With one of the best collections of short-line loop photos out there, Adriano Bono has a unique mission. Find out what drives him to get his kite so low in so many places in this short story!

When I began kiteboarding at the end of summer of 2016, I had yet to learn what riding with short lines meant. But, once low loop pictures and videos started appearing, I was immediately intrigued.

As soon as my kiteboarding level and knowledge developed, I was confident I was ready! I started by reaching out to Steven Akkersdijk, Camdyn Kellett and Eric Pyd; I followed their short-line journey for a while and eventually sorted myself out a set of 15-metre lines. 

Once we were out of lockdown and were allowed to go kiteboarding in Belgium, I attached my short lines, gathered my courage and headed out for my first session! It was May 2020 - and I remember it like it was yesterday. Looping the lowest ever, while maybe just 5m high, I felt the biggest stoke and had the most intense kite experience! 

I was on a Liquid Force NV 9m, and suddenly, looping a kite felt way more natural than ever. Of course, this included some inconvenient short-line moments, like that classic crash where the kite falls in the water completely upwind. But, I was determined, and after surviving this less-than-ideal situation and fixing my tangled lines, I would get back out in the water - over and over again. I always had the biggest smile ever across my face! After that, short lines became a permanent feature on my bars.

When high winds were on the forecast, it was all about WOOs and records. But for me, that didn’t matter anymore. More sessions passed, and I kept crashing, but my control improved, and my loops got more height and power with a lower kite angle. I became more confident pulling the kite lower and lower and going out on shorter lines in stronger and stronger wind. 

One year after the short line adventure began, I went out for a session in 40 knots with 10-metre lines and a lot of heart. Again, I gathered all my courage and pulled out my first loops, where I felt the kite going under me. With so much tension and excitement, I'm going into every loop below myself without knowing the actual outcome. There are no words to describe the intensity of that feeling. Still, today, it feels so good. Like pushing it to the extreme, doing what a kite is not made for, but experiencing it as the best thing ever. 

I never had goals; I was and am always happy with what I have and can do. I just love to keep pushing and pushing myself. It looks radical and, for some, too dangerous and stupid. But, like most extreme riders, I do it all step by step and, as my confidence grows, from low wind to more wind. 

Through this short-line addiction, eventually, one thing led to another, and I found my goal: To do my thing, getting lower than low loops in as many places as I could around the world. What inspired this goal? A part of it is to create a memory for when I'm older. Another factor is showing that short lines work, not only in the big air meccas of the world but in many different conditions. It's not only for big air; I use them for every other discipline, like foiling, freeride and freestyle. I simply love the way the kite feels on short lines.

 I found myself on the short lines in France, Holland, Tenerife and eventually Cape Town in January 2022. During that trip, I managed some of my most extreme loops ever, and, in the end, I got a call from Ozone to join the shoot of the new Edge V11. Last July, I got sponsored by Ozone, and I can't thank them enough for the support they give me!

A couple of months after the short-line saga began, I found love in and for Tarifa, my home base and a perfect place to keep my training on point all year long. Brazil, I had to tick off the box, so I went, and yes, of course, I also pulled out the 10-metre lines. My list of low-looped countries is at 7 now, but that will only grow. Portugal could be the next one to add to the list soon… let's see! I'm just doing what I love and what feels like the best fit. Most importantly, I'm having a lot of fun along the way - and that's the greatest achievement I can have.

What's next? Who knows? If I feel like jumping as high as possible or floating as long as possible in the air, I will do it. I go with my flow.

 

 

By IKSURFMAG

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