Leo Koenig, the founder of WOO Sports, shares his journey of getting into the water sports world and developing the WOO device. The small blue box that attaches to a kiteboard and measures the height of jumps. Leo discusses the challenges of manufacturing and finding reliable suppliers and the importance of trust and good relationships in business. He also talks about the decision to narrow the company's focus to kiteboarding and its impact on the sport. The journey of developing the WOO device ...
Jun 12, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 46
I sit down with Philip Schinnagel from CORE, one of the world's largest watersports brands based out of Fehmarn in Germany.
Apr 26, 2024•38 min•Season 3Ep. 10
I sit down in a rare opportunity to have both Raphael Salles and his son Julien in the room together. Raphael started F-ONE at the end of the 90's and it's grown to become one of the biggest watersports businesses in the world. Julien was never that keen to work at the family business but when the opportunity arose to head up Manera, their wetsuit and accessory brand he changed his tune and is now poised to become the CEO of the whole company when Raph eventually decides to retire. We talk busin...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Back in January, I sat down with Kent Marinkovic, a long-time waterman and businessman who is currently the CEO of Cabrinha. One of the world's largest watersports companies, we talk about the old days, the new days and everything in between! Enjoy!
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 8
I sit down with Till Eberle to talk all things Duotone, the rebrand of Fanatic and how the industry has been during these difficult times... It's an episode that is well worth a listen!
Sep 28, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 7
I've wanted to get Hannah on the podcast for a while now, so this was a great opportunity to catch up. I've known Hannah since the start of her kiteboarding career, and to see her progress from a young talent to a global superstar of the sport has been impressive. Now she has cultivated a career through social media that most can only dream of. She still rips on the water and is as passionate about kiteboarding today as she was when she first fell in love all those years ago!
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Multiple world champion Titouan Galea sits down with me to chat about where he came from and how he embraced the sport of wing foiling so quickly. His kite-foil skills were an easy transfer, and his career has been nothing short of exceptional so far. Recently he moved to Cabrinha, and he loves the new gear and the new team!
Apr 12, 2023•45 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Ex US Special Forces and brewery founder Scott Harrison sits down with me to talk about some of his adventures in various warzones over the years, his love of brewing beer and how kiteboarding brought all that together to put us in the same room in Mexico. The world moves in mysterious ways, and this episode is well worth a listen.
Feb 13, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Ralf Grösel is one of the highest functioning humans I know, a kite designer, paragliding designer, racing car driver and successful businessman his accolades are many. He recently got in touch to invite me to North Macedonia to have a look at Brainchild Production, a new project which has set up a sustainable production facility in the country. At a time when shipping costs are through the roof, a European factory makes a lot more sense; the extra labour costs are offset by lower shipping costs...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 43 min•Season 3Ep. 3
As promised a new episode with an old favourite, Dom Moore. Last time we spoke he was embarking on treatment for the big C. This time he's in the clear, sober, surfing and learning science. We have an entertaining conversation about what he's been up to, his 9 odd months sober and how he hasn't bought any meat or fish in the last 5 or so years, instead spearfishing and hunting for his protein. It might not be for everyone, but it's an enjoyable conversation all the same!
Oct 18, 2021•2 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 2
I'm Back! An interesting episode for you this time around as I chat to Alan Jones from Talk Funding. Alan approached me wanting to do a podcast about my new project, FacePlant Sunglasses, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to pick up the baton again and kick off Intriguing Beings once again. We chat about the Kickstarter campaign that we launched for FacePlant, the reason why we wanted to change the way you think about sunglasses and lots more. If you've been wondering why I've not really be...
Jul 20, 2021•43 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Listen in as I chat to Jon Modica, the man behind the recent buyout of Cabrinha from the Pryde Group. If you've not heard of Jon he used to be a pro rider for Cabrinha back in the day, and now he's bought it alongside some other investors. That's a pretty incredible story, whichever way you look at it. In addition to this Adventure Sports have just got the license for all the Dakine wind products too, we're expecting to see some interesting products coming out of the Cabrinha and Dakine brands o...
