Kiteboarding.be przeprowadzilo wywiad z Markiem w tej sprawie:
Hi Mark, how are you ?
Very good thanks, I’m back in Tenerife after a 4 month trip and loving being at home again.
Are you still kiting a lot ?
I still kite everyday I can. Kiting has been my passion for the last 10 years and though I don't ride 6 hours a day anymore I still get nervous if it’s windy and I can't get out on the water!
I hear that you surf a lot as well.
Surfing is the mother sport! The first watersport I did and somehow still the most frustrating/rewarding at the same time! Few things can rival watching the sun come up whilst taking some waves with friends.
Ok Mark, enough small talk! We heard rumours that you left Nobile. Can you comment on that ?
Ok, let's get straight to it! After 5 fantastic years I’ve decided that it's time for Nobile and I to part and follow separate paths.
Nobile grew from nothing into an internationally recognized brand in just a few short years, it was a great challenge and a lot of fun but now I am ready for something new.
Does that mean your going to do other things within kite boarding?
I can't imagine my future NOT being involved in kiteboarding! I am 10 years living and breathing the sport, it’s in my blood and I have the best job in the world.... I get to play with new toys every day of the week and if I don’t like them I have the power to change everything!
I have the impression there is something you are not telling us! My information is that you are starting a new brand?
I can see you have a source!
It's a small world.
Well, it's true and not true!
Enlighten us?
The Shinn brand of kiteboards has existed since the birth of Nobile but has always been integrated into the Nobile range. I feel that now is a good time to bring this range out into the open and develop it into a full range of stand-alone kiteboards.
So this means that Shinn will become a brand in it’s own right?
I want to do something new and different... not just another copycat brand but something creative, striking and imaginative so from now on Shinn kite boarding is a completely separate company with no relations to any other brand on the market.
That’s interesting to hear, when do you expect to be showing your new products?
I ‘ve started already and am pretty busy right now finalizing the range and testing prototypes. I hope to be able to reveal everything fully in September.
So by September we’ll see Shinn kites and boards on the water ?
I have no intention of producing Shinn kites right now. The first step is to offer the best performing, best looking and best equipped kiteboards on the market in every style and size possible. I have a lot of experience in designing and testing kiteboards and this is my focus for the time being.
What kind of boards can we expect in your line-up ?
I’m preparing a full range...... Freestyle, Freeride, Light wind, Ladies, Youth, a new concept in Skim boards and of course surfboards!
It's going to be a large range and hopefully there’s a board in there for everyone!
I guess you proved that the freestyle and freeride boards you developed work well enough, but can you give us some more info about the ladies and youth boards?
Kiteboarding is a sport with a very wide ranging appeal. There are really a huge number of women and youngsters kiting, they don't have the same physical build as men and they don't have the same riding styles as men do so why would they have to ride the same boards?
So you’re going to do more than take a small men’s board, paint it pink and call it a women’s board?
I don't want to give the game away too much but I’m creating boards that are specifically designed for the people that ride them.... I’m not trying to make people ride the boards that are available!
When can we expect the first boards on the water ?
Well, it's hard to put an exact date on things right now but I hope the fruits of my labour will start to be seen in September.
Ok Mark, thanks for the small interview. We wish you all the best with your new kite company and look forward to seeing Shinn on the water!
www.shinnboarding.com