Meet Kauan: Brazil's 14-Year-Old Big Air Prodigy

Kiting has inspired generations. Think of the greats — you know the ones, the ones that make you stop mid-session and just watch. They to go big and keep pushing boundaries, and that's exactly what Kauan is doing. At just 14 years old, he's already making waves in the Brazilian scene. The Brazilian Brothers saw him ripping it on the water and just had to take a few minutes to chat with this amazing athlete.

How Kauan Started Kiting

Kauan grew up in Preá, one of Brazil's most consistently windy spots. He got started at just eight years old! (Many thanks to his mom, who would take him to the beach when he was crying to look at the kites.) Simply enamored with the kites flying overhead and seeing his mom out on the water, he was desperate to get out there.

How Kauan Got Into Big Air

Like many young riders, Kauan started out chasing freestyle tricks. But the conditions in Preá are no joke. With steady 35+ knot winds, it was a no-brainer to get into big air. He shifted from freestyle to big air when he was 12, and it was an obviously natural fit. With winds like that, it's the perfect fuel for going huge.

Riding the Cabrinha Nitro & Future Endeavors

Kauan is sponsored by Cabrinha, and his preferred kite is the Nitro. To him, the five struts offers excellent hangtime and looping. The Brazilian Brothers saw him riding a 7m in 40+ knot conditions, and he was still in total control (while they were hanging on for dear life on bigger kites). While the 7m is a solid option, his go-to setup is a 9m for most sessions.

When it comes to idols, Kauan looks up to Andrea Principi, who is known for his insane board-off rotations. It was after seeing Andrea's videos that Kauan sought to experiment with similar moves. In fact, the Brazilian Brothers are so impressed with his riding ability, that they believe Kauan could easily pass Andrea once he's older!

Even at 14, Kauan's dreams are crystal clear: represent Brazil in the GKA World Kite Tour and eventually take a shot at Red Bull's King of the Air competition.

What really impressed the Brazilian Brothers wasn't just the height of his jumps, but his attitude on the water. In their session, there were times where he crashed hard. But, he has the conviction to reset quickly and go straight back for another attempt. No hesitation, no frustration. Just purely harnessing the mentality of a future champion.

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