SUP Mag UK October 2016 issue 11 | Page 67

design and CNC machine world there is a still a huge passion for quality and exquisite workmanship with the hand crafted touch still present. As Tahiti is half a world away, I wasn’t expecting to find out that my role was that well understood and appreciated – this was quite a heartwarming yet also humbling experience. I also discovered how similar the Italian and Tahitian lifestyles are: kindness and passion for life, it’s all about finding the right balance. Italy was just as one imagines it… only better! There, amongst the stunning scenery and fantastic food, I found the philosophy developed by RRD: a blend of quality and beauty. Or as the Italians call it ‘Mestiere Artigiano’, which roughly translates to artisan craft, an ancient tradition of building beautiful things by hand. This was how the RRD brand started all those years ago when Roberto wanted to fuse this ethos with performance to create his products and make them something special. Even today, in a computer aided 67 s t a n d u p p a d d I was privileged to see how well Roberto runs his company, in conjunction with his intelligence and ‘savoir-faire’, was an everpresent human touch. There aren’t a massive number of people working at RRD, as you might expect, but everyone is incredibly talented and adept l e m a g u k There, amongst the stunning scenery and fantastic food, I found the philosophy developed by RRD