Hamish entertains some local Dominican kids at Buen Hombre, near the border of Haiti. Photo Bill StarkDon’t be offended! You would be flipping off the world too if you werechilling in Richard Branson’s swimming pool on his private isl<strong>and</strong> aftergiving him kite lessons. Hamish <strong>and</strong> Justin Souter enjoy Nirvana inthe BVIs. Photo Carib KiteboardingBy <strong>Ryan</strong> <strong>Riccitelli</strong>DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPEHamish Mac Donald came on to the East Coast kiteboarding scene inearly 2001 <strong>and</strong> quickly earned himself a reputation for pushing the limitsof unhooked riding. Back in the day, he would boost huge unhooked,board-offs which then evolved to even bigger h<strong>and</strong>le pass <strong>and</strong> kiteloopmoves. Hamish was never known for taking the professional side of thesport too seriously <strong>and</strong> even jumped a Sheriff’s boat <strong>and</strong> got arrestedduring one of his heats at the 2003 Islamorada Invitational in the FloridaKeys. Known for smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer before a session,he has never followed the mainstream <strong>and</strong> has lit up forums around theworld with his outspoken opinions. No matter what people say, he is aforce to be reckoned with on the water. Whether it is freestyle, rails, racingor riding in the surf, Hamish can school many of the top pros. We caughtup with Hamish this summer to see what he had to say abut the currentstate of kiteboarding.26 THEKITEBOARDER.COMNeil Hutchinson has always been a big brother to Hamish on <strong>and</strong> off the water. Photo <strong>Ryan</strong> <strong>Riccitelli</strong>
THE SHERIFF DROVE THROUGH THE COURSE AND CUT ME OFF, SO I TOOK EVASIVEACTION BY PULLING THE TRIGGER AND JUMPING; IF THE LAW ASKSOne can only imagine what is going through the lady’s head as she watches Hamishslide the deck at Sable Rock in the British Virgin Isl<strong>and</strong>s. Photo Carib KiteboardingHamish warms up before a session.Photo Paul LangHamish smiles as he is taken away in cuffs after his infamous sheriffboat jump at the 2003 Islamorada Invitational. Photo Rick IossiWHEN AND WHERE DID YOU START KITEBOARDING? I bought my first kite atObsession Watersports in early 2000. I practiced in Newport, Rhode Isl<strong>and</strong><strong>and</strong> Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I finally got it dialed on a month-long holiday inPuerto Rico.GROWING UP IN THE UK, DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD BECOME A PROFESSIONALKITEBOARDER? I wanted to be a pimp, but this will do.YOU ARE KNOWN FOR INNOVATING THE RAT TAIL OR HANDLE PASS LEASH. HOWDID YOU COME UP WITH THIS AND HOW DO YOU THINK IT HELPED THE SPORT?Everyone in Florida used snap shackles back in the day, so I got a hard time.All the first leashes broke, <strong>and</strong> I would get yelled at for losing my kite. Nowthey work really well, <strong>and</strong> some kites are sold with them. They changed thesport a lot. Some kids now are learning unhooked tricks before they can doa one-footer.DID YOU EVER GET RIDICULED FOR BEING ONE OF THE FIRST RIDERS TO REGULARLYWEAR A LEASH? I think the guys in Maui used them first. Everyone here in Floridathought it was too dangerous to unhook.SEVERAL YEARS AGO YOU WERE TOTALLY COMMITTED TO RIDING A PULLEY BAR ANDUNHOOKED. WHY WERE YOU SO MILITANT ABOUT THIS AND IS THIS HOW YOU FEELTODAY? I still am all about short lines <strong>and</strong> pulleys on small kites, but I use achicken loop stopper ball, safety <strong>com</strong>bo with long lines on my light wind rig.YOU USED TO RIDE 100CM TO 120CM HANA CREW BOARDS. WHAT HAPPENEDTO HANA CREW, AND WHAT WAS YOUR REASONING FOR RIDING SUCH SHORTBOARDS? 