The Committed… MACkite with Tucker Vantol

the committed

At TheKiteMag HQ we kite year-round, but temperatures rarely drop towards freezing for us. So we are in awe of the team at MACkiteboarding, Michigan USA, who kite amongst icebergs! We spoke to manager Tucker Vantol about the commitment to kiting that the team at their shop and school show.

PHOTOS MARC HOEKSEMA

Yes, we kite year-round in Michigan. Last year we kited every week except two, when the ice flow came out the rivers. More commonly, we lose one or two months of kiting on the water due to icebergs. Needless to say, we value high-quality neoprene. It is much easier now with wetsuit technology than when I was growing up surfing in a junky old dive suit. I had some serious issues with opening car doors and nausea back in those days! I should probably mention the importance of a functional kite safety release. In those temperatures, a frozen safety release is a real consideration, so we change to wingsurfing or surfing in negative windchills. It is a bit of a learned skill really and another element to consider when riding.

WHAT DO YOU GET UP TO WHEN YOU CAN’T KITE ON THE WATER?

We snowkite and teach snowkiting in the winter. It is a great way to teach since so many people here already know how to ski and snowboard. They can ride while they learn since they do not need to worry about riding fast enough to plane. They practice over the winter and generally hit the water and go in the spring with relative ease. I would say it is the easiest way to learn to kite. Luckily we have lots of great spots just a stone’s throw from our shop – loads of large inland lakes, large dune areas, and the Lake Michigan shoreline as well. It is a growing scene in our area and lots of midwesterners travel to our area to ride too so it is always fun to see fresh faces.

YOU GUYS SEEM TO HAVE A GREAT SETUP THERE. GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND TO THE SCHOOL AND SHOP.

Steve Negen started MACkite 40 years ago in Mackinaw City (hence the name). He opened a second location in Grand Haven, our current headquarters, years later. We had beginnings as a sport kite shop, and as Steve learned to kite in the nineties with the first two-line Wipika kites he began to sell them too. As Naish, Cabrinha and others came on the scene we started selling those as well. We have always been very much a bricks-and-mortar shop with a lesson program from the start. Nowadays, a lot more is done online so we are stoked to bring that same energy and experience to riders globally. Our MACkiteboarding YouTube channel and accompanying blog on our website have been a big part of that recently, in an effort to inform and educate riders as if they were standing in the shop with us. Being a foiling addict, I work mostly on the ‘Foil Fridays’ and ‘Wing Wednesday’ series.

YOU MUST HAVE ONE OF THE BIGGEST TEAMS WE’VE HEARD OF FOR A KITE SCHOOL AND SHOP.

Our boardsports team ranges from 12-20 employees throughout the year depending on what we have going on. Most are full-time, year-round employees but we also have some seasonal instructors (mostly schoolteachers) who help meet the needs of students in the spring-summer season. I think one of our greatest assets is picking the right team. We are all passionate and invested in the sport, so I think that is a key to our success – nobody here is simply punching the clock for a paycheck. Honestly, most of our staff members are incredibly overqualified but find themselves working here because of their love for the sport and the good people we work with. The massive demo inventory is a nice perk too! We also work with a few brand ambassadors locally and globally to test gear, produce useful content, and help share the MACkite stoke everywhere they go.

TELL US MORE ABOUT A COUPLE OF THEM AND HOW THEY

SHOW TRUE COMMITMENT TO KITING .

Blake Olsen is a bit of a globetrotter and he also charters custom kiting trips and lessons worldwide, so he is a great resource for pretty imagery, new locations, and the best instructor commentary you can find. His smile and attitude are even more infectious than his riding style; it is impossible to find a more upbeat person. Ryan has been with us a long time and is now in his dream position of working remotely in the MACkiteboarding RV. He makes his way around North America making videos and sharing his love for the sport. You will find him at the best spots in their season for the next few years. When travel opens up again, he’ll be hitting some global adventures as well. He is a regular in Portugal and Brazil in their kite seasons.

AND HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY SHOW TRUE COMMITMENT TO KITING?

I’m generally first on the water in the morning because I have a wife, five homeschooled kids, and a bunch of homestead animals! With that responsibility, it pays to wake up early and get on the water so I can be sure to get a session in. There’s no better way to start the day than sipping a coffee and pumping up in the dark. ■