There’s an old saying in Greece: “the wind decides”. By the end of our 10‑day shoot across the Cyclades, we knew exactly what that meant. The North Big Air campaign was always going to be about raw conditions – spots where the riders could push and our gear could speak for itself. We chose Tinos as our base, with strike missions to nearby Mykonos and Rinia. But nothing ran to script, and the shoot quickly became a baptism of the Meltemi’s unpredictability and Tinos’ wild terrain.
When the Meltemi wind wakes the Aegean each summer, the Cyclades transform into a kiteboarding mecca – and Tinos is where raw island spirit meets world-class conditions. Nestled in the heart of these sun-soaked islands, Tinos is often overshadowed by its flashier neighbors Mykonos and Paros. But for those chasing Big Air challenges amid authentic Greek charm, Tinos stands apart.
From June through August, the Meltemi – a fierce, dry north-northwesterly wind – blows consistently across the Cyclades, depending largely on pressure differences between the Balkans and the Aegean Sea. This seasonal wind can surge reliably from 15 up to 40 knots or more, delivering thrilling, high-velocity sessions. Tinos captures the Meltemi’s power uniquely. Its varied coastline includes exposed north-facing bays primed for Big Air, alongside sheltered coves ideal for freeride or foil practice. Locals and seasoned riders know its rhythms well and plan their days by its moods.
We touched down in Athens, only to learn every ferry was cancelled thanks to howling winds. Instead of Tinos, we found ourselves stuck at Rafina port, grabbing the last two hotel rooms within walking distance. Nathalie was stranded in Paros, Jett on Mykonos. It was chaotic, but hinted at what the week ahead would bring: nothing smooth, everything earned.
When we finally made it over to Tinos, the opening day started ambitiously with remote Kavalourko Beach – a rocky descent down a dirt road that left one rental car with fresh scars. Little wonder that the rental car company had warned us not to take the cars on dirt roads… The spot demands respect. It gifted us moody gusts and a tight launch that forced the riders to squeeze through a rock chute into the open sea. Hardly forgiving conditions, but that’s where Cohan, Jett and Nathalie thrive. Once the kites hit the sky, all the fuss dropped away. Loops landed, three-color kite shots bagged, cars (barely) coaxed back uphill.
