Ten Questions - Noè Font

Noe Font is one of our favourite riders, humble, incredibly talented and with a maturity that defies his age he quite literally has the world at his feet...

Noè Font has transitioned from frothing grom to accomplished pro rider in an incredibly short space of time. Hailing from Spain, his maturity at such a young age can be quite a shock, these days he trains and travels with Aaron Hadlow, competes on the Kite Park League tour, where he placed third overall last year, and also pursues his passion for videography. He’s one of our favourite riders here at the magazine and when you read this it’s easy to see why. Humble, intelligent and above all an absolute ripper on the water, we give Noè Font our Ten Questions!

Can you tell us a bit about how you learned to kiteboard and your assent from grom to industry leader?

My dad used to own a kite school back home, so as soon as I was old enough, I picked up a board and got after it. At first, like everyone else, kiting was just my hobby, but after a year of kiting I went to the Spanish Nationals with my dad just to check it out and won. After that, we both figured that I could kite a bit more seriously and put more time into training.

At the time there were a few other groms in the area like David Tonijuan, Manel Arpa, and Patrick Blanc. We started hanging out together more and progressing really quickly. Not long after, we all picked up sponsorship deals from different brands so we could travel to the bigger events and compete on the world tour. I was always the youngest one, and I often had to compete in younger categories, which was obviously an advantage since I would train with older and better riders all the time. After I got sponsored internationally, I began to travel to contests everywhere. I started creating my own personality.

Flysurfer | View in Mag

Nobile Kiteboarding | View in Mag

There were certain things I enjoyed more than others, different contests, tricks, and people. All of this led me to where I am now, competing in the Kite Park League and making films for my sponsors. One day, I realized that this was what I wanted to do, so I pursued it.

When did you become interested in producing media, and how does this pursuit complement your role as an athlete?

I’ve always enjoyed taking photos and filming things. Ever since I started kiting, I’ve made my own videos. It’s never been like - oh I should make a video because my sponsors will like me more. It’s always been very natural and has felt right to me. Even if my sponsors didn’t want me to, I would still make my films and all the projects, because it’s what I want to do no matter what. At this point, kiteboarding for me also means making films and vice versa.

We’ve heard you are in the process of producing a feature length kite film with North; can you tell us about that project, who is involved, and what we can expect to see?!

For a while I’ve been admiring other sports and their full-length films with rider-based parts. It’s something that has been lost in kiting for some reason. People focus their time on putting out quick and short online clips instead of going on a few trips, collecting the best footage and cutting it into something with more depth and story. I guess it’s what the Internet has done to us, we all have this need for constant entertainment, here and now, all day every day.

With this project, I want to challenge thisidea and take us back to the full-length style. I have a cast of riders from the team including: Craig Cunningham, Stefan Spiessberger, Colleen Carroll, Aaron Hadlow and myself. We are all focused on collecting the best footage possible over the course of this winter to put out our best video parts yet. All of this will be combined into one film. We all have a different story, which brought us together in this.

Comparing kiting with making films, what do you find more challenging, more rewarding and why?

I love them equally at this point. One complements the other and helps me push myself to be a better kiter and a better filmmaker. The reward is that it feels just as good to get a good clip of someone as it does to land a new trick myself. I’m currently working on this film with all these friends and the vibes are so different. We are not competing against each other. If someone lands a trick we are all stoked. High five! If I have to miss a good day of riding to get clips, I’m happy as well. 

Harlem Kitesurfing | View in Mag

Duotone | View in Mag

Style seems to be of as much importance as technicality in your riding, how do you find a balance?

Well, it’s a hard world we live in. The value of a rider and the perception of tricks have evolved in a way where the only thing that matters is the spins. It’s as simple as that. To win a world tour contest now, whoever spins the most wins. Execution and therefore style aren't rewarded as much as they should be.

However, it’s very hard not to fall into these standards. You obviously want to prove yourself to the rest so you end up sacrificing proper tricks for poorly executed spins. That’s the way it works. I always try to find a balance, but its hard not to get carried away.

From where do you draw inspiration for your riding and for your art?

Not from kiting, that’s for sure. I’m very inspired by other board sports. Even though I don’t snowboard or skate much, I look up to these sports a lot. Surfing for some reason gets me pumped to kite. The aggressiveness you can do a turn with and the many different ways there are to do the exact same thing puts everything into perspective.  

Filmmakers, photographers and artists from other circles and industries are inspiring, anything that’s different and off the norm draws my attention.

What is your most coveted piece of equipment, and what do you love about it?

Lately I’ve been shooting film a lot, trying out different cameras and rolls. The process is fun because there is more to it than just firing the shutter, and the anticipation before I process the rolls is priceless.

Duotone | View in Mag

Lieuwe Boards | View in Mag

I have this analog Canon a1 from the 80’s that I really love. It’s crazy to think how much history it has and how such an old camera can still have value. These days you get a new camera and its outdated before you even get the chance to fully understand it.

Where does competition fit into your yearly plan, are you focused on competitions, and how has competing influenced your riding?

Apart from filming, my focus right now is on the Kite Park League, which is the worldwide tour for kite park contests. I finished 3rd overall last year, which was really nice since it was my first year competing in this discipline. Progression is the reason why I’m so driven by park riding at the moment. The obstacles are evolving and we are coming up with new concepts all the time. It’s still very fresh. There are no limits. We are not stuck training the same handful of tricks every session.

What advice do you have for other young riders who might want to follow in your footsteps?

Concentrate on doing what feels right. With both riding and filming,you can tell when someone is doing it because he or she loves to. Your mindset reflects into your riding. Do what feels right. It works.

Where is your home spot, and do you spend as much time at home in Spain as you would like to?

My home spot is in Empuriabrava, which is a town located a couple of hours north of Barcelona near the border of France and Spain. I try to go back as much as possible to see my family and friends, and to recharge batteries before my next trip. Lately, I’ve been traveling more than ever filming this movie, going from one place to the other, using all the time we have to get as much footage as we can. It’s been hard not to be at home much, but I’m looking forward to some rest and slow time at home once I get this project wrapped up.

Thanks Noè for taking the time!