Feb 13, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 15
Something a little different for you all this week, I had the fortune to catch up with Robby Naish over in Maui on the phone last week. We talked for about 45 minutes about how Covid 19 has effected business, about the last 25 years of making production gear and about how much he enjoys sharing the stoke to get on the water with others. It was never intended to be a podcast, but it felt too good not to share... Enjoy!
Aug 08, 2020•47 min•Season 2Ep. 14
This episode I sit down with Clinton Filen, designer, innovator and radical ideas man. He's been heading up the Airush brand from Cape Town for the last 8 years and has a long history in product design. From an early age, he was making boards and he's never stopped. We catch up at the AWSI in Hood River and talk about a myriad of topics but always seemingly coming full circle to his passion for designing innovative products that make our time on the water better. Enjoy!
Jun 16, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 13
I have an amazing guest in this episode, Ozone kite designer Rob Whittall, I've known Rob for some time and bumped into him across the various continents of the globe over the years. He's always struck me as an intensely thoughtful man who's got his priorities right. Fiercely competitive, mainly with himself to push everything to the absolute limit he's been at the top of pretty much every sport he's touched. World Champion paraglider, hang glider, test pilot and designer he's thrown himself hea...
Apr 24, 2020•1 hr 35 min•Season 2Ep. 12
This time I sit down with one of my youngest guests, Noè Font, a Spanish kiteboarder and 2x Junior World Champion. He's gone on to surround himself with peers and ride on the Kite Park League Tour at a level that beguiles his youth. When you meet him it's easy to think he's in his 30's, he's achieved so much in such a short space of time and holds himself with a maturity that is hard to believe. A talented filmmaker he's already produced a feature-length film called The Bubble which was released...
Mar 10, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 11
This week I'm sitting down with waterman, businessman and legend Raphael Salles. Raph heads up F-One, the watersports brand that makes gear for kitesurfers, surfers, paddle boarders and foilers. Raph has a passion for the ocean that I haven't seen in many people, he can literally spend 8 hours a day testing the gear he makes. I can't think of anyone else who does that in the industry, especially when you consider he does that for over 300 days a year! No wonder a lot of the F-One product is high...
Jan 24, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 10
This week I'm chatting to Craig Cunningham the Team Manager at Duotone Kiteboarding. Recorded back in February this year in Cape Town we talk about a wide range of topics including how he nearly became an ice hockey jock! The Canadian rider is one of the most stylish around and has had a stellar career within the sport. He's adapted and moved with the times and now spends a large part of his energy nurturing fresh talent and the riders on the team. Weirdly we get into some eerily true prediction...
Dec 23, 2019•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Julien Salles heads up Manera in Montpelier, France, the accessories brand is part of the F-One group owned by his father, Raphael. I've been lucky enough to call Julien a friend for some time and watched him develop Manera with a real passion for the products and how they can benefit the people who use them. He's got a great philosophy, not just for business but for life as well and he's not afraid to take the path least travelled. We have a wide-ranging chat about growing up with Raphael Salle...
Dec 02, 2019•56 min•Season 2Ep. 8
This week I've got legendary rider Steven Akkersdijk on the podcast, the tall dutchman has been making a huge impression on the Big Air scene for some time now. With King Of The Air podiums under his belt, he's always a threat on the competition scene. Unlike a lot of riders, though, Steven is multifaceted, he has a huge talent for creating content, both videos and images, and he rips on almost every craft he rides. An accomplished kite foiler he's also a pretty handy surfer and surf foiler. We ...
Nov 21, 2019•57 min•Season 2Ep. 7
This week I'm chatting to Sensi Graves, founder of Sensi Bikinis, kite park pioneer and all-round female kite hero. I met up with Sensi in Hood River earlier this year to record this podcast and it was really interesting to hear about her approach and induction into the business world. We also talk about her life as a small-town gal, going to a class with just 7 students and how living with three brothers made her a super competitive person who strives for success, however that is measured. Sens...
