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- [00:01]
A
Welcome to the kitesurf 365 podcast.
- [00:04]
B
Welcome back to the show. I hope you all had a great weekend. On today's episode, I catch up with four time world champion Capucine Delinois. At only 19 years of age, she's having a crazy career, an amazing year. She's had 10 tour victories, a three time Vice World champion, but she's got an awesome personality, super cool, always a big smile and great to talk to. Don't forget to follow me at kitesurf365 for all the latest episodes. Ladies and gentlemen, comment Capucine Dallinois. Capucine, congratulations on your fourth world title. 10 tour victories and you're only 19. What an amazing year.
- [00:48]
A
Thank you. Yeah, it was a really good year. And thank you for having me on your podcast.
- [00:53]
B
I mean, when I was looking, you know, I looked at Instagram, I didn't know whether it was three or four, but then I saw that you had three vice world titles. Does that 2021 vice world title still annoy you? Because it kind of annoyed me at the time.
- [01:06]
A
Yeah, it annoyed me a lot at the time as well.
- [01:09]
B
You want to say pissed off? You can say pissed you off if you want.
- [01:15]
A
It doesn't annoy me anymore. But I think it was good it happened. I think every, well, the few world title, the three world title I lost. Being this world champion, I'm really glad it happened because I was really annoyed. So it pushed me to train a bit harder and then to get the next one.
- [01:31]
B
I better give some reference to the people who don't know what happened. Obviously that was the COVID years, 2021, you won all the events, but they decided to put both the 2020 and 21 years results together. Which means Perry Roberts won. And full respect to Perry, she, she rode super well over on average both those years. But you had won all the events that year and it was kind of a bittersweet pill to swallow. So yeah, I, I think we all felt bad for you on that year.
- [01:55]
A
Ah, thank you. Yeah, I was, I was really happy for Perry that she won. She really deserved it. But yeah, it was definitely a bit hard. I mean at the beginning of 2020 when we had the first event, I wasn't really good at kiting and then I improved throughout all the year and then in 2021 I arrived with a whole new level and then I managed to win. And then not having the world title, it would have been my first world title. So it was a bit hard. But I got the next one and I was even more happy to get the one in 2022.
- [02:25]
B
I know you've had to work on your wave riding, right? Is that something that you've put a lot of work into over the last few years? And do you enjoy wave riding more than strapless freestyle now?
- [02:35]
A
Oof, that's a hard question. But it's quite funny because at the beginning of the year, I came across the podcast we did together four years ago, I think, and I had just won zilt a freestyle event and I was telling you. Yeah, but the problem is that I'm so bad at wave riding, so I'm going to have to get into it at some point. And then this year I won. That, in my opinion, I think is the biggest wave event in Cape Verde. So I mean, of course it didn't came alone. Like I had to do a lot of work. I enjoy training. Like I really enjoy improving and the journey of improving. So I've always enjoyed wave riding because there was a goal behind. But then this year I spent a couple months in Cape Verde and I really fell in love with wave riding. Like I could spend hours in the water and it's just so nice. And now I haven't done proper wave riding for a couple months and I'm really missing it. So I, I'm booking tickets for the next trip. But yeah, I, I really love it, but it took a while to get good at it and to like it. But I, I, I love it. Now.
- [03:36]
B
I noticed that you are with me a lot in Cape Verde. You know, a legend of the sport, knows Cape Verde super well. Were you working with him to help you with your wave riding or just to be at that spot and get you a bit more information?
- [03:49]
A
Yeah, so I've been training with Mitu for a couple years now. I mean, every time he was coming to Brazil. I will do a few freestyle coaching because he's just so good at coaching. Like if you tell him a trick you cannot do after the coaching, you can lend it, he's really good at it. But then I was coming to Cape Verde and I was like, ah, me too. Could we do a coaching for a week? I was supposed to train only for a week with him and we ended up training together for three months, which was amazing. I mean, he was really involved and it was so nice and he was making me work hard. I think we're spending some days like five, six hours in the water. It was really long sessions, but he was just a big support and really good. So it was so nice to train with him this year and it's something we're going to continue. So, yeah, I think we built something really cool and he's an amazing support in my career. He made a huge difference in my writing.
