Among the most influential female kiteboarders on the Big Air scene at the moment, Zara Hoogenraad embodies power, strength and determination. A new name on the scene, but this one is definitely here to stay! Jen Tyler got to know all about Zara Hoogenraad in this exclusive interview!

Zara, you've been on our radar for a while, and we're super excited to have you featured in this issue! Can you share a little bit about yourself, your background, and how you got into kiteboarding? 

Thanks so much for having me. I'm so excited to be a part of this issue!

I was born and raised in the Netherlands. Growing up, kiteboarding wasn't a part of my life; in fact, no one in my family kiteboards! Back then, we often spent our family holidays in Tarifa, and I remember always being fascinated by the number of kites on the beach. When we returned to Holland, I started taking kiteboarding lessons and immediately fell in love with the sport. 

Then I bought a van, converted it into a campervan, and spent my summers in Tarifa! I worked at a bar in the evenings and kiteboarded during the day. My first kiteboarding holiday was in Brazil with Giel after I completed my bachelor's degree in 2020. That's where I landed my first kiteloops!

Was kiteboarding always your 'thing'? What were your passions growing up, other than kiteboarding?

I've always been into health, fitness and travelling. So after high school, I took a one-year break to travel to Africa and Asia to explore the world. After that year, I started studying Real Estate Management in the Netherlands. During the second year of my studying, I got into kiteboarding, which changed my whole life. Now, I'm exploring the world and travelling to the windiest destinations while I do what I love the most in life. Health and sport have always been essential to my lifestyle, and I still include this daily.

You've been chasing strong wind everywhere, and your performance competitions has been amazing! When did you first become interested in Big Air?

Giel, who was just a friend then, inspired me! In 2020, Giel also bought his campervan, and we decided to make a road trip to Tarifa with our vans while we were looking for wind along the way. Giel had devoted the whole year to training and progressing in Big Air. After I got my sponsorship with CORE, I decided to do the same thing; I'm so happy that I made that decision.

We've got to ask! How did you and Giel meet? Was it 'Big Air' love at first sight – or flight?! What's it like training together?

We met five years ago in Tarifa. Giel was teaching kiteboarding there, and I was trying to launch my kite. He wanted to help me because I was in the wrong spot to launch my kite. It was blowing strong Levante that day, and I had only had three kiteboarding lessons in the Netherlands. After attempting to kite, I crashed my kite in the water and had no clue what to do. Giel came to rescue me. Now, five years later, we are together living our best lives! We're training together and keep each other focused and motivated. Training together makes training more fun. We help each other achieve our goals and encourage others to push us.

How do you prepare for a competition like the recent GKA Big Air competition in Tarifa?

I dream big; it inspires and motivates me. Preparation is key, so I set realistic goals that I break down into small steps. Every step brings me one step closer to my dreams. Highs and lows are part of life, but if I protect myself from the lows, I end up missing all the highs too. So I often have to remember not to be too hard on myself. That's why I try to focus on things I can control while pushing myself to achieve my goals.

What has been your proudest moment in a Big Air competition?

One of my proudest moments was my first place at Full Power Tarifa and my Vice World Champion title at the GKA Big Air World Championships in Tarifa. The win in Full Power Tarifa was extra special because Giel and I both became first that day, on our home spot, after Janek had his accident the day before.

When it comes to Big Air, the risk of injury is, unfortunately, 'when it happens' as opposed to 'if it happens', but that's all part of the adrenaline rush, isn't it? So how do you feel when you are in the zone? What part of Big Air makes you want to push your limits as far as possible?

I want to become the world's best Big Air female kiteboarder. I'm constantly working on improving myself and putting myself in situations that create pressure. The kind of pressure that either makes or breaks you. I know what I want, and I am in love with the process.

When the wind is strong, I'm often facing fear. Then, as I move up and get better, I try to convince myself that my anxiety will just disappear, but it doesn't. 

Giel recently told me that I have to embrace my fear as a challenge rather than run away from it. It's okay to be scared, he said; we all are. I have to ask myself how badly I want this thing I'm so afraid of and how I can learn to work through the fear when I feel it. I trust my gear 100%, but I must remind myself to trust my skills and abilities. This trust doesn't develop overnight. I'm constantly learning to build more confidence. Preparation and focus reduce risk because there is less fear if I am prepared and focused. It's scarier to do a late back roll in 45 knots than in 25 knots. But here's the catch. Fear never goes away. You don't get less scared – only braver. When you are too comfortable, you avoid things that might scare you. It's time to start pushing more. And when the adrenaline is racing through my body, and I land that trick in 45 knots, it's one of the best feelings in the world!