120-130 cm is still my favorite TT size. I still have a blast on smallboards in flat water. The Hana Crew factory got smashed <strong>by</strong> a couple ofhurricanes, but the boys still sell awesome burritos at Da Kine Diego’s inSatellite Beach.IN RECENT YEARS YOU HAVE SWITCHED OVER TO RIDING A SURFBOARD. WHAT IS YOURTAKE ON RIDING STRAPS VERSUS STRAPLESS? Straps don’t work on surfboards. Youneed to move your feet to trim the board, but small tow boards <strong>and</strong> directionalswork well with straps.IN 2003 YOU WERE ARRESTED AT THE ISLAMORADA INVITATIONAL FOR JUMPING ASHERIFF’S BOAT. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED FROM YOU PERSPECTIVE. The Sheriff drovethrough the course <strong>and</strong> cut me off, so I took evasive action <strong>by</strong> pulling the trigger<strong>and</strong> jumping; if the law asks. But really, I’m a big kid <strong>and</strong> it was fun. I went tocourt a couple of times to try to get off. I ended up driving to the Keys for nowind <strong>and</strong> a bunch of fines. The law won; those bastards!YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY OUTSPOKEN ON THE FORUMS. DO YOU STILL LOG INTOANY OF THE FORUMS TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON? Not very often - it’s been windyhere. When I have time, I’m on CherryTAP.<strong>com</strong>.YOU LIVED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DURING ITS EARLY HEYDAY. WHAT WASTHAT LIKE AND WHAT WAS YOUR BEST EXPERIENCE? The first Xrated riding party wasthe best kite trip ever. There was a cool crowd, minimal bitching, wind, waves,Garrets <strong>and</strong> lots of Presidente beer - you can’t beat that.YOU HELPED PIONEER THE BVI KITEBOARDING SCENE. HOW DID YOU END UP THEREAND WHERE WAS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO RIDE? I worked there before I startedkiting. After I learned to go upwind, I had to go back to kite some of the spots Ihad surfed before. There are top secret waves. You have to find them yourselves.WE USED TO SEE YOU RIDING SHORT LINES AND BUSTING HUGE KITELOOPS. WHATWAS YOUR REASONING FOR THIS AND ARE YOU STILL INTO KITELOOPS? I still love doingkiteloops on short lines when I’m lit on a 7m, but I don’t really do them on thelight days anymore. I take a surf or skim board out. My reasoning for riding shortlines is to get over the kite.SEVERAL YEARS AGO, YOU WERE THE GUY WHO WOULD HIT ANY SLIDER, CHARGEANY CONDITIONS AND BASICALLY PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE TO ATTEMPT ANYKITEBOARDING STUNT. HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED? I still don’t do chicken jibes!YOU EARNED A REPUTATION OF BEING THE BAD BOY OF KITEBOARDING. DO YOUTHINK THIS WAS A LEGITIMATE LABEL OR JUST HYPE? Who me? Never!OVER THE YEARS YOU COMPETED AND PLACED IN MANY OF THE US FREESTYLEEVENTS. DO YOU STILL COMPETE AND WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON COMPETITIONS? Iwould like to do more wave, kicker <strong>and</strong> slider events but not freestyle.RECENTLY YOU HAVE GOTTEN INTO RACING BOARDERX EVENTS. WHAT IS YOUR TAKEON THE WHOLE RACING SIDE OF KITEBOARDING? It’s a lot more fun <strong>and</strong> there is aclear winner, but the gear will have to change, especially the boards.FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, YOU HAVE SEEMINGLY DROPPED OUT OF THE KITEBOARDINGLIMELIGHT. WHAT HAPPENED AND ARE YOU STILL INVOLVED IN PROFESSIONALKITEBOARDING? I’m going to do a few events a year, <strong>and</strong> I am still sponsored <strong>by</strong>Slingshot Kiteboarding. I am trying to spend more time in the surf <strong>and</strong> lesstime in my heat!WHAT KITES ARE YOU RIDING THESE DAYS AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEWBOW AND HYBRID KITES? I have 7, 9, 11m Fuels, a 12m T2 <strong>and</strong> a 25m Machine.Bows are cool, but they don’t work for me in the surf. They have made it mucheasier to teach beginners.WHERE WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOURSELF IN THEN NEXT COUPLE YEARS? On a sickwave with a couple of friends lit on 7ms.Hamish hit a kicker <strong>and</strong> gapped 10 feet to frontside board slide two picnic tables;<strong>and</strong> then rode away effortlessly. Photo <strong>Ryan</strong> <strong>Riccitelli</strong>28 THEKITEBOARDER.COM
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