Kevin Langeree
I'm Kevin Langeree and I've been kiteboarding since 2000. And I'm competing on the PKRA world tour, I've been on that tour for 5 years and it is going pretty well. The first year I competed I ended up 8th overall the 2nd 4th the 3rd 2nd the 4th 2nd and this year I ended up 2nd. But this year the fight for the world title was tougher than ever. It came all the way to the last event to see how was going to win. I didn't make it this year so I was bumed... But when I look back at the season I really can't complain cause I won 4 of the 10 events and I learned al lot again. This winter I'm going to train al lot in South Africa and hope I can make it next year.
I've been with O'Neill for a long time already they started sponsering me when i was 13 years old. I'm really lucky that I can be a part of the O'Neill Team. I hope I can stay with O'Neill for the rest of my life!
KEVIN LANGEREE BECOMES PKRA 2009 WORLD CHAMPION!!
Warmond, The Netherlands – November 26, 2009 - Dutch kiteboarder, Kevin Langeree yesterday became PKRA World Champion for the first time ever.
“It’s so hard to believe,” said Kevin. “This season has been amazing. I was so focused on winning the world title, and I did it!” he said.
Dutch kiteboarder, Kevin Langeree yesterday became PKRA World Champion for the first time ever.
"It's so hard to believe,"said Kevin. "This season has been amazing. I was so focused on winning the world title, and I did it!" he said.
The 21 year old O'Neill kiteboarder from Noordwijk in the Netherlands had three years previously been runner up to British kiteboarder Aaron Hadlow. And once again it came down to the final event on the tour – the Teri Kite Pro in the warm waters of New Caledonia.
Kevin came second in this final PKRA stop on the World Tour, however it was enough to push long term rival Aaron Hadlow off the top of the rankings and take the World Title.
The young talented kiteboarder isn't going to take it easy from here however. "I'm going to enjoy this victory," said Kevin. "But I will keep training hard. I want to be ready for next year's tour."
Kevin Langeree wins PKRA Germany for the third time.
Victory moves him to second in the World Rankings
CONGRATULATIONS TO KEVIN LANGEREE!
The Dutch kiteboarding sensation Kevin Langeree has won the 4th stop of the PKRA World Tour
HERE'S A LITTLE UPDATE FROM THE WINNER:
"I've been busy celebrating my 1st place here in Germany! It's already the 4th time that the PKRA is held here in St. peter Ording and I was able to win it 3 times in a row!!
We had the perfect conditions on the first day of wind, I was out on my 6m the whole day. It was a classic NorthSea storm and I'm really used to those conditions cause they are the same as at home. That really gave me an advantage to the other riders.
On the day of the singles it was really my day I landed all my trick in every heat I rode so before I knew it I was in the final again! In the final I had to go up against Aaron. Just before the final stared the wind dropped a bit so I toke a bigger size kite and that was a good decision. I landed a double front mobe, double back spin pass, doublesbent pass, a one handed kgb, a switch KGB and some other powered HP's.That was good enough to win the singles.
The next day it looked like it would be the last day with wind so we tried to finish of the doubles. Youri had a 3rd place in the singles in the doubles he was riding really well and kicked Aaron of his 2ndplace. That means that I had to go up against Youri in the finale ofthe doubles. An all Dutch final!
In the beginning it went pretty well but during the end of the heat we both started crashing a bit. In the last minute I still landed a front mobe to blind that really helped me to win that heat!!!!
The next event is in Brazil in October so we have a really long break to train!"
Kevin Langeree wins in Germany and sits at the top of the World Rankings
Kevin Langeree has made a massive step towards winning a world title this season, after defeating his closest rival Aaron Hadlow on the seventh stop of the PKRA World Tour in Germany
The 20 year old Dutch Kitesurfer won in St. Peter Ording, Germany on the weekend to claim his 4th World Cup Title this year. There are now three more stops left on the tour for Kevin to win the World Championship.