Watching that reel of you and Giel giving Janek your trophies literally made me tear up! What inspired you to do that?

Janek's injury happened one day before the Full Power event. So Giel and I spent the whole day prior to the event in the hospital to support him. On the way back to Tarifa, we agreed to win this event for Janek. Throughout the event, he was on our minds. We were thrilled when we heard we had won.

The next day we decided to give Janek our trophies. It was hilarious because he thought we just brought our trophies to show them to him. When he realised that we had brought the trophies to give to him, he didn't believe us at first. When our intentions became clear, the funny man giggled and said, "I can't believe I competed in Full Power twice and I won four trophies!".

Athletes must maintain mental as well as physical health. Can you tell us about your fitness routine? Do you incorporate mental wellness into your routines?

Staying fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a surefire way to feel my best. Staying in shape reduces the risk of injuries and allows me to absorb my crashes better. As a result, I push my body to be at its best on and off the water. I train four days a week where I focus on a glute and hamstring workout, a quads and calves workout, a push day (chest, shoulders and triceps) and a pull day (back, biceps and forearms). Strength training and stretching promote strong muscles, which directly translates to my performance in Big Air.

An important way to support building my strength is with good nutrition. I focus a lot on consuming enough proteins, carbohydrates and fats. In addition, I build up my mental health by having fun while I stay focused on my goals. I give myself time to achieve my goals and focus on what I want by being mindful.

What is your CORE quiver of choice for Big Air? How is CORE supporting your career as a professional kiteboarder?

I mainly use the CORE XR7 as this is the best kite to jump high. Most of the time, I ride 20m lines because I feel more controlled, and the kite goes lower. If I want to get a little bit more height, for example, on flat water or when the wind is not that strong, I use 22m lines. I use the Fusion 5 board in size 137cm. I like this board because it has a lot of flex, makes landings soft and cuts through choppy water easily. I always feel safe riding my gear, no matter the conditions. 

CORE is supporting me in every possible way at the moment, and I am beyond stoked to have them as my kite sponsor. It has been such an exciting journey so far, and I can't wait to see what we can achieve together in the future.

Can you share with us a no-wind day in the life of Zara Hoogenraad?

I try to use a no-wind day to be more in tune with my mind and body. Just because the wind isn't blowing doesn't mean that I can't be improving. Joy, happiness and excitement improve my performance. I find joy in being active, so on a no-wind day, I usually go to the gym to move my body or do some outdoor activities. But, if I'm feeling super sore, then it's time to take some rest! I love food, so I take the time to cook and enjoy some delicious meals. Also, I love to spend time with my friends and family. So, on no-wind days, I try to do things that make me happy.

You recently returned from a trip to Dahab's Blue Lagoon; What was that like? 

Blue Lagoon is a lovely place with stunning clear blue water. It's an escape from the modern world because there's nothing there - minimal services, no signal, no internet and no fresh water to shower. It's also an adventure to get there since there are no roads. You go with a small boat from Dahab, which is a mission. I stayed in the overnight camp Abo Aid for a few days and kited the whole day. I went there to get good training for the GKA Big Air World Championship in Tarifa. 

Mostafa Abbas is a pro kiter from Egypt. He's one of the nicest people I have ever met and arranged everything for us in Egypt. He introduced me to Nathalie Lambrecht, who I've been training with her for the World Championship, and she's been killing it! During the GKA, we became close friends and shared the podium. Overall, it was a great trip that provided me with good training and led to a new, close friend!

Speaking of close friends, what's it like having Dice as a travel companion? 

The love I have for this dog is beyond words! We've had so many adventures together. Dice loves travelling in the van, and she is great company. She listens very well, so I can take her almost everywhere. When I go kiteboarding, she stays on the beach and runs upwind and downwind!

When I travel in Europe, I bring her everywhere, but since riding for CORE, I have started travelling to places outside of Europe. Luckily my parents and Giel's parents are always happy to look after Dice when we are gone. We're thinking about taking Dice to Brazil for the first time this year, so hopefully, that will all work out. Fingers crossed!

What are your upcoming plans for the season? Do you have any exciting trips booked?

Currently, I am in Oman to do some Big Air training and escape the crowd in Tarifa. My next competition will be the BAKL event in Tatajuba in Brazil, where I'm heading in mid-August to do some training before the comp. Afterwards, I'll probably go to Tarifa, then head to Cape Town in November to support Giel for King of The Air, and in December will be the last BAKL stop.

Thanks, Zara; it's been great meeting you! Let's catch up soon!

Absolutely! Thanks, Jen!

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.

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