Meet The Team

CERTIFIED KITE FROTHERS!

Our passion for kitesurfing and adventure is the driving force embodied in our team, which is shared with you when you join us on our specially crafted experiences at world-class kitesurfing locations.

The Zephyr Team consists of mature, friendly, and qualified instructors, coaches, and guides; and with a high ratio of team to guests, we can always offer quality services with no fuss, so you get the best out of your Zephyr Kite Tour.

If you’re keen to be a part of this fun and crazy crew, why not join our team?

BEN STROWGER

OWNER / DIRECTOR
KA SENIOR INSTRUCTOR | STOKECOACH | DUOTONE TEAM RIDER

BEN STROWGER

Ben has been passionate about board sports since he left England in 2003. As a natural motivator and frother of any action sport, he’s been leading people on adventures to snowboard, party, and kitesurf for years. Having worked for Zephyr since 2013, Ben became the proud owner of the business in 2020 and since then has been constantly searching for new and exciting destinations to bring a Zephyr Tour along to! Ben’s friendly and positive outlook on life is contagious and his passion for kitesurfing and adventure will blow you out of the water – literally! His tagline of, “Keep it simple, make it stylish,” will have you kiting with more style and better technique in no time. While coaching, Ben likes to focus on progression, ensuring that all his clients finish each session with a smile and stoke! He loves to fly high and boasts a WOO record of 24.4m (#4 all-time in Australia). Ben’s favourite time to kite is when a storm front is rolling through and the wind gusts above 30kts. However, when out of the water, Ben puts all his focus and energy into ensuring he delivers the highest level of customer service, providing you with the best customer experience. When he’s not living the stoke kiting in remote destinations around the world, Ben works for our partner retail shop Ocean Addicts in Sunshine Coast, QLD. Check out his Stoke Coach sessions for the ultimate inspiration and see why he gets people to follow him anywhere around the world for the stoke.

HOME COUNTRY: England
YEARS KITING: 15 years
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Megaloop board-off
KITESURFING GOALS: Double mega-loop (without breaking my ribs!)
WOO RECORD: 24.4m

CAT JAY

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & ADMINISTRATOR
KA LEVEL 1

CAT JAY

Cat first set out to pursue adventure in sports tourism in the mid-2000s when she moved to Whistler, Canada to work as a snowboard instructor. After relocating to the Sunshine Coast, QLD in 2018, the warm waters and smaller swell of sunny QLD provided Cat with the perfect opportunity to take up surfing. With the windy, sunny days of summer, it only seemed natural to expand her board-sport repertoire to include kitesurfing. Cat became an instructor in 2021 and enjoys connecting with her students by tailoring each kite lesson to their specific needs, recognising that each student has a different learning style. As a kiter, Cat appreciates long, flat-water sessions with the wind blowing 18-20kts, where she can consistently push her skill level and improve her technique. She is keen to boost higher and execute her jumps and rotations with more style. After working as a high school teacher for 10 years, Cat now works in marketing, graphic design, and website management. With the expansion of Zephyr Tours and the increasing range of activities offered on tour, Cat joins the Zephyr team in an administrative role while also lending a hand with tour photography.

HOME COUNTRY: Australia
YEARS KITING: 5
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Tweaked front-roll grab
KITESURFING GOALS: Kite loops & heli-loops with confidence
WOO RECORD: 9.9m

TEAM COCOS 2025

SHARNA FRIEND

CHEF

SHARNA FRIEND

Sharna discovered kitesurfing in Portugal in 2012 and has been chasing adventure ever since. Passionate about adrenaline-fueled activities like snowboarding, diving, and kiting, she brings high energy and a love of the outdoors to everything she does. A seasoned chef, Sharna has spent years working in restaurants, cafés, and the oil and gas industry, honing her skills in fast-paced, high-pressure kitchens. When she's not on the water, you'll find her growing her own produce and crafting meals from whatever's on hand. For Sharna, Zephyr is the perfect blend of her two greatest loves—cooking and kiting—in one incredible paradise.

HOME COUNTRY: Australia
YEARS KITING: 13 years
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Backroll
KITESURFING GOALS: Dark slide & some big air
BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE A BEGINNER KITESURFER?
Don’t give up.
KITESURFING PHRASES THAT ONLY A KITESURFER WOULD UNDERSTAND?
Body drag, pop.
FAVOURITE PLACE TO GO KITESURFING?
Inverloch or Western Australia
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST ABOUT JOINING THE ZEPHYR TEAM?
Literally everything!

PHIL GREEN | INSTRUCTOR

KA LEVEL 1

PHIL GREEN

Phil is our on-island local legend! Not only does he teach and facilitate all our kitesurfing lessons and help out on tour with the Zephyr Team as required, Phil is a carpenter extraordinaire, fixing, building, constructing, designing; whatever it is we need help with (just take a look at our sturdy kite racks in the kite shack)! Phil started Kiteboarding in the Cocos (K) Islands back in 2011 and his passion for teaching saw him enrol in the first Kiteboarding Australia Instructors course in 2016. He moved to Cocos with his wife Karen in the same year to 'retire', i.e,. work full-time as a carpenter, while enjoying the fantastic climate and wind conditions that Cocos has to offer. When Phil’s not teaching you’ll find him kiting in the Cocos lagoon or snorkeling with the turtles.