- [04:42]
B
You must have known me too for a long time, right? Because you were back in F1 back in the day. He was obviously, he's the big boss at F1 of the team. So you've known him for many years.
- [04:51]
A
Yeah, I've known me too since I started kiting. I think we have picture. I'm like seven and I'm doing like a fun picture with me too. So we've known each other for a long time. And then he was good friend with my brother. Of course they were going on F1 shoots together and so he's always given me tips. I started competing. He was still competing a little bit. So I remember him teaching me the back rolls, like how to do it properly. But yeah, I think this year we took it a step more seriously and. And it was. It was really good. And yeah, we were both really happy when the win came in Cape Verde. It was. It was the goal and it was super. It felt like we made it together. It was kind of an achieve both. An achievement for both.
- [05:31]
B
You won Cape Verde beating Muna White, who's another legend in the sport. And actually, to be honest, she left the sport because she didn't want to do strapless freestyle. So that must have been pretty awesome to beat Muna at her strength, which is wave riding.
- [05:45]
A
Yeah, I mean, I think when it comes to wave riding, she is the girl to beat. Like, Yalu would have been the girl to beat as well, but she stopped competing. But then Muna, she's a legend of the sport. Like, she's the girl who does wave riding. So she's. And she's been beating me over and over for the past years. Every time we had a wave event, she was beating me. And then this year I was like, no, I. I have. I have to believe I can do it. And then I've been training, training, training. And I remember before the final, I was like, oh, my God, I'm against Muna. But I think this time I have my chances. And then I had my dad and me tuna, like, yeah, of course. Go, go, go. And then it worked out. So it was. It was also a big achievement for me because it's. I've been looking up to her for many years. So, yeah, it was nice to take this win then.
- [06:28]
B
Silch, you beat Camille Losaren. And then obviously in Dakla you beat Kissan Rodriguez, but you still have Taiba to go. But Taiba, you'd have to say Taiba's gonna be back to strapless freestyle. Right? It's not going to be a wave riding event.
- [06:41]
A
I'm not sure. I think it will be kind of a surprise on the day I've been, it's super close to where I live. It's two hours and a half driving from where I live. So I've been there and the waves are good. I mean I've seen the boys, they're training in wave riding. They can also do freestyle. But the forecast for the competition, they're saying it's going to be light, wind and a swell is coming. So it could be 100% wave riding. I wouldn't be surprised.
- [07:05]
B
Would you be happy about that? Because I, I mean I know your strapless freestyle is really strong as well, right?
- [07:10]
A
Yeah, I've been, I continue to, to train strapless freestyle of course and we haven't had a good strapless freestyle event in a while. Zilt was super lightwin so I wasn't really able to show any new trick. So I will be happy if it's a strapless freestyle, but wave riding as well. I'm super happy because now I came to the point where I don't, I don't care like give me, give me freestyle or wave. It will be, it will be fine. I like both.
- [07:35]
B
It's funny how kite surf division of gka I think it might be the strongest division. I know big air is huge, but they only have one event. It's really awesome to see, especially on the girls side. I mean how many Brazil. I know you've grown up in Brazil, I know you ride under the French flag. But it's amazing to see how many girls from Brazil are excited about strapless because, you know, the boys always did freestyle, now they're into big air a bit. But the girls were not really outside of Mika. But it's awesome to see so many Brazilian girls in strapless.
- [08:04]
A
No, it's really cool. And I think in Taiba we're gonna have even more Brazilian girls because it's where they live. Of course. But yeah, it's super nice. I mean in Morocco it was almost an all Brazilian final podium. It was Serena and Kaziani. It was me and well, I had the French flag but it was just really nice and it was everyone talking Portuguese on the podium and yeah, it's really cool. And the girls from Brazil, they're really good. They have this wave in Taiba, which is, I would say hard waves. Like, it's small and breaks everywhere. So it pushed them to have a lot of skills. They have to deal with, like, bad waves kinda. So they're really good, and I think they're gonna. They're gonna be the ones to beat in table. I think there will be. They'll be dangerous in Taba.
