LET'S TALK ABOUT JAVIER LÓPEZ, WORLD RECORD IN KITESURFING
It's hard to explain. Tingling in the belly, a feeling of adrenaline, freedom, a bit of fear... and lots and lots of happiness. Do you know what we are talking about? Exact! From kitesurfing. At
A YOUNG PROMISE OF 13 YEARS OLD
How would you feel if we told you that Javier López was crowned World Kitesurfing Champion at only 13 years old? At 13 years old, the man from Huelva is already a benchmark in the national and international kitesurf scene. Last October 2021, we have seen him take the U-15 world title on the podium in Valdevaqueros, Tarifa. Despite being so young, Javier can already boast of having measured himself in tests against rivals older than him on different occasions, and having beaten them.
WHERE DOES YOUR LOVE FOR KITESURFING COME FROM?
It is said that “like father, like son”, and with Javier history repeats itself. At only 5 years old, he stayed in the sand watching his father sail the seas and he was dying to imitate him. When he turned 10, he got into the water for the first time with a board. At that very moment, he fell in love with the sea and kitesurfing. Very soon he began to be his father's usual companion in the water. Months later, Juan Carlos, his physical trainer, came into his life, who from day one knew how to see the "innate qualities" that Javier has and has known how to make the most of them. Juan Carlos assures that we are facing a diamond, and that this is only the beginning of a promising future full of achievements that are yet to come.
STRAPLESS, YOUR STAR TYPE
Within the kitesurfing universe, there is a modality in which Javier moves like a fish in water. And that's the strapless. In case you don't know what it is, strapless (“strapp”: board grip) is a new modality of kitesurfing in which the kiter slides on a board that does not have any type of grip. This translates into a fresher, more striking and fun kitesurfing, but at the same time more risky and complex. The board looks a lot like a surfboard, although it is usually smaller and can have a sharp or square rock, depending on whether you want to use it in waves or not. Javier competes in all modalities, but his great favorite and the one that has given him the title of world champion is the strapless.
At his young age, Javier is already an example of effort, sacrifice and perseverance. We have a lot to learn from him and it may still be early, but everything indicates that we are facing one of the best Spanish kiters in history. We will see how many successes the next few years bring him.
