Meet Grant Clayton, Airush team rider, YouTuber and driving force behind Kitesurfing in Scotland.
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Hey Grant, stoked to have you here! For those who might not know you yet, you’ve been building something pretty awesome with Kitesurf Scotland and your YouTube channel.
Grant interview
Let’s kick things off with your story — where did you grow up and how did your kiteboarding journey begin?
At the age of 10 years old (22 years ago), my good friend and I were sitting on our local beach wall watching kitesurfing as the first kite appeared here at our home spot when the sport was in its infancy. We were hooked instantly, and one of the old boys who was getting into the sport fired some wetsuits on us and took us out! Crazy, I know, but the stoke was real..
We mainly rode at our home spot, Troon, and a group of 5 of us pushed our riding learning new handle passes and loops every day, making crazy movies! The vibe was awesome, what a childhood we had! Our passion for the sport has never died, and we still have the same love for it as we did back then!
What drew you to create Kitesurf Scotland? Was it something you always wanted to do or did it evolve naturally from your riding and coaching background?
When I left school, I travelled the world teaching kitesurfing and pushing my riding for many years. I was riding for Ocean Rodeo through most of my teen years. Wakestyle was what it was all about back in the day, and I was so stoked to be part of the awesome scene! After managing a kitesurfing school in Australia, the Caribbean, and Fuerteventura, the opportunity came up 7 years ago to take over Kitesurf Scotland back on my home turf! I love teaching, it is my passion, and still to this day the stoke is real.
Kitesurf Scotland is all about community, we have a passion for teaching and seeing progression. Troon is the home of Scottish kitesurfing, which has some of the most epic riding in the Summer months, with it being light from 4 am – 11:30 pm, and in the Winter, we have some of the most relentless storms! I keep asking Jason to come over for a road trip, haha!
You’ve built a strong online presence around your love for kiteboarding. What inspired you to start sharing your experiences and knowledge on YouTube?
We are so lucky to have some highly skilled photographers here in Troon who help me build my online presence through a range of media for myself, personally as a rider, and for Kitesurf Scotland as a business. I guess YouTube for me is a chance thing, yes, I don’t get the monster high views that some other videos get, but I do not do it for this. It is for myself, my business, and for the love of kitesurfing. Views and subscribers are the last thing I care about.
What would you say has been your proudest moment so far in your kiteboarding career — whether it’s on the water, through your business, or connecting with the community?
My proudest part of my kitesurfing career was watching Kitesurfing Scotland grow and being able to stand back and go “Damn, i have done it” I built the business from basically the ground up as the previous owner lost the love for it and kind of started to run it into the ground. I am so stoked that my business is built on grass roots, it is built on the community, and without that, I would have nothing…
What’s your favorite gear that you’ve been riding?
Wow, where do I start and not sound biased? Haha.
I like to see myself as a bit of a waterman, I am not strapped to one discipline. I have such a deep-rooted love for wakestyle and also a strong passion for big air. Not to mention the most graceful discipline of all, there is nothing better than kitefoiling.
Wakestyle/freestyle – The Razor, everyone who knows anything about unhooking riding knows that the Airush Razor is easily one of the best yet legendary C-Kites in the game.
Big air – Lift teams have my heart, they are truly insane!
Kite foil – The legend, the one and only Airush Ultra Team. I also love the new lithium v14 for kitefoiling.
You’ve helped get a lot of people stoked on kiteboarding in Scotland and beyond. For someone just starting out, what’s your top piece of advice?
Give it a go! The amount of people who have come to me after completing their kitesurfing lessons, followed by having a good few months under their belt, have said that “kitesurfing has changed my life, best thing i have ever done” Their health and wellbeing has improved massively, stress has gone and their overall quality of life is better. Kitesurfing is good for the soul.
Scotland has some wild and beautiful conditions. What’s your favorite spot to ride, and what makes it special to you?
Usual story – there is no place like home. On a serious note, my favourite place in Scotland is Tiree in the Hebrides, a small island that is 12 miles long and 3 miles wide; it is truly wild. Big winds, huge waves, flat water, and much more.. Did you know, Tiree is statistically the sunniest yet windiest place in the UK?? Tiree is very barren, there is nothing but a pub, sheep, and a few locals, and it’s a four-hour ferry from the mainland. Sounds like paradise, right?
I would love for the Airush team to come to the island, we would be more than happy to show you this absolute place of beauty. Have a look on Google, you won’t believe that it is Scotland.
Last one — what’s next for you? Any upcoming projects, trips, or goals you’re excited about?
Keep on sharing the love for kitesurfing, engaging with the community, and getting as many people as possible into the most epic sport in the world.
I have got a few projects up my sleeve that involve showcasing the true beauty that Scotland has. More will come in time 😉