- [08:46]
B
Have you known all these girls for a long time? I mean, I know that, you know, Brazil is. I know you're French and you ride on the French flag, but you've basically spent most of your time in. In Brazil, right? Do you know all these girls?
- [08:57]
A
Yeah, I mean, Kiziani is my neighbor. She. I see her every day almost. She passes down in front of my house every day. So I see Kiziani a lot. And Serena, she lives a bit further, but I see her quite a lot. We end up traveling a lot for the competition and spending, like, for example, Cape Verde a few months before the event at the places. So I end up seeing them more on competition than at home.
- [09:24]
B
Why has strapless appealed to the Brazilian girls more than anything else? Because they're in freestyle, but they just seem to have really taken to strapless freestyle. Why is that?
- [09:35]
A
Not sure, but we have a lot. Like when you go on all the coasts, like, the girls, they all do strapless, and if they don't do strapless yet, it's the goal. I think it's super nice to do here. I mean, you have small waves and downwind, so it's the perfect discipline to do. But it's also very feminine. Like, every time I see a girl doing strapless here, I just think it's very beautiful. So, yeah, maybe that's what appealing.
- [09:59]
B
I remember me too. Said to me one time when I spoke to him on the podcast, he said, you know, and I said, how many people ride twin tip? And Cape Verde said, oh, you do your lessons on twin Tip. Soon as you go out wind, you go straight to the surfboard. And I just cracked up laughing. And he said, that's just the way it is here. I guess it's the same for the girls there, right? They. They learn on the twin tip as soon as they've mastered the basics. Straight to the. To the board.
- [10:18]
A
Yeah. Yeah, I think so. We live right at the point where everybody passes downwind, and most of the people are in strapless, a lot of them, and the girls even more so. Yeah, that's. That's good. That's a good place to live.
- [10:33]
B
I had Sophie Monte on the podcast a couple months back, and she's getting into the competition and, you know, looking up to people like you. And it's just awesome that you, at 19, are starting to inspire others. How does that feel when you hear people talking about, oh, Kapu is inspiring me to ride? Is that, Is that cool to hear?
- [10:52]
A
Well, yeah, I mean, of course it's really nice. Well, it makes me really happy because it's also my goal. Like, I want to win world titles and I want to. I want to win, I love that. But I also want to inspire other girls and buy that by pushing the level. And then they're like, oh, yeah, we can do that too. So, yeah, it's super nice when I hear that. It's what happens. Like, people get inspired by it or motivated by it. It is the goal. And I hope it's more and more like this in the future so we can have more girls who push the boundaries.
- [11:24]
B
Can you girls push the sport further or are you at the limit or is there more to do?
- [11:30]
A
There's definitely more to do. I think one thing that is really easier for the girls than for the boys is that we still have everything to do. You look at the boys and there's still so many tricks to land and a lot of things to do in wave riding to improve where when the boy, they have to create a new trick. We're not at this point yet, so we just have to follow the path of the boys, kinda. So, yeah, we're not, we're not, we're not done yet. There's still a lot to do, but it's. Yeah, it's quite easy. We just have to copy what has been done yet.
- [12:03]
B
Capucim. What, what gear are you riding at the moment?
- [12:05]
A
Yeah, I'm riding the lattice scarf. And then for freestyle, I've been using the Orbit and I really. I think it makes a big difference because I do loops in strapless, so I, I kind of have to use the Orbit. So, yeah, every time I travel, it's quite a big quiver to have everything. But I, I like. I really like boys. The kites, they're really good.
- [12:25]
B
Kepcine. When I hear surfers talk about kite surfing, they always say, oh, they're not on the wave. You know, they're not on the wave. They're using the kite, they're using the wave as something to hit, something to whack the board against. How can we improve that? You know, when I think back to the videos, I think tunnel vision that, you know, Kiahi put out, you know, many years ago was a great, a great version of actually surfing, surfing the waves with the kite. Is that something that's difficult to do as a kite surfer, to actually use the power of the wave as well?
