Biography

A life on the lines

31-time national champion sport kite pilot · instructor · designer

31

National titles

35+

Years flying

21

Countries flown

1,000+

Events

John Barresi (JB) has flown sport kites since 1990, when he first picked one up at age 15 on the Marina Green in San Francisco. More than three decades later he has visited 23 countries and flown in 21, and kiting has become his life’s work: competing, performing, teaching, designing and building community.

“Flying with intent doesn’t limit movement. It gives you more places to go.”

Since 1990

The journey

1990

First flight

Picks up a sport kite at 15 on the Marina Green, San Francisco.

1991

First competition

Competing nationally four months after his first flight, in pairs with Team Paragon.

1992

Rising Star

Voted American Kite Magazine’s Experienced Class Rising Star.

1993–97

Team competition

Flies Masters dual line team with Air Art, Invisible Wind and Captain Eddie’s Flying Circus, and at the World Cup with Air Art (1993) and Captain Eddie’s (1997).

1997

Outstanding Flyer

Voted American Kite Magazine’s Top Master Pilot.

2003

KiteLife

Takes over KiteLife.com from founder Mike Gillard and becomes its sole owner.

2006

Team iQuad

Co-founds Team iQuad with David Hathaway.

2007

B-Series

Signature quad line kite with Revolution, handmade by Bazzer Poulter.

2008

Edeiken Award

Youngest ever Steve Edeiken Kiteflier of the Year.

2012

AKA President

Leads the American Kitefliers Association through 2014.

2015

Team KiteLife

Founds Team KiteLife with hand-picked fliers.

2017

Kite Forge

Founds Kite Forge; its first kite is the Kaiju, an indoor dual line design.

2018

Djinn

Co-designs the Djinn quad line kite with Brett Marchel, now Kite Forge’s flagship.

2018

Five titles

Wins five events at the AKA Grand Nationals: quad and dual line ballet and precision, plus indoor.

2019

101 kites

Leads the quad line world record in team formation: 101 kites.

2025

World Kite Cup

2nd in individual quad in Wuhan, China, by 0.02 points.

Competition

31 national titles

JB has won 31 national championships across dual and quad line, ballet and precision, as an individual, in pairs and on teams, indoors and out. Through the 1990s he flew Masters dual line team with Air Art, Invisible Wind and Captain Eddie’s Flying Circus, and represented the USA at the World Cup with Air Art (1993) and Captain Eddie’s (1997). Most recently, he placed 2nd in individual quad at the 2025 World Kite Cup in Wuhan, China, 0.02 points out of first place.

In 1992 his kite flying peers voted him American Kite Magazine’s Experienced Class “Rising Star” (like rookie of the year). In 1997 they recognized him again, this time as the “Outstanding Flyer” among all Masters Class competitors. In the 11 years American Kite Magazine was published, he is the only flier to have received both awards.

Teams and leadership

Building teams

In 2006 JB co-founded Team iQuad with David Hathaway and became highly active in promoting Rev team flying, teaching, performing and leading quad mega flies at more than 125 events worldwide in just seven years. Team iQuad disbanded peacefully in September 2013. He has led the world record for quad line kites in team formation three times: 64 kites (2010), 81 (2013) and 101 (2019).

In 2015 he founded Team KiteLife with hand-picked fliers who share a passion for pushing the envelope in difficult and unusual places to fly: quad, dual and single line, indoor and outdoor, dogstake and urban. He also flies pairs with Meshelle Sharples as Windfall.

Design

Kites with a purpose

JB designs kites for the disciplines he flies, and a kite only reaches the catalog once he and his teammates have proven it in the air. The aim is a kite where sail, bridle and frame work in concert as one design, so the pilot can stop reacting and start choosing.

His Revolution B-Series (2007), handmade by Bazzer Poulter, became one of the most popular quad line kites ever sold and grew into the B-Pro, Zen, Xtra Vent and B-2. His first dual line kite, the Kymera, came out with Into The Wind in 2011.

Since founding Kite Forge in 2017 he has released the Kaiju, Djinn and Djinndoor, co-designed with Brett Marchel, and the KŪBE dogstake, 12 years in development with Geoff Hutton.

Instruction and KiteLife

Sharing the craft

JB gave his first instructional workshops in 2005 and began producing video tutorials in 2008. He owns and edits KiteLife.com, home to a long-running online kite magazine, tutorials, a discussion forum and an archive of out-of-print publications like Kite Lines and Stunt Kite Quarterly.

He teaches in person several times a year, and the approach is simple: errors are data, feedback replaces guesswork, and progress comes from seeing differently, not doing more. His 2012 article Flying with Intent is a good window into how he thinks about it.

The record

Highlights

National Championships (31 total)

7x American Kite Magazine Circuit
(AKM – cumulative season)

24x American Kitefliers Association Grand Nationals
(AKA – single event face off)

1992:

    • Experienced Individual Dual Line Ballet (AKM)
    • Experienced Individual Dual Line Precision (AKM)

1993:

    • Open Individual Quad Line Ballet (AKA)

1994:

    • Open Individual Quad Line Ballet (AKM)
    • Open Individual Quad Line Ballet (AKA)

1996:

1997:

    • Masters Individual Dual Line Ballet (AKM)
    • Masters Individual Quad Line Ballet (AKM)
    • Masters Team Dual Line Ballet (AKM – Captain Eddie’s Flying Circus)
    • Masters Team Dual Line Precision (AKM – Captain Eddie’s Flying Circus)

2004:

    • Masters Individual Quad Line Ballet (AKA)
    • Masters Individual Quad Line Precision (AKA)

2005:

    • Masters Individual Quad Line Precision (AKA)
    • Masters Individual Dual Line Ballet (AKA)
    • Experienced Team Dual Line Ballet (AKA – TKS Mid-Air)
    • Experienced Team Dual Line Precision (AKA – TKS Mid-Air)

2006:

2007:

    • Masters Individual Quad Line Ballet (AKA)
    • Masters Individual Quad Line Precision (AKA)

2008:

    • Open Pairs Quad Line Precision (AKA – Furious George)

2012:

    • Open Individual Indoor Unlimited (AKA)

2013:

2018:

    • Masters Individual Quad Line Ballet (AKA)
    • Masters Individual Quad Line Precision (AKA)
    • Masters Individual Dual Line Ballet (AKA)
    • Masters Individual Dual Line Precision (AKA)
    • Open Individual Indoor Unlimited (AKA)

Special Awards

1992:

    • Rising Star – American Kite Magazine (AKM)

1997:

    • Outstanding Flyer – American Kite Magazine (AKM)

2007:

    • KTAI Best Retail Promotional Effort (iQuad)
    • KTAI Best New Kite of the Year (B-Series Rev)

2008:

2009:

    • KTAI Best Wholesale Promotional Effort (iQuad)

2010:

    • KTAI Best Promotional Effort (KiteLife.com)
    • KTAI Best New Kite of the Year (B-Series PRO w/Bazzer)

2011:

    • KTAI Best Wholesale Promotional Effort (iQuad)

2012:

    • KTAI Best Promotional Effort (iQuad)

2018:

Kite Team Experience

1991:

1993:

    • Air Art – Masters Class Dual Line Team
      (represented USA at World Cup)

1994-1995:

    • Invisible Wind – Masters Class Dual Line Team
      (represented USA at World Cup)

1996-1997:

2005-2006:

2006:

    • 2 Short – Experienced Class Dual Line Pair

2006:

2007-2008:

2006-2013:

2012-2013:

    • FlyForm – Indoor Quad Line Team

2010-2014:

    • REVOL – Indoor / Outdoor Pairs Team

2015-present:

2022-present:

    • Windfall – Dual and Quad Line Pairs Team

Organizational Roles

2005:

    • AKA Sport Kite Committee (Chair)
    • Member – International Rules Book Committee (IRBC)

2006:

    • AKA Region 9 Director
    • AKA Sport Kite Committee (Chair)
    • Judge – World Sport Kite Championships (France)
    • Judge – Weifang Sport Kite Championships (China)
    • Member – International Rules Book Committee (IRBC)

2007:

    • AKA Region 9 Director
    • AKA Sport Kite Committee (member)
    • Member – International Rules Book Committee (IRBC)

2008:

    • Director – Kite Trade Association (KTAI)

2009:

    • Director – Kite Trade Association (KTAI)

2012:

    • President – American Kitefliers Association (AKA)

2013:

    • President – American Kitefliers Association (AKA)

2014:

President – American Kitefliers Association (AKA)

2018:

Director at Large – American Kitefliers Association (AKA)

International Invites

2004:

2006:

2007:

2008:

2009:

2010:

2011:

2012:

2013:

    • Redcliffe Kite Festival – Redcliffe, Australia (w/iQuad)
    • Saint-Honoré dans l’vent – Saint-Honoré, Quebec Canada (w/iQuad)

2014:

    • Cavalia – Abu Dhabi, UAE (indoor performer)

2015:

    • Volkswagen – Shanghai Auto Show, China (indoor performer)
    • Desert Kite Festival – Jodhpur/Jaipur, India
    • Saint-Honoré dans l’vent – Saint-Honoré, Quebec Canada
    • Windscape – Saskatchewan, Canada

2016:

    • Kuwait Intl Kite Festival – Kuwait (indoor performer)

2017:

2018:

    • Uchinada Kite Festival – Uchinada, Japan
    • St Anne’s Kite Festival – St Anne’s / Lytham, UK
    • Marseille Kite Festival – Marseille, France

World Records

2008:

2010:

2013:

2019:

Recent Articles

You can visit my author page to browse published content on KiteLife®

For organizers and press

Press kit

Short bio

John Barresi is a sport kite pilot, instructor and designer based in Long Beach, Washington. Flying since 1990, he has won 31 U.S. national championships, captained three quad line world records and placed 2nd at the 2025 World Kite Cup. He founded Team KiteLife and Kite Forge, and runs KiteLife.com.

Free to use with credit. For a longer version, this page can be quoted in full.

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John Barresi, Kite Flier - home
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John Barresi on a beach with quad line handles, looking up at his kite as it hovers just above his head
1991 OSSKC — John Barresi kite video
1991 Lincoln City Kite Festival
1991 California Open - young John Barresi (15) with kite
1992 AKA Grand Nationals
2008 Steve Edeiken Kiteflier of the Year trophy plaque for John Barresi
2008 Edeiken Award
Team KiteLife pilots flying together
2019 World Record – 101 — John Barresi kite video
2019 · 101-kite world record
iQuad KTAI awards
2007, 2009, 2011 - iQuad
Flying kites indoors at Windless 2013
2013 Windless indoor
Revolution Xtra Vent kite
Revolution B2 STD
Rev B2
2012 PacRim - Kymera tip stand (photo by Brad Bixby)
ITW Kymera
Kaiju (Urban PDX) — John Barresi kite video
Kaiju
Djinn quad line kite on graffiti-covered concrete
Djinn
Djinndoor indoor quad line kite over a tennis net
Djinndoor
KŪBE dogstake mounted on a ground stake
KŪBE
John Barresi flying with quad line handles, wearing a headset microphone while coaching