Background:
Chasta started skiing when he was only 2 years old, has a background in rock climbing and paragliding in addition to a distinguished professional snowboarding career as 4 time French champion and representing France in the 1998 Winter Olympics and the X-Games. With that sort of resume it makes sense that he would become the man to lead the charge into snowkiteboarding.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:
Kiter.com:When did you start snowboarding? Chasta: I first snowboarded in 1991 and became a pro snowboarder the next year. I rode professionally from 1992 to 2004.
So when did you first combine a kite with a snowboard?
In 1998 a friend of mine saw the potential and found a Wipika kite for us. Even on that first day we were able to boost big airs and get back up the hill. I could see the potential from the very first moment.
When did you become a pro kiter?
Initially in early 2000 I became sponsored by F-One the French company. They had 3 line kites (2 flying lines and a brake line). I had 5, 7 and 9 meter foil kites, at the time we would never have believed you could fly a kite bigger than the 9 meter. Since 2003 I have been sponsored by Ozone who has really set the standard for foil kites in the snow with the Frenzy 4 line sheetable foil.
Where do you kite mostly?
I spend 6 months of the year in the snow traveling everywhere and then 6 months in the water at my home in Tahiti where I live with my wife and daughter. Hard pack snow, powder, flat water, waves…. I use the same foil kites for everything.
What is the highest you have ever been?
I was in Norway in 2004 snow kiting with some local guys. We found a cliff jump about 100 meters high. I scoped it out in the first day and then on the next day the conditions were perfect. It was blue sky, 6 knots of wind with no gusts. I went for it and sailed for a minute and 40 seconds and ended up flying across a major highway. It was perfect. I definitely felt comfortable but was glad to have a paragliding background.
Is that the longest hangtime?
Actually just last week I was timed for over two minutes soaring down a ridgeline. You are only a few meters off the ground but you just keep going and going. You can fly as long as you want or as long as the terrain with let you. When you are done flying you do a kite loop to stop your speed and make a soft landing.
What is your scariest moment kiting?
Gusts can be scary when you are way up there. I have been lucky. In all my snowboarding and kiting I have never been hurt. You have to be careful about conditions and when you go out. If you decide to go out on a bad, gusty day, that's your problem.
What is the future for snowkiting?
Innovation is important. There are no limits. Right now I have been working on combining freestyle moves into soaring. You can do spins, grabs, handle passes, kiteloops all in the same jump.
What is the biggest attraction to snow kiting?
Well any kind of kiting is fun because it takes a traditional boardsport and adds the 3rd dimension…. You can go UP. But with snow kiting you are adding 3 dimensions of terrain to 3 dimensions with the kite. It is basically 3 cubed! That's what I mean about no limits. We have only scratched the surface.
How important is the contest scene to you?
I love being at the contests and with all the people… but mostly I just like to ride. I won the tour last year and I guess I am leading it right now for this season, but I do it for the fun. I can't stop myself from riding.
Will snow kiting go mainstream?
People are blown away when they see that you can go uphill and then soar down and be back up again fast than it would take on a chair lift. I think it will happen. We just need to show people and they will come. So many times people stop their car and want to take a lesson right on the spot.
Any advice for aspiring snow kiters?
One thing for sure….. check your lines everyday!
