Sit back this December and watch our hand picked highlights from the year’s kiteboarding movie output. The full reviews and all these videos feature in our new free online issue, Kiteworld #113, which you can open here directly in your web browser with just a click!
Sound of water, Robby Stewart
REVIEW: Holly Keenan
Excerpt: Robby Stewart, 24, is a multi-talented pro kitesurfer and wingsurfer who doesn’t let a lack of hearing hinder his abilities on the water. Quite the opposite in fact; his other senses seem tremendously heightened!
In the video Robby’s father explains what he thinks makes Robby such a great guy? “He grew up hearing no lies and seeing everything. Seeing things that people don’t even look at.” He reckons Robby has a special ability to watch the moves that other pros are doing and quickly see ways to improve them yet further. His riding is truly impressive, inspired originally by seeing one of his dad’s friends kitesurf, who was also deaf. Like the rest of us, Robby was instantly attracted to the obvious feeling of freedom.
Click here to read the full review and watch the video in Kiteworld issue 113
Always sunny in Rio, Renu Remeu / Jerome Cloetens / Noe Font
REVIEW: Jim Gaunt
Excerpt: “It’s the year 2019. Global pandemics are a thing from the movies and the whole world is only a plane away.” narrates Noé Font, who both stars in and edited this film. In the interview below he reveals that it took him, on and off, a year to complete.
He blames a lot of that on the mess of Covid, quarantining, etc. but the truth is probably that he was just working on channelling his inner Ray Liotta. Warm and nostalgic in tone, yet with a streak of mean business intonation, Noé nails Henry Hill. This movie had me hooked from the first words, because when I watched it on release back in May, I knew we were watching a movie that was fresh and referenced the global troubles of our present day, yet was clearly shot pre-Covid as I recognised the team were all on the previous season’s gear. Sacrilege to the marketing budget. Who’s cool enough to do that these days? Wise guys, that’s who!
Click here to read the full review and watch the video in Kiteworld issue 113
The goal was to drown in our own spray, Kai Lenny
REVIEW: Jim Gaunt
Excerpt: The last few years have obviously seen the rise of the vlog. While some are excruciating, there are also those whose personality and skills seem so naturally suited to the format. Kevin Langeree and Sam Light are pretty much guaranteed to entertain and lift kiters’ moods on an almost weekly basis.
Deciding to limit ourselves to just one vlog video (otherwise we may have never released this issue such is the incessant volume of releases under the theme), Kai Lenny was our pick because he has continued rinsing out a stack of extraordinary content this year. Each of his videos comes crammed full of epic action and personality, and we can’t go beyond highlighting in some way his inspirational and naturally enthusiastic approach to ocean surf sports that we so admire.
Click here to read the full review and watch the video in Kiteworld issue 113
Never Plateau, Jesse Richman
REVIEW: Holly Keenan
Excerpt: Jesse Richman is known for his bewildering big air moves and never ending stoke for the sport, but ‘Never Plateau’ shows us a different side to the life of this professional athlete. This isn’t the first time the King of the Air, multiple World Champion and big wave charger has had to dig in hard to recover from a horrible injury, but this particular Tibia Plateau leg break has completely crushed many other a strong athlete’s will.
In retreating to his rustic cabin in Maui’s lush, foliage growth, Jesse has emerged stronger yet again, and this time with a powerful handle-bar moustache to boot. In my mind, no one gets to mess with wild men who have handle-bar moustaches, and this guy’s mind and body are seemingly indestructible.
Click here to read the full review and watch the video in Kiteworld issue 113
Extreme Big Air Kiteboarding – Cold Hawaii Games 2021
REVIEW: Jim Gaunt
Excerpt: One of the shortest videos in our line-up this issue, at just over two minutes long, but this is a timepiece in itself, marking the occurrences of 23rd September 2021. Widely being hailed as the most extreme, strong wind kiting event that’s ever happened, for one afternoon the world’s best extreme big air kiteboarders rocked up in Vorupor, a little town in the North of Denmark and turned the spot into their playground for the Cold Hawaii Games.
Click here to read the full review and watch the video in Kiteworld issue 113
Reunion
DuoTone Women’s Team Video
REVIEW: Jim Gaunt
Excerpt: If Lad Bible made a video filled with female shredders, they would try to do it like this. “Beer for breakfast.” chirps up this year’s voracious vlogger, Pippa van Iersel, in her playful raspy Dutch tone from the catamaran’s cockpit.
Released in March by Duotone for International Women’s Day, Vincent Bergeron cut this edit together for non-stop impact to rock your retinas. Carroll, Novotna, Whitely, van Iersel and Bagnoli shred and crash hard. If you’re in any doubt as to the dedication to improvement within the female crews, you won’t be anymore.
Click here to read the full review and watch the video in Kiteworld issue 113
The Last Line – Iceland, Full Movie
REVIEW: Holly Keenan
Excerpt: Producing Michael Bay-esque films for the kitesurfing world, Kiwi Aerial Shots cast Dutch adventure kiter Roderick Pijls as the chiselled leading role in The Last Line documentary series. Reflecting the challenging and often perilous journeys that Roderick and photographer, Rein Rijke, take to some of the world’s most pristine landscapes, the team hope the series will expose people to the vulnerability of nature. They’re succeeding too, with the crew often invited onto mainstream TV talk shows in the Netherlands and beyond, resulting in millions of views.
Click here to read the full review and watch the video in Kiteworld issue 113
