Congratulations to We Love Kiteboarding Team Captain Luis Angel Lafrance Dorjuste, 18, on successfully completing an intensive 2-week (90 hour) program including both the IKO Assistant Trainer (ATC) and Instructor Level 1 (ITC) courses – along with First Aid//CPR!

This is a tremendous milestone for Luis, a passionate young kiteboarder from Kite Beach, Cabarete. This professional instructor certification will open many doors towards a professional career, with the best paying IKO opportunities, both here in the Dominican Republic and around the world!

As soon as Luis had his IKO instructor certification in-hand he told me about all the amazing spots from Europe to South America that he now wants to visit, to work at, to kite.

Woot, yeah! Dream do comes true, indeed!

Luis, youuuuu did it!

And, this is a dream come true through the incredible support and generosity of many!

The International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO) has an incredible “Giving Back” initiative providing substantial discounts for selected participants enrolled in the IKO’s professional courses. Not only did the IKO discount the course for Luis, but Training Director Vincent Herbillon also invited Luis to regularly join him in the main office, to pre-study in the months leading up to the course, to learn the material in advance and discuss any challenging concepts. This pre-study provided Luis with a foundation for success! Thank you, Vincent and the IKO!

Marc Leutsch, CEO of Spleene Kiteboarding, has for many years been a strong supporter of Luis, helping him to achieve his kiteboarding goals, sponsoring him as a Spleene team rider, and providing him with the latest and greatest Spleene kiteboarding equipment every year. Marc paid one half of the IKO course – a substantial financial contribution that helped make this professional instructor dream come true for Luis! Thank you, Marc & Spleene Kiteboarding!

Ontario kiteboarders, Ekaterina and Rod Baker, generously offered to match whatever we could raise in our GoFundMe. To achieve our initial $10,000 goal we now only need to raise $5000! And, if we were to raise $10,000, Ekaterina and Rod would also match that too, helping us achieve an incredible $20,000! This 2X MULTIPLIER is nothing short of awe-inspiring, helping us breathe a little easier as Luis and the rest of our junior team riders reach for greatness this year! Thank you, Ekaterina and Rod Baker!

Charly & Maxime Roche (Reef Academy) and Carlos Jambrina (InspireDR) together organized and led the IKO ATC and ITC courses – setting the highest standards for professional instructor education while ensuring each student also received the individual support required to succeed! Thank you, Charly, Maxime & Carlos!

Markendy Dorjuste, our very own in-house videographer, who shoots tirelessly and then edits for hours, footage of all our team competitions, helping to share our success stories so that everyone in the world can see the good work we are doing here. Markendy is now working on a special documentary about Luis and his IKO Instructor course experience. Thank you, Markendy!

To everyone that contributed to our GoFundMe, thank you!

To everyone that donated kiteboarding equipment over the years, thank you!

To everyone that supported us, buying our team t-shirts, thank you!

To everyone that donated computers and mobile devices, thank you!

To everyone that liked & shared our stories on social media, thank you!

Luis will be We Love Kiteboarding’s first Professional Team Instructor – and, to pay it forward, will donate time teaching the next generation of kids that come to Kite Beach. 

This brings our mission full circle! When we first met Luis he didn’t have a kite, he didn’t know how to kite. Now, as a professional instructor, Luis will be a leading example for all other local Dominican kids who come to Kite Beach.

Dreams come true – thanks to all of YOU!

And, of course, congratulations to everyone that completed the IKO ATC & ITC course alongside Luis.

We Love Luis

For more information about the We Love Kiteboarding foundation, fundraising and Pay It Forward program,  please see our mission statement.