We’re beyond stoked to officially welcome Stijn Mul — better known in the Big Air scene as Stino — to the Harlem family! A homegrown talent from Bloemendaal, just next to our own Haarlem roots, Stino has carved out a name for himself on the global stage with explosive performances at Red Bull King of the Air, Red Bull Megaloop, and as a regular on the GKA Kite World Tour.
More than just a top Big Air athlete, he’s also a co-founder of SpaceX Kitesurfing and a passionate creative with a sharp eye for the extraordinary.
In this interview, we catch up with Stino about his journey from the IJsselmeer to international podiums, why he’s chosen to ride with Harlem, and how he’s combining Dutch grit, gear innovation, and a whole lot of stoke to push Big Air even higher.
Let’s dive in.
Name: Stijn Mul (Stino)
Discipline: Big Air (freestyle in the beginning)
Date of Birth: 26.06.2000
Where are you from?I was born in Bloemendaal, the village next to Haarlem. That is where I grew up, went to school and have most of my friends from.
Where are you currently based? Right now I am based in Amsterdam. Together with my girlfriend I am living in a houseboat that we rent from my parents. If I want to go kiting in the Netherlands each spot is around 30/40 minutes by car. My homespot, Zandvoort, where I normally go kiting together with all the boys, is still one of my favorite spots.
How did you get into kiting?I started kitesurfing in Schellinkhout at my parents’ holiday home next to the IJsselmeer.When I was five, back in 2005, I began windsurfing with my mom and dad.When I grew up a bit more I was allowed to start kitesurfing. That is what I did at the age of 10 (2010). I had 2 lessons and from there my adventure started. I was the first kid together with my best friend Max Berg-Andersen who started kitesurfing in Bloemendaal after a few years other young boys stepped into this addictive sport too. Right now almost all of our friends are sharing the same passion.
What would you say are your biggest achievements so far? My biggest achievement so far is competing at the highest level in kitesurfing while balancing my personal life. I'm fortunate to have close friends back home, and I finished my studies in Amsterdam about a year and a half ago. Together with my team, we launched a successful business and are currently building an exciting new project. I don’t stress about money and am living the life younger Stino dreamed of when I first started kiteboarding. For me, living the hybrid lifestyle as both an athlete and entrepreneur and having a blast doing it, is the ultimate win.
Why Harlem? What made you want to join the Harlem Family? For several years I have been in contact with Alex and Victor, the owner and the team manager. Before Harlem grew bigger, they worked with a local kite shop near where I lived, so we already knew each other and occasionally kited together. I have always admired their passion and hard work to make Harlem successful.
The reason I joined the family now is that Harlem is creating Big Air kites that will really help me to progress even further into the Big Air scene. I have ridden several finals of the Big Air tournaments but I think with this new gear I can score even more points and maybe secure bigger results in the future.
Next to that I really like the motivation I get from the Harlem team and the way they are working together. I have the opportunity at the moment to combine my marketing skills, kiteboarding level and Dutch roots to grow the brand Harlem even more and I couldn’t say no to that! The close connection I have now with a Dutch kiteboarding brand is what I might have been missing and I can’t wait for this chapter to start.
What’s your current Harlem gear setup – and what do you love about it?My style has always been focused on going as high as possible doing big and powered kite loops with board offs by the fin ;-). With Harlem I have the opportunity to still push my single loops big air trick for sure with the Harlem Peak. But next to that I have the opportunity to push double loop tricks. This will be a slight change in my competition strategy, because this will be the first time I will have a really good double loop kite, the Harlem Thrive. I am excited to see how that goes.
What are your goals or dreams for the future?The goal I have for the future is to be at the top level as long as possible with the most fun as possible and without getting injured. My biggest dream is to secure a podium position at the Red Bull Megaloop Challenge. Since I was a kid I have been watching this big event at my homespot in Zandvoort and last year was the first time I competed in this hardcore competition. I really want to show the Dutch kiteboarding community what I have in me and I feel that I can show that the best in the wild Dutch storms.
Describe your riding style in one sentence: Boosts to the moon, loops like a maniac, grabs the fin mid-flight, and still sticks the landing like it's nothing.
All-time favourite kite spot: The SpaceX Classic Downwinder with the whole crew. (Zandvoort WVZ - Parnassia)
Who or what inspires you most – in and out of kiting? In the sport of kitesurfing there is one name that used to inspire me when I was a kid and is still inspiring me at the moment: Kevin Langeree. When I was young Kevin really showed me that pushing yourself as an athlete will make sure you will have fun. Kevin was creating really sick content and I just knew I wanted to do the same as him. Now, he still inspires me — not just because of his riding, but because he turned his passion into a career. He built his own brand from the ground up, and that shows how far hard work and vision can take you. Kevin is not just a big name because of his skills, but because of who he is open, fun, and genuine. That is how I think athletes should represent themselves in this sport.
Outside of kiting, my biggest inspiration are my parents. They have startedtheir own business fromwhen they were young, and I have seen firsthandhow much dedication, resilience, and passion that takes. Growing up, I watched them work hard every single day — not just to be successful, but to do it in a way that stays true to who they are.
They have shown me that professionalism doesn’t mean being cold or distant, it means being reliable, respectful, and treating everyone with kindness. That balance between being business-minded and still being human is something I try to carry with me in everything I do, whether it's working with sponsors, organising events, or just being part of the kite community.
