Peter Stiewe has been designing kites for longer than we can remember, after Best went off the rails he set up Eleveight with a core group of people, the brands been going from strength to strength. Rou Chater takes some time out to talk to the man himself!

Peter, you've been involved in the watersports industry for so long now, where did it all start, and how did you first get involved in the ocean?

Growing up, my parents were active sailors, and when I was only five years old, as you would expect, they got me into sailing as well. Not long after, I started windsurfing. In the early '80s, I was lucky to start working on windsurfing sails with a member from the sailing club, and I even built my custom board. In 1999, I started kiteboarding. I am grateful that the ocean and watersports have always surrounded me, and I have the same fascination for it today, as I did back then. 

You were the kite designer at Best for a long time, we've got to ask, what happened at the end and how did the decision to start Eleveight come about?

I had a fantastic time at Best! In the early days, the vibe in the company was unbelievable. We were the market leaders in 2008/2009 with memorable kites like the Waroo and Nemesis; which were appreciated by countless people around the world. It is difficult for me to say why it all came to an end, but after the changes in ownership and management, I guess it was just time for me to move on.

Here at Eleveight, we are all long-time watersports enthusiasts, and this reflected in our common goal to develop and offer the highest performance watersports equipment.

In the early days, the brand was often seen as the new Best, but it wasn't, how hard was it to shake off those shackles?

Due to our professional history, we knew the association would arise! Still, it surprisingly faded a lot quicker than we thought once our products came on to the market, and people acknowledged our brand and how committed we were. 

How long was it before Eleveight started to be thought of as a standalone brand?

When we first came on to the scene, we entered the market with four kite models, twintips and surfboards; proving that we were a serious brand, with a solid line-up. We worked vigorously on a worldwide network that reflected our values and shared our passion for the sport.

From day one, our focus was to be a professional and complete brand. We concentrated on performance products, sustainable management and business relationships. It wasn't long before we got the recognition and appreciation we had worked so hard for. 

These days, the brand has grown exponentially, with an army of fans around the world riding the products, how proud are you of the team behind it to get it to that stage?

It fills me with joy when our customers are pleased with their gear, how motivated our team is to our brand and how close our relationships within the Eleveight network are. The positive spirit at Eleveight is exceptionally high, and I feel blessed to be a part of it.

It's still a relatively small company in terms of the people involved, who helped you to get the product to where it is today?

We started moderately small, but there are quite a few people, doing a remarkable job, involved in the success of our brand. Phil, Robert, Jose, and Sam, but also Priscilla and all our country managers, distributors and warehouse logistic people helped and believed in Eleveight from the beginning. Good people, who trust in what you're doing are the most valuable ingredient.

Are there any unsung heroes who don't get enough recognition?

Absolutely, but I'll undoubtedly exceed the word count if I list them all! From the design, production to distribution and service, we have numerous brilliant employees at Eleveight. To name a few, I'd like to mention Suresh on the production floor, Priscilla in the distribution and Sebastian in the logistics department; they all give 100%, and they are incredibly accurate, professional, friendly and helpful all the time! 

How do you juggle the roles of CEO and Head Designer? With so many products that must be tough.

I have been designing kites and surfboards for almost 20 years, so multi-tasking and managing a company is a welcomed challenge! Even though free time is limited, with the great team I have working with me today, I am way more efficient than I ever was.

The environment is a key topic these days; what are you doing as a brand to offset your impact?

The topic of sustainability is highly discussed here at Eleveight, and we are more than aware of the challenges we will face in the future within our industry. It is essential to implement strategies which we can control and measure. We’ve reduced plastic materials by 100% for our twintip and surfboard packaging this year and we are trying to implement the same procedure for all our products soon.

We try to work as much as possible with European suppliers; on the one hand, we have a better understanding of their production facilities and procedures, and on the other hand, we also reduce transportation.

The range at Eleveight has expanded a lot in recent years, with kites, foils, wings, twin tips and surfboards, did you always plan to have such an extensive range?

Our aim from the start was to develop and offer high-performance products for all riding styles within our sport. Hoever, the development of new products needs sufficient time, and we only release new products if we are 100% satisfied with the performance and quality. In this case, the growth of our range was organic and in all segments planned.

What are your thoughts on the current drive towards wingsurfing, do you see it as a threat or compliment to kiteboarding?

I think all watersports can and should co-exist! Kitesurfing and wingsurfing feel considerably different, in my opinion, same as windsurfing or surfing. These sports fuel each other and bring inspiration and innovation across various disciplines. 

Doing multiple disciplines helps you become a better watersports athlete! We are only in the beginning and already we can see incredible evolution and performance. In a couple of years, we'll see a huge progression and more people on the water, thanks to wingsurfing.

I don't see any water sport as a threat, rather the opposite. 

What does the future hold for Eleveight, what is your goal for the company over the coming years?

At Eleveight, we aspire to contribute to the community positively. We love the world of watersports, and we have lived it since our childhoods. The daily tasks and striving to improve permanently is what makes us tick. 

Sustainability is essential for us and that how we want to see Eleveight proceed. Growth is a result if things are done well, and we like to focus on doing things well, and everything else comes after!

Thanks, Peter, for taking the time!

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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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