- [12:58]
A
Yeah, I think, I think that's the hardest thing to do. I think you have to be really, really good to do that. It also depends on the conditions. For example, if you're having super small waves like in Morocco, it's hard to not use your kite and to just surf. But it's something you can totally do in, in Cape Verde, in Punta Preta. And this is what the judges want to see. Like, they love it. The less you use the kite, the more points you get and the more beautiful it is to watch. Especially in Cape Verde, it's an offshore wind, so if you use your kite, it's just going to be super ugly. You're going to go too fast and so far from the foam of the wave. So, yeah, the less you use the kite, the more it looks like surfing. But not using the kite is quite the kind of the tricky part.
- [13:40]
B
But yeah, what's, what's Ponta Preta like to ride? You know, in Big Ear, we talk about, you know, like Cape Town and, and, you know, Lords of Tram and Tarifa, you know, that quite can be quite scary and intimidating. Ponta Preta looks terrifying.
- [13:57]
A
Pontempreta is terrifying. I started riding Pontempreta five years ago, I think, and I only figured it out this year and I'm not sure I'm still there yet. It's just super hard because you have this huge wave and then the offshore wind that pushes you out of the wave. But then if you're too in the waves, you end up in the rocks. I've got stuck in the shore break so many times. I got stuck in the rocks. Like so much happened. But then once you figure it out that where you have to put your kite, how do you have to get into the wave then? It's dreamy. It's so, so nice. The wave is amazing. It's perfect. I think it requires a lot of skills or a lot of knowledge about the wave to be able to really enjoy it. But once you kind of have it figured out, it's just amazing. I think it was also the reason I started the coaching with MeToo this year, because MeToo knows the wave like it's his pocket. He. He loves the wave. It's quite funny. It was Valentine's Day and then me too did a post with A lot. With like a love letter and all. And then Nicole, his wife, she's like, oh, my God, me too. That's so nice. And then he was signed to Ponta Preta and had two Nicole. He's really passionate about it. But so, yeah, I think he was the best person to teach me about this wave because he knows it so well. And it was nice to have a teacher like this because it helped me figure it out a little bit more.
- [15:27]
B
How close does that wave break to the rocks? Because I've only seen it on TV and it looks like it's about 10 meters. Is it super close? I mean, I remember watching, by the way. I remember watching the height when they remembered the wing falling there. The wing falling, wave stuff. Holy crap. I mean, dude, guys are getting smashed up big time.
- [15:43]
A
Do you guys. Yeah, it's. It's crazy. The hits. There's basically three guys on the rocks and they're ready to like, take the wings and the foils and run on the beach to get back in. Yeah, the foilers are crazy. If you see Mallow or Cash standing it and you're like, okay, but the rocks are like three meters from you. They. They seem crazy, but it depends a lot on the swell. I think the bigger the swell is, the further the rock seem, even if it's not totally right. Like you don't want to fell in front of the rocks. But sometimes the swell is really small and there's not a lot of people who can ride. Only Ayrton mostly when he's there. And he just. It's crazy. He just rides over the rocks and then he goes out of the water and still has all the. All of his fins, which is quite impressive. But yeah, the rocks are very close.
- [16:24]
B
How do you go from something like Cape Verde, which is this beautiful, iconic, legendary kite surfing destination, let's be honest, to riding in silt, which is kind of shit. But how do you stay motivated for that? Is it the points? Is it the world championship that you just have to go there and do it? Because to be honest, that mustn't be fun.
