Jenny Cooper (UK, living in Egypt)

Chapter:  El Gouna/ Egypt

Website: jencooper.net

Sponsor: my adorable hubby/cameraman Dave at redseamonkeys.com

Born in: 1957

Started kiting in: 2004

Favorite trick: Anything I land 5 times in a row! :D

Your message to female kiters: It takes as long as it takes! If I can do it anyone can!

Andrina Kelly (England)

Chapter:  Lancing/ UK

Sponsors: Best Kiteboarding

Born in: 1978

Started kiting in: 2005

Favourite trick: backloop kiteloop

Your message to female kiters: Kiteboarding has changed my life, before it came along I had no real focus or motivation and it has brought so much pleasure to my life, including lots of travelling chasing the wind and sun. One of the biggest bonuses is the people that come into your life because of it. Kiteboarders are very passionate people, with the sport and with life in general. When I first started kiting there were not many girls around and kiteboarding was seen as a sport that you needed to be big and strong for but this is not true! Now there are so many girls out there kiting and they are busting moves just as good if not better and more graceful than the boys. Seeing that has brought so much inspiration to me and made me realise that if they can do it I can do it too - and so will you!

Jo Malyon (England)

Chapter:  Lancing/ UK

Sponsors: Shinn and Airush 

Born in: 1983

Started Kiting in: 2003/4

Favourite Trick: kiteloops, currently learning boardoffs, and LOVING riding my new surfboard :)

Your message to female kiters: Kiting is the sport that just keeps on giving: be it invigorating sessions, the satisfaction of landing a new trick, the exhilaration of experiencing mother nature or simply having a good time with great friends. In the last few years I have also come to learn that there is nothing more motivating or inspiring than kiting with other girls! So get out there- live, laugh, love (and kite!)

Sarah Craddy (England, living in Turkey)

Chapter: Gokova Bay/ Turkey

Sponsors: www.alwayswindy.com

Born in: 1973

Started Kiting in: 2003

Favourite Trick: Railey to Blind when I land it… when I don’t land it, every other trick is my favorite :o)

Your message to female kiters:  Kelly Slater once said about surfing “It’s like the Mafia, once you’re in, you’re in.  There’s no getting out”.  Kiting has taken over my life, literally, and I love it for that!  It got me away from the corporate 9 to 5 and back to living life.  There were very few girls kiting in the UK when I learnt, so when more started appearing at the beach we all became and still are friends, although we now live across the globe.  That’s the great thing about kiting, it bonds us in so many ways.  Find out what makes you tick and go for it, whether it be ‘mowing the lawn’, freestyle or waves.  Time waits for no man.

Susan Grossman (USA)

Chapter:  The Outer Banks/ North Carolina, USA

Sponsors: RRD

Born in: 1982 (in Baltimore, MD)

Started Kiting in: 2008

Favourite Trick: unhooked kiteloops and whatever my new trick is

Your message to female kiters: Get out there and kite!  Try something new, but break it down into steps.  After all, you have to jump before you land.  Don't be afraid to crash either - its part of learning.  Also, remember that the great part of kiting is that there's no one way to do it right - cruise around and enjoy the scenery, go out in the waves, rip some freestyle tricks, boost big, whatever makes you happy.  Its all fun and its why kiting never gets boring (there's always something new to try).  Finally, kiting with great people makes kiting all the more better - you'll push each other to try new things, give each other tips, laugh at the really great crashes and cheer at the successes!

Isabel Martínez de Velasco (Spain)

Chapter:  East Coast/ Spain

Sponsors:  Any offers???

Born in:

Started Kiting in:  2005

Favourite Trick:  I like wave riding.

Your message to female kiters:  I was one of the few girls that kite in my area when I started. It is great to see that is changing and you can see a lot of girls now kiting in the spots.
I like to encourage the women in my area to because contrary to what some may think, this sport is accessible to all.  Some people often tell me: wow, you kitesurf, you must be so strong!  But kiteboarding is not about strength but more about skill and intuition.  And we women are very intuitive.  Once an instructor told me this made women better pupils.  I sometimes compare learning to kite to learning to drive.  It’s all about coordination which requires time, patience and persistence.  Once you learn, a new world opens before your eyes.  Because kiteboarding offers you so much; to me it’s therapy, among other things.  Kiting is meditation which easies my mind.  The adrenaline makes me feel powerful like I am on top of the world and can overcome any obstacle.  Kiting gives me a kind of joy that allows me to forget all my problems.   And it is sooooo much fun!

Fiona Tarr (Australia)

Chapter:  Sunshine Coast/ Australia

Sponsors:  Adventure Sports, KSA designs, North Kiteboarding, F One Kiteboarding & Pro limit

Born in:  Berri SA - Australia

Started Kiting in:  Jan 2008

Favourite Trick:  Jump Transition to toeside (with & without a downloop)

Your message to female kiters:  Never say "Can't" & don't put yourself under pressure, just have fun & enjoy the personal time, space & achievements.

Elea Faucheron (USA)

Chapter:  Charleston/ South Carolina, USA

Sponsors:  www.catchsomeair.us

Born in: 1976

Started Kiting in: 2003, but was a total train wreck until 2004 - so happy I made it thru that year!!

