May update

So I was writing this from Pozo, never posted it and in the meantime I’ve
flown to Oslo for a day to visit Oda and Hakon and celebrate Oda’s birthday,
which was, REALLY fun, to say the least! I visited Barcelona for a day and I’m currently in Corsica attending the Neilpryde photoshoot. The crew is cool and we’re having a good time here. Can you believe it actually snowed in the North of Corse? Here I am thinking we’re going somewhere tropical and forgetting Corse is still Europe. I’ve had to tap into my inner Wim Hof “the iceman” while sailing in my shorty. 
Now let’s see what I’ve been up to the last 2 months:

About Pozo:
What !? She’s already there? Over eager much? Overstoked? Too excited?!
Probably all of the above. Alessio even asked me what I was doing there when I
arrived. Like I was lost! Most people don’t arrive until June usually.
But the main reason is that my beloved island Aruba, doesn’t regularly produce
waves and since last year canaries I’ve really only wave sailed about… 15
times. So I’m gonna need all the training I can get before the event starts.

I don’t know how, but I forgot to bring my 3,3 and only remembered when I
arrived in Pozo and saw the spot. It was “light” which means I would have been
lit on my 4,8, which in my world is not light at all. I started panicking
immediately. But turns out I would only cruise on my freestyle gear.
Honestly though I’m happy to ease in to the Canarian summer and freestyling
here has been fun. Apart from that one time I completely face planted into my
sail, trying a shifty. I thought I had lost all of my teeth and in 5 seconds
imagined how I’d be going through life toothless from then on.
But thank goodness they’re all intact. Having said that, I can’t wait to for those
magical jumping sessions where I’ll be soaring through the air. That 3,3 is on
its way thank goodness.

Bonaire was such a blast this
year. I stayed with Oda for 3 weeks and we were full on every day. Not sure if
it was the wrestling or the amount of windsurfing, gangster drives or the after
party we had, but I needed a full week to recover when I arrived back in Aruba.
As much as my motivation spiked during the weeks I was in Bonaire, It
completely dropped when I got home.
I’m used to it by now and know I just need to spend some time away from
windsurfing. Guess I can’t do anything that’s too far removed from the ocean
though as I spent quite some time on my new kite gear from Airush and Brunotti!
For all the windsurfers out there who don’t like kiting… Don’t hate. Just
give it a try! For me kiting just adds to the fun I have on the water and it shifts
my perspective when I’m on my windsurfer. It’s like all of a sudden I see many
different waves of performing a move.
Wait, Did I just call the gear of my favourite activity in the world a
“windsurfer” like some kite cook? Oh goodness!

Anyway
2 weeks ago, after a 10 day break, I packed all my stuff, flew to Holland where
I had a great week of seeing family, friends and celebrated kings day before
flying to GC and settling in. I have no clue when I’ll be home again as after
the Canarian leg, the European contests are on. But the motivation has kicked
in. I’ve set certain goals for myself, that have more to do with pushing myself
and learning new moves rather than winning wave heats, but which I hope will
ultimately lead to winning heats and contests. Maybe that was just a roundabout
way to say that I do want to win wave contests..? So there ya have it.
I kind of really want to win, in a roundabout way.
Let’s see what this summer has got in store!
Will update about the PWA in Bonaire soon.