Author: Marica Moda

Congratulations to Mariano Lorenzetti, IKO Examiner and Trainer Master!

Tarifa, Spain - 2023

Mariano Lorenzetti has surpassed 100,000 hours of teaching.

Congratulations to Mariano Lorenzetti!
Reaching and surpassing 100,000 hours of teaching in the practice of kitesurfing is an impressive milestone. His commitment, passion, and dedication are immense, just like the number of hours he has achieved.

Mariano Lorenzetti: over 100,000 hours of teaching between wind and sea.

Mariano Lorenzetti is one of those names that resonates strongly within the IKO community because he is not just an Examiner but a true ambassador in our community. A charismatic figure, a Master in the true sense of the word, and now an Examiner who has surpassed 100,000 hours of teaching in this fascinating sport. An admirable achievement.

From the first lessons to over 100,000 hours.

Mariano Lorenzetti began his journey as an IKO Instructor in 2004, but his passion was so great that he became an Examiner in 2006 and one of the five Training Masters in 2018.

Mariano, why did you start kitesurfing?

"At the age of 15, I started windsurfing and always worked as a windsurfing instructor during the summer. 
At 17/18 years old, while studying industrial design at university, I started working in a windsurfing equipment shop. One day, the owner told me to learn kitesurfing with a kite brought from Hawaii because, after a month, we would have a container full of kites to sell... it was 1997!  So I could say I started 'by force of circumstances!

Buenos Aires, Argentina - 2004

After many years, I opened my small school on the beach, where I sold equipment and gave lessons. Then, one day, a customer/friend suggested the idea of ​​doing the double season, traveling between Argentina and Spain. There were kitesurfing schools looking for instructors in Tarifa (Spain), and there was an IKO Instructor Course (ITC - Instructor Training Course) in Argentina.  So, I attended the course, certified as an IKO Instructor, bought a plane ticket, and flew to Tarifa... and I never stopped."!

Mariano, why did you become an IKO Examiner?

"I think having a title, a professional certificate, is important and undoubtedly helps in the professional career. That's what happened to me, starting as a kiter, becoming an Instructor, and then becoming an Examiner and Trainer Master for IKO."

Mariano has transformed his passion for kitesurfing into a vocation, dedicating himself to teaching, guiding, and training future generations of IKO Instructors. Today, as then, he has the same passion and enthusiasm that he imparts to his candidates.
More than 100,000 hours equate to almost twenty years of continuous work in IKO, with dedication, patience, and passion placed in every single hour. Imagine how many faces, stories to tell, memories, and emotions.

He has trained more than three thousand students and instructors, five Assistant Trainers, and six Examiners, and he is proud of each of them.

Costa Argentina - 2010

The philosophy of an outstanding IKO Examiner.

Being an IKO Examiner is not just a matter of technical skills. It's about understanding and promoting the philosophy behind kitesurfing, focusing on safety, fun, teaching methodology, ethics, and community. IKO Examiners, like Mariano Lorenzetti, also emphasize the importance of respecting the sea and the environment, understanding the wind, and building a strong, safe, and inclusive community.

With over 100,000 teaching hours behind him, it's impossible to quantify the number of lives Mariano has touched. Many of his students have become professionals, others have founded schools, and some have simply discovered a passion that has changed their lives.
The kitesurfing community owes him a lot. Mariano has helped establish and maintain high safety standards, and he has promoted kitesurfing worldwide, making this sport more fun, safer, and, last but not least, accessible to everyone.

Towards the future.

If there's one thing we can learn from Mariano Lorenzetti's career, it's that passion knows no bounds. Even after over 100,000 hours of lessons, his enthusiasm for kitesurfing shows no signs of waning.

As we celebrate this incredible milestone with him, we can't help but look forward to the next adventures Mariano will have to share.

His vision for the future of kitesurfing? The future of kitesurfing is bright and limitless.

El Condor, Patagoni, Argentina - 2009

Be inspired by Mariano and make a career in IKO.

