A (2:32)

Look at the top five. Look at the freaking top five. And Edgar is In the top five this year, like his third four. So we have. We have that guy in the top five.

B (2:43)

Is he going to come back and ride?

A (2:46)

I don't think so. For now, you want to focus on other things and let the place to the other French. He's like me.

B (2:53)

I think he's scared of you, bro.

A (2:55)

No, he's scared of the young guys coming through.

B (2:57)

Why not, man? I mean, at some stage, the young guys come through and start knocking on the door. It's just normal.

A (3:02)

Like every other rider who is on the tour for, like, more than five years.

B (3:06)

Let's talk about the big news here. You've left duotone to join F1. Duotone has such a stronghold with the French riders, and you were with Duotone before. What was appealing to you to. To leave Duotone and go to F1, which is a French brand as well.

A (3:20)

By joining F1, I was searching, like, more a family team, and I wanted to have a more impact in the brand development photo shoot. And they offer me, like, a big deal. Not money, not stuff or just consideration. And we can work together and work together to the top. So this really interesting me. And also they release a new kite that I don't want to talk now because I don't know if I can. But you know what I talk about. And this kite is sick. This kite really sick. I tried before Kota, and I was like, man, I want to do Dakota with this kite.

B (4:09)

I agree with that family feel, you know, And I. And I saw you in Cape Town with your father, and I do think it's a good fit. You know, I do like the fact that they're very. You know, when you speak to the F1 team there, you know, every. Every brand says, hey, we're a family. But not every brand means that when you can feel it, when they're interested in not just you, but your family and, you know, supporting you as a whole. And I. I do think it's a great move for you. You know, I was. I was super stoked when I heard on one point.

A (4:33)

I'm really happy what I do with Dualton before. I'm really respectful, and I. I'm really thankful to. To them. So it was just the end of. Of this, and it's time for a new. A new chapter.

B (4:51)

How did that go down in baccarat? Because baccarat is. That's Duotone country down there, man.

A (4:56)

Yeah, but it changed. Like, you do. You see, like, all the young blood leaving Jutan in like me, Nathan Batiste. But we were three and now he's just one. So it changed.

B (5:10)

Let's talk about 20, 25. I mean, you had an incredible breakout year. And if anyone ever asked me, you know, how do I make that jump to the next level? I think what you did was perfect, you know, winner of Pro2 at full power, Tarifa Puckle, another sort of Tier 3 comp, got third Red Bull qualifier. Got third, qualified for Red Bull King of the air, went out to Jeremy in round, which is no huge loss. You know, how do you keep that momentum going? I mean, it was a. It was a really great year for you in the fact that you just had a nice slow build into the biggest event of the year and. And now you're there, right?

A (5:43)

Yeah. Last year was really good. And it was my first year doing all the bigger comp before I was doing freestyle or small. Small. Bigger comp like the French championship. So for first year, I think it's a good year and I want to do even better next year. And for the quota, I was never thinking like, I will be in, but after the qualifier I was thinking maybe, maybe I can be in. So I sent a video and I was just waiting like all the other. But I don't think I really jump in the fleet. I think I just built my ear doing all the comp, doing bigger and bigger comp. And it was a gift for me to do Dakota this year because for sure, I was never playing for the win. I was just there to fill and doing my first quota as a rookie.

B (6:36)

A lot of young guys always say to me, oh, what? I say, hey, what's your goal? And they say, I want to be in Kota, but they don't really have a plan to get there. You know, they just. They think, oh, I'll just go into the comps and make my name. But it doesn't work that way, you know, and that's why I said, when I think back to the year you had and I look at your results through the year, that's really the blueprint of how to do it. And sometimes it's putting your ego away and riding, you know, the park all events, riding some of these smaller events, doing pro2at. At full power, whenever I wants to be in Pro1. But you have to do your time right. And I. When I look at the sort of year that you had, man, it's. It's actually the blueprint of what young guys coming through the system should look to do.

A (7:17)

I mean, I don't want to send like just one video or two for the quota and the cold away and being like 30 in the reserve. So I was like, I, I'm going to do all the small comp and step by step, I'm going to going in bigger and bigger and bigger comp. The qualifier was my first Red Bull event, actually.

B (7:39)

Will you do any of those smaller comps again? I know that the puckle event, everyone loves it, right? I mean, it's a fun event, but it's also great conditions as well. Probably similar to. A little bit similar to the conditions you get in Buckaras with the super flat water and the strong winds. Will you go back and do any of those little events again? I know with full power you'll be in Pro1 now, but is that the plan?

