Aaron Hadlow : Training in South Africa


It's early morning, the first day of 2005. The wind has been howling the whole night. Ever since the sun came up it's been 8 weather. 16 Year old World Champ, Aaron Hadlow, is busy rigging his kite.
He arrived in South Africa last week - the Hadlows usually spend anything from three to five months a year in South Africa.
According to Aaron and his dad Ian, South Africa is the best place to train for the PKRA tour - not only because of the consistently strong conditions, but because of the variety of conditions.

Aaron asks me to Launch his kite. He's taking out a 9 Storm with 15 meter lines. His bar has tape around the depower line - not because it's broken but to stop his fingers from chafing when he does unhooked tricks.

He uses the first 10 minutes of his session to warm up, by doing low powered and easier tricks. By the time he's finished with the warm-up people are standing on the beach watching him. He's fired up and his really going for it. He's doing mobes, a variety of handle pass kiteloop combinations, and he is working on some new aggressive wake style tricks. All the moves are unhooked.

And then he goes for a new trick. He does a 720 mobe with the kite low and lands it. Later, when we're on the beach he tells me it's the first time he landed it.

He's doing some of the most powerful moves that I've seen. When he does kiteloops he pulls with both hands on one side of the bar - unhooked, and he's always higher than the kite with the kite very low when he does kite loops. Aaron has this amazing cat-like ability to stick just about any airborne move. Even when you think there's no way that he can land it, he sticks it smoothly. A few days ago I saw him working on a double handle pass kite loop combination.

Ian is sitting on the beach, watching Aaron. Aaron finishes the session on a positive note - he sticked a 720 mobe (which no one is landing yet) and it's going to be the new trick for the PKRA.

In the afternoon I meet up with Aaron and his Parents at their house. We look at the pictures and chat about Aaron's achievement as PKRA world champion for 2004, and what they are planning for the next few months.

Where does Aaron travel to?

Aaron and his family spends a lot of time traveling - in the last year they travelled to all legs of the PKRA tour, trained in South Africa, went home to the UK, and participated in additional competitions held in California, Australia, Texas and Hawaii.

Aaron's Sponsors

Aaron is sponsored by Flexifoil, Chiemsee, Red Bull and Pro Limit. All the Flexifoil boards including the Aaron Hadlow Pro Model are manufactured by Ralph Hertweck from Xelerator kiteboarding in South Africa.

Aaron's equipment

Aarons choice of kites are the 9 and 12m Flexifoil Storms - the 9m being his kite of choice. He usually uses 22m lines on all his kites, but occasionally uses 15m.

Aaron's results for 2004

PKRA number 1 (world champ)
PKRA Austria 1st
PKRA Belgium 1st
PKRA Cabarete 2nd
PKRA Germany 1st
PKRA Fuerte 2nd
PKRA Brazil 2nd
Velocity Games, Texas 1st 
Gravity Games, Australia 3rd
Hawaii Red Bull King of the Air 4th
San Fransisco Red Bull King of the Bay 1st

Article Comments: (Add Comments)

Hectic Photos!

cant wait to actually see Aaron performing on the water again, he has an unbelievably smooth style in all his riding and deserves his title!

Best of luck for 2005 !!!!

regards
Nic

Nicolas

I KNEW IT WAS HIM.... I was at Big~Bay, and saw this kid ripping it up, then he brought his kite down, walked across the parking lot, and he looked so fimiliar!!! DUDE THIS GUYS IS THE KING!!! Aaron, we Solute you!!! Show them what you got in 2005!!

All the Best.
J

Jason

the photos are great! and honestly this guy is awsome!

zeza

I saw Aaron in South Arfica last year before he became champ. i watched him all day and knew he was gona go far! i hope i see him on the water again, it was awsome. Well Done! And good luck 4 this year!

Dannii...

Dannii

I do envy Aaron for his sucess. and his the same age as me! i thnk its bloody marvelous how far he has come, and i hope soon i will be pulling off some of his insane tricks! good riding! Need to get out of damn england first though! lol

otis

hey aaron!..you are so good but I only have 13 years so at your age i will be better than you

Willy

hey aaron..that was a joke!!...I admire you. all the best for 2005.
aloha and good sessions

Willy

Mental photos!! I'm hoping 2 have kiteboarding lessons this year! I'd love to be able to travel all the time. The best place i'm going to is Russia!!
Lor

Lora

I wish you all the best for this year and i hope to see you again @ the gravity games :) top work!!

rosy

i saw alvaro onieva nailing a mobe 720, or at least i thinck i did. Look it at www.alvaronieva.com the new video.

Nicolas

Aaron is the number one in the world, he deserves the title, he is a great boy that i really admire.
I like his great determination and focusing, in person is so down to earth, his father magnificently taugh him. He is going to be hard to beat for years to come.
We never saw nobody riding like u.
Good job Aaron! and hope to meet you again in the road for the title this new season.
Carlos Saez, and Alvaro Onieva.

Carlos Saez

whats up aaron, i am charley's friend and i met you at hollister. we are going to be up there all summer so give us a call if you wanna come kite with us. see ya then.

matt

kkaaww crikes hes a fitty!! and gd at kiting lol

sophie

hi dudes love those pics amazing stuff

eddie neal

Aaron simple the best and number one

marcelo correa

heya aaron i am a real big fan of you you signed a poster 4 me wen u cam down tot orquay and you went in the windusrfin shop, he is my dads m8.
Jus wanna say u r the best u r a total legend!!!

Kt

Aaron and his father are pricks.

X

Hey Aaron, you probably dont remember me but i used to hang around with you back in cornwall years ago. I used to own Lewis's Fish and chip shop in Rosudgen. Anyway best of luck for 2005, Tom.

Tom Withecombe