PAULA NOVOTNÁ

Top 3 kitesurfing spots?

• Greece is my FAVORITE since I was a little child
• Brazil for its amazing conditions
• Cape Town for the awesome life and challenging conditions

Favourite gear setup?

I ride the Duotone Vegas. 8 or 9 are my favorite sizes! I use a small Click Bar for hardcore freestyle. And as a board have the Team Series in size 138.

The biggest achievements in your kiteboarding career

I have become a Junior European Champion and a European Champion. I have been 2nd, 3rd and 4th on the freestyle world tour many times. My overall yearly place goes to being 4th overall for few years now, but it’s time to change it! Hell yeaaah!

Your hobbies aside kiteboarding?

I love to do all the sports that kiteboarding offers. I like to take the surfboard out or now I just started foiling. I surf, I wakeboard, I do all those fun water sports when there is no wind. I like to do lot of other spots when I am not kiteboarding, I am very active person. It’s hard to find me behind a desk working on my laptop or reading a book. I also love to meet new interesting people around the world, that makes traveling interesting.

What do you do on a day without wind?

I would probably rest, because it is always hard to take a day off on a windy day and finally finish some work I have to finish! When I would get bored, I would go for a run or hike or a surf or I go to the gym it probably depends what location we are talking about. If there is no wind for few days than I am going crazy, but luckily I am not going to locations without wind. However, sometimes we have competitions and the wind just doesn’t show up. Then I am really bored and pfuuu I hate no wind competitions! I also like to eat in nice restaurants or coffee bars and enjoy some time with friends.

What style of music are you interested in?

I like many styles, goes from Rock, Electro Music to Pop music nowadays. It all depends how I feel.

How and why did you start kiteboarding?

I started kitesurfing many many years ago. I think it’s been 11 years since I learned. I am one of the lucky kids that I got a lesson from my parents. I think if they wouldn’t be so cool and wouldn’t teach me I would probably won’t be kitesurfing now. Who knows!?

Why are you riding for Duotone?

I’ve been with North Kiteboarding since I did my first waterstart. My parents have taught me on the Vegas kite. Since than I am hooked. Now I am riding for Duotone and I can ’t wait for more adventures coming this way!

What is your main goal for the future?

I want to keep kitesurfing and inspiring other girls to get into kitesurfing and push the female level higher. Surely, I want to keep competing in the freestyle world tour and try to be one of the best. I am also learning strapless wave kitesurfing, I like it so much!

What training do you do to stay fit?

I have a physiotherapist/trainer that helps me to stay fit and most importantly avoid injuries. I train with him while I am home and when I am not I have a program to do. My training is different every month. It depends how much I kite. If I don’t kite every day I train a lot in the gym. On the other hand, if I kite a lot I don’t have time or power to be in the gym as well. I like to do things effectively, not to do everything just to have it done. I like to run as well to clean my mind and feel fresher.

What would have been your job if you wouldn´t be a pro kiteboarder?

Haha, who knows? I have no idea. What I know is that without kiteboarding my life wouldn’t be so awesome as it is. I would probably be a professional athlete in different sport but who knows if I would get so attached and be so good. Well, luckily I don’t need to worry about that now, hehe. I love kiteboarding!

What´s your favourite food?

Chocolate!!! Does it count as food? Haha, I mostly eat plant based diet, but I am not 100% vegan because I love fish. Fresh fish from the location I travel to it’s the best thing you can get! Yummy!

What did you always want to say?

Wohoooo!! I follow a rule that we only live once and we have to enjoy every single day to the fullest. I enjoy my normal day like if it was our last!