Surf is this girl’s official turf

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A young girl picks at the tab of an energy drink with nails painted electric blue as she explains (in Portuguese) why women kite surfers need to identify with their male peers, and why girls need to surf with “more power and attitude.”

Later, her long tresses tied in a ponytail, with the wind filling the large kite that will propel her board, she steps into the surf. As huge waves roll into the shore, she rides right into each with her board, holding onto her kite and surfing the crests gracefully, waiting for the next big wave to roll in. The video clip ends.
Inês Correia’s tryst with kitesurfing began in 2006, when her father first put her on a board. In India to judge the Red Bull Qila Surf Championship, she recalls her first water “start”. “It was such a fantastic experience, the best so far!” Inês says.
If she hadn’t found kitesurfing, she would have pursued some form of sports. “Even as a child, I have always had the need to practise sports at a competitive level. I really like horses and I love to motocross. But I’m glad that I found kitesurfing because I love what I do,” she says.
Her affinity for kitesurfing might have something to do with Inês’ growing up next to the sea, and being a complete water baby. Inês says the sea means everything to her: “I really feel comfortable at sea, it is something that gives me so much happiness. I think what has played a major role is that my family always had a very close relationship with it (the sea). Since childhood, I practised wakeboarding and surfing. Then I found the kite — and I never looked back.”
As a professional kitesurfer, Inês has a complex relationship with the waves. The most challenging part, she says, is never knowing what awaits you, and manoeuvring through different waves. The adrenaline rush, however, feels wonderful.
“You can find all kinds of waves — big, small — and you must be prepared to surf in all conditions. All the sessions are different and I have gained a lot of experience with the sea. Over time, the differences between men and women in kitesurfing have widely reduced and we women have started to surf every wave with the same vigour and aggressiveness as men,” she says.
Inevitably, with the waves comes the possibility of wipeouts. Inês has had her fair share as well, including a fairly serious one. She chooses to take a positive view of them however, and says, “My deal with a wipeout is good! When I surf, I surf with all my energy and 100 per cent motivation. So when I fall, it’s something unexpected and it’s a new experience. Sometimes it’s funny, at other times, stressful and hard. But I like new experiences, because there’s always something new to learn.”
Looking back, she says, “To begin with, I was very nervous… I suffered greatly when I lost. But now I deal with the pressures of competition much better. Over the years, I’ve learned to see the positive part of losing and now I see defeat as an incentive to become better and better. I love to compete and I think that has helped me to grow a lot as a person. It’s made me very strong psychologically. Regarding the touring, I like all my competitors, so that’s really good. It’s important for the environment between competitors to be good because we spend much of our year together — and we end up building great friendships!”
Her advice to all kitesurfers is to have as much fun as they possibly can while riding the waves. As for Inês, she’s happy to have finally visited a country that’s been on her “to visit” list for a while.
“I’m very excited. India is reputed to have very good waves, good wind and very happy people, so it has everything for a perfect experience. I’m taking home some very memorable moments,” she says.