A (8:00)

Yeah. Yeah. I will do all the comp this year. All the comp I can do, I will do it. Even the small local computer of my spot, I, I will do it.

B (8:11)

I, I think that's a good thing as well. Because, you know, the more competitions you can do, especially you said, like, I haven't really done a lot of big ones. It'll just make you more comfortable. Did you feel pressure at all in these comps or you still in that I've got nothing to lose type situation?

A (8:26)

I feel more pressure in the small comp than in the big comp. Because in the big comp, like, no, nobody wait for me. Like, if I lose, I lose. So it's just me and me in the, in the small comp. If I lose against the, the little guy that trained with me every year, it's a bit problematic, you know?

B (8:47)

Yeah, I'm sure everyone feels that. Do you still feel like this year that you have nothing to lose in these comps because it is sort of arguably your first year on tour. Do you feel like you can go into these competitions and just enjoy it a bit more and then maybe put a bit more pressure on yourself in 27?

A (9:04)

No, I never put pressure on myself. It's my dream to do all the comp and all the travel, to chase the wind, to train. So why I will put pressure on myself. I live in my dream, actually, so I don't have to put pressure.

B (9:18)

Who did you look up to when you were younger? I mean, was there a rider in the fleet now that you were like, wow, I really want to be like

A (9:24)

that for sure, like Edgar, because I trained a lot with him when I was young. He teached me a lot. He was the first guy who brought me to Barca race and to train in the strong Wind do my first double. Things like that. And of course Andrea, because when I was young, he was winning all the comp and he was like the goats and he's still the goats.

B (9:49)

What's it like for you to have Andrea as a competitor? Now you're in Cape Town. There you're at those riders meetings. It's a whole different level. And you can look left and right. There's Andrea, there's Lorenzo. It's. It's the who's who, right? It's a completely different feel.

A (10:03)

That's good. I mean, if you win, you're the God. So that's the best.

B (10:09)

What are your long term goals? Let's talk about long term. Do you want to win the Red Bull King of the. Is that your goal? Do you have a plan that you sort of working towards to. To win those big titles? Or do you want to get into creating content and. And going that route?

A (10:24)

Yeah, yeah. Like for this year I want to do like all the comp because I never do jika. I never do a lot of. I have a lot to do and I want to. To go step by step, comp by comp and build my comp like I do last year and just take it easy, hit by it, tricks by tricks. I think that's the best for me. And in few years maybe, maybe I can win some comp, I can win Kota. But I really want to take it step by step and just leave the present moment.

B (10:59)

The first event is the GK World Championship Round 1, which is Lords of Tram. You know, obviously a place that you know super well. Do you like the format that the GK brings? When you're given a certain amount of time to do your trick, you're not sort of in a 12 minute heat. Do you prefer that format?

A (11:14)

I really like the Red Bull format because we can do not the same tricks, but we can do the same family in one hit and still have two tricks on the board. But the GK bred some variety and there is no variety score and we talk a lot about variety score in Kota. So that's different. But. And tricks by tricks like person by person in the eat. It's good also because when there is gusty have like the blue flag, you don't jump. So yeah, this. This format is good also.

B (11:55)

Have you been to Mykonos? Have you ever kited at Mykonos?

A (11:58)

No, never. It's good.

B (12:01)

Yeah. It can be super windy, bro. I. I like it. I think it's a great place. It's going to be interesting to see if they can get that event to happen. Because I do think a two stop world championship is important. You can just have a bad heat or a bad thing and you're out, you know. So yeah, then obviously what? Cold Hawaii, The Mega Loop, The Red Bull, King of the Air. That's the big five. I mean if you can make all those fleets this year, I think that would be unbelievable, man. That would be a really, really big statement after last year.

A (12:27)

Yeah, that's the plan. Because I don't want to be in one event like in one event in March, one event in September. I want to be in all the events like all the rider. So I have to work to be. To be there. Even the load of TR this year it will be super challenging to be in because there is a lot of guy.

B (12:50)

Dude, you're going to be in for sure. Elliot, if. If I'm not. If you're not in, I'll be, I'll be. I'll. I'll kick up a fuss. That's a, that'll be a change now. You'll make that for sure, bro. And I was saying the other day what one thing I like about the Lords of Tram, it's always a great opportunity for fringe and younger riders to get a look because it's. There's six more spaces, you know, opposed to the Red bull, which is 18 men. Opening this up a little bit more does give the opportunity and we've seen lots of young kids come and go. Max Tellett back in the day had a crack. I hope he comes back again. Reuben Swart out of Australia. You know, we do get kids getting opportunities so I would be very surprised if you, if you don't make that fleet for sure.

