VietNamNet Bridge – Mui Ne’s strong winds and bumpy ocean conditions have bred some of Asia’s top freestyle kiteboarders.

KINN Team member Nguyen Duc Long is a big chance in this year’s KTA freestyle competition - Photo: Michael Smith

Out there amid the blustering swarms of wind-filled kites of Russians and every other nationality who descend on Mui Ne for the season, local beach boys defy gravity, catapault and somersault like trapeze artists.

One of the young stars risen from the ranks of the beachboys is Nguyen Duc Long of the KINN Team.

Currently number three KTA Asian Freestyle Champion, Long feels ready to dominate and take over the number one spot in Asia this year.

“I’m confident I can win, my level has got higher since last year,” Long says.

To win Long needs to attend all four Kiteboarding Tour Asia (KTA) events, the first one in Indonesia on Bintan Island February 20 -24, then Thailand, the Philippines and China.

To win Long says his fitness and skill won’t be a problem - he trains kiteboarding three days a week and in the low season he kept peak fitness doing Taekwondo.

The problem is that the KINN team only has enough money to send one member of the team, Long, to all four events and they are looking for sponsorship to send another team members and support.

The local 20-year-old, however, doesn’t relish going alone.

“I don’t have experience, I have never been to Indonesia or China before,” Long says.

KINN Team manager Yoann Coutherut, who set up the KINN team with strong community and environmental values is selective when it comes to accepting sponsorship.

Coutherut says, “We are looking for sponsors, but not the usual big corporate sponsors, we are looking for sponsors aligned with KINN team values.”

He’s confident that Long is ready and says if he wins it might spur Vietnam on to host world ranking events.

To do this Vietnam would have to set up a Vietnam Kiteboarding Association registered with the International Kiteboarding Association.

There has been a lot of progress in kiteboarding and in sailing in general at the Vietnam government level since the Vietnam Canoing, Rowing Sailing Federation was set up in November 2011.

The International Sailing Federation of which Vietnam recently became a nation member and the International Olympic Committee recently provided training support to Vietnam sailing and kiteboarding teams in Indonesia, and there are hopes kiteboarding will be an Olympic sport in 2020.

Coutherut says he dreams of the day when Vietnamese kitesurfers will be self sufficient and less dependent on tourism, adding it’s slow but that day will come.

In the meantime the KINN Team is hoping for sponsorship and raising money at the KINN clubhouse in Mui Ne by selling merchandise, holding barbq fundraisers, renting out rooms and hiring out Long to train beginner kitesurfers.

If you are interesting in sponsoring the KINN Team contact Yoann Coutherut yoann@kinnteam.com.

Source: SGT