Hot Shots

Welcome to the future of kitesurfing

We interviewed three talents of the kitesurfing scene. Good looking, young and obviously talented, Mikael Revol, Mallory Hersart and Ben de la Villemarque are the next surfing generation.

Mikael Revol was born in France, and is currently studying 4th grade at Tarifa high school. He got hooked on kite surfing when he saw others practising it on the beach. He decided to try it out himself, and as they say the rest is history.

His sponsors are X-trem, Airush and 100% Fun. Mikael, like so many teenagers his age, plans on going to university when he finishes school, and sees no problem in combining studies and surf. He's obviously crazy about boards in general, cause when he's not surfing in Tarifa or Sotogrande he's on a skateboard. Mikael has already competed professionally, and came in 9th in the European Junior Surfing Championship.

Ben de la Villemarque had a go at kite surfing in 2002. As he wasn't too impressed by it, he spent the following eight months windsurfing. But one day he nicked his brother's kite, and that was the end of windsurfing. He says he has been able to continue practising thanks to Kiteboarding Company who help him with the boards and Angry Fish, his kite supplier.

Ben, who incidentally is Mallory's brother, sails everywhere and anywhere; Tarifa, Palmones, Sotogrande or Caños de Meca. He says that he doesn't really practise any other sport, but likes a dip in the spa every so often. Ben has no intention of giving up kite surfing, and plans on studying in Málaga. He hopes to live off surfing in the future, and we are sure he'll do so.

Mallory Hersart de la Villemarque will soon be seventeen and has already won championships such as King of the Bay in San Mart’n (2004). Although he only took up kite surfing a couple of years ago, this guy is definitely a pro, coming in 3rd in the European Junior Surfing Championship, 2nd in the Tarifa Junior Cup and competing in the 25th PKRA in Fuenteventura. He practises on the beaches in Tarifa, Valdevaqueros and Caños de Meca.

He was born in Pointe a Pitre, in Guadalupe, and moved to Tarifa a year ago after spending three years in Costa Rica. His best surfing trick is the Handle pass and his sponsors are North Kiteboarding, Kitesurfing Tarifa and Sailboards Tarifa. Mallory's plans for the future involve surfing till he drops, and having fun. However, he did vaguely mention something about going on to university...