A (13:30)

But there is I think 30, 35 guys we can be in. You agree?

B (13:36)

Yeah, yeah, it's a lot.

A (13:38)

I think we will see sick video this year because even some guy that never do a comp or like Jama Jamai, you know, the F1 guy, this guy is super strong and at this time he just do the full power.

B (13:53)

So I like Jama's. He's got quite a different axis. You know, the way he rides, you know, he's quite.

A (13:59)

Yeah, yeah.

B (14:00)

Leg actually almost a little bit like Edgar that back in the day, you know, get his legs quite wide apart. It looks quite sort of. It looks quite flashy. But again doing it in Colombia and then doing it at Buckaras is completely different things, you know, and that's what he's going to have to face. But Lords of trammers made starts. You know, Baby Shark was going there when he was like 14 or something, way back in the day, you know, and getting in. So, yeah, I'd love to see people like Jama, you know, getting a chance and giving him an opportunity to, you know, try and try and make it, you know, because it is a. It is a springboard to that next level, you know, every time.

A (14:35)

Yeah, yeah, for sure. But even baby Shark this year is in already, you know, because there is the top 10.

B (14:41)

He's in because he's ranked in. Looking back at last year and thinking forward to this year, what's one of the biggest things that you want to work on with your writing? Have you sort of identified something that you're like, oh, that's something that I need to improve on.

A (14:54)

Hi. I want to go higher. Yeah, that's the. I think fauna, that's the main problem because technique is good, technicality is good, but you have to go high and you have to go forward. You have to put the kite low because everybody do the same tricks now. So, like real do it. You have to put the kite really low and go really high. Look at the Coldawai. Really even beat. Even beat? No, it doesn't beat Lorenzo. But it was really close and it was just going higher and the kite was lower. But it was not the most technical. So I have to go extreme because it's extreme sport.

B (15:37)

And are you finding with the new kites you're. You're able to get a little bit more height out of them and get it that kite also. Let's talk. You're talking kite low. We're talking kite position. Right. Can you find with your newer gear that you're getting that extra height and can put that kite a little bit lower?

A (15:51)

Yeah, I can go higher and I put like 22 meter line. That's the start. Maybe I. I can go smaller. But for Now I read 22 and with my rebel, I was riding 24. Just before Kota, I switched to 22 because I was wanting to put the kite low. But it only work in Captain. But now with my new kite, I can ride 22 everywhere and put the kite quite low.

B (16:17)

Explain to people why when you went to 22s that you were on the Rebel, right, The D lab. Why the D lab went lower on the 22s in Cape Town. But that doesn't work in Europe because

A (16:29)

when you take the kicker, you have pretty strong line tension that you never found in flat spot like Barca Race, because you don't have Kicker.

B (16:39)

How did you find riding the kickers in Cape Town? Did you find them easy to get used to or took a bit of time to get used to them? I mean, we didn't argue. We didn't have the strongest conditions this year at Red Bull King of the Year. It wasn't great leading into the event with some crazy days. It was super strong. But during the, during the event, we didn't get it. How did you find riding kickers? Was that something that you enjoyed?

A (17:00)

Yes, a lot. Because last summer I trained like three weeks in Gran Canaria and this spot is really challenging. This is the, the hardest spot I never ride. So when I, when I land to Captown, I was like, oh, that's easy. That's really nice. The kicker, like the period is good, the size is good, and in October it was like nobody on the spot. So it was perfect to train. Grand Canal was cow like kicker everywhere. Lorenzo Kazachi, flying rocks, maybe sharks, shark cage. You don't know. You never know.

B (17:44)

Terrible spot. I'm so glad the GK is not there anymore. That was a terrible decision. Are you still focused on doubles training? Because I kind of feel like doubles have sort of slipped away now. Right. The judges like the height more, they like the power. But, you know, I was looking back last year looking at Josh doing that 25 meter high double, like back, you know, Josh Gillet, your teammate, I think, wow, Buckarras might be the only spot where big high doubles are going to still score. Are still going to score really, really well.

A (18:12)

Yeah, because I think it's the only spot where you can get 50 notes for one week. So it's the only spot where you can train double. Even last week we do a lot of double and I was like, yeah, maybe I can put one in my video because this is good. Like you can put some kite angle. Because for double, I ride the 6 trigger. Last week I'm gonna swap with my new kite. But for now I read the six trigger and it's really good for the double. You can put it low and no, like all the loop in one time. No, no break.

