Ruben and Scott's Mega Storm Chase in Tarifa

March 2, 2023 / Kitesurf

February saw a period of truly incredible winds hit Tarifa. Like the wind hound he is, Ruben Lenten wanted to get his teeth deeply into the conditions and quickly lined up a spontaneous trip to Spain’s southernmost tip with fellow Ozone team rider, Scott Barendsen.

Read on for a little reaction from the megaloop master on his approach to hardcore sessions like these and check out a huge mega clip from Scott too!

Full details of the trip will run in issue #98 of IKSURFMAG, released in April. Also look out for more BTS videos from Ruben from these sessions, during which he even confesses to have been beaten at times… surely not!

RUBEN:
“Wow, what a trip! It was so exciting to chase a forecast like that, with conditions that were even just too gnarly for the 7m Edge at times, we still scored some amazing moments.

“Heading out to a storm is very different than going for a regular session. It’s more of a mental game. The environment as a whole is much harsher, scarier and everything feels more powerful. Besides making sure your equipment and body are in tip-top condition, it is also very important to set clear goals for your session.

“Goal setting is always a tremendous help to make the most of the conditions and to really ensure I have a fulfilling session. Even though you may have something you really want to achieve, if the conditions are just not ideal for it that day, then it’s very important to shift your focus to make sure you don’t get upset or hurt yourself.

Ruben sends it sky high on the Edge V11 during the windy week at Balneario / Photo: Samuel Cardenas

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“Ozone team rider Scott Barendsen had never seen a forecast like that for Tarifa. He sent me a Whatsapp with details of 60+ knots coming up on the radar. I just needed to see and feel it. I packed my bags and headed over, but armed only with a 7m Edge as my smallest kite.

“Our goal was to try to jump 35+ metres, but I’ve honestly never felt such a strong wind. There was sand and water flying everywhere. The swell direction meant there were no kickers at Balnaerio, so we headed up the coast and scored some great conditions.

“Scott was ripping on the 7m Edge V11 with 23m lines while I took my 8m Edge on 12m lines. Riding shorter lines is something I’ve been experimenting with but this was the first time I rode such very short lines. It felt so new and incredible. So dynamic, direct and playful: I just love it!”

Look out for the full feature with incredible images from Samuel Cardenas and Antonio Trujillo coming up in IKSURFMAG issue #98 in April.

IKSURF issue #97 features an interview with Ozone’s Jamie Overbeek about finishing second at this year’s Red Bull King of the Air! Read it here.

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Ruben and Scott’s Mega Storm Chase in Tarifa

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