You’d think that most professional kitesurfers would have at least taken a kite up as kid. Contrary to that belief, flying a kite is not, in fact, a prerequisite for kitesurfing. Playing with kites wasn’t a part of Lewis Crathern’s childhood. Crathern took to the sport immediately, surfing waves with the help of a wind he never knew as a kid.

Growing up in the seaside Worthing and West Sussex town of Britain, Lewis Crathern would have had ample opportunity to harness the power off the sea with a regular kite. Instead, at 17 years of age, he took up kitesurfing. Within 3 years, he was a triumphant Men’s English Kitesurfing champion. He was the youngest man to win the tour.

Eight years later, and 4 tour wins to his name, he is consistently ranked within the top 20 in world rankings and he’s become something of an ambassador for the sport appearing on broadcasts and at promotional events to help explain what’s so incredible about the practice of Kiteboarding.

Kitesurfing, or Kiteboarding, is about letting the Ocean’s natural gusts propel you around the waves with simply a board attached to your feet and some incredible hang-time at your disposal if you know how to use the power. If you really want to know what Lewis, and many others in the fast-growing sport, love so much about kite-surfing, watch this most recent video and marvel at Lewis’ dexterity with the kite, the surf and the wind.