The Interview: Marc Jacobs
Issue 89 / Tue 5th Oct, 2021
Marc Jacobs knows a thing or two when it comes to Big Air! In this interview, we find out all about Marc: his childhood, KOTA, Big Air, mental health and even topics like marriage, handbags, and perfumes - we've got it all exclusively at IKSURFMAG!
Marc, it's great to feature you on 'The Interview' finally! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what it was like growing up in the Jacobs household?!
Awesome, thanks for having me! I was a very sporty kid with a lot of energy. I enjoyed making ramps, kites, go-karts, flying foxes and trying crazy stunts. My parents encouraged me to play outdoors. So I did many sports like swimming, surfing, soccer, tennis, skateboarding, BMX, scootering, and the last one before kiteboarding was mountain boarding. I've always loved the feeling of flying, so I guess it only made sense that I became obsessed with kiteboarding!
When did you first get into kiteboarding, and what inspired you?
I got into kiteboarding around 2005, and Dave Edwards was my inspiration! After seeing how high he could jump and what he could do, I knew I'd found my sport. I would watch him for hours and just dream about the day I'd be able to do the same. David became my mentor and lifelong friend.
Freestyle seems to have been the name of the game in your early years of kiteboarding. Why the move to Big Air?
Big Air was my root of kiteboarding here in NZ. I only got into Freestyle because my dream was to get on the world tour and be the World Champion one day. However, Big Air is the new big thing these days, while Freestyle has started to die off. I still love Freestyle, but there is something unique and magical about Big Air.
In 2014 and 2015, there were a few Big Air events on, so I thought I'd give it a go – it turns out I was pretty good at it, and I even managed to beat top guys like Jesse Richman and Kevin Langeree! I feel like I have a lot to show in Big Air, performing many new tricks in the 2019 Red Bull King of the Air, and now my main focus is to win King of the Air in 2021.
We loved seeing the innovative tricks you landed in the previous two KOTA events! Considering the situation in New Zealand, do you think you'll make it to South Africa for the rescheduled KOTA in November 2021?
Yes, I will do whatever I can to be there; it's my goal and dream to win it! I've worked extremely hard on my switch side to fit the requirements to win this event. It will be challenging to book a quarantine spot with the limited spots available, but fingers crossed it all works out!
There have been some recent lockdowns in New Zealand that have kept you off the water. What is the current pandemic situation there?
Here in NZ and Australia, we are a bit behind the rest of the world. We are still trying to fight and keep the virus out of the country. We are also behind in the vaccine numbers, which is why they are still fighting with the lockdowns. They say once our population is 70/80% vaccinated, they might consider finally stopping lockdowns and maybe opening the borders again. It's hard to take sides because I understand both, but I hope this is our last lockdown so that everything can get back to some form of normality.
Having the North Kiteboarding HQs in NZ must be so convenient, especially with the travel difficulties! What sort of involvement do you have when it comes to R&D and Marketing?
It is amazing! The office is only 25 minutes away from me, so it's easy for me to pop in and test products or help with anything they need. I mainly help with the Navigator bar, Orbit, Pulse, and a few other accessories. I spend hundreds of hours riding in the strongest conditions to ensure the North gear can handle anything thrown at it. I work very closely with the R&D team and let them know my thoughts, and so far, it's been a blast. I'm so stoked to be a part of the North brand.
After riding for Switch for so many years, what were the driving factors behind the move to North Kiteboarding?
It was amazing to work with Switch Kites. We both started from nothing and became something. I learned a lot with them, and I'll be forever thankful for that. New North came to NZ in late 2019, and I would see them test all the time, and I thought they looked like they needed someone based in Auckland to help them grow. I never met Mike, but many of the local riders kept suggesting that I would be an asset to their team.
Mike eventually reached out to me, and we got to know each other quickly. I liked his plans and the goals he wanted to achieve in the kiteboarding industry, which got me excited, and I wanted to be a part of that. I felt like there wasn't anything big left for me with Switch, and I had so much more to give. It felt right to join a bigger brand and be a part of their journey. My gut feeling told me it was the right thing to do, and it paid off!
You've been a part of the North NextGen campaign, working with young rider Seb Bramley. Tell us a bit about that experience! Have you been able to session with Seb recently? How has his progress been in the past year with you as his mentor?
It was a big question at first because Seb had never kiteboarded before! He's a cable park rider from my local park. The park usually closes when it's windy, so Seb asked me if he could try kiteboarding one day. He excelled quickly, and within a year, he learned all of his air tricks with the kite that he does behind the cable. However, once he got to a similar level as his cable tricks, he struggled a bit to keep progressing.
In kiteboarding, it can be quite a different technique to be able to pass the bar. I've shared with him everything I know, and he's got natural talent, but it's up to him if he wants to push it to the next level. When I was his age, I had the same thing, so it's a familiar situation! It's been fun training a young kid.
Big Air isn't a sport for the faint-hearted. How much mental resilience do you need to do what you do?
Big Air is still growing, and we seem to be reaching new heights with slight gear improvements every year. It comes down to confidence and trusting your judgment and understanding if you made a mistake, what it was and identifying it. If you understand all these things, you won't hold back and push to your full potential.
Is the confidence natural? Or is it something you can manage through training?