"After a 2nd place in the singles I was pretty motivated to do the doubles and take over first place," Kevin said. "My first heat against Aaron went really well. When we ride against each other we really push it to our limits and the crowd loves it!!"
"For the second heat, we both toke a bigger size kites so we could even go bigger. This is the heat to take every trick out of the bag. The heat started and the wind also picked up. My first trick was a sick blind judge. I also landed a double back spin pass really powered. Overall I had a really good heat and won!! I’m super happy with my win."
- Where are you at the moment, and what are you doing?
"I'm at home right now! And I'm in the middle of the season of the PKRA world tour. Before I got home I was on the road for a month and competing nonstop. So it's good to be home for a little bit to make my self-ready for the next comp!"
- Can you explain your individual discipline?
"I'm always really focus during the competition and I take it really seriously. I make sure I sleep enough and don't go to a party a week before the comp. And what's also really important for me is that my gear is good."
- Who or what inspired you to start on the water?
"The conditions inspire me a lot! With kiteboarding you can use so many different conditions and for every kind of condition you can do a different kind of trick. That's what makes the sport so cool!!! I can also inspire my-self because I think a lot about the sport and think about thinks that are possible. And when I have a new trick in my mind I can't wait to go out on the water and try it. And what also inspires me is for sure other riders and other sports like surfing, wakeboarding, freestyle motor cross and lots of other extreme sports."
- How would you describe your personal style?
"My style is power full and technical. I always make it look very easy but the things that I do are pretty hard. Sometimes during the contest it doesn't work out well. But now I but some more power in my riding and the judges start to like it more."
- What is your training regime like?
"That's pretty hard to say. Burring the competing season I don't have much time to train. But in the winter I always go to South Africa to train. The perfect training day for me is surf in the morning eat, do some freestyle at noon eat, and in the afternoon do some waveriding. If I do that every that I spent so much money on food you can't belive! HAHA"
- Any special diet?
"No not really any special diet. But what I don't do is eat Mc Donald before the contest. I try to always eat as heath as I can but that's not always an easy thing when you are on the road."
- What motivates you, in life and/or in sport?
"A lot of things motivate me. I'm a really energetic person so if there's a day that I don't do any sports it feels like I didn't live that day. What also keeps me really motivated is the world title. I'm fighting for the world title this year and it's always been a dream for me to be world champ. My friends keep me motivated as well. I learn the most when I ride with my friends!"
- Did you ever think that this is something you'd be making a living at? What did you plan to do as a kid?
"When I stared kiteboading my dream was always to become a pro kiteboarder and travel around the world. Now I'm doing it so I'm living my dream!! Before I started kiteboarding I never knew what I wanted to do… I liked flying kites on the beach and surf so kiteboarding was the perfect sport for me."
- What's the biggest perk of being a pro?
"The coolest thing is that I'm living my dream!! And travel the world meet cool people and see a lot of different cultures. That's just awesome!!"
- Conversely, what's the worst part?
"There are not really a lot of bad thing of being a pro. So that is a short answer. HAHAH "
- Where's your favourite surf spot and why?
"There are a lot of really cool places around the world. But my favorite spots are South Africa, Hawaii and home. It's always cool to come back home and kite with your friends after a long travel. South Africa is the place were I always spent the winter the conditions are great to train!! "
- What has been your biggest personal and professional achievement so far?
"I'm competing on the PKRA world tour for the last 5 years. The first year I ended up 8th overall the 2nd year 4th the 3rd year 2nd and the 4th year 2nd. And this year I'm fighting for the world title and I really hope that my dream is coming true this year!"
- How do you prepare before an event, mentally and physically?
"I make sure that I sleep enough that the most important for me! I also make sure I eat healthy. And before my heat starts I try to don't stress to much and make sure I take the right size kite."
- What are your passions outside of surfing?
"Surfing that what I love to do when there is no wind and nice waves. And hang out with some friends at home!"
- What are your future plans, where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
"My future plan is first to win the world title. And than enjoy live as much as I can! Live is short so get as much out of it as possible."