SUELTALABARRA: Today I have an appointment to talk to Noah Nicolas, I get ready with my cell phone and we talk on Instagram to make a video call before going to the gym, I am in a park and Noah is in his living room, I see him with a white t-shirt from his sponsor ION, long blond hair that characterizes him so much, a smile from ear to ear, he is happy, when I look further I notice that behind him he has his impressive strapless surfboard with which he has won the world championship, it is a Duotone SLS 5.2, hello and we start to get to know each other:

First of all, it's nice to meet you, and second, congratulations on the championship (U19 strapless world champion). It was a given because we've been watching your maneuvers in Tarifa and at championships for a couple of years, and it was amazing. Your kite control, your control in the air, spectacular maneuvers, fluid and controlled tricks—we know there's a real genius in the air.

And do you train a lot? I see you in your Instagram stories with your workouts, and I see that your physique and maneuvers are improving every time.

NOAH: Yes, I go to the gym 3 times a week to stay in shape and prevent injuries, which is very important for a high-level athlete.

SUELTALABARRA: Well, first of all, introduce yourself for those who don't know you yet.

NOAH: Hello, I'm Noah Nicolas, I'm 16 years old, I'm French and I'm a national rider with Duotone/Ion and I live in Tarifa.

SUELTALABARRA: For those who haven't seen you in recent years, I'm posting a video of your triumph in Tarifa, world champion in the strapless under-19 category at the GKA YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Tarifa 2023.

Video by Luis Iturregui

SUELTALABARRA: When and how did you get to know kitesurfing?

NOAH: Since I was little, my parents were windsurfers and I experienced the water sport. I took my first kitesurfing courses at 7 years old, spending most of my time in DAKLHA.

SUELTALABARRA: Now that we have seen that you know how to navigate upwind, you come and go. What do you like most about Kitesurfing?

NOAH: The feeling of mastering the wind. When I'm on a jump, there's a moment of sensation and emotion that I only find with kitesurfing. This feeling of controlling nature is very powerful, and it's what we achieve through kitesurfing and the wind.

SUELTALABARRA: What do you like most about kite?

NOAH: The adrenaline rush that keeps you going and doing more jumps.

SUELTALABARRA: What physical and mental benefits does kitesurfing bring you?

NOAH: With training, I'm improving physically so I'm prepared for competitions, and mentally, I have good coaches by my side who help me focus.

SUELTALABARRA: What kind of equipment do you use? Have you tried hydrofoiling before?

NOAH: I have a Duotone 5.1 VOKE SLS surfboard and a Duotone REBEL SLS kite for BIG AIR, and a Duotone 4.11 WHIP DLAB and NEO SLS for FREESTYLE/WAVES. Regarding the hydrofoil, I can ride and control it perfectly with a kitefoil.

SUELTALABARRA: What precautions do you take as safety measures before and during sessions?

NOAH: I do fitness training, stretching before and after entering the water, hydration, and wearing a helmet and impact vest.

SUELTALABARRA: Do you take supplements or gels like they do for example when running or cycling?

NOAH: I've had an energy bar sometimes, but I haven't, since I've finished the sessions well thanks to the training.

SUELTALABARRA: Compared to other sports, what advantages does kitesurfing give you?

NOAH: More than an advantage, I see a disadvantage. Compared to team sports and others where you go with friends you can talk to, here you're alone for most of the sessions. There is some closeness later when you get out of the water, so it's only before and after the session that you get closer to people.

SUELTALABARRA: What places have you visited or would you like to visit for kitesurfing? Any special spots?

NOAH: I have been in Morocco (DAKLHA) a lot since I was little, where I know I have another family. Gran Canaria is a special place for me, where I have learned a lot from the people. Very close and with a good vibe that I don't see in Tarifa, where there is a lot of kitesurfing tourism and among the Riders we don't know each other like we do in Gran Canaria. I also really like Cape Verde, where I was for a month, but if I had to choose one place, it would be the Canary Islands, which is a very complete place thanks to its diverse conditions (FREESTYLE/WAVES/BIGAIR).

I would like to travel and visit many other places such as: Cape Town, Brazil, Argentina, Hawaii, Mauritius,...

Two years ago, I arrived in Gran Canaria to compete in my first Gran Canaria Air Battle. It was a last-minute trip and experience; I've spent several months there since then, all thanks to Reyes (José Reyes Santana Vega), my kitesurfing coach, from whom I'm learning a lot.

SUELTALABARRA: How do you balance your life with all the sessions and training you do in the afternoons?