From what my mum keeps telling me, I have always been a bit of a daredevil child. So I do naturally have a fearless attitude. But it doesn't mean I don't get scared and sh*t myself sometimes, haha! But again, I find once you gain confidence and you're naturally a bit fearless, it's only a matter of time.
You gain experience by riding over and over, putting yourself in all conditions. This means the gusty horrible days too. It will improve your overall confidence, and you will learn to have great judgment for all conditions.
Is managing and overcoming anxiety and fear part of an extreme athlete's training program? What techniques do you practise beforehand to put yourself in the right mindset before a big event? For example, breathing, visualisation, positive affirmations, distraction, etc?
Yes, you start to hear more and more professional kiteboarders get mental coaches' help. It is essential. I learned that the hard way in Red Bull King of the Air. There was a tremendous amount of pressure at that event, and if you haven't experienced this before, you will fold. I have seen it affect many top riders in that event.
To overcome these emotions, you can practice many things, but I won't give out all my secrets, haha! But breathing is essential for controlling anxiety and stress, profoundly affecting your performance if you don't know how to handle this. All the young and upcoming talent needs to focus on performing to their best abilities for an event like Red Bull King of the Air.
Do you think your ability to overcome fear in your sport crosses over into everyday life? For example, does it make you better equipped to manage the psychological effects of the pandemic?
Yes, I do believe it can help in a way. The stronger your mind is, the better you will be able to handle any life situation. For me, the lockdown was a struggle at L4 because I've never experienced the feeling of not being allowed to kiteboard. I didn't realise how much it contributed to my mental state and overall happiness. I had to be creative and find ways around the house to keep exercising to help keep my mind in a healthy place.
What are the kiteboarding conditions like in NZ? What are your top 3 kiteboarding spots there?
Our best seasons tend to be towards the end of winter and the beginning of spring. We have amazing empty, isolated spots here, which dream of filming unique content for North. Next year, I want to film more around the country to show how amazing some of our spots are! My top 3 spots for Big Air in NZ would be Muriwai, Mangawhai, and Tamaki spit.
What is your go-to kiteboarding setup?
For Big Air, the 8, 9, 10, and 11m Orbit with the 138 Atmos Carbon and stock 45/50cm Navigator bar with 22m lines. The 10, 12, or 14m Pulse with a 142 Focus Hybrid and the 38/43cm Navigator bar with 22m lines for Freestyle.
Can you describe a typical non-windy day in the life of Marc Jacobs? What do you get up to?
I need a minimum of 90 minutes of exercise a day, or else I can't sleep. First, I typically do 30 minutes of cardio on the bike; then, after that, I will hit the weights for an hour and pick two muscle groups a day to work on. After that, I finish with 30 minutes of stretching. On my kiteboarding days, if I don't kite longer than 2 or 3 hours, I usually do this after kiteboarding as well. I then take Ace for a walk with Sophie or down to our local park for a ball throw!
Congratulations on your and Sophie's engagement; that's super exciting! What do you have planned for the big day? Will you be honeymooning somewhere windy?
Thank you! The big day will be October 29th 2021, right before KOTA! So no honeymoon is planned yet! The wedding is going to be in her mum's garden surrounded by family and very close friends. It's a casual event as we both wanted to keep it small and fun.
We had to move the date forward six months because Sophie's mum has terminal cancer, and we don't want to risk leaving it too late as we both want her to be there, healthy and well enough to walk Sophie down the aisle.
We hope it's a very special day for you and your families! Does Sophie kiteboard? What are your thoughts on teaching your partner to kite?
No, she doesn't. I did try to teach her once in Rarotonga on holiday, but she was a bit afraid and wasn't that keen, haha! So, I ended up getting dragged along the beach screaming, but she knows it's my thing and my magic place to keep me happy. I think if she kiteboarded, I would be stressed on the water watching her!
We've got to ask! Sharing a name with a renowned fashion designer, has there ever been any confusion or funny incidents you could share with us?
There was an edit from Extreme Elements that I did in the early days, and it blew up like crazy with a lot of hilarious comments because they thought I was the real Marc Jacobs! Other than that, I usually get tagged in a lot of Marc Jacobs stuff, and I get lots of models sending in their photos on Facebook, saying it's their dream to model for Marc Jacobs – I just let them know that it's the wrong Marc Jacobs! Also, I recently had a lady messaging me on Instagram asking me when her perfume was arriving - I thought that was funny!
Speaking of perfume, if you had to create a Marc Jacobs Big Air Edition fragrance, what would it smell like?
Good question! It would have to be a mix of sexy and muscular to get all the naughty kitty cats out there excited!
What next for Marc Jacobs? Any exciting projects in the pipeline you can share with us?
Winning The Red Bull King of the Air is the main goal I have at the moment, and I know I need to put 110% focus into it. It's the only way I will be victorious. I also want to try and compete in the BAKL World Tour next year and go for the World Champion title! Last but not least, I can't wait to be married!
Thanks, Marc! It's been great to catch up, and good luck at KOTA this year!
Thanks, Jen!
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By Jen Tyler
Italian/Egyptian Jen Tyler grew up on the sandy beaches of the Red Sea and has been on the IKSURFMAG & Tonic Mag team since 2017.