- [16:43]
A
Yeah, well, zilt can be amazing. Last year was just really strong and we were able to push big trick. So I think the hope firstly keeps you motivated because you're. You're hoping it's gonna be good conditions. And now if you look on the past years, half of the time it was Shady Condition and half of the damn really good conditions. So we still have hope for next year. It's usually one year. Yes, one year no. So next year will be the right one. But yeah, I. I used to stay motivated with the events a lot. Like, oh, this competition is coming, let's train for it. And then if you have a shitty competition and no win, it's hard to keep the motivation. So I kind of switch that to, I want to push the level. I want to be the best. And even if there's a competition or no competition, I want to be the first one landing this trick and do this wall first. So I think more focusing on my level, and then if there's an event I can show my level, then that's great. But if not, it's okay because I've improved even without it. But, yeah, I think focusing more on the level than on the win.
- [17:46]
B
I mean, how do you stay motivated after four world titles? Do you have goals that you. You want to keep pushing and pushing? Because, I mean, you're getting up into amazing numbers here, you know?
- [17:58]
A
Yeah, yeah, I'm still super motivated. I mean, I. I really enjoy winning. I like to win and I want to win more world titles, of course. But, yeah, as I told you, I think it's hard to be motivated only with, like, winning a competition. Oh, I want to win that. And after what, oh, six months, another event, I want to win it. So I'm just really focused on my performance and now I'm training hard at home. I'm not even sure I'm going to be doing freestyle in Taiba, but I'm just really motivated to improve and to push the level of freestyle strapless for the girls. And then I'm going to go to Cape Verde and I'm motivated to be a better wave rider, and then hopefully I take the win. But it comes after. I just want to be the best rider and then hopefully I can win with this level.
- [18:45]
B
Is Muna going to do the tour again next year?
- [18:48]
A
I don't know. I think when was last year after. After the final, she was like, oh, I'm coming back next year. I'm going to train and I come back. So I think she probably wants. How do you call it? Like a. Not a revenge, but another. Another competition. So I don't know, maybe she likes Cape Verde. She always comes, so probably. I. I'm not sure.
- [19:13]
B
Are you involved in any shoots for north and mystic at the moment? Are you doing any of the shooting stuff? You doing any of the trips to do the product shoots?
- [19:20]
A
Yeah, I've been. I haven't done the nor. Oh, yeah, we've done the Norse shoot here in Brazil. And then right after the competition, I have a Mystic shoot. So we've been doing quite some shoot and it was nice because we're a really good team. I mean, the last shoot for mystic, it was my brother Cam, Francesca and Jet. So it's just a really, really funny crew.
- [19:41]
B
Jet was going to the shoot when they were doing the Orbit launch and his ferry got cancelled, so he stopped in to stay with us in Mykonos. And hey, when Jet turns up, it's always a good time. He's just got so much energy. But that's an awesome crew. I mean, Francesca, also a super legend, right? I mean, she can do everything. I mean, I think if Francesca really wanted, she could just do everything.
- [20:00]
A
Francesca can do everything. It's crazy. We were. She was in Cape Verde when there was the event, and then she was competing in boy swinging and kiting. And, you know, she's really chill, like she wants to win. She's very competitive, but she's just so chill. And 10 minutes before her eat, she's like, okay, so how do you get in the water on this spot in the winging? And my dad is like, but you didn't get in the water? He. No, no, but I'll just figure it out. And then at the end, she does a podium. She's just really, really talented and very passionate. Like, every time I'm with her, she spends hours on the water. And yeah, she's really fun to hang out with.
- [20:35]
B
It must be pretty cool to go on those mystic shoots with such a cool team.
- [20:39]
A
Yeah, the team are always super nice. And I mean, it's not only riders, there's a photographer, videographer, and the mystic crew and everybody's really cool. So the vibe is always amazing and we share really, really good moments. Last year we did a trip to Scotland and it was amazing. It was so crazy. The best waves ever. And it was just Cam, Ozzy, Francesca and me in the water and were scoring the huge waves and it was, I think, one of the best trips. Yeah, it was really good.
- [21:09]
B
I always laugh at that trip when your brother and Ozzy went to Iceland and they only had one set of gloves and they were fighting to see who got to wear the gloves. I mean, what. It's so crazy. How did that even happen?
- [21:23]
A
The same in Scotland. We had one pair of booties and one hoodie for both Francesca and I. So before going the water, we're like, okay, do you want to have to your ears close or your feet cold? And then we'll like switch every time so it happens usually, but, yeah, Terrible planning.
