Noè Font needs no introduction! If you’ve watched a great Duotone Kiteboarding movie lately, there’s a high chance you’ll find Noè's name in the credits. Noè has achieved so much and been to so many places in such a short space of time. Pinning him down for this feature was not easy, but it was well worth it! Get to know this Spanish kiteboarder in this exclusive IKSURFMAG article.

Kiting was my first love, as you'd say. It led me to pick up a camera. I wanted to have kite edits like the pros. Over the years, I got more and more into camera work. Today, combining these two skills has taken me on adventures I couldn't have imagined when I was a kid, just trying to spend as much time on the water as possible. Whether in front of or behind the camera, I'm doing things I'm passionate about. As 2022 comes to a close, it's the perfect time to look back at where this year has taken me.

It may help to start with some context. What young riders don't often realise as they're working their way to the top of the podium is that being a professional rider can't last forever, especially with freestyle; it takes a real toll on your body. Kiting is a physically demanding sport for your body but also requires staying in tune with your gear and conditions. Eventually, there will be a day when progression gets stale, or your body gives up, and you need to move on. 

I have gone on breaks from kiting for two to three months sometimes, and it's so tough to get back into shape afterwards. Yeah, you can pick up the kite after a few weeks off and have a good session, but to be at that level of pushing forward and doing new tricks, you have to be in your best form. Sometimes, it's impossible to maintain with all the video work I've been doing. But, on the other hand, there is a life post tricks and handle passes for me, and that keeps me motivated every day.

Many people paved the way for me in combining filmmaking with kiteboarding professionally; guys like James Boulding and Tom Court did it before me. They were the first ones to do what I'm doing right now, which makes it easier to have something to aim towards. My sponsors, Duotone and Ion, have been with me from day one. Whether working on big video projects or pushing the kite park discipline, I've had support from them to follow my vision. They are happy with what I do, and I couldn't be more thankful for their backing.

Earlier this year, I worked on a video part for ION's video series "Write Your Own Chapter", where I talk about the community aspect of Kite Park riding and what makes it so unique. I'm passionate about riding park because it combines many of my interests, including video making and the big challenge of building features and being creative in different ways. This video will be dropping in the new year, so keep an eye out for it!

I'm often asked if I'm a creative person. And, I'd say that's not something you say of yourself; it's up to other people's judgement and perception of your work to decide if it was creative. I do stuff not many people do or can do, making it unique, but most of the time, it comes from inspiration through other things. So if that's being creative, then I am.

There are always high expectations for me when I picture how a trip or a video shoot can turn out because I have so much anticipation and an idea of how everything should be. In the end, however, it's all up to the weather and conditions. Sometimes, you exceed those expectations; in others, it's a complete failure. It all depends on what you take from it; sometimes, like in our movie "Always Sunny in Rio", a total fail turns into a great plot for a movie. In the end, I believe that it's best to make the most out of what you have, and no matter your expectations, if you can shift focus and work with what's in front of you, people will still enjoy your project.

Norway was the most epic place I have been to this year. It was always in the back of my mind to visit the Lofoten Islands, and when Reno called me about making a trip there for a video shoot, I was into it right away. The landscapes with those huge fjords down into the sea, rugged coastline, incredible light, and ever-changing weather make it unique. It was also one of the most challenging shoots I have ever been on, battling cold weather and snow storms but so worth it. You should watch "The Norway Project'' if you haven't yet. It's a 30 minute documentary about the trip.

Working with Toby Bromwich is always fun; we get along very well and have known each other for many years. We both know what we want to achieve on these trips and can work simultaneously to ensure we get the best photos and videos we can. It makes a difference when you have a good crew of people to work with, and everyone knows their task. We went to Ireland a few months before Norway to film "The Ireland Project", and even though the concept of the films is very similar, these two trips were very different. In Ireland, we were chasing a forecast on a last-minute call, so the trip was only three days long, and we scored. Norway was a bit more planned. We were there an entire week, and you can't just go there without a plan; it's a very remote place, and some logistics need to be taken care of.

Photoshoots are never easy, especially as a rider on the water all day, either doing tricks for video or shooting photos until dusk. Sardinia and the "Sardini-YEAH" project was a perfect example of that; windy every day riding different spots and conditions. I was struggling to stay away from complete body soreness, something that had never happened to me before, but after that shoot, it put into perspective how doing a little yoga might help my legs and arms stay away from cramping mid-shoot.

The GKA Freestyle World Tour has been a prime source of inspiration this year. These competitions bring the most talented riders together to see who comes out on top but also to share some time on the water with your community. This year, the most memorable moment I had in front of the camera was a couple of weeks ago during a meeting in Brazil with Tom Bridge, where we just went out filming with few expectations. While watching the GKA comp, we were joking about how BS720s must be so easy since everyone is doing them. Tom and I had done them before, but never quite consistently, so we went out to try and do one. After a few missed pops, I stuck a clean one in front of the camera. I rode next to Olek, who was filming to celebrate, but I quickly turned around to watch Tom stomp one right after me. He rode next to us, and we high-fived, celebrating a little victory. We were so hyped to have done it back to back with each other; it was the best vibes. Sessions like this, hyping each other up with your friends, are the best; even if the conditions aren't the best, you can have a blast.

That same day, I was behind the camera and got to capture a moment that was probably the best one I captured all year. I don't think it counts since everyone else saw it live, on the live stream or on social media afterwards, but Coco's (Gianmaria Coccoluto) heat against Manoel Soares in the GKA World Tour final was out of this world. He destroyed everyone with the highest score ever in competition, landing FBM5 and BS319. It was the best freestyle riding anyone had ever seen.

If I had to pick which one meant more to me, a moment that I experienced versus one that I witnessed, Gianmaria's heat would be more meaningful in many different ways. In Brazil, he showed how well he could ride with ideal conditions for the event and how much he has progressed over the past few years when everyone is focusing on spinning the board around. He set the bar a few steps higher; everyone has a new level to aim for. There has yet to be something like this happening since Bebe first came into the scene.

I haven't prioritised competing outside the Kite Park League lately. Still, I'd like to think that my riding level can justify a sponsorship alone, and my abilities to create good movies are the cherry on top. However, you need the complete package because what's most important is your level of riding, no matter what anyone else says. If you want respect from your peers and the industry's core, you can't just be some media monster or an influencer with no clue how to ride. You might fool some sponsors into supporting you but being a poser won't take you very far. There is no doubt in today's day, your value to a sponsor is measured not only in athletic performance but also in your ability to generate good media or have a considerable following. 

These days, it's all about balancing my riding and filming. It's what I've always done and maybe not the most helpful with meeting deadlines (like this article), but in a way, that's how I operate, I guess. I'm trying to say "No" more often and have more time to curate projects instead of taking on too many tasks, but sometimes there are things you can't say no to and opportunities you can't let go of. I think I'll be sailing the same boat for a few more years. I don't know. Ten years? I don't know. No pressure.

For now, I'll keep doing what I'm doing. I'm currently in Taiba, Brazil, wrapping up the fall season of kiteboarding and shooting two projects I'm featured in for Duotone and a Knot Future video. At the same time, I'm editing Coco's world champion clip and a "Storming" episode with James Carew. Next is Cape Town for a couple of months, and then KPL Argentina. Stay tuned.

 

By IKSURFMAG

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