Favourite Trick: the watermelon, I love making up trick names for silly moves!

Your message to female kiters: The experience is what you bring to it, if you allow it, kiting can offer you freedom, connection, and self preservation!

Jeanette Abernethy (Canada)

Chapter:  Ontario/ Canada

Sponsors:  Kitecave.com and looking for more sponsors!

Born in:  Orillia, Ontario

Started Kiting in:  2008

Favourite Trick:  Getting AIR is fun!

Your message to female kiters:  It's all about Fun and Safety...To be honest, I was a little intimidated at the beginning by the lines and size of kite etc.  Taking lessons from a certified instructor learning all the safety features and spending time on the water in good conditions was key for me.  Now, I totally plan to be kiting well into my 80's !  It's not about strength at all and it's a TON of fun.  My message is more of a  WARNING:  KITEBOARDING IS ADDICTIVE!

Megan O'Leary (Mexico)

Chapter:  Baja/ Mexico

Sponsors: North Kiteboarding, Dakine

Born in: 1978

Started Kiting in: 2003

Favourite Trick: F16

Your message to female kiters: I love teaching women and helping them to get into the sport.  When I learned, it took so much courage and perseverance, there were some days I just didn't want to get back out there!  But I wasn't going to give up, and eventually, I became proficient.  Kiteboarding helped me to grow as a person and learn something that fully changed my life!  Whether kiteboarding changes your life, it will, most certainly,  challenge you, and inevitably make you stronger, braver, and bring a smile to your face! :)

Aileen Shepherd (USA, living in New Zealand)

Chapter:  Nelson/ New Zealand

Sponsors:

Born in: 1982

Started Kiting in: 2009

Favourite Trick: I am working on fine tuning the Nuclear grab. This is my favorite at the moment b/c I feel like I am giving myself a hardcore oblique work out every time I do it.

Your message to female kiters: Put on a skirt & show the boys what the girls can do.

Maayke Tadema (Dutch, living in Italy)

Chapter: Lake Garda/ Italy

Sponsors: Best & Wind Riders

Born in:  1986 in The Netherlands

Started Kiting in: 2004

Favourite Trick: I love wave kitesurfing, my favourite freestyle tricks are F16 and transition jumps.

Your message to female kiters: Let's go kitingsurfing, kiteboarding or snowkiting  and have fun together!

Laurel Eastman (USA, living in the Dominican Republic)

Chapter: Cabarete/ Dominican Republic

Sponsors: Pete & Peter Pan, Best Kiteboarding, LEK - Laurel Eastman Kiteboarding

Born in: California

Started Kiting in: 2000 in New Zealand

Favourite Trick: My Balancing Act!

Your message to female kiters: Girl Kiters are AWESOME!

Audrey Meyer (France, living in the Dominican Republic)

Chapter: Cabarete/ Dominican Republic

Sponsors: long time relationship with Cabrinha, O'Neill 365, Maui Jim, Dare2fly, Yoga4SUP

Born in: France

Started Kiting in: 2000

Favourite Trick: any powerful trick executed with grace and style

Your message to female kiters: believe in yourself and everything is possible and achievable. No matter how many times you stumble, never take a fall for a failure! Girls are just beautiful so much more graceful and look more powerful on the water.

Sara Jolly (UK, living in Morocco)

Chapter:  Essaouira/ Morocco

Sponsors: www.exploramorocco.com

Born in:  1974 / UK

Started Kiting in: 2008

Favorite Trick: Anything that I manage to land :)

Message to female kiters: Believe in yourself, spend as much time as you can on the water and have FUN... for me kiting is my escape, the moment when I forget the day to day and just focus on the here and now, I AM FREE.

Efrat Sa'ar (Israel)

Chapter:  Eilat/ Israel

Sponsors:  http://www.facebook.com/EfratzPix

Started Kiting in: Sinai, Egypt 2002

Favourite Trick: backloop

Your message to female kiters: go out, enjoy the wind

Besides this message I would also like to add this short clip I've filmed and edited of one of our top kitegirls in Israel. The movie was taken under very hard conditions and in a short period of time, but i think it gets the messege across.

Inga Wobker (Germany)

Chapter:  South Germany/ Germany

Sponsors: Liquid Force, NPX, Tramontana Grafixx, anwaltvergleich24.de

Born in: 1984

Started kiting in: 2007 (Kitesurfing), 2009 (Snowkiting)

Favourite trick: F-16, Raley to blind

Your message to female kiters: “Live your passion!” That’s what it’s all about. No matter how much I am stressed out and have on my mind, when I launch my kite and get on the water it all gets in the right perspective. Kitesurfing gave me a balance in life. Something to live and work for. Something to test and push my boundaries. Something to enjoy with my friends.  Something to love. Go out and enjoy it yourself! 

Ashley Dorn (USA)

Chapter:  Long Island, NY/ USA

Sponsors: None (yet!)

Born in: 1983, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Started Kiting in: 2010, Cape Hatteras, NC, USA

Favourite Trick: All of them!

Your message to female kiters: Kiteboarding is the most amazing activity I have ever gotten involved in, and I'm sure it will be for you too, if it's not already!! Get out there and kite every chance you get!!  :)