Ten Questions: Arthur Guillebert

Arthur Guillebert is a young rider who gets to call New Caledonia home when he’s not travelling the world competing on the World Tour that is! Check out the ten questions we threw at him right here!

21-year-old, Arthur Guillebert is a young and promising French talent. He has already been crowned Junior European Champion, twice, as well as former French Champion. Currently ranked 7th in WKC and 10th overall in 2018, Arthur has one of the most powerful styles on the World Tour, and he is as good at freestyle as he is at big air. We got a chance to get to know Arthur a little better and find out what his plans for the future were.                                                                                                  

Arthur, it's great to catch up! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself; where did you grow up and when/how did you first get into kiteboarding?

I'm originally from France, but when I was five years old, my parents packed up all our belongings and decided to sail around the world. We travelled around for eight years, and when I was thirteen years old, we settled in New Caledonia, and it was there, that I discovered kiteboarding.

Ride Engine | View in Mag

Slingshot | View in Mag

Do you still have a close connection to New Caledonia?

New Caledonia is home! I grew up there, and it is where my passion for kiteboarding began. It's the perfect spot for freestyle, and that is where I started training and decided this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

My parents still live there, so I usually spend a couple of months a year ‘at home’. The New Caledonia Championships also run there once a year which I enter, and have claimed the title a couple of times.

Growing up, how did you manage your time between classes, training, hanging out with friends and family? What sort of obstacles did you face?

I invested a lot of time in kiteboarding and training. I was able to go to class, and as soon as it was windy, I went to the beach! There were quite a few of my friends that were kiteboarders as well, so we went to class, and we were able to go for a session together afterwards, it was great! The rest of my time, I dedicated to my family. The main obstacles I faced were trying to keep a healthy balance between training and classes as they both took up a lot of my time.

What is the kiteboarding scene like at your home spot in France? Who do you usually train with?

I struggle a little bit in the wintertime; I'm not used to the cold weather! I go to the gym often, and physically prepare myself for competitions, to compensate for the lack of kiteboarding! I usually train with the other French riders, but we try to travel as often as possible to countries where the wind is perfect, and the temperatures are pleasant, to have stable conditions for freestyle and training.

Did you always want to be a professional kiteboarder or do you have another profession in mind as a plan B?

For as long as I can remember, I have always dreamed of being a professional kiteboarder; my life revolves around it! This year, I'm studying to become a kiteboarding instructor, and once my professional career is over, that's my plan B. My ultimate goal is to move back to New Caledonia, and train young riders in freestyle and prepare them for competitions.

F-One Kiteboarding | View in Mag

Lieuwe Boards | View in Mag

What are your other passions besides kiteboarding? Let's say you couldn't kiteboard all weekend, what would you do instead?

I have a lot of passions, which are mainly sports! I enjoy surfing, and also got into spearfishing in New Caledonia. In France, my brother and I, go road biking often; it's a passion we both actively share, which I love. If there is no wind, I'm always out doing something with friends and family.

Congratulations on joining the Eleveight Team! What are the major differences you've noticed between the set up you are using now, compared to your previous setup? 

Yes, I was thrilled to join the Eleveight team! The team is dynamic, and the riders are all highly involved. I find the FS series extremely versatile and works well for big air, as well as for freestyle. I'm very picky when it comes to kites, and I found that this kite ticked all the boxes. The bar is light and excellent for freestyle, and the board has incredible pop. My riding has progressed with this setup, and I'm very pleased with it.

It feels like the younger generation is taking over the sport, do you prefer training with people your age or practice with the older, more experienced riders?

I honestly like a combination of both. I'm used to training with riders of my age and level. We seem to push each other and progress quickly, but it is equally beneficial to train with more experienced riders as they can correct and give me pointers when I'm having difficulties landing a trick. I enjoy riding with riders of all levels!

If you had to go up against a female rider in a heat, which rider, in your opinion, would be a real challenge?

Mikaili Sol! She is such a talented and technically strong rider, and I think her powerful riding would be a real challenge. She is extremely motivated, and she has the spirit of a competitor, with the mindset to win; she has an incredible future ahead.

You won the European Junior Freestyle Champion 2014/15, and were ranked 10th overall in 2018, what are your goals for 2019?

Yes, I've won the Junior European Championships twice now. This year, I plan on competing on the freestyle tour, which will be challenging, as I'll be up against some excellent riders, but I'll do my best!

Prolimit | View in Mag

Armstrong Foils | View in Mag

Do you have any projects in the pipeline you'd like to share with us?

At the moment, I'm just in competition mode this year; I'll focus mainly on training and the tour.

Thank you, Arthur; it's been a pleasure! We wish you the very best of luck this year!