Who is this guy? Video from 2002.

[BernieTomic1]

I just watched a kite video from 2002, and the guy is incredibly good. I had no idea there were kiters with this kind of skill in 2002.
Was he famous in the day? Does he still kite? You would imagine a younger version of this guy would be at the top at KOTA right now.

One of the tricks I found stunning is at 1.20. He pops from blind, and somehow gets three rotations? The whole video is very watchable though.
Kiting was performed at a very high level already 15 years ago!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKWcabLcpPE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKWcabLcpPE

[FLandOBX]

I've watched that video many times and, like you, I'm always impressed with the guy's skills. I don't know anything about him. Definitely "old school" with the kite pants and the homegrown windsurfer's "micro-loop". I hope someone can provide more info on this rider.

[longwhitecloud]

New cal had it's very own thing going on, we would visit from NZ and be like ... Wtf! For sure influenced NZ kiting.

The level was super high in both new cal and NZ at that time compared to most places on earth, riders just got on and did whatever they wanted, fashion and tall poppies syndrome wasn't a factor.

Think a board off kite loop is new thing... Nope.

[SLiiCK]

Definitely a watchable video amazing tricks from the early kiteboarding era and the soundtrack goes good with it how many times does he spin that board I watched it twice! Still got my old bump and jump trousers from back then.
Good find Bernie

[palmbeacher]

Amazing how talented this guy is, he would have been a pro in these days for sure.

If this is from 2002, why does Jeremy Tronet claim he invented the Jesus Walk? https://www.surfertoday.com/kiteboardin ... teboarding

[Toby]

This guy wasn’t on the radar.
Until few years again when someone posted his video I never heard about him...and I run kiteforum since 2001...and therefore knew pretty much everyone on the high level.
Also never saw his name in a competition.

He does very skilled tricks and also gave me some ideas.

I also wonder about the Jesus Walk...when did Jeremie invent it?

But can be they did it parallel, so Jeremie didn’t know about this guy and his tricks...

[RedSky]

Natural born kiteboarder. Don't buy any kite pre 2010 because it has no depower and will kill you. Pleeeese.

[palmbeacher]

I also wonder about the Jesus Walk...when did Jeremie invent it?

But can be they did it parallel, so Jeremie didn’t know about this guy and his tricks...

The website doesn't have a date, but it seems recent. He may not have known about it, maybe he was just the first to coin it - but he certainly was not the first to do it.

"I came up with the Jesus Walk a little over 12 years ago on the island of Martinique, in the Caribbean. This is one of my favorite kitesurfing tricks to do," notes Tronet.

"People love it, and it has become one of the most iconic fun tricks in kiteboarding. Strapless riders and even foil kitesurfers are doing it on their own board now!"

[Toby]

Jeremie sai he pulled it first time in 2002.
First time on video in 2003.

He said in 2002 there was no internet on Martinique

So, developed parallel .

[Laughingman]

KITEPANTS!!!!