Hugo Wigglesworth and the FLYSURFER team turned their PEAK6 shoot into an unforgettable adventure - From sunrise rides on fresh powder to tackling unpredictable mountain winds, this journey was all about exploration, challenge, and the joy of snowkiting. You’ve watched the video, but here’s the story!

Since joining the FLYSURFER team three years ago, we’ve often talked about doing a product shoot in New Zealand. This year, we finally made it happen! With FLYSURFER’s marketing team, we decided the PEAK6 shoot would take place in NZ—perfect timing to release the product ahead of Europe’s snowkiting season.

In mid-August, we started planning and brought on board Joshua McCormack and Jonty Norton, two amazing videographers and photographers based in NZ who also have kiting experience. While none of us had shot snowkiting before, we watched other snowkiting videos and got some inspiration from them. Our vision was to highlight the PEAK’s ability to explore the backcountry, weaving a story of an overnight hut stay in NZ’s stunning winter wilderness.

The Queenstown-Lakes District, specifically the Robrosa range accessed via Snow Farm, was a no-brainer for the shoot. Snow Farm is a ski touring destination and one of the best snowkiting spots in the Southern Hemisphere, offering endless rolling hills and terrain suitable for multiple wind directions. I’d had my first snowkiting experience there over two years ago, blending my snow skiing and kitesurfing background. I was super excited to return for this project.

We kicked off early at Snow Farm, meeting local snowkiter Chris Streat, who helped transport our gear and supplies to the Kirtle Burn Hut using a quad bike fitted with tracks. The freezing mountain temperatures were a shock, but I couldn’t wait to start! I was the primary rider for the shoot, although Jonty and Chris joined in for two-rider shots.

On the first day, conditions were ideal: sunny skies and 15-35 knots of wind. I rode the 4m and 5m PEAKs, capturing some incredible footage. After a freezing night in the hut, we woke to fresh snow and a valley shrouded in clouds. As the sun rose, the clouds lifted, creating perfect sunrise lighting. Riding the 8m PEAK in these conditions was a personal highlight—it felt like the fresh snow and dramatic scenery were rewarding our efforts. The rest of the day brought bluebird skies, stronger winds, and more time on the 5m and 4m PEAKs.

The PEAK6 is purpose-built for snowkiting. Its wide wind range and user-friendly design make it ideal for exploring the mountains. The fresh snow on the second day allowed us to capture untouched terrain, showcasing exactly what the PEAK is made for!

Mountain wind is notoriously unpredictable, and we faced gusty conditions ranging from calm valleys to 40 knots at the summits. Despite this, the PEAK6 handled everything with stability and ease. Its ability to launch on uneven terrain and adapt to gusts was a game-changer. Touring skis were also essential, allowing us to navigate areas the quad bike couldn’t reach or escape low-wind situations.

We had our fair share of surprises, too, like waking up to find unmelted snow still on the hut floor—proof of how cold it was! On the second morning, my Insta360 camera fell off my helmet, and I didn’t notice for 10 minutes. Thankfully, I found it after some searching. We lost the drone shortly after, and I had to kite over to retrieve it using the controller’s location tracker. Those 30 minutes weren’t exactly fun!

We spent two epic days in the snow, with an overnight hut stay followed by an interview day. Those were some of the longest days of my life—I snowkited for 12-14 hours straight!

This shoot wasn’t just about showcasing the PEAK6’s incredible capabilities and embracing the adventure, challenges, and beauty of NZ’s backcountry. It was an unforgettable experience, and I’m excited for everyone to see the results!

Videos

PEAK⁶ - Adventure awaits
By Hugo Wigglesworth

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