Jen Tyler chats with the French freestyle champ about battling tricky winds, overcoming injury, and the electric energy from the home crowd. Find out how he stayed focused in those nail-biting final moments and his plans to chase a second world title this season!

Hi Arthur, it’s great to catch up! Congratulations on your recent win at Dunkerque. Was it like winning on your home soil?

Thank you very much; it's great to catch up with you, too! Yes, even though Dunkerque is in the north of France, and I’m originally from the south, I definitely still felt like I was competing at home.

Talk us through the spot; what’s it like for freestyle? 

Dunkerque is an interesting spot. It’s got onshore winds and some waves, so it’s not what you’d call ideal freestyle conditions, like those perfect, flat Brazilian lagoons. A lot of people think freestyle is all about flat water and constant winds, but a good rider has to be adaptable. The wind was good enough during the competition, and though it wasn’t perfect for freestyle, it kept things exciting!

Can you tell us how you prepared for this event, including your training schedule and mindset leading up to Dunkerque?

Well, this time, my preparation was far from ideal. I went to Greece about a month before the event to really dial in my tricks and fine-tune everything. But on the third day, I injured my knee—a bone bruise. I had to focus on physiotherapy and treatments to get my knee in good enough shape to compete.

Did the tricky wind and water conditions affect your strategy, or were you confident with your initial plan?

Being injured and not really trained, I didn't have a special strategy. However, the rather difficult conditions were still an advantage because it was more difficult for everyone to land big figures, so I managed to make a difference with my consistency on each heat.

The conditions definitely played a role in my strategy. Because of my injury and the lack of training leading up to the event, I didn’t have any special game plan. I had to rely on what I knew and play it safe with consistency. I knew I wasn’t at 100% physically, so my main goal was to stay consistent and land everything cleanly. The conditions were tough for everyone to be honest. 

Did the support from the French crowd give you an extra boost?!

Oh, absolutely. The crowd was incredible! I took a bad hit on my knee during the semi-final—I felt it immediately. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to keep going, and when I came off the water, I could barely walk. But hearing the crowd, and seeing everyone cheering for me, gave me this adrenaline boost. 

I was so happy to be in the final here in France in front of all the French people who supported me that I didn't really have any pain. I managed to dominate at the end to win.

The competition was tight, with only a 0.4-point difference between you and Chabloz at one point. How do you stay mentally focused when the scores are so close?

Yeah, it was really tight! I knew I had one last trick to land to secure the win. It was a high-pressure moment for sure, but I felt confident. The biggest challenge was timing everything right with the waves because one mistake with the pop or landing could throw everything off. But I trusted myself, stayed focused, and went for it. Thankfully, it worked out in the end.

When you’re facing the final trick or heat in a big event like this, do you have any rituals to help you stay calm and focused?

There's no real difference in how you prepare for a heat, whether it's in the 1st or 3rd round or even the final. Actually, I'd even argue that the final feels less stressful. By then, you know it's the end of the line – there's no next round, no chance of elimination. It's just about where you rank. So, you just keep your cool, focus, and go for it.

What are your goals for the rest of the season after this big win? How do you keep up this momentum going into the next competition?

It was the best possible start to the season, even though it was unexpected due to my knee. This victory has put me in the lead of the championship this year. I will train hard and I am extremely motivated for the next stages. My goal is to go for a second-world title this year. 

Sounds good, best of luck, Arthur! 

Thank you and see you in Brazil!

 

Videos

Full Highlights | GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup France 2024
Men's Freestyle Kite Finals | France 2023
By Jen Tyler
Italian/Egyptian Jen Tyler grew up on the sandy beaches of the Red Sea and has been on the IKSURFMAG & Tonic Mag team since 2017.

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