US-born JJ Rice to represent Tonga in new Olympic sport

A 17 year old kite foil racer is looking to be the first Caucasian to represent Tonga at this year's Olympics in France.

Jackson James Rice was born in the United States, but has lived his entire life in Tonga, where his parents own an island resort in Faleloa.

He told Newshub he's proud to represent the Kingdom at the Paris Olympics in July.

“I’ve lived in Tonga my whole life, I see myself as a Tongan, I don’t see myself as anything else.”

Kite foil racing is similar to kitesurfing, but uses a foil board, so the rider appears to fly above the water and can perform acrobatic tricks and quick turns. The kites are 7-21 metres and riders hit speeds of more than 40 knots, around 51 kilometres per hour, and the watersport will debut at this year’s Summer Olympics.

Rice says it’s an exhilarating sport.

"We compare ourselves to F1 cars, basically, on the water. It's the fastest form, and most intense and hardest to learn."

For Rice, training and access to events is difficult from Foa island, which is part of the Ha’apai island group. It has a population of just a few hundred people, and it takes a taxi, ferry and domestic flight just to get to Tongatapu International Airport. Rice has been fondly dubbed 'Tamasi'i Ha'apai' or 'Son of Ha'apai', and was given a hero's welcome on his return from the World Championships in August.

Rice spent most of last year training overseas in his Olympic buildup, and came 8th overall in last month’s Sail Sydney event, but wants to make it into the top five next time.

“I felt it was personally one of my best competitions with the least amount of mistakes. I also made it into the semi finals which was a huge goal for me being the first I've made it into, overall it was super fun and I can't wait till my next competition where hopefully I am even faster.”

Justina Kitchen and Lukas Walton-Keim have successfully qualified to represent New Zealand in Kite Foiling in July’s Olympic Games.