Female Focus: Jalou Langeree
Issue 71 / Mon 8th Oct, 2018
Jalou Langeree is one of the finest athletes in the business, an incredibly talented water woman and experienced traveller, we find out a little more about her in this issues Female Focus!
Jalou Langeree is an inspiration in the world of kiteboarding. She is currently the World Champion in wave riding and leads the ladies world-ranking list. Jalou's adventurous energy, dedication, talent, humility, and humour are what attracted us to get to know her better. Jalou's grabs life by the horns, she shares some incredible stories with us, and we are thrilled to feature her as our Female Focus in this issue!
Jalou, you’re an inspiration to not only women in the kiteboarding industry, but to all riders! We know you grew up on the coast and being in the sea runs through your veins but can you tell us a little about your childhood and how you go into watersports?
I didn't enjoy going to school growing up, and I had a hard time finding the right sport for me. At the age of ten, I started getting in contact with watersports, and I picked up surfing, bodyboarding and wakeboarding. Two years later, Kevin got me hooked to kiteboarding, and that’s when the beach became my second home. Whenever it was windy, I was there. I found so much joy and finally found a way to express myself fully.
Growing up, did you always want to be a professional kiteboarder or did you have other interests besides sports?
I never had the intention to become a professional kiteboarder, it all started with pure passion, and that’s what it is even today. The Netherlands is usually windy, so I had plenty of hours on the water. I started improving rapidly and won my first national title at the age of fourteen. I had to compete against the guys, as there weren’t enough girls entering competitions back then.
I did have some other interests throughout my kiteboarding career, and I even thought about starting up a health café, as I love cooking. However, that would mean having to work on windy days, so I scratched that idea quite quickly! Now, I’m just fortunate that I get to inspire people with what I do and have my dream job.
Winters in Holland must be harsh, how did you mentally and physically encourage yourself for those colder sessions?
I don’t have to encourage myself at all; I laugh when I think about the past and how little we cared about riding in cold weather! I would put on my wetsuit, cycle to the beach, go kiteboarding for an hour and cycle back and head back for a shower. We were motivated and fearless! Our mother was always worried about our safety, but she never stopped us as she knew we wouldn't be irresponsible or reckless.
You’ve always been a sports addict, are there any extreme sports you’ve ever been fascinated by but still haven’t ticked it off the list?
Definitely! I would still like to skydive, I've done a couple of tandem jumps, but that doesn’t excite me any more, I'd preferably do it on my own. That sort of adrenaline is a feeling that every human needs to experience in life; it makes you alive, yeeewww!
You’ve been riding for Naish Kiteboarding for a long time now, what is your set up of choice and why?
I’ve been fortunate to be riding for Naish pretty much my whole career. My weapon of choice is the Slash and a 5’8 Global. The Slash is a great wave kite that gives me what I need. It responds fast, its smooth on turns and it's forgiving, which is great for down the line wave riding. My board choice depends on the location. At home, I love riding the Skater; it’s excellent for onshore conditions, comfortable for strapless freestyle, and perfect for middle to small waves. In locations like Mauritius and Indonesia, I always ride the Global. The Global catches more swells and maintains good speed and control on snappy top turns.
It must be fun and motivating having Kevin as a brother and sharing so many common interests, have you ever been competitive towards each other?
I’ve often been competitive towards Kevin, but Kevin did not feel the same towards me! I’ve always been very hard on myself while training and continuously pushing myself. Kevin is a very talented athlete, but I often felt very frustrated to see all his accomplishment, as I was in the same boat, but did not receive the same appreciation.
It is a lot harder for women to make a name for themselves in the 'extreme' sports world, but I’m happy that I have created my own identity in the industry, and for several years now, women are getting a lot more involved.
A great example is the World Surfing League (WSL) is now offering equal compensation for men and women, which is fantastic and a milestone in the sport. The Cape Hatteras Wave Classic was the first one that set the prize money equal; way to go!
You just got back from Indonesia, and it looks like you managed to score some incredible sessions! What other waves spots would you recommend around the world?
Mauritius, because it's guaranteed to deliver! However, that sometimes makes it too predictable; there must be so many hidden gems all over the world, and my goal is to explore and ride at a new location every year.
You’ve won numerous championships and are a queen on the waves! What made you switch over from freestyle to wave riding?
