GKA Mykonos, Part 3: More Athlete Interviews Before the Storm

The Brazilian Brothers are back on the beach in Mykonos, Greece, for the GKA Big Air Kite World Cup. They caught up with some of the biggest legends in the sport to talk about the local conditions, their gear setups, and their mindset going into the competition.

Jeremy Burlando on the Slingshot NXT V2

First up is Jeremy Burlando, a Slingshot pro rider who helped develop the NXT — a dedicated big air machine. The V2 has just come out, and Jeremy is excited about how it suits the local conditions. He notes that the wind in Mykonos gets very strong, creating a good Venturi effect at the beach. He's been coming here for three years and loves the spot because of the nice updrafts, especially when riding the NXT.

He explains that the NXT has so much float. When you get those updrafts in Mykonos, you just float forever — almost to the point where you don't have enough space to land on the beach. High-performance kites are usually geared toward pro athletes and can be too aggressive for the average rider, but the NXT is different. Anyone can hop on it and feel comfortable because the bar pressure is so light and the second lift is so good. The Brazilian Brothers haven't tried the V2 yet, but they can't wait to get their hands on it and experience that amazing lift when the wind is strong.

Stino Mul's Elegant Style and Competition Goals

Next, the brothers spoke with Harlem pro rider Stino Mul. Known for his board-offs by the fin and his rotation variations, Stino has a very elegant style. He does everything by the fin and makes it look incredibly steezy.

Stino feels more than ready for the competition. This is his second time in Mykonos — his first time was just a two-day shoot. He's had some sessions with very strong wind to learn the conditions, and one training session felt quite nice on the water. Seeing some of the guys going really huge and very technical makes him eager to boost as big as them.

When asked about his goals, Stino says one of them is obviously to win, but he knows the level is very high. He wants to have the most fun and showcase to everyone that he can still win. Last year was one of his best years ever, so he's putting some pressure on himself to make it as good as last year, which is hard. Going into the final would be the ultimate step.

Giel Vlugt's Hardcore Approach and Gear Transition

The brothers then caught up with Giel Vlugt, a Dutch big air legend known for having the most aggressive and hardcore style. He revolutionized the kite world by bringing double loops, S-loops, and back S-loops into world competition.

Giel admits he's never kited this spot before and is going to be on gear he's only kited for a couple of hours. He's going through a transition phase, trying new kites and new gear after leaving Core in the middle of the season. Leaving his sponsor mid-season was a bit of a shock, but Giel says every negative has a positive. It's been really fun to try new gear, feel how he rides on different kites, and see what it does to his style. It actually made him think he should have tested more kites before.

His strategy for the competition is to do what he knows how to do best: go as extreme and as high as he can, and see if it pays off. He has nothing to lose, so he's going in with new confidence and new gear to just send it.

Hugo Wigglesworth on the Flysurfer Era and 40-Meter Jumps

Finally, they spoke with Hugo Wigglesworth, representing New Zealand. Hugo is one of the top jumpers in the world, consistently setting Woo records and jumping massive.

Hugo has been training super hard for a good three months since France, including a nice month in Egypt and a few weeks in Tarifa, so he's super ready. Looking at the forecast, he expects 8m Era weather with it getting pretty windy in the afternoon. Realistically, Hugo would be very happy with a semi-final and happy with round three. He definitely doesn't want to end up in round two again.

Hugo is riding the Flysurfer Era V2. He says the Era is super nice, especially if you're on a budget — it's definitely the go-to big air kite. The DNA of the bar pressure and steering pressure is quite good for most people out there. It's very predictable, which he really likes.

The brothers also highlighted that Hugo recently jumped 40 meters on a foil kite and a foil board. Right now, it's just him and Jamie Overbeek who know what it's like to jump over 40 meters on the Woo.

Wrapping Up Day 1

That wrapped up day one at the event. The riders had their meeting inside the booth, followed by a beautiful commencement ceremony in the back with everyone waving their flags. The Duotone Pro Center is also on-site giving support to the riders. This is just the calm before the storm, and the forecast promises an absolutely epic event.

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