Mermaid Mode

EP 3 | Su Kay - Kite & product designer


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In this episode, Sasha sits down with Su Kay — kite designer, Big Air record breaker, and co-owner of Lacuna Kites based in South Africa. Su has been in the kitesurfing world for over two decades, starting out in New Zealand sweeping the floor of a kite board workshop, and working her way through brands like Cabrinha, Airush, and eventually Lacuna, where she now leads kite design.

They cover a lot of ground: how Su accidentally fell into product design, what it's like to design a kite with a specific person and brief in mind, and how that approach led to the Alpha V4 — the kite she rode to a 25-metre jump and a Woo Worlds win at 49 years old. The conversation also goes deep on a topic that doesn't get nearly enough airtime: the lack of gear designed for female bodies. From harnesses that ride up to your chin, to wetsuits that only come in one shape, to the first women's harness finally designed by a woman — Su breaks down why this gap exists and what it would take to fix it.

There's also a genuinely brilliant riff on why brands should stop trying to steal each other's customers and start thinking about who isn't kiting yet — and why that's where the real opportunity lies.

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Mermaid ModeBy Sasha Bondareva