FROM ANOTHER WORLD - ALASKA

They spent hours in the car driving more than 2.000 km on the hunt for some memorable kite sessions in mind blowing scenery. Therefore they were equipped with all-terrain vehicles provided by partner Porsche. What they got was first and foremost: Rain, tough conditions, and icy waters. In the end, the chase for wind paid off, nonetheless rewarding our team with unforgettable memories.

Here’s an ode to a once in a lifetime experience that, for some, felt like it was from another world.

RENO ROMEU “We flew to Juneau and from there, took the steel sailboat toward the glacier. The scenery was something from another world, like a movie. We were going over the broken icebergs with the boat and after a few hours, there we were, in front of a massive glacier.”

MATCHU LOPES “Kiting there gave me quite a hard time. The water was freezing cold; I couldn’t feel my hands or my feet. I couldn’t really hear or see much because of the hoody. And then I was on a strapless board, hitting pieces of ice all the time, even though I was trying to go around them. So it was absolutely complicated for me to ride, not only difficult, it was really complicated. But the experience was next level.”

Matchu Lopes “After a long day of driving and shooting, we were mounting the roof tents on the cars. It was already nighttime, and I was constantly thinking there could be bears around or other wildlife. That was a bit scary. But once the tents were installed, it was pretty sick and it felt super comfy to chill on top of the cars.”  

LIAM WHALEY “Kiting directly in front of a 100-meter wall of ice was such a surreal feeling. The scale was hard to comprehend even being there in person.”

“It was a long drive between Anchorage and Valdez, with some beautiful scenery along the way, so we decided to stop and rest in our rooftop tents. It was pouring rain, but inside the tents, it was super comfortable and warm. The perfect place for a chill-out after a long day of driving and kiting. It was a crazy experience kiting between the icebergs, jumping over them, and playing around, especially because the conditions were really good this day. I have never done that before, and the feeling was insane. Actually, this whole trip was absolutely amazing, I was constantly impressed by our surroundings.”

Liam Whaley “I often do ice baths, and I love the feeling you get after doing them, so I told myself that I wasn’t leaving Alaska without jumping into the glacier water in board shorts. It was definitely a shock to the system. I think the water was about 4 degrees, and jumping in so fast instead of getting in progressively made it a lot worse. Anyway, I’m really happy I did it.” 

Matchu Lopes “Despite the marginal conditions, we decided to at least try and get some time on the water. With heavy rain coming in, it was not a very successful session.”

“The idea was to go with the foil as close as possible to the glacier. It was quite scary because there were pieces falling off every 5-10 minutes and the wind was super gusty. I had to watch out for pieces of ice in the water to go around them constantly. All in all, it was pretty crazy and gnarly but absolutely beautiful. What an experience! Seeing it now, I am so glad to be able to do something like this and be in a place 
like that even though I was freezing my a** off all the time.”