Eric Beaudonnat
French.

Co-founder of the IKO and Starkites. A graduate from the French state diploma in sports and sailing instruction, Eric has a solid experience in teaching. He learnt kiteboarding in 1997 and immediately participated in seminars with purpose the implementation of kiteboarding teaching methods. He worked as kiteboarder manager for the French sports group UCPA before developing the Wipika school teaching concept and contents. He has trained IKO training masters, examiners and instructors, and is the author of all IKO teaching manuals and publications (Kiteboarder's Workbook, Kiteboarding Vision). He is now a consultant for the IKO.

Robbie S. Andersen
Danish, lives in his boardbag, and is always country hopping.

Job: IKO/BKSA Kiteboard Instructor, IKO Snowkite Instructor, BWSF Wakeboard and Water ski Instructor, PADI Dive Master, MFA Instructor. Owner of a Watersports company, catering to VIP’s.
Background: Msc in Environmental Science from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, where he learnt to Kitesurf and never looked back. Wakeboarding, snowboarding, skydiving, rock climbing, mountain biking, sailing.
Experience: Kitesurfing since 2000, teaching since 2001. Has taught Kitesurfing in numerous spots around the world, and run several Kitesurfing schools.

Jim Bison
American, lives seasonally in USA and Mexico.

Job: Director, New Wind Kiteschools :: Examiner, Professional Ski Instructors of America
Background: First learned to kiteboard in The Columbia River Gorge in 1997. Became IKO Level 1 certified in 2001 and was hired as New Wind Kiteschool manager in 2001 and promoted to Director in 2002.
Experience: Alpine Ski Instructor for 26 yrs, Examiner and Northwest Technical Team member, Professional Ski Instructors of America Northwest Division.

Joseph Carneiro
Half Brazilian, half french, lives in the Dominican Republic.

Job: Pro rider and team manager, owner of a kiteboard school in Las Terrenas.
Background: Joseph started kiteboarding in 2000. He started competing as an amateur and turned pro in 2002. He achieved good results in both major pro tours KPWT and PKRA, and was crowned South American Champion (2003) and Brazilian National Champion (2002 & 2003).
Experience: Teaching since 2000.

Steve Davison
English, lives in the UK.

Job: CNC Programmer making aerospace components for too long, seen the light and now full time Kitesurf Instructor/Examiner, EFR Instructor
Experience: Competed in windsurfing for 6 years. Started Kitesurfing in 2000. Qualified as Level 1 Instructor in April 2001 and rose to Examiner in June 2006.

Jonathan Dodds
British, lives in the Dominican Republic.

Job: Manager of Kite Club, Cabarete.
Experience: He has been kiteboarding since 2000, worked as an instructor for a year before becoming an examiner.

 

David Dorn
Australian, lives in Hawaii.

Job: Owner of Action Sports Maui kiteboarding school. IKO/MFA instructor, Instructor trainer for surfing, windsurfing and IKO kiteboarding Examiner.
Experience: Originally from Australia, lives in Hawaii and has been teaching water sports professionally for well over 20 years. Started sailing at age 6 , windsurfing at 12, surfing at 14, and Scuba diving at 15. He started teaching windsurfing at age 17, and worked his way up to Master windsurfing instructor for the AYF (Australian Yachting Federation). He learned Kiteboarding from Flash and other kitesurfing pioneers, opened the first kitesurfing school in Hawaii in 1997 and has been teaching kiteboarding ever since.

Paul Franco
Brazilian, lives in Maui (Hawaii).

Job: Pro Kiter (Naish team rider), Kite Instructor and Paragliding Instructor.
Background: Flying and teaching paragliding since the early 90’s, PADI dive master, experience guiding: rock climbing, repelling, snowboarding and other outdoor activities.
Experience: Kiting since 2000 and teaching full time since December 2000 for the main schools in Maui. Also experience teaching in Oregon, LA, Holland, Germany, Spain and more. Currently teaching for Kiteboarding School of Maui. Paul was trained as an examiner in 2002.

Neil Godbold
British – currently working out of Hong Kong.

Jobs: Neil has worked in sports and education since 1987. He founded the UK’s first kite centre - Paracademy and has been involved with the foundation’s of all aspects of power kite sports training and development in the UK and has in the past been the National Trainer for each of the land, water and snow based associations and governing bodies in the UK and was one of the founding members of the BKSA. Neil now works full time as a training consultant and as one of the IKO Training Masters.
Background: BA Recreation degree, qualified further education teacher, RYA powerboat instructor and RYA first aid instructor. Has worked with a number of agencies in developing kite surf rescue training from RNLI Beach Lifeguards in the UK to Coastguards in the Philippines.
Experience: Involved with power kiting industry since 1992 – training, competitions and retail. Formally raced as part of the British kite buggy world championship team, began snowkiting and then kite surfing in 1999. Became involved with the IKO from its foundation in 2001.

Grujicic Ignjat aka Guru Ika
Serbian, lives in Cabarete, Dominican Republic

Jobs: IKO Examiner/Instructor.
Background: Junior champion Laser sailor, Teaching: Sailing, Wakeboarding, Windsurfing and Surfing.
Experience: Started kiting in 2000 and has been teaching from 2001 in Maldives, Dominican Republic and Panama, Examiner from 2008.