B (18:53)

So that trigger, there's no pause in the second loop. It's just two loops straight.

A (18:58)

Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, Bracha is, I think, the only spot where you can do double properly and you can do a competition doing double loop, because you can pull the double every jump when it's good. Like, like Lord of Trump last year.

B (19:15)

Are we going to see doubles again? Because, like Lords of Trim last year was almost the last sort of swing of doubles. And by the. By the way, on day two, going into the finals, there's all singles. Like, I think we saw doubles on the doubles on day one, Josh tried to do that double eight back in the semi final and knocked himself out. And after that, it was just big singles. Do we. Do you think we'll see the same thing or you think guys are going to go for the doubles there?

A (19:40)

Maybe if it's 50. Not we. We're going to see double.

B (19:42)

Dude, it's going to be 50. Lords of Tram, they just. It's always crazy. Listen, people always ask me, where's the best place in the world to go and watch kite boarding? And I said, listen, for sure, Cape town. But if you want the best viewing experience, Lords of tram is the best place to watch the best kite builders in the world. And they're jumping right at the top of you. You can't beat that, man.

A (20:01)

Yeah. Because they jump basically on you. You are on the rock. You feel knowing then the. The guy jump on you. So, yeah, that's the best place to. To watch kiteboarding. I. I think maybe lord of trump is. Is big as Kota now. Maybe like a lot of guys wait for the lord. Like they wait for Dakota. And maybe I say that because I'm French, maybe.

B (20:27)

No, no, you're. You're right. I mean, I say. When people ask me, I say it's the craziest conditions in kiteboarding. You know, it's. It's the craziest. You know, like it's a super flat takeoff. You're landing a knee high chop. The smoke on the water is crazy. The riders. It's the only place I've seen riders scared. You know, Liam whaley was telling me, he was like, he's sitting up there and he's just. Could barely sit with us on the beach with a six and he's like, this is crazy. You know, this is crazy conditions, you know.

A (20:54)

For sure. Yeah. Because you. Like you said, you take off in flat and you land in not one meter shop, but yeah, close enough.

B (21:03)

If you could steal one trick from one rider, what would you steal?

A (21:07)

Tropy from Lorenzo. The trophy from kota in which four seat first jump on the buzzer. This one every day. And I will do it in my first jump in my first eat. So like all the ozorwa, like, I don't want to ride anymore.

B (21:24)

Oh, this is what the plan is.

A (21:26)

I don't have the trophy like Lorenzo for. For the moment. So I have to work on it.

B (21:31)

The triple front. Do you have a certain trick sequence. You open up. When you do compete, not really depend

A (21:37)

on the condition, because if it's double, if it's single, if it's strong, if it's guesty, you. You never know. But yeah, I have some tricks that I have like every time and if it's not good, I redo it.

B (21:50)

Who's coaching you,

A (21:53)

Edgar? Coaching me a bit Thibaut Munier. I don't know if you know.

B (21:57)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course.

A (21:59)

He coached me in all my comp, like full power qualifier. I was calling him, he was saying to me what to do, when to do it. And I have some. My local coach from. From my training in camping in the south, but that's it and that's good. And my father, also the best one. Does he caddy for you in kota? Yeah.

B (22:24)

And will you have him caddying for you in Lords of Tram or you got a different team around you?

A (22:28)

No, no, I will go with my father.

B (22:31)

Does he talk to you about moves or is he just more of a calming influence and like keep you in the right headspace?

A (22:36)

I don't have the Rajo on my head, but I come back sometime to the beach. He say to me, but his only advice, his best advice is go higher. Every time I show him a video, go higher. Even if I show him the Marius jumps, he will say, go higher. I can't, I can't.

B (22:58)

Do you want to work on your cadi team to have someone maybe have more sort of technical conversations with. If you're behind in a heat and you need to upgrade, Is that something you want to work on or you just going to keep with your father at the moment?

A (23:11)

Actually, I don't mention it. But we work with Luca, the French team coach. Like last week I was with him. So if I am in the lord of trauma, I will go with Luca and my father. So Luca will give me advice and my father all this stuff.

B (23:27)

I do think having a good caddy can make a big difference, especially like when you're behind in a heat. You know someone who can look at the scores and say, hey, you need to upgrade your. Your front rotation or do think there is some value in that, you know, so that might be something that maybe your father can work on.

A (23:44)

Yeah, but let's go bigger. Yeah. No, especially when the conditions are bad or tricky like Lord of Trump and you have to do not your best eats you. I was there on the beach. I see Nelson doing just big doobie loop and he was winning. So in this condition you have to adapt your ride and be not the strongest, but the smartest.

