In this issue, Ines Rodlauer gets our ‘Insight’ spotlight. Ines, raised in Austria, is a passionate kiteboarder and freelancer for FLYSURFER, managing PR and media work. At GKA/GWA, she coordinates the media team for events. Ines has a busy event schedule - Dive into this exclusive interview to find out more about her life on the go!

Ines, it’s great to have you here! Could you share what it was like growing up in Austria and what sparked your passion for kiteboarding?

Hey Jen, thank you for the opportunity and for interviewing me!

I was born in Vienna and went to school there. Every weekend, I would go with my parents to the lakeside. My mom is from Gols, located right next to the historic Surf World Cup spot “Podersdorf am See.” The famous Surf World Cup was an event everyone looked forward to. It was a chance to see international athletes compete on the lake, as well as an opportunity to enjoy sundowner parties with friends.

My parents introduced me to sailing at an early age, which is how I got into windsports. However, my first kiting experience was in Cuba in 2008. I went there with my parents and met a Bavarian family whose son showed me how to launch and land a kite on the beach. From that moment, I was hooked, and a few months later, I did my kitesurfing course in Podersdorf at Kiteriders.

Could you tell us about your role at FLYSURFER and what led you to get the job there?

I have been freelancing for FLYSURFER for the past 1.5 years. On official records, I run my own marketing agency. Previously, I was employed full-time by FLYSURFER for 3 years as an international marketing and event manager before starting my own business. My role involves handling PR and media work for FLYSURFER, FLARE, and Skywalk. This includes supporting them during events, managing social media takeovers for my colleague Luisa, creating advertisements, banners, and graphics for sales purposes, and providing assistance wherever needed. I consider myself a versatile marketing professional with event management expertise and a strong networking passion.

To start with, Christoph Hesina, the brand manager, brought me onto the FLYSURFER team in late 2019. Before that, I worked for three years as a Marketing Manager for the European Distributor "Pryde Group" of Cabrinha and Neilpryde. Christoph and I had been friends for a long time, and being from the same area, we connected well, leading to him offering me a new opportunity.

I am also involved with GKA, GWA, and Lift Foils, which many of you may be familiar with.

Could you give us a glimpse into your daily life at FLYSURFER? How do you balance your work and passion for kiteboarding, especially with the flexibility of remote work?

As a freelancer, I work remotely from Vienna, but I often travel for work. This year, I've only spent 8 weeks in Vienna. Now, for the fifth time, I'm spending the European winter in Cape Town, where many of my friends in the kiteboarding and windsurfing industry work. This is the time of year when the kitesurfing, wingfoiling, and windsurfing community gathers in the southern hemisphere of Cape Town.

Although I still love kiteboarding, my new passion is paragliding. After working in the same industry for a long time and kiting for 15 years, I needed a different type of balance. Sometimes I stopped kiting altogether because it became overwhelming. I became extremely interested in paragliding when we introduced the FLARE brand in 2022 and the famous MOUSTACHE, a parakite. Last February, I obtained my paragliding license in Wilderness, South Africa, which was a very rewarding experience. Paragliding not only opened up new horizons but also introduced me to new friends and provided a different source of adrenaline and tranquillity. It's like finding a balance between opposites for me - air versus water - and serves as a complementary activity to kiteboarding on less windy days.

You're always on the move. Does travelling this much make it lose its novelty, or do you still enjoy it every time?

I still love travelling to new places. Most of my friends live abroad, so it's always nice to visit other countries and stay with friends, which makes the whole experience feel like home for me. However, being at home is the best for recharging my batteries and returning to "normal" life. It's important for me to see my friends and family back home. I think spending at least 3 weeks at home in between travels is a good balance. At least, that's how it works for me; everyone has their own recipes.

Travelling for work is definitely different, especially for me as I work at kiteboarding, wingfoiling, and e-foiling events. It's not the same as just going somewhere to rent a place and work remotely or have a holiday. Many people following me think I'm always on vacation and living an easy life, but they don't see that "nomads" like us work really hard, often for many hours into the night, and sometimes waking up at sunrise for a skipper's meeting. The reward is that we can work from anywhere we want.

This was my goal when I became a freelancer, and I wouldn't want to change it, at least not until I feel it's time to properly "settle". In the meantime, I'm enjoying the journey.

What’s your favourite part of your job, and what keeps you motivated?

Working with people is definitely the key. Whether it's colleagues from FLYSURFER, GKA, GWA, or Lift Foils, having a great team to support you and vice versa is crucial. I believe that this accounts for 80% of the job. I really enjoy collaborating and exchanging creative ideas with colleagues to brainstorm new projects. Whether at the GWA events in Gran Canaria or the beach in Leucate, sharing experiences with like-minded individuals who share the same passion and are always willing to go the extra mile is wonderful.

