Kitesurfing with a French accent

As I approach the premises of Pure Magic on the Clontarf road, a tall, tanned and exceptionally fit-looking man spots me and immediately stubs out a cigarette.

The man is François Colussi, one of the owners of this place, which started life as a tiny kitesurfing school, and has now expanded to include a shop that sells boards, kites, clothing and kit, and a lodge and school on Achill Island, where the pizza has been voted among the top 10 in Ireland by readers of The Irish Times.

“I am sorry for smoking,” François says in a strong French accent.

The accent is a big part of the Pure Magic experience. The owners are French, and if ever a website managed to convey joie de vivre, it is this one. "Pure Magic is a family which opens our door, our home and our passions to you!" it proclaims, with abundant exclamation marks.

“We actually believe in our Pure Magic lifestyle.”

The smoking is because of stress, say François, as we whizz through the shop, looking at blow-up boards and kites and multicoloured shorts. “It is very exciting, but there is also stress.”

Battle for the Bay

The excitement is due to the upcoming Battle for the Bay, an international kitesurfing and stand-up paddleboarding event (Sup for short) on Dollymount Strand. This year’s event is scheduled for tomorrow and Sunday, and the theme is “Fun, wind, water and fun”.

The battle features international kitesurfing, Sup and wakeboarding competitions, beach volleyball, demonstrations and workshops for children, including one in making art out of recycled materials, as well as food, live music and DJs. Last year 10,000 attended; this year, François says, there will be more.

There are 4,000-5,000 kitesurfers in Ireland. To the rest of us, kitesurfing is basically standing on a surfboard holding a kite. And Sup is basically standing on a surfboard with a paddle. I have not quite figured out what part of these activities can be construed as fun, but François gives the impression that it is better than winning the lottery.

He was born and brought up in Amiens “in the beetroot fields. My mum sent me to a windsurfing lesson on the lake, and I caught the bug. In that moment I said ‘I want to be living just next to the water’.”

He came to Ireland “due to a lady. I did not think there would be water sports. Then I discovered Dollymount. The first time I saw Dollymount, I was cycling along and I couldn’t believe it. It was like when you are unwrapping the best present, you know? I had been kitesurfing around the globe, and I saw that this was the place.”

In love with Dollymount

Part of the reason François reckons Dollymount is the best place in the world is because you can Sup if there is no wind.

"If I was just a kiteboarder, when there is no wind I would start to get depressed and drink Guinness, but if I am a paddleboarder I love this amazing flat water. Once you love the water or the sea you just want to experience as many different aspects as you can. It is a way to explore Mother Nature.

“You could have all this craziness of the city, but when you take your paddleboard for one moment, you leave all that madness and you go quiet, and that is fantastic, that is priceless.”

At this point, even though I do not like to be cold and wet, I am almost sold. But there are a few things to consider before trying these sports.

You do need to be able to swim. And the boards cost upwards of €600. “But once you buy your board, you have it for all your life,” says François. You can also get an inflatable board, which can go in the boot of the car. And he insists that you don’t always need a wetsuit. Perhaps not in the summer, I agree.

Why did he choose the name Pure Magic? He tells a sweet story about his twin brother making a collage involving a Guinness coaster.

“The sport is pure because it is eco-friendly, you ride with the oceans, and magical because you can fly. Sometimes people lift up to five metres.”

There is another reason why he has chosen Dollymount rather than, say, Hawaii. "Ireland has the mighty craic, that is very important. You don't get that anywhere else."

Battle for the Bay takes place on Saturday and Sunday, battleforthebay.com, puremagic.ie