More than 100,000 hours are not just a number but represent much more when it comes to the dedication, commitment, and passion of an IKO Examiner.

Be inspired by Mariano Lorenzetti's career to create, like him, a deep connection between passion and work. How to do it?
 

• Join the IKO community by learning kitesurfing at an IKO Center (there are nearly 400 IKO Centers worldwide).
• Improve your level with plenty of practice, advancing in the IKO Training Path (Kiteboarder, Evolution, Instructor, Coach, and Trainer).
• Attend IKO Professional Courses:
  • ATC - Assistant Training Course.
  • ITC - Instructor Training Course.
• Work professionally, follow IKO standards, and certify your students to advance in level, gaining experience, professionalism, and credibility.

IKO Training Path

Why choose IKO - International Kiteboarding Organization?

Choosing IKO begins with its popularity and reach because IKO is an internationally known organization, present in the windiest spots worldwide, providing certification standards for teaching and practicing kitesurfing at both recreational and professional levels.

Mariano Lorenzetti also recommends becoming an IKO Instructor.

Mariano, why would you recommend an instructor to become an IKO Instructor?

"Firstly, for the quality of the information content that the candidate instructor will receive during the course. As I always tell my students, in addition to giving a title, these courses provide a new mental opening, a positive attitude change, and a different way of seeing kitesurfing in a complete way. All of this applied to the work of an instructor, becomes fundamental and incredibly useful in solving any variable that may occur during a lesson and also in everyday life. So, besides being professional training, it's also personal development."

Indeed, anyone can seize the opportunity to participate in an ATC - Assistant Training Course and ITC - Instructor Training Course to refine their skills as a kiter. Through these courses, one can acquire advanced knowledge, hone technical skills, and learn best practices, allowing each participant to progress and achieve new levels of excellence in kitesurfing, as well as serving as the starting point for a wonderful professional career.

Mariano, what emotions do you experience when training an IKO Instructor?

"For me, it's fantastic. The feedback I have received throughout my career is the greatest charge, the stimulus that drives me forward. 
I have never done two courses alike; each one is different from the previous one. 
It's a continuous challenge to find the right way to train the person who wants to become an IKO Instructor (professional or kiter who simply wants to immerse themselves fully in the world of kitesurfing). 
Each course is a life experience that still gives me goosebumps today."

Tarifa, Spain - 2023

When you become an IKO Instructor, you must certify your students.

Mariano Lorenzetti has certified more than 3,000 students, an impressive number that reflects his dedication, passion, and commitment to his work. 

Certification is an important part of an IKO Instructor's job, synonymous with professionalism, ensuring the level reached by the student in terms of competence and safety. It helps maintain high standards and ensures that students receive quality instruction.

Digital certification through the vCard and the IKO App (Google Play App and IOS App) is crucial for students because it guarantees the level they have reached internationally. It allows collecting their feedback, helping IKO stay updated with developments in kitesurfing, and best meeting the needs of the kiter community. 

It also provides students with a set of tools useful for their independent learning (e-books, e-courses, videos, and YouTube channels) and for their future as kiters (destinations, blogs, shops, jobs, and IKO Centers).

A round of applause for Mariano Lorenzetti!

Our applause for Mariano Lorenzetti is not just for the over 100,000 hours but for the love, passion, and dedication he has shared with all of us. 
Thank you for contributing so much to the IKO community, a synonym for guarantee in the world of kitesurfing, and for helping many people discover and improve in this beautiful sport.

Mariano, what is your project for the future?

"Hard to say because there is no tomorrow without adapting and changing. 
Maybe I can find and collaborate with a brand with a futuristic vision that has the courage to create a kite and a board that works well from 6 to 45 knots! 
Then, I am a proud father of my children and want to be with them. 
I have always had a great passion for motorcycles, so maybe I would like to do another Rally Dakar or a similar race."

Dakar Rally Argentina - Chile - Perù - 2011

If each of these 100,000 hours has been an adventure, we can only wish Mariano Lorenzetti another 100,000 future adventures!