Vice President Communications: Ben Gillespie
Age: 22
Year’s Kiting: 4
Riding Style: All of them
Current location: Southampton
Favourite Spot: Asylah. On a budget…Hurst.
Favourite Conditions: Waves waves waves waves waves
Favourite Beverage: Pepsi on the rocks
Best “get stoked” song: Example (Diamond Day)
Which uni do you go to: Southampton
Ben’s riding simply cannot be described by words. Over the past year, he’s managed to encapsulate the essence of strapless surfing along with the aggressiveness of powered, booted-up wakestyle. Actually, that’s all lies. Ben doesn’t like getting hurt so massive green room bails or huge attempted blind hits aren’t really his thing. Although he’d like to tell you they are… Hopefully his new impact vest and shiny helmet will help him along his way and improve his 3rd university kitesurfing seed.
Ben however, is the daddy at communicating. That’s why he’s one of the SKA’s vice president’s for this year, and will spend his time making sure that all the university club’s are talking to each other, and that nobody get’s left out. If you haven’t heard the sound of his voice yet, then you definitely will over the next year.
Vice President Events: Ali Shepherd
Age: 22
Years kiting: 3 ish
Riding style: I enjoy it all, boots, straps, strapless, although right now i’ve been getting into this whole wakestyle movement but i’m also mega keen on waves.
Current Location: Fort William in the Scottish Highlands
Favourite spot: For perfect waves and the flattest lagoons ever… Lets just say it’s somewhere on the western isles.
Favourite conditions: Lit. I like riding overpowered. Which is good because i’ve only got a 12m so most of the time i don’t have a choice.
Favourite Beverage :Just like Lebowski i like the white russian. Failing that a good dark ale or malt whiskey.
Best get stoked song: Too many to choose from although Nosebleed Section by the Hilltop Hoods is pimp! …or Drinking in LA by Bran Van 3000 have got to be at the top of the list. Yes, i know it’s in Dre’s film ‘We Did Nothing’. Maybe thats why i like it so much…
Which uni do you go to: Saaafhampton innit bruv.
Give this boy five minutes of your time and he’ll start telling you about his Scottish roots, how it makes him harder than most and how he can stand the cold waters of the south coast more than your average English Joe. Give him ten minutes and he’ll be describing how he’s a direct descendent of the late, great Robert Burns. Don’t believe any of it. Alistair was born in England, and sounds about as Scottish as a Londoner. He does however carry the same enthusiasm he has for Scotland into his riding. Even after the latest of nights and the shortest of sleeps, the words “DAWN RAID” will echo in the ears of whoever’s sharing Ali’s bed/room/dorm/caravan/minibus. Anybody who isn’t keen is likely to get the “saucepan and wooden spoon” enthusiasm lesson.
Off the foot of this year’s massively successful Student Nationals, Ali has already started to plan an events calendar with the events team for the coming academic year. He’s going to make sure that every SKA meet, competition or trick clinic goes ahead without a hitch. It’s a big ask, but Ali’s definitely the man for the job.
VP Media: Freddie Oldfield
Age: 20
Years kiting: coming on 7 years now
Riding style: After buggying for a good few years I got into kitesurfing a couple years ago, and I quickly learnt that I loved riding boots. That’s been it since then but I have yet to try strapless surfing! That does look like a good crack ☺
Current Location: Yorkshire Lad born and bred!
Favourite spot: Rhosneigr, best atmosphere and an awesome riding spot. Winds hands down every time, I love riding here.
Favourite conditions: 12m powered, but not too powered, cross shore flat with nicely spaced kickers. Perfect for learning new tricks.
Favourite Beverage : after the SKA slider jam it became apparent that I like to dabble with Ale, other than that, I’m allllll ears!
Best get stoked song: too much choice, anything by ACDC, Status Quo, Notorious BIG, Atmosphere and School of Thought at the moment
Which uni do you go to: Plymouth central bitchheessss!
Having kited for 7 years, it’s fair to say that Freddie has had more than his fair share of time to learn tricks on and off the water, but don’t let that fool you! Clearly it’s a bit too cold for him up North because whenever I see him at the beach he pinches my kite and uses it to do gymnastics over the heads of anyone he’s looking to impress, without so much as dipping his toes in actual water. All credit to the lad though, he does have some serious style, and he’s made good use of the time he could have spent learning how to go upwind, by getting his fingers into every brand manager pie in the industry, and very successfully running Plymouth Windriders for the past year. All of this, as well as the fact that he’s Northern and a serial student sponge mean he’ll be doing a fine job as Vice President in charge of Sponsorship for 2010/11.
