THE STORY BEHIND THE MOVIE
Words by Russell Pell

The film’s title is a reference to those magic days when you score the 
perfect combination of wind and waves.


BEN and SHANNON when it all comes together // Will Schouten

The film contains a collection of footage of some of the world’s top kitesurfers smashing waves and getting barreled in exotic locations from every corner of the planet.

The who’s who of wave riding deliver stellar performances including, Josh Mulcoy, Maurcio Abreu, Moehau Goold, Reo Stevens, John Amundson, Bertrand Fleury, Ryland Blakeny, Marc Ramsier and of course Ben Wilson himself. Supported by a cast of the usual suspects including Grant “Twiggy” Baker, Jake Gordon and Martin Vari just to name a few.

“Coming together” showcases a plethora of wave riding locations including Micronesia, Indonesia, Chile, Hawaii, South Africa and Australia. This awesome collection of footage and exceptional level of riding will have you frothing for some overseas travel and on the phone to the local travel agent before the film even finishes. 

“Coming Together” features both strapped and unstrapped riding – not something we have really seen in BWS’s previous productions. Showcasing all aspects of the waveriding side of kiteboarding, not just the unhooked and unstrapped approach. Illustrating that there are many possibilities for getting out into the waves with a surfboard and a kite. Wilson has always said that he respects all forms of riding be it strapped or unstrapped and here’s the proof. 

“Some of the strapped crew who really use there kite for there main source of power blow up, when you watch them from land they look amazing, the way they ride, they go out in front of the wave a long way and then use that speed and power of the kite to smash the lip hard like a windsurfer would and I have always had so much respect for how hard the windsurfers hit the lip on big waves – it’s not my style of riding, but I respect it and it's great from a spectators point of view.” Ben Wilson


REO Leading the strapped charge // Swilly

The camera crew headed by West Australian film maker Shannon Stent has put together a visual feast for your wind and wave starved minds. This new production employs the use of footage shot from both land and water. 


SHANNON and BERT getting the job done  // CHRISTIAN BLACK

Expect to see more barrel and tracking shots where another kiter shoots the rider as he follows the progression along the wave face. John Amundson came up with this idea, he has a special hand held HD camera and housing which allows him to hold the camera and take aim at the rider. 


BEN and JOHN taking turns behind the camera. // Will Schouten

“We really wanted to get as many different angles as possible, especially water shots, each shot is unique and helps mix it up a bit. When you are out there kiting you see some pretty cool angles and we are doing our best to bring this to the viewer.” Shannon Stent

Highlights of “Coming Together” include Reo Stevens and Ben Wilson travelling to Pohnpei in Micronesia. Where they scored epic conditions for both surfing and kiting. 


BEN P-pass perfection // Swilly

“P-pass.... I figure your first surf and kite session there is similar to someone's first experience with "crack". Its like a hardcore drug in the sense that once you've had a taste, that’s all you can think about and you end up spending all your time, energy and money trying to get back there and get another taste of it.” Reo Stevens

During their stay 2007 ASP men’s world surfing champion Mick Fanning, current women’s asp world champ Stephanie Gilmore, Robby Naish, legend Hawaiian waterman Dave Kalama and ASP Longboard Champion Beau Young were all present on the island. All were impressed with the guys tackling the waves with kites.

“It was a pretty sick day, there was pretty much every type of surfing you could do going on. There were some real sick moments, Robby doing massive airs, Reo was doing Reo’s, fully throwing tail and Ben pulling in, it was sick, it was really sick to watch. Like it’s hard enough getting barreled as it is and then to guide his (Ben) kite through it, it was sick to watch for sure”. Mick Fanning


MICK FANNING P-pass perfection // Swilly

“I have seen kiting and been involved in it from the very beginning and that was by far the best display of wave riding I have ever seen”. Dave Kalama

“ The most crazy thing I have ever seen was Ben trying to get barreled, trying to stand in a barrel and hold onto a kite at the same time is crazy” Stephanie Gilmore

‘It’s pretty incredible, just one person being propelled along by their own kite, carving turns, doing airs and getting barreled, it’s a phenomenal thing, it was awesome!” Beau Young.

Moving from Micronesia to the desert of West Australia to check out Ben Wilson and underground West OZ charger Ryland Blackeney riding the same swell in different locations. Ryland headed to the North West of Western OZ and tagged the swell. The long sucky desert left handers supplying Ryland with the perfect scenario in which to unleash his aggressive carving style. (Although relatively unheard of outside Australia, Blakeny is one of the country’s top wave riders; his flowing style and calculated approach make him one of the standouts in the film.) 


