Challenges and rewards of being a professional athlete

Mika, at only 19, you have already achieved more than most professional kitesurfers could ever dream of in their entire career. What is yet to come?

Mika: That’s a tricky question. Yes, I’ve won many titles and am very proud of that. However, I have to admit that the thrill that I have been gaining from winning has diminished a little over the years. Thus, securing more titles is not necessarily my absolute top priority anymore. Something I’ve started getting really excited about lately is getting more people involved in the sport. Big Air is growing fast, but things have slowed down a bit in the freestyle kiting scene. It’d be amazing to amp up

more young people to get into it and make an impact with this. I will do my first coaching clinic, a girls’ kite camp, in Sicily at the end of June, which I’m super pumped about. Also, I want to step up my social media game to get more people keen about freestyle and be an inspiration to others.

You’re mentioning that your focus has shifted away from solely chasing titles. Do you feel “old” at 19 with the younger generation coming up? 

Mika: Well, I’m still quite young; nonetheless, it’s the natural progression of the sport that the next generation will have to start coming up. Funnily enough, some people still call me a “grom” even though I have been on the tour way longer than them in most cases. I started competing when I was 13, so I guess it just stuck that I’ve always been the youngest. And no, I don’t feel old, but rather more like one of the more experienced riders. 

Arrianne, you are also one of the more experienced riders in freestyle Windsurfing. These days, however, you only participate in selected tour stops as you’ve been focusing on other parts of your career and life. What made you decide to taper off your involvement in the competitive side of the sport?

Arrianne: I’ve been on the PWA Tour since 2010. All the travelling and the lifestyle that comes with following the tour taught me that there is much more to being a professional rider than ‘just’ competing. Unfortunately, freestyle windsurfing is even more of a niche in windsurfing than kiting, making things tough. After coming second behind Sarah Quita for several years, it became clear that there was little to gain for me, let alone the ability to make a living out of it. That’s when I started my windsurf clinics, teaching yoga and offering personal coaching. I’ve really enjoyed the change; motivating people and helping them improve their windsurfing has been super rewarding. 

Three years ago, you became a mom. Did that change life as a professional windsurfer too?  

Arrianne: Oh yeah, of course, so many changes when you become a parent. In my case, it didn’t really affect me being a pro rider at first. My pregnancy happened during COVID; it wasn’t planned, but as no competitions were held, I didn’t miss out on any events or lose my ranking. So, it was pretty perfect timing. What has changed the most since the birth of my daughter Aya is my attitude towards life and how I approach my windsurfing. With any water sport, you usually go with the flow. Your day-to-day life revolves around the conditions, and Mother Nature dictates your schedule. As a mom, however, that’s impossible as you have to plan ahead. If I want to go on the water, I have to organize everything relating to Aya in advance, like her meals, the Nanny, etc. Before I had a child, I never bothered too much about planning when I would go windsurfing or for how long. Now, with limited me-time, the stoke on the water in every session is amplified; it’s awesome! I appreciate it so much more. Concerning competitions, my attitude has changed a lot too. It’s not my identity anymore, so even if I mess up, it’s okay. Being a mom has made me realize that many more things in life define me as a person besides windsurfing and winning heats. 

Nia, it seems like winning tour stops has become second nature for you recently. On the GWA Wing Foiling World Tour, you are now referred to as “THE female shooting star”. How does that make you feel and how do you cope with the attention?  

Nia: It’s pretty surreal; I can’t even really describe how I feel. It’s been an incredible year, winning my first title and then backing that up with a second one. The massive recognition proves that the hard training is paying off. Still, there are some challenges attached to all the attention. I feel there are greater expectations from a lot of people now regarding my Wing Foil career, which puts me under more pressure. Plus, I am in the middle of finishing my high school degree, with two more years left to study for my final exams. I’m doing online schooling now, so I have to make time to study around the crazy chaos of travelling, competitions, and photoshoots. Luckily, my parents are very supportive and help me as much as possible. 

What have been the biggest changes in your personal life since taking the step to compete as a professional Wing Foiler?  

Nia: Not spending much time at home in Tarifa as well as starting online schooling have been the two biggest transitions. Everyone tells me you are living your best life and yes, I certainly am. But at the same time, there are also some downsides to it. For instance, I don’t get to see my close friends as much anymore, as I’m mostly with my parents or brother and the guys from the tour whilst travelling. Sometimes that can be seriously tough. Everyone is super friendly, but at the end of the day, I’m not really close to them. You’re moving from tour stop to tour stop and you’re always surrounded by the same crew of people, but at the same time, you’re totally alone. Still, reflecting on how far I’ve come and where I am now, it’s been absolutely worth it. I love being part of the Wing Foil community. People are about helping each other rather than comparing, and that’s what I enjoy so much. 

