We had a great interview with Sven Luijbe from KiteFEEL kite school, and we asked why they teach with FLYSURFER products and what attracts students to their kite school.
Who or what is behind the KiteFEEL kite school?:
Hello to all you kiters. My name is Sven Luijbe and I am the owner of KiteFEEL, a kite school which is active in every discipline. Whether land kiteboarding, snowkiting, or hydrofoil lessons, we are here for you!
Where is your kite spot, and what does one of your typical courses look like?:
Our main spot is in Schellinkhout, which is 30 km north of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. There we have a big lagoon with a shallow area that is perfect for beginners!
We have a reliable south-west wind off of the sea towards the mainland, and that means that 100% of the time we have onshore wind. If we get winds out of the east or north, then we take a 10 minute drive to a nice flat neighboring spot and teach our courses there.
Our teaching time is divided roughly into 50% individual training, 30% training with two students, and 20% training school classes or corporate groups.
I started teaching in 2003. I was working alone, turning my hobby into a profession. But after only one year the response was so great that the KiteFEEL Family grew by two teachers. Since 2010 we have been a VDWS-certified school with around 20+ teachers and a lot of students. Since 2015 we have stopped teaching with Naish products and have switched to exclusively FLYSURFER.
Last season we were named the best kitesurf school in the Netherlands – which is a real compliment after all of the hard work we have put in ;)
Which FLYSURFER products do you prefer to use and why?
For normal training we use mostly the BOOST2 and the VIRON2. For more advanced students we like to take the SONIC2 or SPEED5. For land kiteboarding, snowboarding, and longboarding we mostly take the PEAK Trainer, the PEAK or the VIRON. For boards we have the FLYDOOR5 in sizes L and XL and the RADICAL5.
Why do these products fit so well at our school? That’s easy! Here is a short list of reasons:
1. The BOOST2 is the best low-wind tube kite on the market and it also has a non-technical water relaunch.
2. The partnership with FLYSURFER gives me the feeling that I am part of the product development team. Whenever we give feedback to FLYSURFER about their products, they really take it seriously and do something with our input.
3. Our team is 99% old school, and we simply love the SONIC! It is a monster kite!
4. FLYSURFER makes our work with the kites safer and easier!
It sounds like you are more than satisfied with our products, which we are really happy to hear! What is so special about your school that students should come to you?
We are a school with a real sense of community. After the courses, people go with us on monthly trips and we give them free pointers. In this region of the Netherlands we have become one of the most active kite schools, but at the same time our students have the feel that they are part of our kite family and are taken seriously.
Thanks for the interview, it was a lot of fun.
Would you like to say anything else to the kiters of this world?
If kitesurfing is your real addiction, just let it happen…
Live for it, go for it and stop all other therapies. Kitesurfing is your best Dr. Phil!
”KiteFEEL” KITEsurfing First Everything Else Later