spent there I’ve seen about 20 kites in the coconut trees!!! Flo is also part of them.
So after crashing my kite in my first tack it took me way too long to get a new kite because the one they gave me had the lines completely tangled… what a mess. But I enjoyed and Robin was showing some good stuff so he deserves it! Then in the double I sadly was struggling with my 14m trying to go upwind… and once again he managed to pull some nice stuff, so congrats Mate!
The last night we had a crazy closing ceremony party, Flo and I dressed up for the price giving and it was well fun, but I don’t want to remember the rest of the party… stripteases, crazy dancing… I’ll just try and forget it all. haha

So yeah, Boracay is amazing, the KTA (Kiteboard Tour Asia) is a very good tour as the organizers are really trying to make good competitions with cool atmosphere and pushing the level of Asian riders, all of them are also very nice and I like seeing them having fun in and out of the water even with their biggest opponent… that’s great. And I’m sure we’ll soon see a couple of them, such as Yo (Thailand) and Ken or Doque (Philippines), on the PKRA as they are very stylish and consistent riders.

Now I’ll snowboard/snowkite a bit here in France, maybe kite in the cold water and I’m soon off to Guadeloupe and Antigua for a little 10 days boat trip so I’ll have to study hard first to deserve it!

Here some pics from several photographers!! photocredits are respectively shown on each pic…

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For some more pictures from Loic go to his Flickr page… he has some really nice action pics from Flo and Susi and great landscapes…

After a long 20h trip stopping over Dubai, sleeping in Manila, riding funny tricycles and a boat I finally made it to Boracay!!! As usual I was very well welcomed, this time by local rider Reo and Normeth (North dealer) and It makes it every time nicer to visit a new place. When taking the domestic flight toward Boracay and passing over the island it just looks amazing, nice white sand beach with turquoise water and coconuts all over the place… But I wasn’t expecting such a big kite community… It’s really one of the biggest kite destination in Asia, just like Cumbuco in Brazil or Cabarete in the Caribbean. You can feel very good vibes between all the people, locals are very friendly and always smiling and you can find as usual huge parties right on the beach after a big kite session and a huge sunset. For all these simple reasons, Boracay is one of the best kite destinations for holidays in winter and summer!
In addition the wind has been very good for my 5 days Kite Clinic that we organized together with Normeth and Angel, the North dealers, and it was a very good experience for me and I believe a good success. We had a bunch of riders from all levels and ages and I appreciate a lot when seeing them smiling and happy as they landed a new trick. It’s well fun and always cool to teach stuff to friendly and motivated people. So definitely doing it once again! I’m putting a gallery from the whole Kite clinic where we all wear very cool shirts that Normeth made specially for it!!! I find them really nice and much people wear it at the beach.
I could also train a bit with the guys, for the clinic I even trained some local riders in order to get prepared for the final of their tour (KTA) in which I’ll also take part next week.

Now my good friend Florian Daubos from Naish has just arrived and we’ll be doing a trip with French Kitesurf magazine. Already got some good stuff. Susi Mai is also joining and Tom Court who had to come but sadly broke his finger went back home from Australia… I’ll also be filming a bit for the next North Kiteboarding DVD which will soon be out.

For the little story, the Philippines have 7107 islands in total, but this during low tide, when tide goes up some islands are so small that they disappear for some hours leaving it around 7100 islands…

Cheers!

Photocredit: Kristina Bott

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My sponsor North Kiteboarding is soon going to publish their last DVD called Behind The Scene… It’s all about the company, the team… it’s going to be epic!!! Check out the trailer and wait a bit for the full version!

Cheers

It’s not good to get used to eat everyday some fresh Tuna at the delicious buffet from the hotel… After a 10 days trip in Cabo Verde staying in the great hotel of Morabeza (Thanks to Fun&Fly for this one) I just got back home and now will have to come back to real life… cooking, studying, training… But just for some days as I’m soon off to Boracay in the Philippines for my freestyle camp!

Cabo Verde is a “must go” destination for kiters and surfers… Insane spots, the most perfect waves I’ve ever surfed, great flat water and kickers spots for freestyle and cool lifestyle… I appreciated a lot the staying there with Jeremie Tronet, the professional photographer Manu Morel for our report and local rider Mitu Monteiro who took us to all his best spots. In a matter of 2 or 3 days we had done so much that we could keep relaxed as the job was done… We had some great pictures and cool filming. I join some pics (thanks to the guys and specially Marie and Alex Caizergues for taking them)

Mitu impressed me a lot with his riding style in Ponta Preta, he knows the wave perfectly and just destroys it… We learned quite a lot from him in wave riding. There was also some local young kids who are very friendly and future rippers.

After 5 days kiting the wind left and we flew to another island of the archipelago to shoot some lifestyle and discover a bit more from the country. Sao Vicente is even nicer with some different backgrounds and we still had some nice waves to surf. No sharks tho… really wanted to see one. After while we got back to Sal and surfed again as the wind didn’t show up, but it was just insane and perfect. I really love that place and next year I’ll surely come back for longer in order to improve my surfing as well as my wave riding.

My next stop will be Boracay as I previously said. I’ll be doing a Freestyle Camp together with North kiteboarding distributor (Normeth Preglo) and will then take advantage to make a trip and take part of the KTA competition together with my teammate Tom Court. So if you want to join the freestyle camp don’t hesitate to contact me.

Cheers!

Freestyle Camp in Boracay!!! with me…

I will be going to Boracay for a 2 weeks trip in order to train, make the camp, a travel story and take part of the KTA competition stop held in Boracay! Quite a lot I think but everything at the sun and in 30ºC conditions, so it’s ok for me.

Well it’s time for my first freestyle camp together with North Kiteboarding importer from the Philippines!!  It will be held in Boracay, one of the best kitespot where I’ve always wanted to go, from the 15th until the 19th of February.

I will be going to Boracay for a 2 weeks trip in order to train, make the camp, a travel story and take part of the KTA competition stop held in Boracay! Quite a lot I think but everything at the sun and in 30ºC conditions, so it’s ok for me.

Concerning the Freestyle Camp I will be there to enjoy the riding with the people that will take part, I’ll be working on their riding by giving advices and showing how tricks can be learned or improved. Everything in a chilled atmosphere but of course learning the most we can. Normeth, the North dealer, invites in her website everyone who is interested in taking part of our camp, some places are still available so if you want to take part follow the link here and you will find all the information (Days will be changed). She proposes rooms at her hotel, and she also has a kite school for some rentals… So whether if you are somewhere else in the world or if you are on holidays around, you are welcome to join us, enjoy the riding and learn some new tricks.

See you soon.