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THE WIND GAMES

Stijn Mul, together with his buddies Michiel Schipper and Marijn Ploeg from SpaceX Kitesurfing, have just started a new venture, The Wind Games, in conjunction with the Surfr App. We got in touch with Stijn to find out what it’s all about and what it could mean for the kiting community – and these boys are definitely keen on fostering a sense of community…

THEKITEMAG ISSUE #63
PHOTOS: Action photo Joeri Bijlsma
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It actually started super simple – we were just a group of friends who loved to jump against each other during sessions. That playful competition – seeing who could go the highest, throw the craziest tricks, or just land the cleanest move – was always the best part of riding. So we figured: why not organize a little competition just for fun?

That first event became Race 2 Space, a simple format where people use their Surfr app to measure jump heights. As a group of friends (Olivier, Marijn, Michiel, Jord, Skip, Max, Youri, Jurre, Sven and myself) we thought about hosting a classic SpaceX downwinder and we created a website to register and join us. It turned out way more people were into it than we expected – we had no idea 60 people would sign up. So we changed the plans, dropped the downwinder, and threw a full-on Big Air battle at our home spot in Zandvoort. We created a nice leaderboard and prizes for the winners, and it was open to any level decided by your record in the Surfr app.

After that, things snowballed. We ran seven more events, more riders joined in, and eventually, we found ourselves hosting a comp in Cape Town with over 150 riders. And suddenly people from all over were messaging us – asking how they could join, or if we could organize comps at their local spots. But here’s the thing – events take a lot of time and energy to organize. And we simply didn’t have enough of it. So we asked ourselves: how do we make this easier? Not just for us, but for everyone.

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That first event became Race 2 Space, a simple format where people use their Surfr app to measure jump heights.

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Suddenly people from all over were messaging us – asking how they could join…

The Wind Games is our answer to that question. It’s a digital platform for wind sports – kitesurfing, windsurfing and wingfoiling – where you can compete using just your phone or smartwatch. Think of it like Strava or Playtomic, but for wind. You don’t need a full event setup, or a judge’s tent, or even a crowd. You just need wind and a good session. The platform does the rest. You can join challenges, track your progress, and see how you stack up against friends or other riders – whether they’re at your local spot or on the other side of the world.

One of our biggest motivations for creating this app is that the ability to connect with new people on the beach will be greater than ever. If you are going to a new spot, you will be able to challenge local riders and connect with them after the session. We wanted to build something that makes it easier to connect with other riders – something that adds a little extra energy to every session. A platform that keeps that fun, spontaneous feeling from the beach, but makes it easy to join in wherever you are.

But there’s another reason too – one that’s a bit more personal. We noticed that outside of a few big competitions, there’s hardly any structure for everyday riders who want to challenge themselves or each other. And for us, that competitive spirit was everything. It’s how our whole group became friends. Trying to jump higher than your mates, pushing each other to improve – it makes you ride harder, progress faster, and have way more fun.

So that’s the deeper “why” behind The Wind Games. We want to bring friendly rivalry, performance tracking, and community energy to every kitesurfer, windsurfer and winger out there. Whether you’re training with your crew or just out to beat your personal best, the app gives your session a purpose – and your progression, a shared journey. That’s what The Wind Games is all about: Compete, Connect, Conquer.

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We want to bring friendly rivalry, performance tracking, and community energy to every kitesurfer.

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Our dream is to make competitions more accessible. Not everyone has access to big events or sponsors. With The Wind Games, anyone can experience that competition vibe – whether it’s just you and your two best friends or 3,000 riders worldwide. It’s for anyone who wants to push themselves – or just have a bit of fun with friends. Whether you’re a beginner learning to jump, or someone training for their local competition, you can find your level and ride your way.

We’re also working closely with beach clubs, shops and brands to make it easy for them to get involved – without needing to run full-blown events. And we’ve had great support from the Surfr App team and tech partners like Apple, helping bring real-time data and smart features into the mix. We are linking up with local organizers, we support pro-level events, and we offer a platform that works from beach bar challenges to livestreamed international comps. And of course, we’re working closely with SpaceX Kitesurfing to bring in epic content, real-time data, and tech partnerships – like our recent collab with Surfr and Apple – to make every comp as engaging as possible, even for people watching at home.

We want to keep that fun, spontaneous vibe from our original beach sessions – but make it scalable, shareable, and global. And we’re only just getting started. There’s a lot coming – but we’re not showing all our cards just yet. We’re working on a bunch of new tools and formats that will make things even more fun, more interactive, and more rewarding. The goal? To make wind sports competitions more open, more connected, and more exciting – without losing that laid-back, stoked-out beach vibe that brought us here in the first place…

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