For anyone who hasn't heard of Marina Meltdown, what is it?
So if it isn't really a competition, what are people actually competing for?
What makes Marina Meltdown different from a traditional event?
The biggest difference is that it's built to be inclusive. You don't have to be a pro rider. You don't even have to be competing. You can come down, meet people, watch the riding, demo gear and just be part of the weekend. Every activity is designed so almost anyone can jump in. Everyone can see how fast they can go. Anyone can enter the Big Air session. The downwinder is something heaps of people can enjoy. But even then, those activities aren't really what the weekend is about. The best part is everyone hanging out on the beach together, going for sessions, catching up with friends and sharing the stoke. That's what I want people to remember.
You also made the decision to keep it kiteboarding only. Why was that important?
I felt like kiteboarding needed something that belonged to kiteboarding again. These days, a lot of events combine everything together. Winging, foiling, SUP, windsurfing, prone foiling. They're all great sports, but I wanted one weekend that was dedicated entirely to kiteboarding. It feels like the sport needed a bit of energy again.
This year we'll probably have more than 100 kiteboarders, which almost doubles what we had last year. That's pretty cool because it shows the community is still really strong and people genuinely want these kinds of events. The idea actually goes back much further than Hood River. It started in Australia. Yeah, Marina Meltdown was heavily inspired by the Merimbula Classic. I first went when I was about 12 or 13. I'd already done state titles and national titles, but Merimbula was different. That was where I really became part of the kiteboarding community. It was where you'd catch up with your friends every year, meet new people, connect with brands and just immerse yourself in the sport.
A lot of the friendships I still have today started there. Now that I'm living in the US, I don't have a Merimbula Classic anymore, so I figured, why not try to create the American version?
Saturday night has become almost as talked about as the riding. What can people expect?
It wouldn't be called Marina Meltdown for nothing. When I was growing up, kite events were definitely a bit rowdier than they are now, and I wanted to bring a little bit of that spirit back. It's three days at the beach in the sun. Ride all day, hang out with your friends, stay up a little too late, don't take yourself too seriously. The goal is pretty simple. By the end of the weekend, everyone should be completely melted.
