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This Is Gijs Wassenaar

  • December 29, 2021
Gijs Wassenaar is an Airush Big Air rider from the Netherlands who started his Airush journey in 2019 when our Team Manager scouted him after a 29-meter jump he performed at Misty Cliffs, Cape Town.
This guy brings a vibrant energy to the team with his dad jokes and Dutch accent.

airush-239990649_346823153825463_181801155123310204_n-1This Is Gijs WassenaarNews

Photographer: Danny Houwaart

 

 

 

Tell us a little bit about your kiteboarding journey so far.

When and how did you get into kiteboarding? Who taught you how to ride?

About 15 years ago I was surfing in the north of Spain on a stormy day when peddling out felt nearly impossible. At that moment a guy was cruising out with a kite and a little board. When I saw that, I knew that this was the next sport I wanted to learn. About a year later I got lessons together with my brother and we bought a set of gear together… from that moment I was addicted to the sport and never regretted it.

airush-118965844_772769460183016_7552704634324965288_nThis Is Gijs WassenaarNewsPhotographer: Danny Houwaart

 

 

 

How did you get into Big Air riding?

The Big Air part has always been the part I enjoyed the most, and still do. Although I really enjoy all aspects of the sport and think that switching it up benefits your riding, I enjoy proper Big Air sessions the most.

 

airush-253139564_997536487492573_5671848322829182718_nThis Is Gijs WassenaarNews

 

 

Being a Big Air rider – you must have had a kitemare before right? Tell us about was your worst one yet?

Yes, I have had many but one that stands out is when I crashed a kite loop with so much speed that I cartwheeled straight into my lines while the kite was dropping from the sky. Fortunately, I managed to untangle myself just on time to not get caught in a potentially life-threatening situation! 

 

airush-120373801_665640417423523_4271300936341376967_nThis Is Gijs WassenaarNews

Photographer: Chris König

 

 

 

 

What was the first trick you ever tried?

My first ever trick was a back roll.

 

 

What was the last trick you landed?

Does a tack on a foil board count? 😂

The last Big Air trick I landed was a double backroll kite loop.

 

airush-223035054_408201740607062_292752554603351365_nThis Is Gijs WassenaarNews

Photographer: Danny Houwaart

 

 

 

What was the first victory you had in your career? 

The first victory I had was when I placed 1st in the first-ever WOO Worlds Height competition in 2015.

 

airush-Screenshot-2021-12-28-at-15.18.50This Is Gijs WassenaarNews

 

 

 

What off-water activities do you enjoy? 

I love paragliding, longboarding, riding motorbikes, enjoying beach days, going to a party, kayaking, having good food and the list goes on…

 

airush-248253006_479821093283247_7677767748505467963_nThis Is Gijs WassenaarNews

airush-Untitled-design-41This Is Gijs WassenaarNews

airush-Untitled-design-42This Is Gijs WassenaarNews

 

 

Who are the riders that inspire you?

A lot of them!  I think everyone with their own style inspires me, but to name a few: Kevin with his high jumps, Liam with his power and mindset, Aaron with his brilliant control, Oswald with his unmatched style, Marc for giving his all every time…I can go on for a long time!

 

 

Where is your absolute favorite place to ride?

Dolphin Beach, Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa.

 

airush-139750532_1554327588291305_3764034050759993820_nThis Is Gijs WassenaarNews

Photographer: Ydwer

 

 

Favorite conditions?

SE 35-40 knots, 2m waves, 16-second intervals

and  after a whole day of strong winds, an empty landing strip!

 

Then finally..what is your signature party trick on the water?

The biggest kite loop I can throw and super slow rotations in a front roll.

 

airush-260880329_3062155104111609_3651692989590248623_nThis Is Gijs WassenaarNews

 

 

Check out how Gijs rides in this new Big Air POV video below:

Follow Gijs on Instagram 

Next article: 10 Big Air Mistakes You Can Avoid

We were all beginners once and mistakes are a natural part of the process when starting something new, but the principle that takes a beginner to the point of becoming a professional is the ability to identify mistakes and correct them continuously.

To try to make things a little bit easier for us all, saving some frustration and confusion over the long run, we’ve put together a short guide on how to avoid or correct the mistakes you might find yourself making as a progressing Big Air rider.

Read more…

 

airush-Airush-Kiteboarding_Big-Air_Looping-Mistakes_05-e1640254761398This Is Gijs WassenaarNews

 

 

Next article: How To Do A Board Off

A Board-Off is great. It is exactly what the name suggests it is. You take your board off during the height of your jump and need to get it back under your feet for the landing. You can take your board off your feet by using the handle as a grip or by grabbing the board close to the fins.

Read more…

 

Board off

 

Next article: How To Hang Ten On A Twintip

The Hang Ten is a must-know out-of-the-box (or boots rather) party trick that you have no reason not to try. In our latest Freestyle video – Anthology, you will see Oswald Smith doing this trick at around 4:46. We thought it might be a great idea to break it down for you, in case you also wanted to try this on flat water!

Read more…

 

Oswald Smith Hang ten

 

 

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