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Silke Caswell

Kiteboarding / Kitesurfing

/ Venezuela

www.kite2unite.com

Date of birth:

1980.07.07

Hometown:

Berlin, Germany (currently living in El Yaque, Venezuela)

Sponsors:

Cabrinha,

Hobbies:

Kitesurfing, Kitefoiling, Longboarding, Wakeboarding, Fitness, Running, Yoga, Dancing

Favourite athletes:

Adam Colton, Manuela Jungo, Alberto Rondina, Pete Cabrinha

BIO

I grew up in Berlin, Germany. Even though I love my country, I couldn’t wait to finish school and get out into the world. In 1999, two weeks after my high school graduation, I was on the plane to the Dominican Republic to start my new job as a tour guide. This is when I saw kiteboarding for the first time and fell in love with it. But my job was very demanding and didn’t leave much free time.

After a year I decided to go back to Germany and study at university. In 2006 I saw that the PKRA had a tour stop in Germany and I scored a job for the organizers at the event. I worked for them for 4 years. Finally in 2009, I took kitesurfing lessons in Boracay and I was totally hooked. In 2010 I moved to El Yaque Venezuela, one of the windiest spots in the world. Since then you can barely get me off the water.

INTERVIEW

What are you looking for to accomplish?

To constantly push myself, to always learn new tricks, to get better in distance kitefoiling, to become a stronger kitesurfer and to always have fun on the water.

What would be your greatest achievement?

To hold a female distance record in kiting.

What kind of difficulties does your sport’s performance involve?

Injuries, wrong training, hitting a plateau in your training.

What makes you feel satisfied when performing your sport?

Being one with nature, pushing my own limits, the “kiter’s high” when landing a new trick, having fun with friends, kiting with your partner.

Where do you practice your techniques when being alone?

Isla de Coche, Venezuela.

What do you do during your training which is key to your success?

For me, it is important to have fun while training. Otherwise I get frustrated quickly. I always finish a training session with some tricks I know and really enjoy or a little upwind session to my favorite spot.

I also learned how important rest days are and that perfecting your basic tricks can help you getting better with your advanced tricks.

What are you most nervous about when competing?

To not fulfill my own expectations.

Who would you say is your biggest fan and why?

Probably my boyfriend. He has been very supportive, patient and tolerating and is always helping me with my tricks.

What is the best piece of advice you have been ever given?

You need to take a rest! Don’t compare yourself to others.

What are your future plans?

At the moment my focus is still on Freestyle but I want to get better in kitefoiling and do more distance kiting. This year my boyfriend and I started organizing kite trips and in the future we want to organize a lot more trips.