NOAH: I do my studies remotely, since I am of French origin and I am in my first year of high school with flexible schedules. If there is no wind, I start those days quite a bit in advance and then I have time to do championships, travel, and train. It's very convenient.

SUELTALABARRA: What other sport do you do that you like?

NOAH: I've skated, snowboarded, and skied. I ride my bike a bit, but I don't really have any other sports right now other than kitesurfing and going to the gym. I also surf occasionally.

SUELTALABARRA: come now a Hobby:

NOAH: I have a good friend who no longer lives here, she rides motocross (Pit bike) and they gave me a bike a while ago and I did a little bit of Cross, without reaching a high level, but that was a long time ago.

SUELTALABARRA: Do you have a PlayStation?

NOAH: I don't have any, it would take away time from studying and also from kitesurfing, I don't see it as productive.

SUELTALABARRA: What is the kitesurfing community like in your area?

NOAH: There isn't a community as such, it's something that's missing here, a place to get together or have groups to meet for things other than kitesurfing, like in El Médano, there's a complete club with a leisure area for riders even when there's no wind.

SUELTALABARRA: What challenges and goals have you set for yourself in kitesurfing? You're now at the top, world champion in your category. What's next?

NOAH: No, I have a lot to achieve. I want to keep competing and learning, and I hope to make it to the international level very soon, so I'll keep training, improving, and learning. I trust in the process and in Duotone to keep growing.

SUELTALABARRA: Here I have to stop and tell you how I have seen Noah, his humility is evident and that he has achieved this with hard work and that we must continue on this hard path to achieve new goals.

SUELTALABARRA: What is your list of championships and achievements?

1st SKL Video King 2019

2⁰ Gran Canaria Air Battle 2021

2nd GKA Youth U17 2021

3rd SKL 2021

3⁰ Gran Canaria Air Battle 2022

3rd GKA Youth U19

1st SKL 2022

1st La Palma Championship 2022

5th GKA BIG AIR 2023

1st GKA Youth 2023

SUELTALABARRA: What's your favorite trick?

NOAH: I don't have a favorite trick, but I really like REYES because Reyes and I invented it.

SUELTALABARRA: The most complicated of all the maneuvers you do?

NOAH: It's a double back contraloop flip, which consists of a double rotation backwards, I put in the contraloop and add a flip.

SUELTALABARRA: What is your opinion on competitions?

NOAH: Riders don't know the inner workings and only compete where they send us. I think the organization is doing things well. Perhaps in some lower categories, they lack sponsors or financial support to pay for travel for those riders who are just starting out and, like me, their family has to help with travel costs, which aren't cheap. At some Championships, I see teammates from other countries with high flight and accommodation costs. And these championships don't have prize money to at least somewhat offset these participant costs.

SUELTALABARRA: Who is your role model in the case world? Do you have any role models?

NOAH: The riders I watch and admire for who they are in their lives, not just for being good in the water, the strapless specialists Mitu Monteiro, Matchu Lopes and Airton Cozzolino, for me they are the 3 pioneers of strapless.

SUELTALABARRA: What sources of information do you use to learn or improve your techniques or do you watch videos on YouTube?

NOAH: The coach with whom I train, Reyes, is my source of learning. I watch the videos my parents make of me during training sessions, and when I'm home, we analyze errors in position and movement.

SUELTALABARRA: Could you tell us a funny anecdote or experience you've had kiting?

NOAH: I once saw a kite in the distance on the water, struggling, and I went over. I found a kiter in trouble. With his kite deflated and collapsed, I helped him. He's very grateful for the help. Today, he's a great friend. He also lives in Tarifa. According to him, I saved his life. In this sport, we're always on the water, looking out for each other. It's a sport where there's no rivalry, and you help other riders whenever you can.

SUELTALABARRA: Anything funny or an experience you can tell us about? It's something you can share and there's laughter between the two of you.

NOAH: In DAKLHA I sailed among dolphins, a very enjoyable spectacle, an unforgettable memory.

SUELTALABARRA: What music do you listen to?

NOAH: I like a little bit of everything: rock, hip-hop, I like everything, even current reggaeton. When I'm in the water and I'm singing without realizing it, I'll whistle songs in the air while I'm performing a maneuver, and I'll be whistling or singing along to music that's been stuck in my head for the past few days.

SUELTALABARRA: What is the biggest difficulty you have encountered in kitesurfing and how have you overcome it?

NOAH: Mentally, perhaps the worst thing is being away from family during championships or trips, wanting to see them again.

