South Barrington man's “flying” skills send him to Dubai
William Ayars Jr. of South Barrington is preparing to travel halfway around the globe to compete for a world title of a new extreme sport that he said saved his life.
The sport, flyboarding, is like wakeboarding with a jet pack on. Professionals and amateurs alike soar through the air on a board propelled by a blast of water made by an attached jet.
The 31-year-old Ayars, who refers to flyboarding as “flying,” said the sport helped him overcome a drug addiction he developed as a teen.
“This sport gave me back my life,” he said. “It allowed me to take my addictive personality and put it into something I love.”
Not only does Ayars love flying, but he is really good at it. Videos Ayars uploaded of himself performing tricks like the 360 double back flip caught the attention of the international flyboarding community.
Ayars will be one of more than 80 flyboarders competing in the World Cup of Flyboarding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from Dec. 3-6.
Supporters can watch the competition via a live stream provided by Flyboarding Magazine.
When he isn't flying around the world, Ayars works to spread flyboarding as a sport by teaching others to fly through his company Liquid Flight, which rents equipment to newcomers on Bangs Lake in Wauconda
“I've flown people as young as 13 and as old as 63,” Ayars said. “If you can stand you can do this.”