Rider of the month

This month's Riders:
Marie-Christine Leclerc & Jan Marcos Riveras
May 2008

Marie-Christine Leclerc

Age: 25
Home base/spot: La Ventana, Baja in the winter, Nitinat Lake British Columbia, Canada in the summer.
Riding for: 6 years
Sponsors: North kiteboarding, Girls for sports, Leading Edge Production
Settings (kite + board): North Vegas, 7, 9 , 12 meter. Medium Paris for flat water and my 5.6 Rocketfish for wave riding

What do you like about the sport? 
I think my favorite part of it is the travels. The search for wind and waves. Riding different places, hunting the wind. The anticipation, the excitement when the wind is coming and the adrenaline rush when you go bigger then you never have. Also being at the beach with a bunch of friends, it does not get better then that.

What's your favorite trick? 
Any new trick I can land. I like diversity, riding strapless in waves or landing some tricks to blind make me very happy right now!

What's your best moment? 
The past 6 years of my life have been incredible. But if I had to pick one moment . it would be going down the line of the longest 12 feet wave I had ever seen. Looking over to see my best friends getting awesome rides at the same time.

...and the worst one? 
Getting picked up and tossed on a rocky beach in front of the whole peanut gallerie while I was learning.

Best spot you ever ridden? 
I like a lots of different places but the west coast of Baja I really love to ride. Then there is home La Ventana and Nitinat Lake.

According to you, how is the sport and equipment going to evolve? 
The gear just keeps getting better and better every year. I think it is going to get easier for new people to get into it. We see more and more gear designed for girls which is awesome as we have different need then guys. And I think it will be easier for kids to get into it with the new gear.

Favorite food and music? 
Thai food, sushi, reggae and ska.
 
What do you know about the IKO? 
International kiteboarding organization. I know they have a really good way of teaching and organized way for instructors and schools. They supply insurance and are recognized almost worldwide. They also have a very good website with a lot of information for everybody, from instructors to students. They operate out of Cabarete, Dominican Republic.

Last words, express yourself, if you have anything else to say, it's now or never! 
Learn to kite, it is really an awesome sport, it will change your life.

Marie is an IKO level 2 instructor and star of the recently released DVD "My Session". For more info visit www.leadingedgeproductions.ca.

Jan Marcos Riveras (Papito)

Age: 19
Home base/spot: Cabarete, Dominican Republic
Riding for: 6 years
Sponsors: Starkites, l'Agence, Stonefish shop
Settings (kite + board): Starkites S-bow 8m, 5/11 surfboard

What do you like about the sport? 
When you are pissed, angry or whatever, you go kiting and loose all your stress, it makes you feel like flying to the moon, and then you have fun.

What's your favorite trick? 
Wave riding.

What's your best moment? 
When I make some jumps with my strapless board, I feel like there is nothing under my feet and this feeling is great .

...and the worst one? 
When you're on a hit and loose all your equipment and everything, it's the worst thing. I was hurt long time ago but it wasn't that bad.

Best spot you ever ridden? 
Encuentro, Dominican Republic.

According to you, how is the sport and equipment going to evolve? 
About the sport I have no opinion and about the equipment neither because everything is perfect, I ride for Starkites, so the kites, lines and bars are already so perfect! I think the next step for kiteboarding is going to be strapless wave riding with surfboards.

What would you like to change in this sport? 
I would probably change the freestyle, because I think it's not the right answer to our sport. I find maneuvers like kite loop and handle passes dangerous.

Favorite food and music? 
My favorite food is a Dominican dish name "the Dominican Flag" (la bandera!) and my favorite music is chilling like Donomare, Tego Calderon or Bob Marley.

What do you know about the IKO? 
About IKO, I know the owner!!! (big laughs) they work for the safety, I like that. I also like the Kiteboarding insurance.

Last words, express yourself, if you have anything else to say, it's now or never! 
I would like to tell something to the kiteboarding community: try to keep it low profile and look down because there are people who have less and live better than some people who have much more and live worst. There are some people right now who have nothing and give so much like I do for those who need help. Also RESPECT everybody if they are sick, dead, poor, rich, small, tall, young, old or whatever, once again RESPECT everybody the way they are .

Juan Marcos ranked 3rd at the KPWT Wave Master competition in France. For more info, visit www.starkites.com.