KiteBoarder - Extraordinaire

Photo Credit: CraigKolesky.com

Aaron Hadlow is a man of few words. Preferring to let his boarding ability speak for itself, you’re much more likely to catch Aaron catching air meters above the surface of the water than talking about his successes by the shore.

Born on October 4th, 1988, Hadlow is originally from the United Kingdom but has spent the better part of his adult life traveling the world in search of mirror flat water and swift winds. Aaron began his professional career in 2002 at the age of 14 and has won the Pro Kiteboard Riders’ Association World Championships a staggering five times. For several years no other riders could even come close to the skill level that Aaron exhibited. However, as the sport evolved and other riders developed, he began to experience some significant competition. Ruben Lenten and Kevin Langeree are two riders who expanded their rolodex of tricks to eventually be able to surpass Aaron Hadlow in competition.

Aaron continued to evolve as a rider and put himself back in front of the competition. He began incorporating a number of ‘ole’ moves. These ‘ole’ tricks involve the bar and lines whipping above the head of the rider. These tricks are considered among the most difficult and often can only be executed by the premier riders around the world.

In 2010, Aaron decided to take a hiatus from competitive kiteboarding. He now develops his craft primarily on his own, staying away from tournaments. He continues to be sponsored by RedBull and North, among others. Hadlow made a brief appearance into the competitive world in 2015 and 2016 when he won the insanely competitive King of the Air challenge hosted by RedBull.

Aaron Hadlow is a testament to what is achievable with enough passion and dedication. His skill level and ability to land complex tricks is a direct result of the thousands and thousands of hours he has dedicated to the sport. Visiting all four corners of the globe, Hadlow demonstrates that no waters are too far when in the pursuit of the perfect surface to soar above. It will be exciting to continue to watch him excel in the water and carry on evolving what others even consider possible when it comes to kiteboarding.