Maarten Huisman
Dutch, lives in Holland.

Jobs: Kitesurf instructor, snowboard instructor, IKO rep and editor for Soul Acces magazine, event organiser.
Background: Sports academy, rep for F2 and Duotone snowboards.
Experience: Maarten has been kiteboarding since 1999 and running his own school since 2000.

 

Steve Jones
British, lives in France.

Job: Owner / manager of Sudwindsports, France – kitesurfing, windsurfing and sailing holidays.
Background: A degree in Leisure and Tourism management lead to work teaching Kitesurfing, windsurfing and skiing in a variety of different places. Starting off in sunny Scotland and then traveling and working in France, Spain, Greece and Venezuela. RYA level 5 windsurfing instructor, BASI ski instructor, MFA Trainer, Head Judge in international Kitesurfing competitions, organizer of European Junior Kitesurfing Cup.
Experience: Kitesurfing since 2001 with 12 years experience teaching windsurfing and skiing.

Jodok Lachenmeier
Swiss, lives in Switzerland.

Jobs: Barkeeper, Sales and Marketing of a Snowboard company.
Background: Snowboarding, Skiing, Windsurfing, Wakesurfing, Sailing.
Experience: Started kiting in 1999 and has been teaching since summer 2000.

Daphnee Laliberte - (INACTIVE June 2007)
Canadian.

Jobs: Kiteboarding Examiner, Pro Rider for Takoon, Sooruz Wear and Zeal Optics.
Background: DEC in Social Sciences, skiing instructor and sailing instructor for 3 years.
Experience: Has been kiteboarding since December 2001 (first on snow, then on the water) and has been an IKO kiteboaring instructor since May 2002 full time in Cabarete, Dominican Republic.

 

 

Mariano Lorenzetti
Argentinian, lives in Argentina.

Jobs: Kite Instructor, Store Manager, Industrial Designer.
Background: Industrial Designer, mechanical technition. Windsurfer since 1985, instructor since 1987. Kitesurfer since 1998, instructor since 99. Snowboarder, ski, water and snow , wakeboard, roller hokey, climing, go kart, fliying, etc., etc. Since 1987 working in windsurf, snowboard and kite shops.
Experience: Since 1998 working in a store and since 1999 working as a instructor, and since 15 years before windsurfing and working in a windsurf store.

Darren Marshall
Australian, lives anywhere, wandering around Australia.

Jobs: Sales and Marketing manager, Operations manager, Projects manager.
Background: Kiteboarding since 2000, 15 years sailboarding,10 years waterskiing, 10 years racing dinghys/yachts.
Experience: Kiteboarding since 2000 and instructed kiteboarding 6 months later in his own school and in Oahu, Hawaii.

 

Berny Maginn
British, living between New Zealand and UK.

Jobs: Run Airzone Kitesurfing School in UK and NZ.
Background: Have been teaching and involved in water sports since, well while most others were still in napies! Put together whacky stunts and promotions with kites. RYA jet ski instructor and first aid instructor.
Experience: Kiting since 2000, instructor 2002, examiner 2006, snow kite instructor 2006.

 

Christophe Ribot
French, lives in USA.

Jobs: Founder and owner of the first kitesurf school in Miami: Miamikiteboarding. Also owner of a hobie cat club: Miamicatamarans.
Background: Sailing and windsurfing National French degree Instructor. 10 years of racing and coaching from Europe to the Caribbean. Degree in Commerce and Communication. Children Educator degree. 20 years of Rugby.
Experience: Started kitesurfing in 2001 and set up the school the same year. Co-organized the key West / Cuba world record distance in Kitesurfing. Kite For Girls Event each year in Miami.

Xavier Roussos
French, lives in Greece and Russia.

Jobs: IKO/MFA instructor, Co Founder of the Greek KiteSurf Association, Founder of the Hellenic Athletic Club of Kiteboarding (HACK).
Background: Bsc Economics and Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management, 3 years in the Banking sector as a Corporate Officer and 3 years as Financial Manager for French Subsidiary in Greece. In 1992, became Federal Windsurfing Instructor. MFA Instructor.
Experience: Started kiting in 2001 and Started teaching in 2002 for GWA.

Mike Tomlin (INACTIVE)
South African, lives in South Africa.

Job: Owner of ‘Windswept’ kite & windsurf school and surfers hostel in Cape Town.
Background: Sailing and windsurfing instructor for 10 years.
Experience: Been teaching kiteboarding since the very beginning in 1999. Currently chief instructor for Windswept.

Stephan Zaat
Dutch, lives in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles.

Job: Co-owner of Kiteboarding Bonaire.
Background: MSc. Information Systems Management and five years business experience. Owner of an IT company in the Netherlands.
Experience: Kiteboarding since 2002 and fulltime IKO instructor since 2005. Examiner since 2007. Kiting and teaching everyday in off-shore winds. Currently dedicating more time to managing the school and the instructors.