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Photo by Erin Calmes |
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WD: Your hometown and current residence?
Bri: I was born and grew up in Bellingham, WA. Mt. Baker was my home mountain, and by age 15 I was a nationally ranked snowboarder. During the summers I now live
in Hood
River, OR, and in the winters I go to school part time in San Luis Obispo, CA, and travel to train the rest of the time, making frequent visits to my house in La
Ventana and other places around the world.
WD: How old are you?
Bri: 19
WD: Your sponsors?
Bri: RRD, DaKine Hawaii, Black Flys Eyewear, Excess, and Kitopia Custom Boards.
WD: How did you get started in kiteboarding?
Bri: I saw a couple people getting huge air in Maui many years ago, and my dad and I were like, we have to learn that! So a couple summers later we took a lesson in
the
Gorge from Dave Tyburski (now my current teammate on RRD) at Newind Kite School, and it all went down from there! I was hooked!
WD: I hear you've only been doing it for a year and a half - how did you get so good so quickly?
Bri: Well, I have basically been kiteboarding for that whole year and a half until I just started school. I learned in the Gorge and soon after went to La Ventana
for four months and then back to the Gorge in the summer. I think that if anyone trains and rides everyday, they can progress very quickly. Also, I study moves on
videos and in magazines, and I am not afraid to try new things or drop my kite if I'm unhooked. The sport is not very scary to me compared to snowboarding - the
water is a lot softer. It actually feels good to fall sometimes!
WD: What piece of advice would you give to a woman who wants to learn to kiteboard?
Bri: I have many women walk up to me and ask if it's really hard or if it takes a lot of arm strength. Well, my answer is no, it isn't that hard, and when you are
first learning it is more important to have finesse rather than strength, because you are hooked into the kite and are just controlling it with the slightest
movements. Also, make SURE you take a lesson from a certified school because it is a very dangerous sport if you let a friend teach you or you try to learn
yourself. Take a week trip to the Gorge in the summer, or to La Ventana or Cabarete in the winter, and go for it! I guarantee you will love it!
WD: What accomplishments are you most proud of?
Bri: I am proud of being one of the youngest female kiteboarders in the sport. Even if someone beats me in a competition, I know I have lots of years ahead
of me to become ten times better. I was happy with my placing at King of the Gorge (1st) and King of the Bay (2nd) last year. I also love it when ex-students
of mine come up to me on the beach a year later and are, like, so thrilled about the sport that they can barely even stand it! Then I see them getting good jumps
out on the water...it feels so good to introduce and teach someone such a great sport!
