Name: Karolina Kurek

Nickname: Karolla, Koko in Egypt
 

IKO license: 4541

From: Katowice, Poland
 

How did you start kiteboarding? I was a windsurfing instructor, and wanted to try something new. Camel and Emad were my first instructors=)
 

What do you like the most about kiting?: That I can close my mind, it's only me, water and a new trick. Also, I like to go out on the water with the guys sometimes, play around, jump over their head, crash and laugh. Kiting together is pushing me to learn new stuff.
 

Competitions: Heh, you're asking me about kite competitions? There was one, that almost all the RZ instructors took part: KiteJamboree in Egypt. I was 1st in course racing. I won freestyle, competing with Daga in the final heat. Also, I tried Kitepower North Competition. Overall, I was 9th in course racing, but I was the first woman – it actually was just me:) I was 3rd in freestyle, and it wasn't easy. I plan to compete in Poland.
 

Other sports: When I was younger, I played handball (my team was 1st in Silesia), basketball, volleyball, swimming, skis, ping-pong. However, I was focused on windsurfing the most. I started competing when I was 12 years old, mainly in Polish championships and Olympic Aloha, Mistral. I also love skiing, snowboarding, buggy. Besides kitesurfing, I also teach windsurfing and skiing.
 

Kite adventure: So far, I never had a scary or unusual situation like other people: jumping in the shallow water, uncontrolled kiteloops, nothing ever happened to me. Once, I got scared in Marsa Alam-Hamata. I was practicing jumps, but I couldn't do the transition, and landed beside the reef. My board somehow was right above the reef, and there were also many small sharks. They weren't biting, but just “tasting” you. I couldn't run fast, so I bodydragged over the reef, and got the board back. I was scared, and couldn't even waterstart. It took me 3 times=)
 

RedSeaZone: I started to work for RedSeaZone Poland in 2006, as a windsurfing instructor. Coming to RSZ Egypt helped me with learning how to kite.
 

Beyond kite: Mostly, I work as an instructor in the summer- and wintertime. Before, I used to go to art school, I like sculpture especially. Whenever I come back home, I love to eat Polish delicious food, and I party.
 

Something from Karolla: FLY4ADRENALINE