“Once I hit the kicker I try not to think past spinning, grabbing the bar and landing smooth.” Bromwich photo
NICKNAME: J-Ride
HOME-TOWN: Squamish, Canada
YEARS RIDING: 4 years
KITES: Airush Razor (9, 11, 13, 15)
BAR: AP Bar (5-Line)
BOARDS: Livewire 140×42
BOOTS: AK Boots
HARNESS: Mystic Majestic X (Hardshell)
You’ve only been kiting four years, yet you finished second at the Canadians last year and now made it to the Triple-S finals. What’s your secret? Other sports crossing over?
Jack Rieder: I grew up with a love for sailing and snowboarding, so when I started kiteboarding the two merged together quite well. I had done a handful of wakeboarding, but never had a personal boat to train with.
What’s your approach to training?
I decide on a trick that I want to learn, whether that be from watching another rider or seeing it in a video, and I will re-watch the trick to understand the motions. From there, I go out and start trying. It may not be the friendliest approach for my body as I learn the technique through many hard crashes, but at some point it clicks and I begin to land the trick occasionally, then eventually become consistent.
Do you enjoy a lot of different styles of kiting, or are you staying really focused on freestyle and park riding?
From the day I started kiteboarding I was extremely interested in freestyle and that’s where I found my niche in the sport. As I progress I have learned to enjoy big air and foiling occasionally. Recently I found park riding and it gives me the same excitement I had when I first started freestyle riding. Going forward I want to keep pushing the sport in freestyle and park riding.
What influence has Sam Medysky had on your pro career?
Sam Medysky was a rider that I looked up to from the day I started kiteboarding. He began to influence me when I first met him after he had moved to Squamish and introduced me to the world of professional kiteboarding. We went on trips to the key places together such as Hood River and Cape Hatteras, where he helped me develop an understanding of what is expected from a team rider. Sam continues to push me in my riding, and in how I position myself in the sport. I have huge appreciation for Sam Medysky for helping me to get where I am today.
Has being based in the Vancouver area been a blessing or a challenge to becoming a top level rider?
During the summer Squamish is one of the best kiteboarding locations on earth. Riding flatwater and steady wind all summer at home is definitely a blessing that allowed me to progress quickly. The winter slows down progression but encourages me to travel to warmer locations. I believe winter travel is a good balance as it allows me to train in other spots. While Squamish may not be windy year round, I would say it has been a key part of my progression.
What tricks were you working on leading up to the Triple-S?
I arrived in Cape Hatteras a couple weeks before Triple-S to work on my park riding and knew the standard for the event was to have 7s off the kicker consistently. In the two weeks leading up to the event I managed to dial in Heel Back 7s, Toe Back 7s and Moby Dicks.
Now that you have seen how close you are to the top, what are your plans?
Triple-S made me believe that I can compete at the kite park level and I want to focus more on my park riding. I’m going to train in Hood River this summer and visit cable parks over the winter in order to progress for the coming KPL stops.
Any interest in the 2024 Olympics?
I grew up racing sailboats competitively, so I do believe it could be a natural progression. At the moment I am very focused on freestyle and park riding but I am certainly going to explore the possibility.
