Annabel is a shredder from the stunning island of Aruba; she has been kiting since she was fourteen and recently placed 2nd at the WKL event in France, missing out on the podium spot by less than a point! Lindsay McClure decided it was high time for a catch-up!

Annabel is a shredder from the stunning island of Aruba; she has been kiting since she was fourteen and recently placed 2nd at the WKL event in France, missing out on the podium spot by less than a point! Lindsay McClure decided it was high time for a catch up!

Hi Annabel! You’re off to an impressive start in the World Kiteboarding League Elite League, currently sitting in second place. How did the event in Leucate, France go?

Thank you! Yes, France was an unbelievable start of the year for me. I was quite nervous about it as I felt like I might not have had as much winter training as the rest of the competitors due to my studies at the University. The first heat was a rough start, but after that I picked it up and made it all the way to a 2nd place, losing by 0.53. I’ve never come so close to the top spot and am more motivated than ever!

What are your goals for this season, both in competitions and outside of competitions?

Of course World Champion is always on your mind, but first, I would love more than anything to make my first top podium place. Outside of competition I just want to enjoy. Enjoy this beautiful life we’re given by combining all the things I am so happy to do, like kiting, getting an education, and practising yoga.

How did you get started in kiteboarding, and what attracted you to the sport?

When I was 13 years old, my dad got into the sport, and so my family and I started to visit the beach more often. I picked up windsurfing, as the kite school wanted kids to be at least 15 to kite. However, watching my dad and the other kiters flying through the air, I knew that that was what I wanted. The possibilities and freedom that kiteboarding offered was what attracted me most. So after lots of asking, when I was 14, the school made an exception, and so I became a kiteboarder. Being the competitive person that I am, a hobby soon became more as I started to compete in local competitions in Aruba and Venezuela. When I finished high school, I was offered an international contract by a sponsor and immediately began my career as a pro kiteboarder.

Tell us a bit about your life growing up on Aruba, was it as perfect as it seems it would be?

Aruba is a beautiful place to grow up, as the island is so warm and welcoming. I was 11 when I moved there, and I’m not going to lie about how hard it was to pack up and leave everything in the Netherlands behind. However, I did become happy there very quickly, and the most beautiful thing is that kids can stay young and carefree a lot longer. We are not called the “one happy island” for nothing. I'm glad to call the island my home, and when you are a kiteboarder, it might be stated as being “perfect”!

You just finished your first year at university; how do you balance studying with kiting, what are you studying, and what are your plans for after school?

Indeed, I just finished my freshman year at the University of Aruba. I am studying Hospitality and Tourism Management, which is a three-year course, so I have two more to go! Being a full-time yogi beside everything I do, I believe that everything comes along your path for a reason and at the right time. Leaving Cabrinha late 2015 created quite an opening in my schedule and gave me time to think about my next steps. I had been travelling full-time as a pro kiteboarder for four years and felt like it was time for a change. First I took a Yoga Teacher Training course becoming officially certified. After that, I thought about what was next, and before I knew it, I had signed up at the University of Aruba. I felt the need to get an education as a backup for the future, but also to get an education and gain knowledge and skills. They have been incredibly supportive to help make the balance as easy as possible, which means that I can leave for competition whenever necessary and they give me a hand to stay on top of my studies at all times.

How have your sponsors, including Core Kiteboarding, helped you achieve your goals?

At the moment have three sponsors, FX Sports Aruba, NP Surf, and Saba Rock Resort. FX Sports is the local kite shop in Aruba that sells multiple brands, and they have been supporting me for over a year now by supplying me with Core gear. They gave me the freedom I needed to figure out my next steps and to balance my studies with kiting. NP Surf, of course, supplies me with the best wetsuits and harnesses. And finally, Saba Rock Resort is a tiny island and hotel in the British Virgin Islands and hands down one of the nicest places ever. They have been supporting me for five years now and always stand behind me with everything I do, which I’m incredibly grateful for.

I am also a brand ambassador for Drika bikinis and the charity organisation Stichting Clear Water Initiative.

