Flysurf Young Guns Column

Little more than a year ago, we were musing on the increasing presence of youth in various international competitions and series… A year later there's absolutely no doubting it, those pesky kids are definitely in the ascendant!

Proving the point, Aaron Hadlow, all of 15 (celebrated his birthday in Tarifa last September), who is dominating the PKRA Tour this season, keeping well at bay plenty of riders who were his idols and heroes not so very long ago. It's all so simple, everything young Aaron touches turns to victorious gold, or nearly…

And riding on his wake are plenty of other whipper-snappers, also ready to give the old order the heave-ho!!! Kevin Langeree, Gianni Aragno, Alvaro Onieva, Ruben Lenten, all forcing themselves into consideration… Though little more than 20 years old themselves, the likes of Vari, Philipp and Doyle have got plenty to worry about!!!

So what can we say about the recent win on the KPWT tour round in Turkey by the young Spanish girl rider, Gisela Pulido? At just 10 years old (the podium photos showed how tiny she is, even standing on the top rung !), she commanded total respect by deservedly taking the round ahead of her much bigger rivals with genuine skill and execution.

While most 10 year old kids are still making sand castles or sticking Britney Spears posters up on their bedroom walls, others are evidently more interested in the quality of their kiteloops! Whatever happened to respect for your elders???