KiteSurfKit – Riders
If the conditions are good you will invariably find a nucleus of core riders at any of the beaches in Cornwall where the conditions are working. Two of the keenest are Neil and Alexwho help fly the flag for Duotone Kiteboarding and KitesurfKit. Both are exceptionally approachable and are keen to help all abilities with advice on equipment, safety hints and techniques. Neil is always found hunting down Atlantic Swells on his surf gear and is often also found working with Local Schools helping out. Neil is a valued and experienced member of the team sharing the love of our sport and teaching a range of people, before grabbing his gear and making the best of the conditions.
Alex is possibly even more enthusiastic and will often be found frothing to get a session on the North Coast of Cornwall living next to Crantock. He generates much of Kitesurfkit’s Social media content on Instagram / Facebook although we all agree his accompanying musical taste is often ‘Questionable’!!!!
Both have also embraced the light wind foiling revolution and can be seen making the most of flatter and calmer conditions when not pushing their favourite discipline.
Neil Harper
Favourite Gear – NeoSLS Kites, Click Bar and SLS Surf boards… Loving the foiling Pace / Surf Foil set up when the wind is light!
Neil moved to St. Ives in 2016 to be closer to the Cornish waves. He started kiting in 2000 having seen kitesurfing whilst sitting on the beach waiting for enough wind to windsurf, and has been ‘hooked’ ever since.
He is a senior BKSA instructor and has worked in the UK, Brazil and the Canaries passing on the kitesurfing stoke to beginner and intermediate kiters.
A past Seniors BKSA Wavemasters Champion he is most at home on the Neo SLS and click bar and the Duotone Pro Wam or Session , you will find him hunting down the big sets at Gwithian when the wind and long period swells hit the North Coast.
“I have flown loads of different kites all the way back to Wipikia Classics and ridden dozens of different boards and can honestly say the Neo is a great kite for all but the hardest of hardcore freestyle riders and works brilliantly for beginners alike.
The SLS surfboards are super responsive and feel great but are tough enough to take the inevitable beating when learning strapless airs.
I have seen aspiring clients struggling to progress with a few other kite brands and then make significant and immediate progress when they get behind the bar of a Duotone Neo.
I make a point of trying different kites whenever possible to help me improve teaching and have not found any kite that handles and performs better than the Neo SLS, which makes it the perfect tool to start your kitesurfing journey, with the added bonus that you won’t grow out of it!”
Alex Simmons
Favourite kit – Neo SLS, SLS Surfboards