Mika, you’ve also experienced high expectations from others regarding your professional career. In our last magazine, you mentioned that you sometimes had “doubts about your life as a professional kitesurfer”. How do you feel about that now?

Mika: First of all, I totally know what Nia is referring to. It can be very challenging to share deeper connections with people whilst being constantly on the move. The only difference is that I never went to a regular school as I grew up in the hotel of my parents, so I don’t know anything else. But always having been the youngest on tour made it hard to fit in for me as well. The last season has been quite a journey. Finishing second in freestyle, my knee injury, the travelling, and continually being away from home have really challenged my headspace and physical body. The competition side of things has not been the easiest either. There are expectations on me to still be pulling the same moves and sending it straight after coming out of an injury.  I feel like I don’t get compared to others; I get compared to myself. That can be quite demotivating. All in all, I don’t have doubts about my career as a professional kiteboarder, but last year has just been pretty tough. Embracing everything that’s happened, I’m still stoked about how it all turned out in the end. Losing is a big part of growing, and losing the first world title since starting to compete really is a big deal. However, I feel this experience will help me grow as an athlete and be a valuable motivation for myself.

Arrianne, listening to the girls, do you sometimes miss your life as a “full-time” professional windsurfer? 

Arrianne: Well, so and so. I will definitely continue to participate in some tour stops, but at the same time, for me, competing is both love and hate. After giving birth, i did my first PWA stop last year in Fuerteventura. Unfortunately, there was a mix-up with the scoring, so they made me sail my heat again – the heat that I had just won – so much for the “hate” part. I’m still slightly upset, but not nearly as much as I would’ve been in my earlier days. Having had my daughter with me at the competition, I didn’t have time to cry about it. Your child puts life in a new perspective and that’s good. I know I won’t ever get back to the level of windsurfing that I was at five years ago, but that’s ok, as it effectively comes down to me being at a point where I don’t want to put that many hours into it anymore. Regarding my motivation for windsurfing, I had times when I was really done with freestyle.

Speaking of mindset, Nia, on your website there’s a quote: 

“My passion is Wing Foiling, and I will work hard and stay focused to achieve the success I aim for.” How do you define passion? And when do you feel most connected to the sport?“

Nia: Passion, to me, is like this mix of love and excitement that goes way beyond just being interested in something. It’s what keeps me coming back to Wing Foiling. When I first tried winging, I immediately loved the sensation. It’s hard to put into words, but it just felt like this was my thing. The freedom to practice it in any wind and feel almost nothing even if it’s super choppy is just so good. Also, being able to learn it really quickly motivated me. That’s where my passion for the sport comes from. Regarding mindset, being successful means achieving my career goals as a professional athlete but also enjoying the journey. I’m always staying focused on what my goals are instead of comparing myself to other competitors. I agree with Arrianne on the love-hate relationship. For the most part, I really enjoy competing, however, that’s not the side of the sport that I love the most. I feel the most connected to the sport when I go out on the water with my friends. When it’s not an actual training session, but rather just fun and fooling around but also pushing each other. That’s when I have the most epic sessions.

And, Arrianne, what does Windsurfing mean to you? 

Arrianne: For me, it doesn’t matter if it’s Windsurfing or Wing Foiling. It’s something that watersports, in general, just gives me to be really in the moment whilst doing it, almost like meditating. I stop thinking about all the things going around in my head that might have bothered me on land and instead focus on enjoying myself executing the moves or riding waves. Being on the water allows me to connect with myself and feel grounded.

What values do Windsurfing or water sports in general convey that you want to pass on to your daughter? 

Arrianne: Windsurfing and, in fact, any water sport means freedom. They symbolize the ease of life, finding your passion, living it, and the possibility of letting go, and that’s what I hope to pass on to Aya. Also, the specialness of growing up in a beautiful community of water addicts, all living for the joy of stoke from their sport. And I want to ensure she gets all my love and attention. My daughter Aya has already been on a windsurf board and played with a wing. I now realize the immense positive influence water sports can have on someone’s life. She can become whatever she wants, but sharing your passion with your kids is the best.