- [21:40]
B
Terrible planning. Well, look, I tell you what, Capucine, it's always good to catch up with you. I bumped into your brother in the mega loop. It was great to see him. By the way, how's your little brother doing? Doing. Is he. Is he starting to ride more? Because I remember meeting him many years ago, and when I asked him who was the best kite surfer in the world, as he pointed at his own chest and said, him. So what's he doing now? Is he still about. Is he still riding?
- [22:03]
A
So he's a little bit more humble now, but he.
- [22:08]
B
Well, he was about eight years. He was only about eight when I met him.
- [22:11]
A
Yeah, yeah, he's more humble, but he's really good at kiting. He spends his whole day in the water more than me. He landed a double loop a couple days ago. He's doing kite loop. Bored off. He's. He's going into the bigger. He doesn't. I mean, he can do strapless, he can do back rolls in strapless. After two sessions, I'm like, okay, this took me six months. That's. That's not fair. But, yeah, he's really into the bigger. We're. We're a bit scared because, like, the bigger events are a bit scary if you look at them now. But that's what he wants to do. And. And yeah, he's very motivated. He still wants to be a world champion. He still stay. T says, tells everyone he. He's going to be a world champion.
- [22:48]
B
Yeah, he said to me he was the best in the family, and he said it with all the confidence in the world.
- [22:53]
A
But I think he is. He has a really, really amazing kite control and just everything that he can land. He's. I told you. He's been doing a strapless freestyle. And then after one session or two session, he can land back rolls and front rolls. And I'm like, this took me much, much longer.
- [23:09]
B
Does Camille ever reach out to you and give you advice or he just sits back and is proud of you these days?
- [23:16]
A
Yeah, I mean, we're really close to Cam now. He lives in Amsterdam, so I come quite often. I have to sleep from the coach, but I go a lot. But Cam has never been really good at giving advices when it comes to technical stuff, because I think everything to him was so natural that he never really had to think about it. So I remember reaching out to him to be like, oh, how do you do a triple frontal? And he was like, well, just turn. Or a kai club Just push on the bar. And I was like, okay, that's not gonna help me. But yeah, so not so much technical advices. And my little brother is the same. Like, he doesn't really ask for any. I mean, he just does it and then it works out.
- [24:00]
B
Yeah, it was good to bump into Camille. And he's rocking a sick moustache as well, by the way. It's got a sick mustache.
- [24:05]
A
Did he keep the mustache?
- [24:07]
B
Yeah, it looks good. I like it.
- [24:08]
A
Okay. We're making quite a lot of fun of him, but I thought he had shaved it off, but apparently it's still.
- [24:15]
B
Well, maybe, maybe I. I saw him. I saw him at the Mega Loop. He still had it then. Anyway, look, Captain, great to see you as always. I love the smile, love the energy. Congratulations on your fourth world title. Good luck for Taiba. It's sort of a home event for you. I think you can go into that with no pressure and have some fun and. And I think that would be an awesome way to finish the year. And, yeah, look forward to seeing. And yeah, thanks for coming on the podcast as usual.
- [24:39]
A
Yeah, thanks a lot. It was really nice to have a talk. Thank you.
- [24:42]
B
Hey, guys, I hope you enjoyed that episode. Don't forget, if you want to support the show, the easiest way is to support me for free. Rate us on Spotify. I'm loving those five star reviews. Share them in your local WhatsApp or kite surfing groups. Or just simply tell your mates. If you want to support us more regularly, head over to portraitkite.com and check out all the madness there. Portrait is an independent media company and we're telling the stories of kiteboarding the way we believe they should. These projects are are funded by people just like you. If you believe in what we do and you want to support us, head over to portraitkite.com and check everything out there. The podcast will always be free. And if you want to find more episodes just like this one, use the search button@kitesurf365.com to search your favorite writer or topic. And we'll see you this Thursday for the Megapod.
- [25:28]
A
Welcome to the kitesurf365 podcast.