windfreaks - girls corner
Sometime ago I was contacted by a female kite surfer who had been looking at this web site and basicly asked........."where the female flyers, there are no article about female flyers and there no females in the gallery" Well she has a point, in a sport which is undoubtedly dominated by men there are those ladies out there flying but very little is written about them unless their name is Kirsty Jones (she is world and british women kite surf champion)
So looking to make amends I asked the female (Michelle Hoo) kite surfer to write a little article on her flying and you can read it below.
My way - Michelle Hoo
Freezing - the icy fingers of the sea grab hold of me and for a split moment my brain seizes up. The waves are pretty daunting too, but covered head to toe in neoprene - grateful that British waters don't attract sharks - yet I recite in my head, twelve o'clock, two o'clock, twelve o'clock, two o'clock. The kite starts swooping across the sky, I feel a tug through my harness, pulling me to a position that could be fairly described as standing.
Unsteady but feet jammed into the foot-straps, I am taking my first steps in joining what has been described as the fastest growing water sport in the world - kitesurfing (in the southern hemisphere kiteboarding) At the moment it feels more like kite - barely hanging on!
The sky is filled with kites - any colour you can think of but my eyes don't see any of this - need to focus on so many things at once - kite, board, bar, water! - guess I prove false the myth that women are better multi-taskers! As most in the water fly by me - some taking massive jumps, suspended in the air for minutes, I keep uttering my mantra - left to right, left to right, hoping the kite stays in position and I don't get dunked again
My God! I am up and riding! Slicing through the water - biggest grin on my face - as the antithesis of the stereotypical kitesurfer - for one I am female, slightly petrified of the ocean and not blessed with natural co-ordination.
I decide to learn through sheer stubbiness - a kite widow? Not for me and it looks just so cool. The kiting community seems to be more mellow and older than wakeboarders or surfers but the boardies are worn equally as low. Also as a girl the physical effort is much less, the kite has all the power, no need for endless paddling or sessions where your arms are wrenched from their sockets So hopefully I will see you out on the water - and I will be floating in the air past you!
My way - Nicola Durrant
We all started kiting (land kites) a few years ago and my hubby progressed to the water and we have all followed (we) meaning our 2 daughters Danielle aged 12 and Chloe aged 10 (just turned 11) they have always took the most suitable kite and wind/weather so I (mum)have yet to get on the board, I have had a lesson and feel confident to keep going till I master it!!
The girls can go up/down wind and are only going to get better I will just follow when the wind picks up and they are at school!!
UPDATE: I had a sneeky lesson on Monday while the children were at school at FINALLY got up on the board!! Yipeee.
Ceri Rees
Local reporter Ceri Rees try kite surfing with local kite school read the article here, you will need Adobe Acrobat to read it
So anymore female flyer would like to write an article about themselves for this page then e-mail me your details and any pictures you have and I will put them up on this site.
Check out the Female Corner in the photo gallery