Local Hero

Another season is coming to an end. How was it for you?

This season I had to work more than actually ride for myself. But I was able to train with Davi Ribeiro – he’s putting in so many hours in the lagoon and he messages me to kite with him which motivates me a lot. I also had the opportunity to train a bit in stronger winds as I traveled out of Cumbuco to work on a few kite trips. I’m very grateful for all the opportunities kiteboarding has given me – it’s changed my life and allowed me to visit so many places. I was hoping to go to Abu Dhabi, but it didn’t work out.

How is it training with Davi?

He’s one of my favorite riders. I’ve known him since the very beginning, so it’s amazing to see how far he’s come. He has the level to be world champion. Watching him ride definitely motivates me to learn new tricks. This new generation is creating the new moves, and that really inspires me.

You’re in an interesting place between two generations – you grew up in the Youri and Alex era, but now you’re competing against guys like Matteo, Finn and Maxime. 

Yeah, I feel like I reached a really good level compared to the Youri and Alex generation. It’s crazy to think about it because I’m a fan of those guys, and I managed to learn all the tricks they do. But now I’m playing catch-up with the new generation – they’re the ones motivating me now. Thankfully I’ve not had any big injuries, so I keep pushing to stay at their level. And I believe I can reach it.

You have the advantage of years of experience growing up in Cumbuco with such a high-level freestyle crew.

It certainly pushed me a lot, but it was also an incredible experience growing up in a place where all the pro riders come to train for months every year. It definitely shaped who I am today. It was epic watching Aaron Hadlow, Alex Pastor and Liam Whaley come here every season. I’m 28 now, but I’m still super motivated to train and improve. This new generation brings new energy.

How was the recent GKA event?

The comp was really good. I had a great time and I’m happy with my results. I could have done better in the semi-final, but I’m still grateful for the experience. It was amazing to see everyone riding so well – Finn especially did a great job. Even though I didn’t make the final, I’m happy with what I did. It was good to see the level of freestyle these days. I was stoked to be part of it and watch everyone push it. I’ll be back next year.

How did the new rules affect you?

There are a lot of new tricks to learn now and I still have a lot to work on. But I enjoy learning the rewinds, so I’ve been focusing on those. These new tricks have pushed freestyle to a whole new level. They also made me watch more wakeboarding, and that motivates me to go ride cable here in Cumbuco when the wind is light during the off-season.

For me it’s been cool to see how, with the new rules, riders can show their style more. It’s great to see you and Davi riding the way you want instead of adapting everything to fit the rules.

Everyone has their own style. The videos I watched as a kid really inspired me – I watched Aaron’s videos so many times. But honestly, my style feels very natural to me. I even get surprised when other riders tell me they like it. That just motivates me to add more grabs and hold them longer. I learned the rewinds because of the new rules, and I’m stoked on them. Davi’s style is sick too. I think he’s really close to putting everything together to win an event.

Tell us a bit about the challenges of getting support to be a pro kiter in Brazil.

Yeah, it’s tough. But we have to make it happen somehow. I know I dropped the ball on a few things – for example, I should be speaking English fluently by now, but I’m not. During the off-season I work doing buggy tours, and during the season I coach kiteboarding. The dream of being a pro rider is still there, but right now it doesn’t really pay the bills. It’s hard to get sponsored by international brands when you’re from Brazil, and Brazilian brands outside the sport are only just starting to show interest. I’m still trying to improve my English and keep progressing.

Keep practicing with all the visitors to Cumbuco! Has the town changed much over the last few years?

After Covid, kiting grew a lot around here. There are many more people learning, especially Brazilians. I feel like a lot of pros started going to Taíba because Cauípe got too busy. But that’s not a problem for me – I can train in Taíba too, and honestly, I really enjoy riding freestyle in the ocean. So I still ride a bunch in the ocean in front of my house. Good times!