Seb Bivaud, Duotone Kiteboarding Ambassador

Originally from the Guérande peninsula, I started windsurfing in 1985 when I was 11. At the time, not many girls were into the sport in La Baule bay, but my older sister was already riding.

It was the era of legends: Arnaud and Jenna de Rosnay, Robby Naish, Björn Dunkerbeck... In 1990, I bought my first board, a BIC FUN ROCK, and I was riding at the Holywind club (formerly Yagga). To pay for my gear, I got my sailing instructor certification and worked every summer at the local clubs (Holywind, Pajot, Derrien, CNBPP) as a windsurf and catamaran instructor.

After my studies, I did my military service as a sailing instructor at the École Navale (Crozon peninsula), spending a whole year on the water.

I was passionate about funboarding until the mid-2000s, and I discovered kitesurfing for the first time in 1999 in Corsica. In 2004, with three funboarder friends, we took a kite course with Ventilo in Pont-Mahé. That was it, I was hooked. My first kite: a 14m² Takoon Wook 2 (wind range 12-16 knots)… any more than that and it got dangerous!

Since then, I've never stopped. In 2009, I was still taking my windsurf and kitesurf gear on holiday... but since then, the funboards haven't left the garage.

So I wouldn't have to go on kite trips alone and to share my passion, I taught my whole family to kitesurf: my wife first, then Nina (13), Louanne (11), and Maxence (10). Now, when we go for a session at Pen-Bron, we empty the garage, take two cars, and between foil, surf, or twin-tip, there's something for everyone.

Since 2014, my go-to kite has been the Duotone Neo, especially for surfing and foiling. If I could only keep one: the 8m² Neo SLS. I also use it in 4m and 6m. For the smaller members of the family: 7m & 9m Dice. For 10m and up: Evo. In ultra-light wind: 13m Juice.

• Foil: Pace 4’2 / 4’6 + Carve 700 (freeride) or GT565 (faster) • Surf: Whip 5’10 + Pro Session 5’8

In 2022, I got into wing foiling. For a former funboarder/kitefoiler, it was a no-brainer. And now... it's my 13-year-old son who's giving me tips!