Kitesurf365 Podcast

Episode 402: Jason Van Der Spuy and Steezy Pete
Release Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Adrian Kerr
Guests: Jason Van Der Spuy, Steezy Pete

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Adrian Kerr chats with Jason Van Der Spuy and Steezy Pete, two central figures in "Road to Pro," the new kiteboarding series produced by Portrait. The conversation covers their experiences filming the series, the camaraderie between the athletes, the challenges (and joys) of the stunts they attempted, changes in the kiteboarding scene, and reflections on the future of the sport. The tone is playful, humorous, and honest, giving listeners a genuine look behind the scenes of both the series and professional kiteboarding.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Behind the Scenes of "Road to Pro"

• Fun-Focused Filming
  • Both Jason and Pete describe the filming process as more fun and relaxed compared to other projects, emphasizing authenticity and entertainment over polished perfection.
    • Jason: "It was entertaining, the filming part. It didn’t feel like any work. We were just vibing and chilling the whole time, laughing." (00:55)
    • Pete: "Less stressful for sure. It was just kind of go out there, ride, have fun, do some questionable activities with a kite and…see what comes out of it." (01:46)
• Authenticity on Camera
  • Jason appreciates being able to show his truer self, less focused on being the serious pro.
    • "It's definitely more of my true self...not so serious. I'm a pro and I'm all grumpy and angry the whole time. It's cool." (01:19)
• Spontaneity and Chaos
  • Many memorable moments were completely unscripted, with randomness especially pronounced when Jetto was involved.
    • "You can't even script it. It's ridiculous." (06:07)
  • Eating KFC for Christmas and losing a tooth on camera: "How do you get a man from an island in Japan to come to Cape Town, stand at Misty Cliffs...and lose his tooth? It’s too good." (06:47)

2. Culture, Camaraderie, & Kiteboarding Community

• Pete’s Rising Fame in UK Kiteboarding
  • Adrian teases Pete about his growing reputation, with stories of singing songs at events and being recognized by fans.
    • "He's a bit of a minor celebrity in the UK...a celebrity in the kiteboarding scene." (02:21)
• Dynamic with Jetto
  • Both guests reflect on Jetto's chaos and warmth, sharing how his unpredictability added spice to the series.
    • Pete: "[Jetto is] just as chaotic in real life as he seems on camera...there would always be something 'Jetto related' going wrong. The tooth one obviously takes the biscuit." (15:41)
    • KFC for Christmas: "That was strong. Yeah, they're taking us all to KFC. Christ." (16:47)
• Seriousness vs. Entertainment
  • The show aims to make pro kiteboarding relatable, showcasing the real people behind the performances.
    • Jason: "The part where you can see the other side of the 'pros'...you just think they're doing all these things fearless...but you can see the truth behind it." (20:40)
    • Pete jokes about Jason's casual triples: "Just showing us how he's the everyman, just doing handle passes off the beach like, just like you." (21:07)

3. Technical Stunts and Challenges

• Flying Two Kites
  • Jason describes the difficulty of flying two very different kites at once.
    • "It was difficult because the one was a 13 that was extremely deflated and the other one was a seven...the 7 is going 100ks an hour and the 13 is jellyfishing." (07:39)
• Creative Kite Modifications
  • Pete's PVC-tube handle for board-offs:
    • "I thought, let's just take this to its logical conclusion and make a crotch-sized kiteboard handle PVC pipe. Amazed it worked as well as it did." (09:30)
• Throwback to Old School Gear
  • Both guests reflect on looping old “C” kites and the respect they now have for past generations of riders.
    • Jason: "...it's honestly just mind blowing how gnarly it is...those boys were locked into boots, going out in 60 knots...I don't recommend it." (10:27–11:19)
    • “The kites, they sit so deep and you have no control over what happens in the loop.” (11:44)
• Kite-of-the-Series: The Gong Kite
  • Pete gives props to the budget-friendly Gong kite:
    • "It jumps, it does kite kind of heli loops...it's far less scary than a Hadlow C kite...as much as we take the mickey out of it, props to Gong for bringing a product to market for that money that works." (12:07)
    • The kite's tendency to drift away: "It was almost like someone had thrown a dart across the bay." (13:24)
• Riding and Repair Mishaps
  • Kite Frankensteining: "Of all those kites we got, we got eight and one [was good] ...the 13 was second best, but we had to pump it up every eight minutes or so." (21:48)
  • Macgyver techniques: "Pete, did you stitch my fifth line on with dental floss?"—Pete: "Some things are best left on set." (22:22)

