Captured by Samuel Cardenas
ALEX PASTOR
2013 World Champion / 2016 Rider of the year / 2018 Spanish Champion
1. What is freestyle to you?
Freestyle is doing what feels most fun or natural, or whatever you feel like doing at a certain moment, depending on wind or waves conditions.
Captured by Samuel Cardenas
2. Where do you feel the future of Freestyle is going?
I think Freestyle will eventually be more adaptive to conditions, so if there are kickers, people will use them for kicker tricks, stronger winds for jumping higher sending the kite and loops, and light wind for wake style tricks.
3. How is the competitive game changing?
In competition seems like they are merging big air and freestyle, so they are mostly focusing on loops for strong winds and freestyle from 30 knots down.
Captured by Samuel Cardenas
4. Why do you ride freestyle?
It’s my favorite discipline, nothing like strapping on my boots, and feeling like it’s an extension of my body. You can just focus on your tricks and your mind really disconnects from everything else.
5. What keeps you coming back? dig into this one
It’s a habit, almost an addiction. I don’t know how my life would be without kiting, every time there’s wind and especially good conditions, just feel like I have to go, and it always pays off, you just come back in a better mood.
Captured by Samuel Cardenas
6. What do you still want to achieve in your riding? What is your number one Goal, and why?
I don’t think I have an active goal right now, my goals are changing depending on where I ride, but I guess the main thing is to always keep progressing, no matter the direction or style.
7. Tell us one thing that would surprise us about you
A couple of years ago when I had an injury, I did a 21 days water fast…
Captured by Samuel Cardenas
Click on each image to read each interview
Ramiro Gallart
2 x Argentinian kite champion / 4th Kite Park League 2019
“A session will be a dance with the elements, where everything that occurs will be a manifestation of the mind with pure freedom and creativity”
Jonas Oamihd
COTS Rider Of The Year / African Champion 2019 / Junior Worldchampion 2017
“I live in the south of Germany. No Sea just a lake and almost no wind. If I would stay home for a year I would maybe have 5 good days for freestyle.”
Jack Rieder
Freestyle and Park Adventurer
“There is a point where you become comfortable enough with your gear and in your discipline that you can move in directions that just come naturally as opposed to with a goal of doing a specific trick.”
Juan Rodriguez
Pro kiteboarder from Colombia / Top 11 GKA Freestyle 2019
“Right now there is a lot of emphasis on the number of spins and passes. While it’s impressive, it is taking away from that creative playful aspect of freestyle….”