NOW Magazine article

Young blood

From our beginnings, building a strong team of professional riders at Duotone, the way has always been clear. With a strong focus on supporting young upcoming talents, helping them live up to their full potential and accompanying them throughout their kiteboarding career.

One of the most prominent examples of this is Airton Cozzolino who has been on the team since the age of 13. Others, like Reno Romeu and Tom Court, joined Duotone as young teens, staying true to the brand even beyond their active kiteboarding career and now contributing a multitude of valuable content and product feedback to our brand.

“Duotone wants to support young athletes, giving them the tools necessary to build their own professional kiteboarding career” Philipp Becker, Marketing and Communication Manager at Duotone says. “It’s not just about being a really good rider, there’s so much more to it. That’s why in 2022 we are bringing back the Young Blood camps.”

Duotone still maintains this path today, with Young Bloods such as Camille Losserand and Keanu Mertens, both GKA Youth World Champions (Strapless Freestyle) 2021. Lorenzo Casati, 2nd overall and Andrea Principi 3rd overall at the Big Air Tour, BAKL, as well as Edgar Ulrich, the U19 World Champion in 2018 and U18 French Champion in 2020.

Back in 2006 Duotone hosted the first-ever Young Blood camp to allow young talented riders to show their skills and learn what it takes to become a professional rider.Reno Romeu, 16 years old at the time, participated: “I remember that we were training with an Olympic gold medalist from skiing. She was teaching us how to have the right mindset for competition, how to get fully focused and “in the zone”… Well, for sure I also remember Jaime Herraiz. He was a former world champion by this time already, so he was the guy that I wanted to learn everything from, and somehow I still learn from today. For me, this Young Blood camp was the beginning of my kiteboarding career.”

Besides national camps in France, Germany, Italy, UK, USA and Australia, there will also take place an international Young Blood camp, hosted at Makani Beach, Egypt.

Duotone’s young guns Edgar Ulrich, Keanu Mertens, Camille Losserand and Lorenzo Casati as well as Duotone’s international riders Reno Romeu and Matchu Lopes will be there to coach the participants. Additionally, Fabio Ingrosso, the trainer of World Champion Mikaili Sol, will be there to give valuable tips and training sessions. The Camp will not only focus on riding skills but also spotlight the importance of knowing your body, preventing injuries, the correct training schedule as well as offering social media courses.

“We want to show the athletes what it takes besides riding skills, how high the level of required professionalism is and prepare them as well as possible in all aspects of being a pro rider.” Philipp Becker says.

The Duotone Young Blood Camp will take place end of June 2022. For further information, how to sign up and all dates and places for national Young Blood camps follow: www.duotonesports.com/kiteboarding