Robert Kidnie Bio and Q&A
Robert Kidnie was born in Adelaide, Australia and first started surfing on a boogie board at the age of 5 years old. He was lucky enough to move with his family to the wave hot spot of the Northern beaches of Sydney at the age of 11. This is where he developed into a competitive sponsored surfer, competing at both State and National level.
Rob has been lucky enough to live by the ocean his whole life and has competed in surf life saving, sailed various dinghies and yachts, and studied as Master Scuba Diver Trainer in various locations around the world.
8 years ago he picked a kite while working in North Queensland scuda diving due to a lack of waves and boredom. From this point he has never looked back and can’t stop travelling the world in search of the perfect wind and wave combination.
To fund his travels he operates a Kite-N-Surf school in Mui Ne Vietnam, some say the windiest place in Asia. http://www.kite-n-surf.com/
- Born: 24/05/1975 Adelaide, Australia
- AKA: Rob
- Hometown: Sydney, Australia
- Sponsors: Core Kites
- What boards are you riding at the moment? Sunova 6’0 Clone for strapless and a Protype – 5’10 with straps
- Biggest wave : 15ft
- Worst wipe out: HT’s in the Mentawai’s getting thrown over the falls them dragged across the reef at low tide.
- Best music: Anything not too commercial, I like to listen to an Australian radio station called Triple J.
- Best trip: Anywhere with world class waves and strong wind, Peru would have to the most memorable to date.
- Best time ever: Indonesia getting barrelled in the morning surfing and getting barrelled in the afternoon with the kite- YEOW!!
- What makes you happy? Surfing and Kiting, new experiences and challenges.
- When you don’t surf: Read, yoga, mountain bike, internet, relax.
- Who’s your hero? Anyone that has a go in life, Kelly Slater, Lance Armstrong, Buddha, Ghandi.
- What do you dislike? Pollution, negative people.
- In 5 years time: Still surfing and kiting and making money from doing something I love.