Name: Julien Fillion
Aka: J..
Born: 1981-07-05 (1981-05-07 in US term)
Reside: Ottawa, US East-Coast, Hawaii, & other places
Height / weight: 5'10" 150 pds
Kiting Since: 2k04
Your 08 LF Setup: All the gear I've been working on for 2009, I can't tell you about it now I've been riding 2009 gear since August 2007, this shows you how much in advance we design and create our best ideas.
Favorite energy source/motivator for kiting: Good waves, 9m waves, sunny weather.. good friends to ride with.
What are your cross training sports: Stand Up Surfing, Tow Surfing, Surfing, Wakeboarding on Rails, Running.
Describe your first kiteboarding experience: I first discovered snowkiting when I returned home in Canada from windsurfing in Maui in the year 2002. Kiteboarding was then picking up pretty intensively. I suddenly realized that I had the opportunity to skip the post-drowning and body dragging period and could simply jump on my snowboard in light wind conditions and snowkite the first day I got my hand on a traction kite.
Describe your best moments in kiteboarding: All the late night session on the Central East-Coast US, and this winter Spreckelsville Maui 20 foot wave kiting sessions.
What is the best location you have kited and why:
Flatwater : Shippagan, NB, Canada
Scenery : Hatteras, NC, US
Waves : Well, if you are there at the right time, Sand Banks, Ontario Lake
If not Moks Oahu.
Sliders : Shippagan, NB, Canada & Hatteras
People/Atmosphere : Any where with my friends..
What drives you to get up in the morning and go kite: Well.. I don't really kite in the morning, I sleep but in the afternoon until dark, what drives me, just the feeling of the natural power of the kite going thought your toes all the way to your upper body.
What are your personal goals for kiteboarding: Create the best kiteboarding gear out there Then as riding goals, being able to bring kiteboarding as close to surfing, snowboarding and wakeboarding as possible.
Where do you want to travel that you have not been yet? Chili, I love it when it's cold.
Where have you been that will always remain in your mind? Hampton Beach, New Jerseys. It's the closest break from my house in Canada, and I only kited there once, but it was epic east-coast hurricane weather.
Why do you choose LF: I was really attracted by all the potential of this brand, unlimited potential.
What makes LF different and special: It's my second family, that's it! You can feel the love, the respect and that every single person involved with LF give their heart and soul for what they love
Where do you see kiteboarding in 5 years: It's going to definitely be a lot bigger, there's been a huge increase in the number of kiteboarders in the past 2-3 years.. If in the next 5 years we can convince 0.5% of all global surfers and snowboarders to try a kite, kiteboarding will then be a fully legit sport.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years: Probably doing the same thing I'm somewhere in my life now where I feel really fulfilled. Because of kiteboarding, I have friends all over the world now, plus kiteboarding keeps me near the ocean.
What has been your most personal contribution to the sport that has had the most impact/influence: Couple of my gear innovation in the past 3 years. The simple and clean LF control system, the unique bridles setup on the Havoc, the world's first molded kite foot strap. And being one of the only kite designer that pushes his riding as much as his designs.
Myspace/facebook pages: I do, but under a secret name Look for Jean Pole !!!
Describe the ultimate day of kiting- conditions, friends, gear, location, etc: Perfect Onshore wind condition, 10 sec waves, head high, A frame breaking, 6m Havoc or Session or 7m Hifi, 5'10 LF Rawson Quad surfboard, sunny, 3/3 wetsuit (yes I know it's weird, but I live for cold water!!!). Friends, any of them, as long as I can share these moments with some of them.
What else is in your life outside of kiting: Anything relating to the water. In April I always come back home for 2-3 weeks of river surfing in freezing cold water. In the winter I hangout in Maui and tow surf and stand up a lot. Design, working on new ideas modelizing my ideas movies. Just Living Fully!