The Interview: Charles Brodel

Kite foil master Charles Brodel has caught the eye of the industry with his one-of-a-kind riding style. With a KiteFoil Freestyle World Championship already in the bag, this 23-year-old rider has a bright career ahead. In The Interview, Crystal Veness asks Charles about his riding background, perspective on kite foiling, gear of choice, and what makes his style so unique!

Charles, thanks for joining us for 'The Interview'! We are super excited to learn more about you and your unique kiting style. Let's start at the beginning; tell us a bit about growing up in France and how you got into kiteboarding!

I spent most of my childhood in the North of France. My parents come from a rather rural background and were not at all part of the water sports culture. At the age of 11, we moved to the Opal Coast, where I immediately found a passion for the sea. 

One day, while walking on the beach with my parents, I saw someone kitesurfing for the first time. Seeing the kitesurfers jumping with those giant kites fascinated me, but my family didn't have the means to put me into it. So, a little bit out of spite, I started windsurfing. I used to hang out on the spots watching the kiters, and, one day, a friend of my parents offered to lend me his equipment! On the water, I got hooked right away, but strangely enough, I quickly lost interest. So I turned to land kiting (mountainboarding), where the sensations of speed and adrenaline were crazy!

Sabfoil | View in Mag

Airwave Kiteboarding | View in Mag

After spending most of your time kiting on land, was it difficult transitioning back to kiting on water?

Switching from one element to another can indeed seem confusing. For me, the transition was simple. I would even say that the opposite would have been much harder. On the sand, mistakes are unforgiving. Falls and crashes can be very painful. I developed a habit of visualisation, mentally practising each step and each movement of the kite to improve my chance of landing it. With this habit, all the tricks I knew on sand seemed easy to transfer to the water. It may sound pretentious, but it's true; I had very little fear. 

What drew you to the world of kite foiling? And how did that evolve into Kitefoil Freestyle and Big Air?

In 2016, I moved to Dunkerque to study, hoping to continue practising sailing sports. I approached the "Pole Espoir of Dunkerque", an athletic club that could help support my development. Unfortunately, the beach there is too narrow for mountainboarding, so I started to kite again. I was getting frustrated on the twin tip, but I tested a foil from one of my friends one day, which was the trigger. I started to foil race with the "Pole Espoir of Dunkerque" and trained frequently for two years. But soon, once again, I began to get bored and slowed down my practice a bit. I guess it's a trait of my personality; I always need to try new things. 

In 2019, I took up kite foiling again. In the past few years, brands had developed more products for recreational kite foiling, and that's when I started to jump. I immediately felt the potential of this sport and continued more and more in the direction of airstyle. Jumping gave me the feeling I was searching for in wind sports. It may sound crazy, but my goal now is to spend more time in the air than in the water and try to go higher and higher with more and more commitment!

Foil kites and boards seem to be your weapon of choice! Was it always that way, or did you start kiting on different types of equipment?

I started with an inflatable kite but quickly changed to a ram air (foil) kite. Using a foil with a ram air kite is the most efficient way to go very fast and very high, even with poor wind conditions. I'm a big fan of the F-ONE Halo, which I find has almost the same manoeuvrability as an inflatable kite but with much higher lift and hang time - and that's a must for my riding style.

Your unique riding style has clearly stood out and impressed the kite industry! How did your sponsorship with F-ONE come about?

I started with Youride, an F-ONE equipment dealer in the North of France. The store manager saw me sailing and immediately felt I had potential, even with my slightly outdated equipment. He wanted to help by lending me newer gear so I could continue to progress. It was great to see that someone trusted me and believed in my abilities. I spent all my spare time on the water, practising new tricks. Little by little, I started to be known on the spot, and my style was getting noticed. 

Nobile Kiteboarding | View in Mag

Mystic | View in Mag

The following summer, I went sailing in the South of France near Montpellier. At the end of one of my sessions, someone approached me while I was putting my lines away; he was impressed with what he had just seen and asked me many questions about my feeling about the equipment. A week later, F-ONE contacted me. The person I met on the beach that day was none other than Raphaël Salles! Being spotted like that by the brand seemed unreal to me.

How does F-ONE support your professional kitesurfing career, and what role do your other sponsors like Manera and Aneo play?

F-ONE provides me with high-quality equipment like kites, boards, and foils. They finance some of my projects, such as competitions and shoots, and overall allow me to continuously progress in my sport. Apart from that, a real relationship has developed with the brand. Since moving to the South this year, I have spent more time with Raph and the R&D department; they listen to my feedback and desires, which is very rewarding.

