What’s Next for Jesse Richman?

Join Jen Tyler in welcoming Jesse Richman as he takes the helm of his newest journey with Ozone, marking the dawn of an exciting chapter of innovation and adventure. We’ve got it all, exclusively in Tonic Mag!

Hi Jesse - We’re stoked to have you here! Congratulations on your recent move to Ozone; that’s exciting! What were the key factors that led you to choose Ozone?

Thank you! Joining the Ozone Team has been a very exciting new chapter. I’ve been kiteboarding for over 20 years and winging since its inception. Throughout this time, I’ve gained a solid understanding of the industry and its key players. Ozone has always stood out to me; they have such a wealth of knowledge, as everyone can see with their clean, elegant, and performance-focused products. I love their history and depth of knowledge, from the fact that they make the best paragliders in the world to their relentless drive with R&D, utilising advanced/unconventional tools like wind tunnels to test. Because they own their own factory that exclusively makes Ozone products, they get to control every part of the production to ensure the highest quality standards in the industry. However, the main aspect that drew me to the company was the amazing people behind the brand; the entire Ozone team is made up of very humble, kind, and honest individuals.

You mentioned in the announcement that your expectations have been far surpassed after your first few sessions on the kites and wings. Can you share some specific aspects of Ozone's wings and foils that have impressed you the most so far?

Switching to Ozone was a decision based on the concept of a long-term partnership together. Both Ozone and I see a role for me that can evolve and grow with the brand to become a valuable company member; so far, it feels like a very good fit. That being said, I made the jump without trying the equipment because I believed in the people, aka, I had faith but needed to figure out what I would be working with regarding how the gear felt. And I had no idea that I would love this equipment so much. On the wing side, trying the Flux and the Fusion has been so much fun. The Flux is my go-to wing now as it’s so stable and has such an amazing feel in my hands. I can make a smaller wing work well even when the wind gets light and it feels perfect in the waves. I have only tried the Fusion a few times, but its speed is a joke. I’m excited to play around with this wing more and see how high it can jump on a nuking day.

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With your vast experience in the industry, what do you hope to bring to the table in your new full-time position at Ozone? Are there any projects you are excited to work on?

Ozone has amazing products, and Ozone customers know that; that’s why Ozone has such a loyal community. Being a member of the Ozone team, I want to connect with Ozone riders worldwide, from the instructors to the local riders to customers who love the gear; I want to get to know them better to provide them with the best experience possible. I want to understand what they love, know what they want more of, and share some of my experience and knowledge to help them get even more out of their sessions. As professional athletes, we pump out content that inspires people worldwide. I love my job and network of adventure sports enthusiasts, but I want to do more than just put out inspiring content; I want to help people evolve. I love the kiteboarding and wingfoiling community; these sports are filled with the most amazing people. I want to connect with riders worldwide to share some of my knowledge and work together to support this community.

How do you envision your partnership with Ozone contributing to the development and growth of wingfoiling as a sport?

Wingfoiling is growing whether I’m here or not, but it’s very fun to be a member of this industry and act as an ambassador of the sport. I want to help this new generation of rock stars be all that they can be. Having been a young athlete in a relatively small sport, I know firsthand the tricky dance of standing up for yourself to get pretty compensated but not getting too much of an inflated self-image that you forget why you have been hired (to help a brand grow). I hope to help shepherd this next generation to grow the sport/support the community and, in turn, grow their ability to make a living in it. These wind ocean sports are so fun because of the sports themselves and how amazing the worldwide community is.

Ozone has a reputation for innovation and pushing the boundaries of the sport. Can you further share insights into the collaboration between you and the Ozone team to advance the technology and performance of their products?

I’m getting acquainted with the Ozone products, which are quite a few. And it’s already been so fun to understand all the equipment's strengths and see where things can be improved. The design team is so receptive and humble, and many exciting projects are in the works. I’m not going to say that I will re-design anything or help break down the technical science behind these amazing products, but I am excited to put all of their creations to the test in the most extreme of environments.

As an accomplished rider, what advice would you give to aspiring wingfoilers who want to progress in the sport?

Have Fun! To progress, you need to be safe and have fun; if you are not safe, you won’t be having fun for very long, and if you are not having fun, you won’t be progressing very quickly. Be safe, have fun, and progress. Also, do your research and understand what you want to do. If you want to improve your skills, ask people, look things up online, remember there are no dumb questions, and don’t be shy. If you aim to become the next world champion and make a living doing so, heed JFK's advice and ask not what your sponsor can do for you but what you can do for your sponsor. 

Finally, We’ve got to ask! What’s next for Jesse Richman?  What do you hope to achieve both personally and as part of the Ozone team?

I’m just excited to be here; life is so beautiful. I want to continue this dance of living life and devoting a big portion of my time to innovate in my sports. I don’t need to be the most extreme rider in the world, but I do want to try to be the rider having the most fun. Let’s have a good time and share it with good people.

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