He was my first contact in Wellington.  Supportive and helpful all the way, Blaise is one of the 'old salts' in Wellington now.  He has chosen to entrench himself and his lovely family at the doorstep of the Wind Garden that is Mana/Plimmerton/Whitireia Park/Onehunga Bay.

Outspoken in all that is kitesurfing/kiteboarding in Wellington (and also because KitesurfNZ is based in Wellington), KitesurfNZ chose Blaise as the first recipient of an ongoing series of 'getting to know kiters of NZ'.

Kiters of Wellington

Handle: Blaise St-Laurent.

Nickname: Blaise.

For a crust, I: Current IT Contract: Computer security for the National Grid. (I tinker with blinking lights).

Tours of duty around the Sun: 39, 40 this year 

Years at the bar: 10. All in Wellington.

Fav weapon and size: 6m Enduro 

Trusty stead: Three to choose from right now but, Prototype Axis surfboard 5’10, narrow Thruster round tail

Heaps of rocker, unstable but rocks.

Had lessons?: Jan 2009, ONU Kiteschool, Kavae (Who now runs a kite school in Muri, Rarotonga).

Local kite spot: Mana/Plimmerton

Most exotic location kited: Aitutaki. 

Dream location: Cloud break, Fiji, Mauritius 

Kiting style: Freeride, wave riding. 

Favourite kite jam: Gybing a surfboard

Current kite progression (move that you’re working on): Darkslides and S-bend

I ate sh#t when: *Chuckles* The worst one.......Snapping a bar in half at Seatoun.

Wrapped my kite around a two million dollar home.  Super west conditions, crashed, punched out, bar ran up the lines and snapped at the stopper ball!

Impromptu question - How are you still alive? F#@k you.

Lika-Boss moment: Lyall Bay, Rode a mean wave. 2011, a wave pitched up with an easy double overhead face and as I rode up the wave I could see the underside of Kev's (Anderson) board as he was riding down it! It felt so incredible, it's a day I'll never forget!

Getting my son on the board with me for the first time. (Click here too see Blaise riding tandem with his son) 

I can’t wait until….: I'm riding with [my son] Ben. 

Number one kite tip:

Your kite will fly you home in almost any condition!