Townsville kitefoiler Ben Harper training for first-ever Olympic event at 2024 Paris Summer Games
Townsville has become the perfect breeding ground for a future Olympian with the iconic coastline providing the ultimate training arena.
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TOWNSVILLE has become the perfect breeding ground for a future Olympian with the iconic coastline providing the ultimate training arena.
Ben Harper may only be 22-years-old but he has big dreams he wants to achieve in the next three years.
Mr Harper is training for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games to compete in the first-ever kitefoiling event.
The revolutionised watersport is an extension of kiteboarding with surfers using a hydrofoil on their kiteboard allowing riders to ‘fly’ higher and faster.
After discovering the watersport when he was 20, Mr Harper decided to work towards an Olympic bid 12 months ago.
“I love the speed and the power and as you go faster, the kites get more and more powerful,” he said.
“It is so addictive and it is like a bug. Once you have caught the bug it is hard to get rid of it.”
Mr Harper is currently sponsored by Kite Foil Australia, Geodrill and Oakley with a kite costing up to $65,000.
He said Townsville provided ideal conditions to practise his skills six days a week.
“We have some of the best conditions in the world here because it is not really wavey and the wind is consistent,” he said.
“Every single day we are getting the perfect amount of wind to go out and train on The Strand and at Pallarenda.”
Originally published as Townsville kitefoiler Ben Harper training for first-ever Olympic event at 2024 Paris Summer Games
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