What has been your most memorable experience while working at FLYSURFER?

This is a pretty easy answer - It was our photoshoot in Cape Town in 2021 when the beaches were closed. Talking about this now feels a bit surreal, to be honest. Luckily, we booked the tickets when the government opened the beaches during lockdown. But when we were supposed to fly in for the biggest and longest shoot ever planned, we had organised a media crew, which was already in Cape Town. However, flying in all the athletes resulted in last-minute flight cancellations and not being allowed to step on the beaches. We were chased by the police, bought lots of fishing rods, and could only shoot from boats through a slipway. This made the whole photoshoot experience slightly different than planned, but we made it work as a team.

During the STOKE3 photoshoot in Cornwall, many tourists who had never seen a kitesurfer before wanted to take a picture with two FLYSURFER athletes. Unfortunately, the tourists were so excited that they pulled one side of Matias Lee’s control bar while his kite was up, leaving it pulling and kite-looping Matias across the beach. I took Matias to the hospital, but after a few stitches on his head, we were able to continue with the shoot. Matias then helped us behind the lens.

At the end of the day, it’s always about the people. I really enjoyed working with Alina, Adam, Luke, Crystal, Theo, Olly, Megan, Catta, Roderick, Flo, Lukas, Lidewij, Miriam, and many more.

What’s it like being on the GKA/GWA media team, and what does your role entail?

As a media coordinator for the GWA Wingfoil World Tour, I manage the media team during the events I attend. Typically, I work with 1-2 videographers, 1 editor, 1 photographer, 1 MC and commentator, and 1 social media manager. My responsibilities include coordinating interviews with athletes for the videographers, assisting the photographers during registration and with recording intros and outros, helping the social media team with captions, sending event newsletters, checking photos and social activities, communicating with the riders, approving shared content, uploading event videos on YouTube and our cloud, creating thumbnails and social media graphics, informing the media team about event updates and winners, and organising debriefs. My main priority is to ensure that the media team has everything they need, is well-informed about the latest event updates, and can do their job as smoothly as possible. 

I also make sure they are well-fed and properly protected from the sun!

In addition to my event work, I also serve as the GKA Awards Manager, comparable to the Oscars of the Kiteboarding Industry. I handle the communication and organisation of the awards. Currently, submissions are open until October 7th for everyone to submit their Moves, Photos, and Videos to be considered for the Qatar Airways GKA Awards 2024, which will take place in Cape Town on January 10th, 2025. 

Travelling extensively as part of your job must have its ups and downs. Could you share some of the most challenging and rewarding moments you’ve experienced?

Downside: Seeing family and friends from home is not very often. Building a relationship is not easy unless you’re travelling together or working in a similar field.

Reward: Seeing your international friends often, usually working in warmer areas. Going wherever you want to, and doing sports whenever you want to. Working in beautiful places where people are spending their holidays.

How does FLYSURFER stay ahead in such a competitive industry?

FLYSURFER has carved out its own niche in the kite industry by championing foil kites when other brands didn't believe in them. Fast forward 25 years, and the FLYSURFER VMG2 is the kite of choice for kitefoil racing at the Olympics in Marseille this summer, designed by Benni Bölli. FLYSURFER's range includes the SOUL, SONIC, HYBRID, and PEAK, which are popular for freeride foil kiting on water, land, and snow.

Not everyone may know that FLYSURFER also produces tube kites and wings such as the STOKE, INDIE, and ERA. The ERA, designed by Maximilian Kühnhauser and Luke McGillewie, is especially favoured for high-performance freeride and big air. Additionally, athletes like Luca Ceruti, Ellie Dimitrova, Evan Klijn, Kenan Azzam, Hugo Wigglesworth, and Borja Vellon are among those who are hooked on these kites!

The latest addition to FLYSURFER's lineup is the INDIE, a one-strut kite designed for lightness, ease of flight, and travel convenience in the l.e.i. product range.

What are your plans for the summer?

Spring and summer are the busiest seasons for me because of numerous events. The event season has already started for me in Leucate, followed by Lisbon, Berlin, and Hyeres. Next week, I'll be heading to Munich for a good friend's birthday. After that, I'm joining Lift Foils for the European Demo Tour in the South of France and the Balearic Sea. Then, I'll be heading to Gran Canaria for the Big Air event as a media coordinator for the GWA Wingfoil World Tour and GKA Kite World Tour. There's a lot more planned, so it's going to be an exciting summer. Try to catch me if you can!

Videos

STOKE - IGNITE YOUR FIRE
SOUL official video
#FLYFISHER - CAPE TOWN DIARIES
By IKSURFMAG

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