4. Physical Conditioning and Fitness

• Jason’s Take on Fitness

  • Jason reminisces about his own bodybuilding phase, and assesses his co-stars:
    • "If you look at Pete, he's not the most...doesn't have the goddess of physiques, but...his cardio is fantastic." (18:09)
    • On Jetto: "...he's taken the hardest crashes out of all of us...he's not the thickest man, so I don't know if he can take too much impact." (18:33)

• Unique Harness Preferences

  • Jetto's ultra-loose harness perplexes everyone:
    • "He says you get levels...then you get Jetto’s harness, which is pretty much you free." (19:10)

5. Competition, Progression, and the Future

• Events, Training, and Equipment

  • Jason on competition readiness:
    • "The training hasn't been too great...for those events you kind of don't really need training...you just need to not think." (29:11)
  • Discussion about line lengths and gear for Mega Loop and upcoming events.
    • "On 18s you can still do everything you can normally do on 22s...but if you drop down, it gets exponentially more gnarly." (29:56)

• Contest Rules: Minimum Ages

  • Both Pete and Jason debate the new minimum age of 18 for major events:
    • Pete: "If you're old enough to join the army...why can't you go kite surfing? I think it should be 16." (31:18)
    • Adrian: "...Lorenzo and Jamie rode as 15-year-olds...if that sticks, it's super damaging for the sport." (32:03)

• Role Models and Developing Riders

  • Jason feels proud to see new South African talent, but admits there's a gap between age groups.
    • "There's lots of 10 to 14 year olds...starting to push it now, but there's still a few years away." (35:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jason on the series’ vibe:
  "It was just super laid back and fun and entertaining and it was more rewarding if you were just more yourself." (05:23)
• Pete on the infamous song:
  "Enthusiastic would be the best that we could give me there, as opposed to talented." (04:08)
• On old sea kites:
  Jason: "It's mind blowing how gnarly it is...you have to respect the boys that were locked into boots, going out in 60 knots, trying all these tricks for the first time." (10:27)
• On Jetto’s resilience:
  Adrian: "He is pretty much...it worries me when he’s on the beach and he’s rolling and twisting all over the place."
  Jason: "He’s unfazed. He’s unfazed." (20:07)
• On community impact:
  Jason: "It just gives you a deeper understanding into the whole scene as well." (20:40)
• Pete on growing up and sport rules:
  "If you can put 16 and 17 year olds in Formula 2 cars, then why can't you take them to a kite surfing event?" (31:18)
• Pete on facing Kevin Langeree:
  "We were locked in another room...called out, like it was to our execution block...to immediately be grilled by possibly the scariest man in kite surfing." (25:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:55] – Filming "Road to Pro": fun and not work
• [01:46] – Comparing "Road to Pro" vs. "Road to Megaloop"
• [02:21] – Pete’s rising celebrity status in UK kiteboarding
• [06:07] – Unscripted chaos and memorable incidents
• [07:39] – Attempting to fly two different kites at once
• [09:30] – PVC-tube handle trick genesis
• [10:27] – Riding and looping old sea kites; respect for kiteboarding pioneers
• [12:07] – Pete reviews the Gong budget kite
• [13:24] – The Gong kite’s epic bay-crossing flight
• [15:41] – Growing friendship (and chaos) with Jetto
• [18:09] – Athletic appraisal: cardio, fitness, and surviving crashes
• [19:10] – Jetto’s unique “ultra-loose” harness setup
• [20:40] – Impact of the series on the kiteboarding community, showing the real side of "pros"
• [21:48] – Kite repairs, dental floss, and trust in "on-set" engineering
• [25:04] – Facing Kevin Langeree in a dark room for an interview
• [29:11] – Competition prep: mindsets versus training for major events
• [31:18] – New minimum age rules and debate
• [35:39] – Next-generation South African riders

Closing Thoughts

This episode provides a unique, humorous, and genuine look into the personalities that drive modern kiteboarding, the behind-the-scenes chaos of "Road to Pro," and the deep camaraderie and respect within the sport. Listeners get both technical and personal insights—from gear improvisation and epic fails to thoughtful musings on inspiration, mentorship, and the kiteboarding community’s future. If you want to understand what makes kiteboarding both a sport and a shared adventure, this episode is a must-listen.