I think I'm deeply connected with nature. In general...
I'd love to combine everything I do with the element of water and mountains.
The truth is that I once disliked it, but now I don't.
Now, I like that I have found an alternative way of entertainment,
because skiing may be my sport...
...my job, but I love doing it.
And since I like it, I prefer doing it than anything else.
I first met Nikolas at the age of ten.
And that was when we started hanging out everyday.
Nikolas as a kid was characterized as a jackanapes.
He was teasing everyone and would never sit still in a place.
We met Nikolas first time in 2006, when we were looking
with Stephen Aslanidis, my partner, to get staff for the team of “sessions”
and we were looking for a kid, a young talent on the mountain.
The first time I photographed him was on the mountain,
where we had a shooting for the team sessions.
As a child Nikolas Plytas had excess energy.
He had too much energy. I remember the first time I talked with his mother...
she said, “what can I do with him, he's a child with lot of energy...
and I don't know how can I manage him.''
My first time water skiing was when I was five years old.
I was swimming in Vouliagmeni Nautical Club...
and saw the other kids skiing.
I liked it and I convinced my parents to let me begin ski lessons.
And one day my mother got me there and I started doing it.
Vouliagmeni is my neighborhood. I grew up here.
This is where I come with my friends.
I always did, since I was young. This is where we come...
when there are waves to ski, and when the sea is calm.
And generally, a big part of my life belongs here.
The progress in Nikolas’ sport is enormous and I believe
that the level is constantly rising in all sports he's doing...
and especially in waterskiing.
He has the standards and the skills to be distinguished...
in the category of men worldwide. I believe he will succeed.
Of course, things are getting more difficult, but Nikolas
is doing everything that is difficult!
He has surpassed puberty and now he can be concentrated...
and work his mind, and work his body...
which is important. I think we built the base of the pyramid,
the pyramid isn't completed yet, but Nikolas has more to give us.
I think of the sea as a game, because it gives me other things to do as well.
In the past, I was glad to stare it and enjoy the view.
Now it gives me a playground.
Some things I remember about this wreck, is that it was too difficult.
Only thinking that you start from the top of the wreck and you wheel up under,
you could probably fall through the water
or fall into another part of the ship, or the keel that is laid back.
But, as soon as I did the first trick, the second one came...
and then I adjusted.
As a person, the passion for all sports characterizes him.
Meaning if you don't do sports, you're not living. That's Nikola's motive.
His character doesn't fit with his age.
He's a 19-year-old kid with a mind of a 30-year-old man.
Lately he has started to work.
Except that he's talented, he works very-very much and I believe
he hasn't shown us yet the best part.
It would sound a bit strange, but the most special and beautiful place
I've waterskied is in Greece. And specifically, in two lakes.
The one is the lake of Caiaphas, located in Zacharo...
and the other one is the Lake Aliartou. I found Aliarto because...
George Hatzis opened a waterski school there and we went to do ski
when he opened it. Since George opened this school and until now
I'm over there and it's a very big part of my life.
I always did waterskiing, because I loved the feeling that you get.
In everything I do, I think that the feeling I get is the most important thing.
Every time I'm in the water I don't think anything else.