The Call of the Storm
How did you know this storm was worth chasing? What’s the crew’s process when deciding to travel last-minute for conditions like this? What was the mood like when the forecast lined up?
Over the past few months, we have been monitoring all kinds of strong wind spots in Europe. We had a group trip in mind to do a SpaceX Kitesurfing shoot for our new custom-printed harnesses, made by Prolimit, and our Team board, Lieuwe FalconX. As soon as we saw this forecast on the weather apps, we knew this wasn’t just another blow-through. Charts glowing purple and red, and a deep North Sea pushing waves over 4 meters towards the Danish coast.
This was the kind of system you drop everything for. We dropped a message to see who wanted to join this beautiful trip. Within hours, the crew chat was buzzing, and the cars were already getting packed. Everyone knew something big was coming, so we took the risk and drove all the way up to Denmark.
We ended up going to Denmark with 6 SpaceX Kitesurfing team riders, the girlfriend of Michiel joined too, since they planned their holiday in Denmark already. Wouter from 107 Media House joined the trip to capture every moment in 4K. We couldn’t be more stoked to finally see such a strong forecast after a long summer with light wind.
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The Location: Cold Hawaii
Why is Cold Hawaii such a unique and hardcore kitespot? How do the conditions there compare to other famous big-wave kite locations? What makes it such a test for riders?
The spot Cold Hawaii in Denmark is like an overpowered upgrade of our Homespots in the Netherlands. Here we are used to Zandvoort and Wijk aan Zee, where you can find the perfect conditions when a storm hits from the South West. But then we find waves that might be 2 meters high. In Cold Hawaii, you don’t have England in front of you to steal all of the waves. So as soon as a storm hits the North of Denmark, it is not rare to have those 5 meter + waves! Cold Hawaii is the spot to prove yourself. This spot has earned its name for a reason: freezing winds, endless sandbars, and energy that makes every session feel like survival.
In strong wind, we are already fighting to survive, but mix that with five-meter waves and it turns into pure survival mode. Every wave demands 100% focus. Unlike famous big wave spots in Cape Town, for example, Cold Hawaii is about timing and relying on the elements; it is about being a master of the chaos. Most of the sessions in Cape Town are way more relaxed in the same kind of wind strength.
The Sessions
Talk us through the three days on the water — what were the highlights? What did the storm day feel like, especially with waves over 5 meters? Did anyone have a standout session or a breakthrough moment?
Day one was straight away the storm day. The evening before we arrived at our apartment, we held a briefing to let all the guys know about the plan for the shoot, where we wanted to kite, and what would be the best strategy to capture the sickest shots of the whole team. In the middle of the night, you could just hear the weather outside changing. The storm hit full force, and outside it sounded like a warzone. The next morning, when we started driving from the house towards the spot, you could see big waves splashing in the sea when you looked over the dunes. Once we arrived, we ran to the beach to get an impression of what we had gotten ourselves into. Massive waves were smashing into the pier, and I think we all got a little nervous. The stoke on shore was unreal.
The first session was the session with the most wind, and we still had all of our energy, so we wanted to ride this wind for as long as possible! We went out all of us together. This was also a rare moment to finally be reunited with such a big part of our crew. We love to kite as a group. Our goal was to boost over 30 meters high on the Surfr app. Sven broke his personal record with a jump of 26 meters, the highest jump of the trip!
After 2.5 hours, the session was done, and we wanted to score a flat water session before going out again in the big waves at sunset.
Having so many sessions on day one made us burn a lot of energy. That resulted in 2 injuries on the next morning of day two. The storm eased a bit and the sun cracked through. Stino and Marijn had a big plan to do a short line session. We were riding in a different spot with fully onshore wind.The conditions compared to the days before were a lot different… On Marijns first loop he lost his balance because the kite pulled so much more aggressively. He couldn’t control his body anymore and landed with a lot of heavy impact on his left foot. One rider down. Marijn broke his foot (a Lisfranc joint injury) and has since had surgery. He will be able to kite again in Cape Town by the end of the year.
Stino also had a big impact on his ribs. Just before taking off, he lost control and smacked into one of the big waves at full speed. Second rider down..
The rest of the team took it a bit more easy and luckily finished the trip with a few nice sessions in the waves and the different lakes in Denmark.
The Riders
Who was on the trip, and what did each rider bring to the lineup? How did the team push each other in those gnarly conditions? Any wipeouts or wild moments worth sharing?
Our crew consists of a bunch of guys that met on the water a while back. Stino, Michiel, Sven and Marijn are already done with their studies and now focus mostly on kitesurfing and creating content. Jord and Skip are still studying and they arranged that we had enough to “drink” during this trip, hahah. If you put us all together we are having the best time and all of us really enjoy kitesurfing for fun.
During the session, the mission was different for all of us. Some hunted the biggest bombs and tested how far they could push their gear. Others used the storm to break through limits. I have to admit the level of each SpaceX Kitesurfing astronaut has increased a lot over the years! All of us can pull loops and, here and there, take off the board mid-air. Some wipeout more than the others, but the whole team survived the storm and made it back alive.
The Gear
What gear choices made the difference in such heavy conditions? Did anyone push their setup to the absolute limit? How important is trust in your equipment when riding in a storm?
Having the right gear in a big storm is maybe the most important. This wasn’t a day for half-trust in your setup. We brought extra small spare kites so everyone could enjoy the strong wind safely. New bars with strong lines and smaller boards to hold down your edge better. Kitesurfshop Haarlem & Harlem Kitesurfing sorted us out with some new demo kites that we liked to try out. Besides that, we were all riding the Prolimit custom Atom, the newest hardshell of Prolimit that is specially built for riding in strong wind. In storm conditions, your equipment isn’t just a tool anymore - it is your lifeline.
The Feeling
What’s going through your head when you’re dropping into waves that size? How do you balance fear, adrenaline, and flow? Why chase storms? What makes it worth it?
As big air riders, we like strong wind. It is almost like the stronger the better. Our gear has improved, our skills are top-level. We just need nature to provide us with the best conditions we can think of to push our own limits to the next level.
When jumping from 5-meter-high waves and flying 200 meters away from it, time slows down. You feel the fear, but it is drowned out by adrenaline. There is a moment of flow where it’s just you, the wind, and a wall of water that wants to swallow you. That balance between chaos and control is why we chase storms. It is the raw experience that we are after.
Our Takeaways
What did you learn from this trip as riders and as a crew? How does storm chasing shape your style and approach to kiting? What’s next for the SpaceX Kitesurfing Crew — another mission lined up?
Trips like this change you. As a rider, you learn where your personal limits are and when to push your limits a bit more. As a crew, we learnt how much more fun it is to kite together. This year, we learnt not to spend all of our energy on day one so we can enjoy the trip with the whole team for 100%.
And as for what’s next? The SpaceX Kitesurfing Crew is already watching the charts. The next storm is never far away.
Cold Hawaii delivered, and the SpaceX Kitesurfing Crew went all in. From insane storm sessions to unforgettable moments with the team, this trip was a reminder of why we chase the wind and waves in the first place.
