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Pete Cabrinha

b. 1961

American big-wave surfer, windsurfer, kitesurfer and artist

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About Pete Cabrinha

Born 1961. Pete Cabrinha is an American kitesurfer, surfer and windsurfer.

Career Windsurfing In 1985 he won the world wave sailing championship.

Tow-surfing In 1993, Cabrinha and his friends Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, Rush Randle, Brett Lickle, Mike Waltze, Mark Angulo, Derrick Doerner, and Buzzy Kerbox started to experiment in big surf on the North Shore of Maui and invented a spin off called tow-surfing. They called themselves the "Strapped Crew”. Using a personal watercraft to tow themselves into large waves they set out to explore the outer limits of big wave surfing.

Kiteboarding In the late 90s, Cabrinha experimented with kites and helped pioneer the sport of kiteboarding. Together with his friend Dan Bolfing, Cabrinha began to design kiteboards under the Cabrinha label. In 2000 Cabrinha joined forces with the Pryde Group and Cabrinha Kites was born. The company launched their first product line in 2000 and as of 2019 was selling kiteboarding equipment in over 70 countries.

Foilboarding and wingsurfing Foilboarding and wingsurfing are other hybrid surf sports which Cabrinha helped to pioneer and later industrialize.

Artist life A son to an artist mother, Cabrinha pursued the arts for over three decades. His mixed media art works combine his photography and graphic design skills with off-center painting techniques.

Personal life Cabrinha lives on Maui with his wife, former windsurfer and fashion designer Lisa Letarte Cabrinha, and his daughter, Tahiti Cabrinha.

Titles 1985 WSMA World Champion (Wave Performance)

Media appearances

Movies and documentaries The Longest Wave, 2019 The Excellent Life, 2019 Take every wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton, 2017 Strapped: The Origins of Tow-In Surfing, 2002 Wake up Call, 1996 Upwind Tradewind: The Wavesailing Film, 1984 Zalman King film In God’s Hands, 1998

Other media appearances Kiteboarding Magazine, "The Link between Surfing and Art", October 2019. The Hawaiian Pioneers, "Chapter One: The Kiteboard Legacy Begins", Audiobook, 2018. Looking Sideways Podcast, 2018. Adventure Sports Network, The Evolution of Pete Cabrinha: 4 Decades at the Cutting Edge of Watersports, 2018. Liquid Salt Mag, Interview, 2018.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Kitesurfer, surfer, windsurfer
Nationality

People in Pete Cabrinha's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Pete Cabrinha's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Pete Cabrinha?

American big-wave surfer, windsurfer, kitesurfer and artist

When was Pete Cabrinha born?

Pete Cabrinha was born on 13 September 1961.

What is Pete Cabrinha's occupation?

Pete Cabrinha is a kitesurfer, surfer and windsurfer.

What nationality is Pete Cabrinha?

Pete Cabrinha is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Pete Cabrinha

· Wikidata: Q7171879

· DBpedia: Pete Cabrinha

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Pete Cabrinha. https://biography.guide/pete-cabrinha/

MLA: "Pete Cabrinha." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/pete-cabrinha/.

Chicago: "Pete Cabrinha." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/pete-cabrinha/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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