Nick’s love for kiting did not start on the water, but rather at a tender young age of 8 when he spent a summer at the Belgian Sea shore, Knokke, Belgium. It was there he first got his hands on a Flexifoil Skytiger power kite. Back then they flew two or four line kites with handles, no harnesses, no real effective safety system. But what the heck, it was fun and a great learning experience. By the age of 15 he saw his first LEI kite and was hooked, learning to kite on a Naish Boxer, and eventually Epic Kites. As with everyone who tries to kite, he was instantly hooked and all vacation days would now be dedicated to kiting.
Nick has spent a great deal of time traveling, using all networking opportunities to find cheap ways to try out new kiteboarding destinations. He has kited, Sherman Island State park, CA, Hood River OR, Utah Lake Utah, Outer Banks NC, The Gut Connecticut, Cape cod MA, Silver sand Barbados, Cabarete DR, Djerba Tunisia, Essauoira Morocco, Europe and while sailing the Greek islands. He attempts to make it a point to visit a new kiteboarding destination each year in order to experience the culture and winds of each country. When asking him what his favorite destination are he immediately stated Outer Banks, North Carolina and Essauoira, Morocco. 
“The outer banks has it all. Consistent wind, flat water on the inside, and waves on the outside. Everyone there is into Kiting. You kite all day and go out with friends and talk about the experiences. They even have a place called planet of the apes that has butter flat water, and channels forcing you to island hop from channel to channel.” Nick, also mentioned Morocco as a must go to place to travel. Great people, (they mostly speak French and Islamic) but the wind is strong and you cannot get a better view. “Kiting around camels, overlooked by an old navy fortress is beautiful. After your session you can go enjoy local food and head to le Souk (market).”
Nick is currently working on RIGA Athletic Wear. The company is focusing on building board shorts with an inside line to help keep a compact structure for water enthusiasts and allow the shorts to be held down on sunny days. No more burn thighs! With an assortment of hats and T shirts to go along with the shorts, RIGA Athletic wear is poised to bring enhanced features to your board short collection. They are aiming to launch August 1st 2015.
If you are ever looking for a kiteboarding friend for a trip or need tips on where to go kite in any of the places mentioned, Nick is happy to answer any questions. HE can be reached at Haagenfels@gmail.com
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