Leander Vyvey
BIOGRAPHY:
Name: Leander Vyvey
DOB: 21st December 1989
Hometown: Nieuwpoort
Country: Belgium
Sponsors: O'Neill,
JN-kites, Woodyfish, DaKine, Skullcandy
Website:
www.leandervyvey.com
Leander Vyvey tried his
hand at kiteboarding for the first time as recently as 2002. Since then and
with the howling wind running through his long blonde hair, the young Belgian
hasn't looked back. After falling head over heels in love with the sport almost
overnight, Leander spent as much time as possible on the water back home in
Nieuwpoort. Kitesurfing proved to be a welcome distraction throughout Vyvey's adolescent years,
and while he never planned on turning professional, the path that kitesurfing
has taken him on in recent years has been like a dream come true. A full-blown
career in kitesurfing has allowed him to travel and compete all over the world.
A handful of his favorite spots to kite include South Africa, Brazil and Egypt.
In 2009, Leander made his intentions clear in terms of what he hopes to achieve
in the coming years when he was crowned KPWT Overall & Freestyle Vice World
Champion. Above all, the young Belgian aims to stay healthy and happy so he can
enjoy his kitesurfing as much as possible.
2009 RESULTS:
Vice World Champion Overall
Vice World Champion Freestyle
Belgium National Champion
Belgium National Champion
Course Race
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2009 KPWT Vice World
Champion Overall
2009 KPWT Vice World
Champion Freestyle
2009 2nd Place World Cup
Morocco
2009 2nd Place World Cup
Spain
2009 Belgium National Champion
2009 Belgium National
Champion Course Race
2008 KPWT Vice World
Champion Freestyle
2008 1st Place World Cup
Italy
2007 Belgium National
Champion
2007 1st Place Sticked Pro
2005 Belgium National
Junior Champion
INTERVIEW:
Q: What has been the biggest
highlight of the past 12 months for you?
A: Releasing my signature JN
kiteboard was big for me.
Q: What's the best thing
about riding for a living?
A: That's the beauty of it - it hardly ever feels like work.
Q: Who do you enjoy riding
with the most, and why?
A: My friends back home in
Belgium. Riding with them keeps me grounded and takes me back to how things
were when I was starting out. You can never beat a solid session with good
friends, it's an absolute highlight on the water for me. I also enjoy riding with other pro
riders. It's super motivating to be surrounded by guys who ride so well.
Q: Other than home, where is
your favorite place to ride, and why?
A: I really like Hawaii and
South Africa. Both of those countries have great waves with flat sections in
between, making it great for both freestyle and wave disciplines.
Q: What are your main goals
and plans for the next 12 months?
A: I'll be competing on the
Kiteboard Pro World Tour and after twice coming second, I'm hoping to notch up
a first place finish.
Q: How do you see your sport
evolving in the next few years?
A: I think an increasing
number of riders will be responsible for pushing the different disciplines and
styles to new levels. And I think there'll be an even greater number of freestyle
styles, like big kiteloops, boots riding, big airs and more.
Q: Have you got any plans to
film a new video part, and if yes, with which film company?
A: I'm not involved in any
professional film projects at the moment.
Q: What do you do for fun
when you are not riding?
A: Music
Q: What achievement are you
most proud of so far in your career?
A: Winning gold at the
Kiteboard Pro World Tour in Italy.
Q: If you didn't ride for a
living, what would you have liked to be doing now for an occupation?
A: I'd be making movies.
Q: What trick do you enjoy
the most?
A: Jesus walk.