Who are your favourite people to train with, and how do you stay motivated to train your hardest every day?

I love training with anyone that enjoys being on the water and preferably shouting motivating comments at each other while laughing at the good crashes. Throughout the years I didn’t have much competition on Aruba as I was one of the very few freestylers, so I don’t mind training alone. It does make me appreciate it more when I’m on the water with people that are practising some decent tricks as well. Brazil is always a fun time of the year where you meet a bunch of your competitors and other pros, and we all go out and shred together. As for off the water, my coach at Al Training Performance Center on Aruba pushes me to keep going and make my body as fit as possible for training on the water and the competitions.

Describe your experience as a professional female kiter - what are the biggest challenges and the most significant advantages to being a female kiter?

One of the greatest benefits is also one of the largest problems for women. Too often, it is all about appearances. The tinier the bikinis, the more media coverage, attention, photos, and eventually money, you’ll get. But let’s get real though. We all use it, and why shouldn’t we? I’ve always found it crucial to stay myself, but everyone is free to define their promotion in their terms. Our jobs consist, to some degree, of making people believe it’s perfect. Posting only the best shots on our social media is simply bringing forth the amazing things we get to do and see in our lives and making the very best of it.

Another major challenge is the fact that girls who kite are still not appreciated like the men are. We are heading in the right direction, and in some ways, it is fair that men get more attention, but we are shredding out there and risking our bodies just as much. On the other hand, I love that we can go out there and blow people’s minds because we show the completely unexpected. Who would think that that girl in the teeny tiny bikini can do a trick so complex and powerful that most people can’t even understand it?

Who are your favourite riders? Who inspires you?

When I was 14 and just learning to kitesurf, I said with extreme confidence that I wanted to be just like Susi Mai, who was the female face of kiteboarding at the time. My motto over the years has been: “If you really believe, anything is possible”. Just four years later, I stood next to her at the Cabrinha photoshoot, and another two years later I took over her place on the team. She is a good friend now and still inspires me for her passion for the sport next to many other top riders that inspire me to ride better and be stronger.

There is one person that inspires me most on a daily basis. She passed away recently but has taught me more than anyone ever could have about love and gratitude.

What is the coolest opportunity you’ve had as a kiteboarder? 

Late 2015 I was asked to come to Turkey for ten days for a video shoot. I wasn’t entirely sure what the idea was until I arrived and fully realised it was the new commercial for Turkish Airlines and the Turkish Ministry of Tourism. There were over 40 people in the production team, including my very own personal assistant/translator. The video showed the beautiful, natural side of Turkey that most people don’t know about, guiding the viewer to different locations through the wind and kiteboarding.

An entire orchestra created the music, and I had the pleasure to be involved in the text behind the video and doing the actual voice-over in two languages. I ended up spending an entire three weeks in Turkey, and after I left, I still didn’t understand the gravity of the commercial. A few months later it started sinking in when the video was played on TV, screens, and theatres worldwide, including Times Square, NYC, and won a total of 16 prizes. Home of Turquoise, as the video is called, will forever be one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Do what makes you happy.

What progression and improvement would you like to see in the sport of kiteboarding in the next five years? Ten years?

I would love for the World Kiteboarding League to grow to an internationally known and broadcasted event, setting kiteboarding on the map once again as an extreme sport that anyone can follow. Just like people that don’t snowboard but watch all the major events, my hope is that people will find that entertainment in kiteboarding as well. Secondly, I would like the future generations to make an actual career out of the sport, not risking everything for nothing. And finally, I hope that kiteboarding becomes Olympic, even with foiling, as it will be a significant step for our sport!

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Annabel!

Videos

Annabel van Westerop - Cocos and Tricks
Turkey: Home of Turquoise
By Lindsay McClure
Lindsay is a pro rider from Hood River in the USA, she works for IKSURFMAG as our Features Editor and is an integral part of the team. Lindsay is really into wakestyle riding and can be found in the Hood River Slider Park during the summer months, she also travels all over the world with the World Class Academy helping younger riders develop through kiteboarding!

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