HOME COUNTRY: England
YEARS KITING: 10 years
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Jumping kite loop transition
KITESURFING GOALS: To still be kiting when I’m as old as Graham Flynn
WOO RECORD: I’m happy to get my fins out of the water!
BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE A BEGINNER KITESURFER?
If in doubt, don’t go out!
KITESURFING PHRASES THAT ONLY A KITESURFER WOULD UNDERSTAND?
Tea Bagger!… Pumping!
FAVOURITE PLACE TO GO KITESURFING?
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
BEST THING ABOUT BEING A PART OF THE ZEPHYR TEAM?
Meeting new people, learning from other instructors, and being a part of an enthusiastic team.

DAVE HORNE | INSTRUCTOR

KA SENIOR INSTRUCTOR

DAVE HORNE

Dave discovered kitesurfing by chance while backpacking through Europe on a shoestring budget. A volunteer opportunity at a kite school in Montenegro turned into a life-changing summer spent living on the beach and learning to ride. From his very first session, he was hooked—and knew he wanted to teach the sport and share the stoke worldwide. Since then, kiting has been at the centre of Dave’s life. He now lives on a sailboat near his favourite local spots, teaching water sports and living fully immersed in the ocean lifestyle. His long-term dream? To sail around the world, guiding kite cruises to remote and beautiful destinations. Known for his calm energy and natural teaching style, Dave has a gift for breaking down skills for any level of rider. Whether you’re brand new to the sport or ready to progress, Dave makes learning feel easy and fun.

HOME COUNTRY: Australia
YEARS KITING: 10 years
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Foil backroll
KITESURFING GOALS:
Getting the board back on my feet while doing a board-off
WOO RECORD: 14m
BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE A BEGINNER KITESURFER?
All of us have persisted through the struggles of the beginner stage.
KITESURFING PHRASES THAT ONLY A KITESURFER WOULD UNDERSTAND?
Send it!… It’s nuking!… Power zone.
FAVOURITE PLACE TO GO KITESURFING?
Koh Phangan, Thailand
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST ABOUT JOINING THE ZEPHYR TEAM?
Being a part of awesome adventures in such a beautiful location.

SEAN TALLMAN | INSTRUCTOR

IKO LEVEL 1

SEAN TALLMAN

Born and raised on the beaches of Southern California, Sean has always lived by the water. Sailing and surfing shaped his early years, and his love for the ocean took him to Florida in 2018, where he studied science and competed on a collegiate sailing team. With no waves to surf on the Gulf Coast, he picked up a kite and never looked back. What started as a way to fill the surf-shaped hole in his heart quickly became a full-blown obsession. He began teaching during summers back home and became a certified IKO instructor in 2020 while training in Mexico. Since then, Sean has introduced kitesurfing to people from all walks of life. These days, when he’s not teaching on the beach, he’s working in water quality management, helping ensure clean water for future generations. Whether it’s sharing his passion for kiting or protecting the oceans he grew up on, Sean’s heart is always in the water.

HOME COUNTRY: USA
YEARS KITING: 7 years
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Inverted frontroll
KITESURFING GOALS: Board off
WOO RECORD: 17m
BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE A BEGINNER KITESURFER?
Enjoy the learning process. You only get to do it once.
KITESURFING PHRASES THAT ONLY A KITESURFER WOULD UNDERSTAND?
When in doubt, bar out!
FAVOURITE PLACE TO GO KITESURFING?
Los Osos Bay, California
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST ABOUT JOINING THE ZEPHYR TEAM?
Spending time making new friends & kitesurfing in paradise.

KEV BRIGAUDEAU | INSTRUCTOR

IKO LEVEL 1

KEV BRIGAUDEAU

Originally from France, Kev fell in love with kitesurfing the moment he saw it in action in Tarifa. With a background as a project manager for the largest bicycle company in Brussels—where he organised Red Bull pump track competitions—he's always been drawn to high-energy sports and adventure. After spending 1.5 years exploring New Zealand, Kev made his way to Australia with one mission: to chase wind and dive deep into kitesurfing. He began his teaching journey at The Zu Kite School in Melbourne, where he quickly discovered a natural talent for breaking down complex concepts and helping students progress with ease. The positive feedback from his students pushed him to pursue kiting even further. Now proud to be part of the Zephyr team, Kev brings calm focus, positive energy, and a love for progression to every lesson—helping riders build confidence and have fun on the water.

HOME COUNTRY: France
YEARS KITING: 4 years
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Inverted backroll
KITESURFING GOALS: Back roll hand drag
WOO RECORD: 9m
BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE A BEGINNER KITESURFER?
Failure is part of the game.
KITESURFING PHRASES THAT ONLY A KITESURFER WOULD UNDERSTAND?
Sheet out the bar (with the good accent, otherwise that sounds weird!).
FAVOURITE PLACE TO GO KITESURFING?
Tarifa, Spain
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST ABOUT JOINING THE ZEPHYR TEAM?
Sharing knowledge between everyone