Manera equips me with the suits and accessories I need, and their products are always innovative and comfortable. Finally, Anéo, a firm specialising in digital transformation, contacted me after the Lords of Tram. They give me extra financial support so that I can live from my passion.  

Which kites and boards are currently in your quiver? What kind of conditions would lead you to take an inflatable kite out over a ram air kite?

I always have my 10m and 15m Halo (ram air kite) with me wherever I go. The power and manoeuvrability offer high speeds and record-breaking hangtime, precisely what I need for my aerial practice. As soon as the wind gets too strong, I use the Bandit XV (7m or 9m). My go-to board is the Pocket Carbon in 120 cm, which is compact and perfect for rotations. It is light and rigid, which gives me good support and precise control of the foil. My favourite foil is the Escape Carbon 530, which offers a fast glide, excellent handling and stability on my landings.

Tell us a bit more about the new Bandit XV! Are you using this for Kitefoil Freestyle? What makes it work well for that style of riding?

The new Bandit XV is the best big air kite I've used. It is very manoeuvrable and precise; the feeling in the bar allows you to fly it without concentrating on where it is in the window, which makes it easier to perform committed tricks. The hangtime has also improved considerably, allowing me to do tricks that previously I could only do with a ram air kite. 

Cabrinha | View in Mag

Airwave Kiteboarding | View in Mag

Congrats on winning the first-ever GKA World Kitefoil Freestyle Championship! There were some tough competitors in Brazil; what tricks do you think set you apart from the rest?

During the competition and especially the final, I did several "world's first" in competition tricks, including ones I invented like the Brodel Flip and the One Foot Fuselage Grab. I think what made the difference with the other riders was my consistency. I landed all my tricks during each heat, no matter how gusty or windy it was. But for that to be possible, I trained in gusty winds to be prepared for difficult wind conditions like we had in Fortaleza. The other reason, I think, is the commitment of my ride; I go faster and higher than the others. It's dangerous, but it's my style, and I think it makes the difference because, visually, it is impressive.

Have you ever had any crashes or injuries in competition or training? What steps do you take to ensure your safety and that of other kiters around you?

I don't want to say I'm lucky because I'm aware of the dangers and careful, but I've never had any significant injuries, just big falls. I cut myself a few times with my foil, especially when I invented the Brodel Flip because I didn't know how to take the foil and make it turn. Now that it has become my signature trick, I do it without thinking but in the beginning, to visualise and accomplish it without getting hurt was a challenge. I had a crash just before leaving for the World Championships, where I was afraid I wouldn't be ready for the competition. It was a very windy day where I fell hard after doing a kiteloop. To reduce risk, I always wear a helmet and pay attention to the distance to the beach and especially others on the water.

How do you think your riding style can impact the world of kite foiling?

I think that my riding style can show that kite foiling is not only a sport for light wind or racing, but that you can do many things with a foil! The big point of this sport is that you can practice from 6 to 45 knots, no matter the water surface (waves, flat, choppy). With the foil, everything becomes a superb playground. Now that I practice freestyle kitefoil, I'm always happy with my sessions, no matter the conditions. For my part, I decided to combine speed, big air and airstyle! The feeling of doing tricks at high speeds is just exceptional!

For the kite foilers out there that are a bit nervous about spreading their wings and flying, what advice can you give on how to get some air?

Foiling can open up new horizons for you, but it can indeed be dangerous. Always think carefully before you jump. It is very easy to cut yourself or another person with your foil. You have to protect yourself and others and go through step by step as you learn, not progress too fast. I think visualising is the most efficient tool in my progression. When I want to do the trick, before practising it, I envision it in my head, hand placement, kite and feet movements, etc.; this allows me to understand the movements I will have to make and know if I will succeed.

What do you have planned for 2022?! Any exciting projects on the go or trips on the calendar?

I have a lot of trips planned with F-ONE for competitions and shoots. I have recently started wingfoiling and surf foiling, and I hope to continue to progress in these two disciplines. I'm even thinking of joining the GWA Wing Tour in addition to the GKA Kitefoil Freestyle. I also plan to make a video submission for the King of the Air 2022, where I hope to be the first rider selected on kitefoil!

Eleveight Kites | View in Mag

Airwave Kiteboarding | View in Mag

We're excited to see what 2022 brings for you! Thanks, Charles!

Thanks, Crystal!