Papa Hadlow mentors young kiteboarder, Tom Bridge.
Bridge is the youngest in a family of world class kiteboarders, with Mum Steph Bridge leading the world in the racing class. His two brothers and father also kite at an elite level, winning world championships in Freestyle and Racing. Makes you wonder why he needs a mentor in the first place right?
Anyone with kids knows what it’s like; Mum and Dad just aren’t cool enough. So when Aaron Hadlow knocked on the door, you can’t blame Tom for getting a little starry eyed. As far as mentors go, Hadlow’s one of the best.
But you don’t need to be a five time world champion to mentor a kid. Chances are there’s someone at your local beach who could do with a little help! Kids are getting into kiting more and more these days, but the age-old problem of getting to the beach after school is always a tricky one. Make some friends with the locals, give a kid a lift to the beach, or invite them on a day trip to a new beach. They’ll love you for it, and their kiting will progress so much faster!
Check out the video of Tom Bridge on RedBull.com to see what it’s all about. Freestyle competition is not just about the tricks, it’s about whether you can land ‘em all in 7 minutes. No easy task, even for a five time world champion.
dee why, NSW