B (24:11)

Were you in Baccarat that time that Nelson got injured?

A (24:17)

I was at Baccaraz, but he was in the secret spot.

B (24:20)

The so called secret spot. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean it's kind of crazy actually. That's actually someone I should get onto the pod and talk to about that because it's kind of a crazy if anyone doesn't know he crash into a bush and a stick went right into the back of his head. Kind of crazy that he's still alive and, and, and back riding and, and kicking ass again, you know.

A (24:42)

And six months later he was back on the, on the secret spot, destroying the bush. He fallen. So that's the good part.

B (24:50)

Crazy boy.

A (24:51)

Yeah, this guy is crazy.

B (24:53)

He rode super well last year at Lords of Tram. Right. And that's another guy that I'm seeing. You know, the Lords of Tram allows big fleets. It allows fringe people to get in and get a chance in. Yeah, but then you got to keep going, bro. That's the thing, man. It's like. And that's, and that's what I was trying to get at to you before is like finding that momentum for this year. You know, it's easy to have a great result but then lose your momentum quickly and we can, you know, we know riders who have dropped off as fast as they've come up. So yeah, I like your, I like what you're saying about just ride as many comps as you can and just get that experience under you and just build that brand, build that name. I really do think it's a really good move.

A (25:33)

I don't want to just like sitting on my, on my result like and be okay. I do one podium in a qualifier and that's it. That's good. I think that's nothing. That's just the start. And if you stay on this, you're dead. You have to go on and go step by step.

B (25:55)

And are you going to travel more this year and be based in Tarifa a bit more? Are the plans to sort of follow the wind and follow the guys around for training?

A (26:03)

Yeah, for sure. We're gonna maybe terrify with the French team. We're gonna go gran, can I this summer again and all the place maybe Blue Lagoon I think will be good if we can go because I think it's the best spot to train Seagull.

B (26:20)

Do a trip to Mykonos early, man. Especially if the second round of the world champs there. It's going to be Good for you guys to ride that spot, you know?

A (26:27)

Yeah. Some guy tell me that's a bit challenging because it's choppy. And guess you the bay is quite deep.

B (26:34)

So when the, the waves sort of roll in, if you can imagine, you're sort of riding in the troughs of the waves and then you can sort of come up the waves as a little kicker. But like, even like when we were there last year with the boys, you know, Lorenzo was doing huge jumps. He's like, I'm just jumping off the flat, you know, because it's just so lofty there. Yes, it can be choppy, dude. It's no gassier than any other place. You know, people say gussy, I don't think it's that bad. But yeah, I think Mykonos is a really cool spot to ride. It's fun, it's deep water, the water's nice and blue. It' and I don't think it's as choppy as people make it out to be. You can ride right and left as well. Do you ride both ways or do you prefer to ride left foot forward?

A (27:10)

No, both way. Contra and kite loop in different ways. But I think for the all the Red Bull event, now you have to go with your wrong end and do contra and kite loop both ends.

B (27:25)

How do you find that?

A (27:26)

Yeah, but, but it's hard.

B (27:28)

Yeah.

A (27:28)

Like I'm so, I'm so bad with my wrong hand for the moment, but I, I, I trained to, to be ready for all the Red Bull events.

B (27:36)

Even for the board, I'll say. Right. You know, strengthening up that other hand, it's a good move.

A (27:40)

Yeah, Yeah.

B (27:41)

I want to see you hanging from a tree like Andrea, just spinning that board for hours. You know, strengthening up those wrists, man.

A (27:46)

I, I, I do it also like, like him in the gym and that's good.

B (27:51)

Well, Elliott, man, thank you so much for coming on, dude. I, I know I gave you a little bit of stick at the end of last year, but you proved me wrong. And know when I look back over your body of work, man, I really think you've laid the blueprint and the foundation for what young riders should do, which is be busy, put your ego away, ride the ride as many comps you can. And yeah, man, I, I, I think we're going to see you around the scene for a long time and yeah, build on the results and hopefully next year as Coti, you come down as with a bit more experience. But thanks for coming on, dude, and I look forward to seeing you in France. And yeah, man on those new kites.

A (28:25)

Thanks a lot for the invitation, Adrian. Yeah, I hope to see you in France, but not on the beach.

B (28:30)

I'll be waving at you from the beach, but I'll be on the beach. You can be in the water.

A (28:34)

Yeah, that's perfect. Thanks.

B (28:37)

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