“Matteo brings a refreshing perspective to the North Kiteboarding team – one deeply rooted in the joy of riding, the pursuit of self-expression, and a commitment to sharing the passion that has shaped his unique journey,” says Brand Director Mike Raper.
The 22-year-old’s love for kiting began at a summer camp in Lake Garda when he was just 11 – the same camp where he now gives back to the sport by coaching a small group of kids. Matteo first competed on the GKA Tour in 2019 (Winning the U19 Title in Tarifa), and has won the Italian National championship for the last five years. Still, his primary motivation has never been solely focused on the competitive circuit.
What truly distinguishes freestyle for Matteo is its inherent potential for individual expression. Unlike other disciplines, he believes freestyle allows riders to imbue their tricks with personal style. “You can really make the trick your own in a thousand different ways,” he explains. This unique expression comes down to how you move and your personal energy on the water. “With Freestyle, you are never done. Every day you say: I’m gonna put this grab, I’m gonna make the rotation more inverted, I can make the blind landing more stylish. It’s not about the difficulty, it’s about the style. A railey blind done better than a Backside 7 is nicer to watch – to see the power and how you move in the air. My opinion is that in freestyle the biggest trick doesn’t always look better than an easy trick. You could do a 1m jump super-stylish, and make that trick yours in 1000 different ways. It all depends on your mindset. But I do it for the love, not for results.”
One of his greatest sources of pride isn’t a specific trophy, but carving out a life centred around his passion. He reflects that if things had taken a different turn, his life would be “just normal – find the normal work, doing the same things every day. It’s hard to break away from that. You have to make a sacrifice and be ready to lose something. You need courage to do that, to reach for your dreams.”
Matteo loves all board sports: snowboarding, skating, and surfing. “I really feel that from board sports you learn respect for Mother Nature and for others. Surfing is the best example. You just want to keep it real and be great with the people. And in competition, you learn many things about yourself.”
Away from the water, you might find Matteo climbing, slacklining or cooking (he makes a super Tiramisu!). Despite breaking his ankle skateboarding in January, which luckily hasn’t impacted his competition plans, Matteo views this year as an opportunity to focus on his main goal for the future: winning the Freestyle World Title.
Matteo rides the North Pulse, Navigator Freestyle, Flare 147 and Fix Boots.
