We ask Andre Phillip 7 Questions and find out what the future of Tona looks like in 10 years.
Follow Andre on instagram to see what he’s been up to! @andrephillip
How long have you been kiteboarding?
I’ve been kiteboarding for 20 years now so i basically learned back in the day hen gear was really primitive. You basically had to be a gladiator if you wanted to learn and the reason i say that is because the kites didn’t relaunch very well, they pulled like trucks, the safety was pretty much a joke and there wasn’t any depower so it was super difficult to learn. It’s amazing to see how much the sport has gotten better over the years.
What got you started into Kiteboarding?
I got in to kiteboarding because when I first saw it I thought it was really cool and prior to that I had been surfing, windsurfing, and wakeboarding for many years of my life so when I first saw kiteboarding I was like wow this is basically a mix match of all three of those sports that I love to do so i was hooked immediately.
How has the kiteboarding industry changed in the last 10 years?
Kiteboarding has Diversified a lot in the past 10 years I would say back in the day freestyle was pretty much the only thing people did These days you have kite Racing feuling kitesurfing Big Air, and freestyle. So it really has grown a lot and each category is really growing as well so its cool to see. As time passed since the beginning of the sport, technological advancements and trial and error has played a huge part in the progression of the industry.
How do you think the sport will change over the next 10 years?
It’s a bit tricky to determine what kiteboarding will be like in the next 10 years. Everything moves so quickly these days. I definitely think that kids will always be the ones who push each sub category of kiting to the next level. I think it will be up to the brands to make kiteboarding more accessible and safer so that more people can enjoy it.
Who influences you in the industry and in life?
I’m influenced a lot by my peers. I used to live in Maui so have spent a lot of time around some of the best riders and that alone taught me so much about kiting and was able test my abilities at the same time. As far as influence off the water, anybody that is humble, cares about other people and the environment is who I really look up to.
What do you do when you are not kiting?
Well if there are waves I will definitely be out surfing. But if there’s no waves you can find me chilling with the crew, boating, freediving, going to the beach or just doing anything outside. I also love capturing moments with my camera so you might find me hiding behind my lens.
What does Tona look like in 10 years?
We want to build products that inspire people to get in the ocean and experience the elements. We also want to inspire people to protect the environment. We believe that by showing people how much fun you can have on the water, they will be much more aware when it comes to protecting our waters and the environment because it’s our biggest playground.
