The Spanish Destroyer has taken down some big names in his short professional career when someone can beat Youri Zoon and Aaron Hadlow you know they are serious!

This issue the Spanish Destroyer gets our ten questions treatment; it's tough to be a pro right now with so much uncertainty at the top level of the sport. David Tonijuan Colomer still has his eyes focused firmly on the prize!

When did you get into kiteboarding, what attracted you to the sport?

Since I was a tiny little kid, I loved extreme sports, skateboarding, surfing, wakeboarding and climbing were my daily routine. As always when a new sport appears, my dad needed to get into it, at least try it. He started kitesurfing right at the beginning; I was looking at him for hours at the beach waiting for him to jump high or to do some flips...

A sunny and warm day came; I was playing at the beach with my 2m kite when I was thinking about having a go with my little kite and a skimboard. I tried for days, months and maybe also few years to ride with that small, funny random equipment. It wasn't even a kitesurfing equipment!

When I was 11 years old, my dad saw I was already very passionate about kiting. Right after the first security systems arrived, he taught me how to ride upwind, I already had the control of the kite after spending years at the beach, so, I just needed to get used to the board.

How was your childhood, growing up in Barcelona?

I was born in Barcelona, but I grew up in El Maresme, which is part of a group of smaller villages around the city. I live in Premia de Dalt, which is my favourite town for skateboarding.

At the age of 13 years old, I went to a kite camp in Tarifa; I was so in love with the sport that I decided to take it to the next level. I started to get more motivated doing my first competitions while I was at school studying.

Two years later, I put kitesurfing on hold as I needed to focus on my studies which were getting more complicated and I wanted to go to university. After that, when I started taking the sport more seriously again, I trained more than ever to get a high level, a level that took me where I am right now.

When did you first dream of becoming a professional kiteboarder, and who are your heroes in the sport?

I always wanted to compete; I was at school and watching the live stream during my classes. I needed to see what my friends from Tarifa were doing at the World Tour. I always wanted to be a professional kiteboarder, but the dream of being world champion started the day I won against my idols Youri Zoon, (Germany 2014) Aaron Hadlow, (Fuerte 2015) or even Carlos Mario (Venezuela 2015). Since those days, I figured out that it wasn't too late to focus on the title, even if I had started a little late on that path. That day I saw that everything was possible.

How did your switch to F-ONE come about, and how do you like your new setup?

During any elite sports career, riders suffer changes. When a train comes, you never know if it is yours or not, but what you know is that there is just one-way to find out. I decided that this was my train, and I am super glad to announce that I made a good choice.

Even though the change needs time to get consolidated, I am now getting more used to the equipment and achieved two 5th places at the World Kiteboarding League, which are not bad results among a year of changes...

How has being sponsored by Malamar, the 2.0 cable park near your home, helped your progression?

It all started one day when I was going to the university by train. The moment I saw the hole next to the sea, no one needed to tell me what was that big hole for. I was already a keen wakeboarder and the thought of a cable park near me was very exciting. That day on the way back from Barcelona, I decided to stop to talk with the labourers and ask them about the set up they were building. The first day they opened the cable I was there to try it, that same day they decided to make me a rider for the Wakepark.

It’s a pity to say that I haven't been going to Malamar for a while. It's been closed for some months, as there were some problems with the investors. I have to say I missed it a lot as it was ideal for training between competitions.

Congratulations on a great year on the tour last year, what are your goals for this year?

Sincerely, my goal for this year is to end it up being at least in the top five. As I said before it is a year of changes, we don't know yet how many events we will have, so I don't see that I can be world champion this year. I do want it, but I will need to train harder along the year to become my dream reality on 2017.

What are your predictions for this year's World Tour, who is looking sharp?

Carlos Mario, “Bebe” seems to be the strongest rider right now. Getting two first places, locates him in the top of the ladder for now.

What's your opinion on the newly formed Kite Riders Union? What can you tell us about that organisation and its task of coordinating a tour?

The KRU, I think is the best thing the riders have done so far. We are tired of having second parties making a business from us, making money from us without treating us as we deserve at the events. The sport is young, and it has a big projection, a big future if it's well managed.

No one knows the riders and the sport better than us, and without us, kiting loses power. We decided to create a union of most of the professional riders to bring the kitesurfing to the next level, to make it big as it should be, and to stick all together to make it happen with one and only purpose, “For the love of the sport”.

We are building a tour with only winners we say. We have chosen a manager who is helping us also for the love of the sport. Without him, none of this would have been possible.

The manager gets in contact with the board of the Union to organise the World Kite League tour with all the proper treatments the riders should have. Having the support of the riders, the support of the industry and the support of the local organisers, it is about time to get kite world at the level of surfing.

If you readers want to know more about what we do and how we do it, don't forget to follow the IG and Facebook page @worldkiteboardingleague

What is your favourite trick? What was the hardest trick for you to learn?

My favourite trick is one that I can't say. It is a surprise for my next competition where it could help me win some heats. However, the Front Blind Mobe is one of my favourites, the feeling of the speed of the trick and getting fully inverted makes it feel special.

My hardest tricks have been the double handle passes; you need an extra boost of extra power that can scare you when you take off, the risk of injury is also really high.

Where is your favourite place to train/visit?

I don't have a single favourite place. I am that kind of person that finds special moments at every place. While most riders hate choppy water, I must say I like it sometimes. Furthermore, when competitors complain about gusty and strong wind, I find it challenging which I also like.

However I must say I love Tarifa, I love Brazil, Capetown and many other places... But for me, there is no place like home...

By Lindsay McClure
Lindsay is a pro rider from Hood River in the USA, she works for IKSURFMAG as our Features Editor and is an integral part of the team. Lindsay is really into wakestyle riding and can be found in the Hood River Slider Park during the summer months, she also travels all over the world with the World Class Academy helping younger riders develop through kiteboarding!

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