“I’m no-one special, I just worked my ass off.”
Overview
A professional kiteboarder from Wellington, New Zealand. Nicknamed “The Caveman”, he embodies relentless perseverance and overwhelming power, unleashed from a frame of over 92kg of pure man muscle, refusing to give up until he wins.
Career
He reigned at the top of freestyle competitions for years, winning the PKRA Germany stop and claiming the overall Vice World Champion title in 2013. He also completely dominated the New Zealand Kiteboarding Championships, holding the 1st place title for 12 consecutive years from 2008 to 2019.
Although naturally favoring a right-foot-forward (goofy) stance, he recognized the need to master a left-foot takeoff to conquer the world. He trained relentlessly for 18 months, reaching a level where he could execute ultra-aggressive big air maneuvers in both stances. Armed with extremely low and aggressive “Contra Loops” and “Contra Loop Board-offs”, his landings are so explosive that commentators have jokingly suggested they might “cause a tsunami in Asia”.
Despite his undeniable talent, he faced a string of bad luck at the pinnacle of big air, the Red Bull King of the Air (KOTA). However, in 2021, the “5th King” finally claimed his long-awaited first victory, which coincidentally fell on his birthday. Enduring immense pain from a heavy crash that kept him awake for days during the event, he continued to take to the skies, dedicating his miraculous victory to his beloved mother who had passed away after a fierce battle with cancer.
Sponsors and Brands
Captivated by kiteboarding at the age of 15, he saved money by working a paper round for two years. With some help from his mother, he bought his first kite, a Naish AR5 (5.5m). While waiting to afford a board, he taught himself passes and rotations on land.
After turning pro, he became the absolute ace for the New Zealand brand “Switch Kites” for nearly a decade, co-developing his signature C-kite “Combat” and the “MJComp” board from scratch with chief designer Bill Hansen.
In 2019, he made a shocking move to “North Kiteboarding”. Rather than just a poster boy, he operates as the “heart of R&D”, logging wind speeds and kite loads into spreadsheets for every session. Products pushed to the absolute limit by his massive frame earn the “Mark Jacobs Approved” seal, holding absolute trust within the brand. He is supported by Mystic for harnesses and accessories.
Personality and Relationships
When a severe knee injury threatened his career in 2014, he completely rebuilt his body through 4 to 6 hours of grueling daily rehab and meticulous gym training. In contrast to his wild riding style, he possesses a highly analytical and precise mind.
At the same time, his competitive spirit is exceptionally high. During a KOTA heat, right after stomping a massive trick in violent gusts, he famously flipped “the infamous middle finger mid-heat” to the helicopter camera and gallery—a rock-and-roll legend showcasing his raw emotion.
Quotes and Episodes
His riding style and dedication to kiteboarding are the very definitions of uncompromised effort.
“I finally won King of the Air. I finally proved to myself and everyone, I can do it one on one. So I feel like I got nothing more to prove to anyone because I’ve done it and yeah, now it’s about having fun doing it again.”
— Marc Jacobs
“True progression starts when you stop fighting the kite and start understanding the physics.”
— Marc Jacobs
“The water is my happy place. So it only makes sense to spend an endless amount of time doing what I love.”
— Marc Jacobs
Competition Results
2008-2019 New Zealand Kiteboarding Championships: 1st Place (12 consecutive years)
2013 PKRA Freestyle Beetle Kitesurf World Cup (Germany): 1st Place
2013 PKRA World Tour Men’s Freestyle (Overall): 2nd Place
2015 VKWC Big Air World Championships: 2nd Place
2020 Red Bull King of the Air: Semi-Finalist
2021 Red Bull King of the Air: 1st Place
Search Aliases: Marc Jacobs, MarcJacobs