RYLAND BLAKENEY leading the un-hooked strapless movement // RUSSELL ORD

Meanwhile Wilson set off on yet another mission to Indonesia and arrived just in time to catch the swell that Ryland had left his mark on back in West OZ. Wilson described the swell as one of the best he has had the opportunity to kite at the Indonesian location. The results speak for themselves with great footage from both sessions. It’s another section of the film that will have you scheming ways to get out of your day job and onto a plane.

Whilst in Indonesia the team hooked up with John Amundson, who spent the good part of a month, last year, smashing lips in Indo. Capturing and logging several hard drives worth of footage. Expect to see one of the smoothest riders out there ruling the long perfect waves that bless the Indonesian shorelines. 

Amundson when not flying round the globe seeking out the next magic day, when it all comes together is lucky enough to also be a resident of Hawaii. 

“Indonesia is very similar to Hawaii in wave quality and power. In Hawaii most kite spots are right handers with a starboard wind and in Indonesia the waves are generally lefts with a port wind.” 

Amundson’s section in the film also includes footage from sessions at his beloved home break, Backyards in Hawaii. Backyards is a spot not for the faint hearted or inexperienced. As Amundson himself explains

“I love Backyards. The wave has everything I want, power and perfection. It is the most challenging spot I have ever ridden and it has so many different faces so it always keeps me working.”


JOHN AMUNDSON taming backyards // JA

Another kiter who has spent several months of his life in the tubes of Indonesia and is featured in “ Coming Together’’ is Bertrand Fleury. Fleury was amongst the first group of international waveriders to venture to indo. His experience and knowledge accumulated over the last few years is evident as he attacks the wave with obvious confidence. When asked about his approach to negotiating his way through the barrel at the break he had this to say

“I for sure have not yet got it totally sorted every time, but it is getting better and easier to get a barrel when the conditions are perfect, but that is rare.” Bert Fleury


BERT getting it sorted // WILL SCHOUTEN

While everyone else was on a mission all over the world Moe spent some serious time in his homeland of Tahiti chasing some big barrels at Chope's, although he didn't get to kite it too much he scored some of the biggest and best barrels of his life surfing and towning. This combined with some epic session's of kiting on the east coast of Oz, will be sure to get you stoked to go ride!


MOE doing his signature layback on the Sunshine coast // Gaz Becus

Next stop is South Africa, a location that has super consistent strong winds and waves. Existing in ample enough quantities to satisfy any kiter who braves the chilly ocean temperatures. No waveriding film would be complete without a section from SA and who better to feature smashing the place up than local ripper Grant “Twiggy” Baker. 

Twiggy is regarded as one of the top waveriders in the world and the fact that he is no slouch on a surfboard shines through. Tracking him down was no easy task but we finally found him in Hawaii where he was awaiting the next swell and hoping to score a few monsters before returning home. He gave us the run down on his part in “Coming Together” and where the footage was captured.

“It's all mainly around my house in Kwazulu, South Africa up and down the North and South coasts about and hour each way from Durban. To me it's one of the best places in the world for kiting, consistent 15-20 knot wind, warm water and always some type of wave from the left or right.” Twiggy


TWIGGY at home // GREG EWING

Whilst writing this Ben is returning from Hawaii where he and his crew were filming for the final parts of “Coming Together”. Filming the hard-hitting Mauricio Abreu and American pro surfer and all round nice guy Josh Mulcoy with whom they flew to Maui in a last minute decision. From all accounts they had a ball and the boys scored several epic sessions. 

“We were in Micronesia and the waves went flat, so we jumped on a early flight to Maui and Ben flew his camera crew over for few days to film me and Mulcoy.” Mauricio

It was a gamble to catch a decent swell and tag the session with the camera crew, to hopefully put the icing on the cake and finish the film. Luckily it all came together when it counted, the swell, the wind and the talent all played their parts perfectly. 

“We did score a spot that doesn’t get good often, it’s more of a wake kicker place, but we scored one afternoon really good, funny that it was the first time I kited there on a surfboard and it is only 2 min from my house!” Mauricio.

“We had two really fun sessions on Maui. First was some good size surf with lots of wind. Second was a smaller right hander that was super fun and rippable.” J Mulcoy.

So with the all the footage now in the bag it’s off to the editing suite where Wilson and his crew will put the final touches to the film. As you can see it will be bursting at the seams with a diversity of radical action from some of the worlds best wave riders. 

If you’re into riding waves with a kite and a surfboard this is the film you have been waiting for. It is going to be an extravaganza of lip belting and barrel riding that will be both inspiring and entertaining. Guaranteed!!!


INDO PERFECTION // GIBSON



FIJIAN PERFECTION // FERRIS


BEN'S secret spot // BEAVER



BEN enjoying a glassy day off