The Journey of a Champion Kiteboarder

British kiteboarding legend Aaron Hadlow (born 4 October, 1988) is a professional kite boarder who has won the Pro Kiteboard Riders' Association (PKRA) World Championships five times. Hadlow talks passionately about his life as a kite boarder:

“I grew up in Cornwall. My dad was a windsurfer from a young age and when kiteboarding came along he was among the first to get involved in the sport in the UK. I first started it on the beach in 1999. I would come down to the beach and give it a go after school, but I really mastered it in the summer of 2000 when we went on holiday to the Dominican Republic.

 

My dad would help me by using his gear and taking me to the beach when it was windy. Once I got to a certain level, I used to look up to the guys on the videos and World Tour. I knew I could learn their tricks and eventually I would be able to compete against them. Over the years, I have won five World Championships. I hurt my knee and that took me off the water for a year because I had two operations. Getting back from that was a challenge but since then, I've won a world championship event and the Red Bull King of the Air which is one of the biggest competitions of the year.

 

There are really so many great places around the world that are perfect for our sport. I enjoy Cape Town, South Africa. This is where I escape to train during the winter. The Dominican Republic, Brazil, Western Australia, the list goes on.

 

I was one of the first of a new generation to grow up with the sport from a young age with competitions, videos and the media. I also feel like I have contributed to influencing the sport, especially in terms of styles and tricks. In my free time, I have a lot of work to do online, writing articles, sending pictures and making websites. Apart from kiteboarding, I quite like to just at home, hang out with my friends and be active in other sports when I can.”