Oct 31, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 6
This weeks episode is a little more light-hearted as I chat to Tom Court, one of the original kiteboarders from back in the day who was shredding from a very young age. Tom's garnered a successful career for himself within the sport, not just as a talented pro rider, but also as a videographer and practical joker. With films like the Freeride Project series of movies under his belt, his abilities are well known, showcasing a lighter side with efforts like the Kite Launcher, it's never a dull mom...
Sep 16, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 5
They say you shouldn't meet your heroes, we'll this week I'm sharing a conversation I had with one of mine this summer, none other than the legend Mr Robby Naish. US1111 carved a name for himself in the windsurfing industry from a very young age, and that passion and drive for the sport led him to become one of the most successful watermen of all time. Not just an accomplished athlete across a multiverse of sports, he's a successful businessman too and still heads up the Naish watersports busine...
Aug 27, 2019•50 min•Season 2Ep. 4
This week I chat to Mike Raper, one of the kiteboarding originals who started as a pro rider before getting a job with the Pryde Group. Mike spent years there working on various brands including Cabrinha and left last year to move from Hong Kong back to New Zealand to spend more time with his family. Then all hell broke loose and the opportunity to build the North Kiteboarding brand presented itself, the rest they say is history or at least one incredible story... Enjoy!...
Aug 08, 2019•55 min•Season 2Ep. 3
I sit down with Duotone kite designer Ralf Grösel and have a very interesting chat about his life and how he got into design. From making his own paragliders and learning CAD at 14 to running several successful companies now, Ralf is a lesson in how you have plenty of time to do all the things you are passionate about. With everything he involves himself in I bet he doesn't spend much time scrolling through social media or binge-watching Netflix. If you need a bit of inspiration about how you ca...
Aug 01, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Ruben Lenten is one of the most influential kiteboarders on the planet, his long career has seen him shape the sport in a way few others can match. From his aggressive powered freestyle riding to his insane mega loops and all the variations he has created. In this podcast Rou Chater talks to Ruben about his journey within the sport, his battle with cancer and how he has overcome some serious setbacks along the way. This was recorded in February in South Africa, just a month or so before Ruben ha...
Jul 02, 2019•53 min•Season 2Ep. 1
It's the last episode of Season 1 and I thought I might do something a little different. As it's the King Of The Air in Cape Town and the finals are tomorrow Lewis Crathern and I sit down for a chat about the event and who's likely to win. You can hear a real insight into what goes on from the only person to compete in every event since it restarted in 2013. We also put our necks on the line to make some predictions for the final results, so listen in, note them down and see if we are right, we ...
Feb 05, 2019•54 min•Season 1Ep. 20
This week I'm chatting to the "Man Who Touched The Sky" AKA Lewis Crathern. He was one of the first kiteboarders to break into the mainstream when he jumped over Worthing Pier in 2009 with his buddy Jake Scrace. A year later Lewis broke onto the world stage when he jumped over Brighton Pier in a stunt that went truly viral. I've known Lewis for years and we often have differing opinions, however I do have the utmost respect for him, especially as his career has matured in recent years. These day...
Jan 28, 2019•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 19
This week I'm chatting to Dan Macaulay, he's the founder of Brandwave Marketing and someone who truly knows what taking a leap of faith is all about. At the tender age of 24, Dan somehow landed himself the role of European Marketing Director for O'Neill. Arguably one of the best jobs in the industry at a time when there were huge sums of cash floating around in the surf market. After just four years though Dan made the decision to leave the comfort and security of O'Neill and set up on his own. ...
Jan 21, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 18
This week I'm chatting to Tim Turner, founder and creator of the Red Bull Lighthouse to Leighton race in Australia. The race takes place every year in December, attracting riders from all over the world keen to have a crack at the crossing from Rottnest Island to Leighton Beach in Perth. I've known Tim ever since he first invited me to the race 5 years ago, I've been going back very year either as a racer, or as a reporter. It's honestly one of the best kite races on the planet with clockwork or...
Jan 14, 2019•59 min•Season 1Ep. 17
