听
By the age of 13, Sam Medysky was already a professional within his field.
As his friends sat in class in Ontario reading The Outsiders, Medysky was travelling the world to various kiteboarding competitions.
鈥淚 remember telling my parents that I wanted to drop out of school to focus on kiteboarding. My parents are both teachers, so that didn鈥檛 go so well,鈥� Medysky says, noting he finished his education with his name on the honour roll.
After tossing his graduate cap, Medysky packed his bag headed for one of the world鈥檚 kiteboarding meccas 鈥� Brazil.
Today, the six-time Canadian National Champion, who currently sits ninth in the world in the Kite Park League, is calling 麻豆社国产home.
鈥淥riginally I came here because it is the windiest spot in Canada that I saw, but now that I am here I realize just how much more 麻豆社国产has to offer,鈥� Medysky says, who鈥檚 currently signed with Best Kiteboarding.
This summer Medysky has teamed up with the 麻豆社国产Windsports Society (SWS) to host intermediate and advanced kiteboarding clinics.
鈥淚 enjoy meeting everybody in the community,鈥� Medysky says, noting the workshops have been a way of introducing himself to the local scene.
This is the first year the windsports society, charged with looking after the 麻豆社国产Spit, has put on such clinics, the organization鈥檚 education director Roberto Bruzzese says. Bruzzese got the idea last summer, after three-time British kiteboarding champion Lewis Crathern held an impromptu jumping lesson for kiters at the Spit when he was in town.
The new three-hour clinics run into September, ending when the kiteboarding season officially closes at the Spit on Sept. 15th. Having pro-riders in town helps boost the sport, Bruzzese says, noting in the future the SWS hopes to host more events as professional kiteboarders visit.
鈥淚 think seeing these professional kiteboarders gives people a different perspective of the sport and shows them a different level of skill that you don鈥檛 necessarily see all the time,鈥� Bruzzese says. 鈥淚t helps bring the community together and increases the interest in the sport.鈥�
Bruzzese adds Crathern might be back this year for the Kite Clash 鈥� the Canadian National Championships Freestyle from Aug. 26 to 28. The 30-year-old is recovering from being knocked unconscious after falling 18 metres in the Red Bull King of the Air Competition held in South Africa. However, he has been in contact with the SWS about a possibility of a workshop.
Kiters like Medysky and Crathern help elevate Squamish鈥檚 reputation as a kiteboarding hot spot, Bruzzese says.
鈥淭hey help bring it to a higher level and standard, making it even more of an international destination.鈥�
Having a parenting body like the SWS at the Spit is also a huge asset, Medysky says. There are not many places in the world one can visit at which the kiteboarding area has an air compressor to inflate one鈥檚 kite and a team of staff and two jet skis to keep a watch for riders who many need rescuing, he notes.
Medysky says he thinks 麻豆社国产will become better known for the sport as the community expands.
Bruzzese agrees, noting the development of the 麻豆社国产Oceanfront will help provide some much needed space for the rapidly growing activity. With that will come the sport鈥檚 big names.
鈥淚 think that as we build up and get bigger and better, it in turn will bring more international pro riders.鈥�
For more on the clinics visit and click on the 鈥榥ews鈥� tab.
听
