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?

OUR TEAM

CERTIFIED KITE FROTHERS!

BEN STROWGER

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

HOME COUNTRY: England
YEARS KITING: 13 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
Winning my first individual kiteboarding medal at the 2023 QLD State Freestyle titles!
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Megaloop board-off
FAVOURITE KITE: 12m Duotone Evo D/Lab
WOO RECORD: 24.4m, #4 in Australia
KITESURFING GOALS: Double mega-loop

CAT JAY

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & ADMINISTRATOR
KA LEVEL 1

HOME COUNTRY: Australia
YEARS KITING: 3
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
Winning the 2021 QLD State Freestyle Title on my 40th birthday!
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Tweaked front-roll grab
FAVOURITE KITE: 8m Duotone Evo SLS
WOO RECORD: 7.9m
KITESURFING GOALS: Learning to kite loop and inverted front/back rolls

CHEF

MAX MEERTENS

HOME COUNTRY: Netherlands
YEARS KITING: 2 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
Jumping 12m in my first year of kiting!
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Kiteloops
FAVOURITE KITE: Duotone Rebel SLS
WOO RECORD: 12.8m
KITESURFING GOALS: Boogie loops by the end of this year!

INSTRUCTORS

PHIL GREEN

KA LEVEL 1

HOME COUNTRY: England
YEARS KITING: 10 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS: Becoming an instructor in 2016
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Jumping kite loop transition
FAVOURITE KITE: Duotone Evo
WOO RECORD: I’m happy to get my fins out of the water!
KITESURFING GOALS: To still be kiting when I’m as old as Graham Flynn!

RAN ESHEL

GUIDE

HOME COUNTRY: Israel
YEARS KITING: 6 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
Being better than Ben!
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Hummus flip (you’ll have to ask me!)
FAVOURITE KITE: Duotone Rebel SLS
WOO RECORD: If I had a Woo, it would be higher than Ben!
KITESURFING GOALS: Board-off mega-loop

IEKE VERKUIL

KA LEVEL 1

HOME COUNTRY: Netherlands
YEARS KITING: 9 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
1st place in both Freestyle & Downwinder at 2023 the Carnarvon Windfest
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: High backroll to toe-side double grab
FAVOURITE KITE: 10m Duotone Dice SLS
WOO RECORD: Don’t have one, but my best guess would be 10m
KITESURFING GOALS: Never stop progressing! But, nailing a Boogie loop would be awesome!

MARNIX VAN WINKELHOFF

KA SENIOR INSTRUCTOR

HOME COUNTRY: Netherlands
YEARS KITING: 9 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
1st place Freestyle at the 2023 Carnarvon Windfest
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Board-off
FAVOURITE KITE: 11m Duotone Dice SLS
WOO RECORD: 13.4m
KITESURFING GOALS: Getting better!

MATTEO FANETTI

IKO LEVEL 2 | FREESTYLE / FREERIDE COACH

HOME COUNTRY: Italy
YEARS KITING: 6 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
2023 King of the Pond semi-finalist
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Kiteloop late backroll
FAVOURITE KITE: 8M Duotone Rebel SLS
WOO RECORD: Don’t have one!
KITESURFING GOALS: Learn an unhooked 313, and get sponsored!

MERIEL FARR

IKO LEVEL 1

HOME COUNTRY: Australia
YEARS KITING: 2 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
Completing the 500km Dakhla Downwind Challenge
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Front and back roll grabs
FAVOURITE KITE: 9M Duotone Evo
WOO RECORD: Don’t have one!
KITESURFING GOALS: Have the most fun, push myself to improve, go bigger, and nail some kite loops!

ANGELA MAZZEI

IKO LEVEL 1

HOME COUNTRY: Italy
YEARS KITING: 3 years
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Inverted front roll
FAVOURITE KITE: 7M Duotone Rebel SLS
WOO RECORD: Don’t have one!
KITESURFING GOALS: Boogie loops!

VOLUNTEER HOSTS

MAAIKE KRIKHAAR

TOUR 1

HOME COUNTRY: Netherlands
YEARS KITING: 3 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
350 km 7-day downwinder in Brazil
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Darkslide
FAVOURITE KITE: 7M Duotone Rebel SLS
WOO RECORD: 7.9m
KITESURFING GOALS: To become a kite instructor, jump higher than 10m, and learn to loop better!

CHRIS HAUGHTON

TOUR 2

HOME COUNTRY: Canada
YEARS KITING: 3 years
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS: First Canadian snow kiter to land in a tree (totally intentional)!
FAVOURITE KITE TRICK: Backroll hand drag
FAVOURITE KITE: Duotone Rebel SLS
WOO RECORD: 9.7m
KITESURFING GOALS: Megaloop board-off and becoming a kitesurfing instructor

JAMES NICHOLSON

TOUR 3

HOME COUNTRY: Australia
YEARS KITING:
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
FAVOURITE KITE:
KITESURFING GOALS: 

MADDIE PEARCE

TOUR 4 & 5

HOME COUNTRY: Australia
YEARS KITING: 1 year
KITING ACHIEVEMENTS:
Taught to kite by my boyfriend and we’re still together!
FAVOURITE KITE: 7M Duotone Rebel SLS
KITESURFING GOALS: To build confidence and start jumping.

ZEPHYR TEAM ALUMNI