Physically, I honestly don't remember having any difficulties now. Perhaps in the beginning, I remember DAKLHA, at the spot that's shaped like a moon. I went from shore to shore with my surfboard and I didn't know how to change feet, so on each shore I would get off the board and turn it around to get back on.

SUELTALABARRA: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start kitesurfing?

NOAH: I'm clear about it here: finding instructors or friends who teach you with love and passion, who teach you this sport with passion from the very beginning. It's not just about teaching technique or movement; it's important to include the life experience a kiter carries with them, the unique feeling this sport gives you, the camaraderie, and everything that comes with a kite session.

SUELTALABARRA: Noah is now comfortable with the interview, or rather the conversation, we are having.

SUELTALABARRA: What is your favorite food?

NOAH: My mom's lasagna comes first, and the rest of the meals she makes for me. I love chicken curry. Restaurants are great, but at a mom's house, it's special; everything tastes good to me.

SUELTALABARRA: Can you define kitesurfing in one word?

NOAH: A few seconds of silence... EXCITING, this is a difficult question but yes yes, it is the emotion I look for in those high flights or maneuvers that provoke a sensation in my body that I really like, kitesurfing is a unique emotion.

SUELTALABARRA: When you start, do you have any ritual?

NOAH: I always stretch, oh yes, and I also observe the wind conditions, I have a body anemometer and I know how much kite size I need, I always get the size right and this is important for competitions.

DROP THE BAR: Have you ever had a moment of panic like the one you described earlier? Like your friend you had to rescue, or have you ever been short of breath after falling into the water from such a height?

NOAH: I haven't had moments of panic or fear. It's true that I've been short of breath in some falls. I also practice landing well. It's important to enter the water with your feet, if possible. Wearing a life jacket and helmet helps a lot during the crash. Gym training strengthens and prevents injuries.

SUELTALABARRA: you run quite a risk, because there have been reports of material breakages, as you can see in the videos that some riders send me to the SUELTALABARRA page, you can even see the harness ripped off.

NOAH: It's not something we're thinking about. Just like in other sports, you're linked to a team you trust. In MotoGP, Formula 1, MTB... you never think about what might happen to you. You truly believe in your kite brand and its manufacturing quality. In my case, Duotone, as a sponsor, uses high-performance materials.

SUELTALABARRA: Have you ever lost a kite in the water?

NOAH: No, but a table yes and also a bar for different situations.

SUELTALABARRA: Have you ever lost something on the beach after finishing your session that you forgot when you went home?

NOAH: I don't usually forget anything, here in Tarifa if you forget something when you come back it's not there.

SUELTALABARRA: What trick or curiosity can you teach us that you do that will help us improve our kitesurfing sessions?

NOAH: I have an orderly way of collecting the lines, when I am collecting the lines at the bar and there are 2 meters or so left, I collect them in an orderly manner and leave them collected so that in the next session I can quickly mount the lines on the kite and deploy the lines knowing that they will be well rigged, this is something I learned in the Canary Islands, there are beaches without sand and it is not usual to deploy the 20 meters of lines, most collect them this way.

SUELTALABARRA: We've finished the interview. I have my daughter training in figure skating right now, and you have to go to the gym to keep in shape. Keep at it, and we'll keep in touch. Congratulations on your triumphs, best regards, and I'll see you at the next championship, the one with the yellow helmet. I'll also see you with those Kai Clothes recycled product posts that Israel makes with so much love. Don't put on your jacket now, it's very hot in Tarifa.

NOAH: Oh yeah, Kai Clothes. Isra sent me a winter jacket, but a windbreaker will be nice for after getting wet. She also sent me a wallet from the last kite we recycled.

Before closing, I want to thank my parents, my kitesurfing coaches, Reyes, and my gym coaches, with whom I spent a lot of time and taught me so much. My sponsors, Duotone and Ion, who support me so much and thanks to whom I can compete and continue achieving my goals. I also want to thank you for doing this interview; it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it. By the way, your name isn't "Saltabararra." What is it?

SUELTALABARRA: It's true, I haven't told you, I'm Alex and on Instagram @alex365sport

After hanging up the video call, amazed by the hour of fluid conversation we had and how comfortable we felt. Noah isn't just a good kiter, he's a friendly person and I'm sure he'll go far in life. I wish you the best, crack, and thanks for listening to me.

Thanks to all the readers of the SUELTALABARRA blog and KITELETTER for joining us for this interview. Remember that kitesurfing is an exciting and challenging sport, but it also requires responsibility and respect for the conditions and the environment. If you're interested, don't hesitate to find a good school and get involved in this incredible sport.