I could not find the motivation to ride a twin-tip anymore. I was bored, tired of the endless crashes and it did not give me that rush that wave riding gives me.
I also tend to overdo stuff! Back then, I would put so many hours into freestyle that it started to aggravate me. I had reached a plateau and just stopped improving, and that's when I felt like I was losing my passion for the sport and almost considered quitting.
When I look back, I should have travelled more often to freestyle spots like Brazil instead of always ending up in Cape Town, where the conditions are hardcore, making learning new tricks almost impossible! (Unless you are a big air rider, which I'm not haha!)
You are a firm believer that ‘Standing still is going backwards’, what advice can you give us on that?
I’m continuously travelling and meeting new people, which is exciting and inspirational. It is essential for me not to get stuck in the ordinary day-to-day life routines. I’m a person that gets bored quickly and enjoys a challenge. I picked up CrossFit last year, and it's incredible!
I often tell people to follow their passion and don't be afraid to follow your dreams. Life-changing decisions can be so refreshing; regardless of how scary they may seem. Life is too short, so you had better appreciate it because the next day promises nothing.
If you had to spend the whole day indoors, how would you spend your day?
That would be torture; I hate being indoors! I do everything in my powers to avoid spending winters in the Netherlands because of that. However, if I had to, I would probably edit a movie, do yoga, draw something weird on my surfboard, bake banana bread, and listen to uplifting music!
You’ve been involved in a few clinics in recent years, are you going to start running your own trips anytime soon?
I haven’t run any myself, yet; I usually get hired to coach on other peoples trips. Last summer, I did one with Moona Whyte for Uncharted Kite Sessions, which was a blast, and we plan on doing another one next summer. Doing it this way saves a lot of the work and it’s great fun to pass on some knowledge too.
I’m planning on starting up some camps soon. I don’t feel quite ready for it right now, but I might try one in Cape Town this winter.
During your travels, what is one of the craziest incidents you’ve experienced off the water?
I was sitting in the middle seat on a plane, and having a normal conversation with an older lady beside me. She was reminiscing and telling me about her husband, who had passed away a few years ago, and the trips they took to Maui. While we were talking, she took a pill. I wasn't sure what it was; I figured it was a sleeping pill for the flight.
A few minutes later, I looked towards her as the airhostess was serving our meal and I could see she was drifting in and out of sleep. At one point, she was pouring herself a coke, while falling asleep, and she knocked over her drink, I was already a little concerned at this point!
Halfway during the flight, I was reading a book; she woke up and started touching my face and calling me her husband’s name. It took her a little while to realize that I wasn’t her husband, and shortly after she fell back into a deep sleep. I kept an eye on her until we landed!
Have you ever been in a situation that scared you on the water? What happened?
Of course, those are necessary experiences! I've seen all kinds of wildlife show up out of the blue, most recently, a sunfish, which I thought, was a shark! I've also seen a massive whale passing by, which was unbelievable!
I've seen people wrapped in their lines, not having a clue what they have to do. I think most of the time, its other people that scare me on the water; no control, launching next to trees, terrible crashes on the beach.
I felt scared several times when I started wave riding, especially at spots like One Eye. It was all so overwhelming, the wave is far out, and it’s fast, powerful, and can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. You get your poundings, you get scared, but you need to get back on your feet as not to get caught up in unwanted situations. It’s a learning process, and you go through many different stages to get where you want to be, and you know what to expect for the next time you get caught in a wave.
What advice can you give other riders to remain focused and motivated during their training?
Try different things, don’t get stuck in your comfort zone, you will get bored! Ride with exciting people, try different boards, set a goal each session and try to reach it. Go to a kite camp, you will learn a lot, you’ll improve, and that’s the incredibly rewarding, as you are getting better at something you love.
Do you have a favourite video of your riding you can share with us, what do you like about it and why do you feel it stands out from the rest?
My latest video from Indonesia, where I try to get barreled! I like it because I’m trying something completely different, I've never caught a proper barrel before, and in this edit, I push to get it right! Check it out!
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, Jalou, and sharing your incredible adventures with us!
Videos
By Jen Tyler
Italian/Egyptian Jen Tyler grew up on the sandy beaches of the Red Sea and has been on the IKSURFMAG & Tonic Mag team since 2017.
