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Age: 18
Local beach: Blackpool
Kite + Gear : JN Kites and ProLimit
Result: Womens Pro UK Champion
Hannah Whiteley, widely considered to be one of the U.K best womens freestyle kitesurfers. Hannah can out jump and loop most men. With some epic freestyle moves, she's on target to take the Pro Womens Title this year! We wish her all the best and are proud to have her on the team
PKRA St. Peter Ording, Germany 17th-25th July The Palmolive Kitesurf World cup is one of the biggest events on the PKRA World Tour. I couldn't believe the amount of people there, it was crazy. I have never seen an event as big as this before! The beach at St. Peter Ording is massive, the water state is either flat or wavey and constantly jam packed with kitesurfers! We got wind every day bar one, which was awesome! Especially as the forecast was showing no wind or very little!! Sunday 24th I got a 9th overall place in the freestyle. I found the conditions quite hard as it was my switch tack. It was progressively getting windier as the day went on making it perfect for the Big Air/ Board Off competition in the afternoon. I decided to go out very powered on a 10 meter. For a split second I did wonder if I was taking a kite size too big, as I saw the guys coming in from their big air heats on 10 meters! But that thought quickly went! I knew I could hold it down, and you know what they say.... "Go big or go home!" It was a lot of fun to go out way over powered and go massive, dancing around in the sky, and it was even better when I found out I won the women's Big Air/ Board off! I couldn't believe I did it. I was so happy to get my 1st international win on the PKRA World Tour!! :-) I really did not for one minute think I could beat Gisela Pulido from Spain, she is amazing! Or Bruna Kajiya the current World Freestyle Champion. It was an awesome way to end the Palmolive Kitesurf World cup. It was such a fantastic event! I definitely hope to be back at Germany next year! Big Air/ Board off Results Women: 1. Hannah Whiteley (GBR) 2. Gisela Pulido (ESP) 3. Caroline Adrien (FRA) 4. Holly Kennedy (GBR)
Hannahs Latest News
South African Kite Tour 3rd-4th April
Saturday the 3rd of April was my final day in south Africa. I had had such a great last few days in SA, on the water kiting and at the cable tow. I felt reluctant to leave the sun and wind behind, but today was the start of the 6th stop of the SAKT (South African Kite Tour) held at Dolphin beach in Table View. I wanted to get the most out of my last day and thought it would be perfect to enter the competition.
The sun was beaming and the swell was up as usual. The wind started off light in the morning, but with it being the prevailing SW, it meant the wind was freshening all the time. The event kicked off with the coarse racing, and by lunch time we had a good 20 knots of wind, so the freestyle began.
My 1st heat was against Megan Jansen Van Rensburg a young up and coming South African girl, Michelle Smith & Terri Kidson. I was powered on my 9 meter kite, and busted out as many powered tricks as possible in the 7 minute heat. I did well and won the heat, progressing into the final where I met Sjoukje Bredenkamp (the world record holder in speed sailing), along with Megan.
I enjoyed the final, and did even more so when I found out I won. I was happy It was a fab way to end my trip in SA, with a 1st place in the freestyle in the SAKT.
PKRA Mondial du Vent 2010, France Leucate 10th-15th of April
Continuing the story I arrived back safely from SA on Monday 7th at Manchester. However Mum and Dad managed to forget to pick me up from the airport! They happened to be at the beach! Claiming "they thought I was back on Tuesday!" and "had I got an earlier flight back" !?!?! Hmm. Typical Whiteley style!;-) Anyway I just missioned to the bus station with all my kit to catch a bus home. Only to find out that I had just missed the last bus home by 5 minute as it was Easter Back Holiday Monday!.......man my timing is too good to be true right now. Luckily Grandad Whiteley came to the rescue with a lift home :-) It was lovely to see some of the family and friends back in England, and eat some Easter eggs up!
Tuesday 8th April
We hit the beach, for my 1st session back in England! It was quite a shock to the system!....... 2 wetsuits, hood, boots! It was a particularly cold day! I forced myself not to be a wimp and get out there. We kited on St Anns river.... butter flat water up against the sand bar. It was an awesome session, would have been perfect if it was a few degrees warmer! :-)
In the evening I got a call off my friend Holly from Scotland, (She competes on the British tour-BKSA, and the PKRA) asking me if I was up for road tripping with her to the South of France for the 2nd stop of the PKRA in Leucate, and if so she was leaving tomorrow!! I only just got back to England, I hadn't even unpacked or washed any of my clothes from SA!.... You can't turn a road trip down though!
Wednesday 7th April.
Got my kit repacked for France and picked up some of the lovely new Chiemsee winter 2011 clothes. It worked out perfectly I really needed some clean clothing!- Thanks Jez and Andy.
Lunch Time, I met Holly at the motor way service station, and we hit the road heading South for Dover ferry port.
9.00pm we arrive at Dover just in time to catch the footy game at half time :-) After the game, me and Holsy gabbed a KFC for tea, this was a big mistake as I found out later that night - I got food poisoning from the chicken, and was sick all night! Dam it.
Thursday 8th April.
6.30am we got on the ferry to Boulogne, France. I was still feeling really rough and not in a good way. :-( But I slept the howl journey to Leucate and felt a lot better when we arrived at 9.00pm. :-)
Friday 9th April
Feeling good wooohaaa. Had a chilled out day, most of the riders arrived during the day so it and was nice to catch up with everyone. In the evening we registered for the comp.
Saturday the 10th.
Wind is light course racing is on the go. Holsy and I did a life style photo shoot up in a lovely little French village, with Ian Edminson from Expix. It was fun and he got some nice shots.
Sunday 11th April.
It's windy!! Freestyle heats are drawn I'm up against Bruna Kajiya, (the 2009 World Champion)! This is going to be a very tough heat. Down at the beach, the water is fairly flat with the Tramontana wind. (Cross off sure from the North) The wind is quite strong and very gusty. The girls are out on 5 and 7 meter kites. I'm stoked there was no wind forecast for today and its pumping out there! I went out on my 7m and was powered. My heat began against Bruna, I tried my best, but this wasn't enough to beat Bruna, she is a very good experienced rider. So it meant I was knocked out of the single elimination. I would have my second chance to compete in the double elimination. So I'm looking forwards to the doubles, where I will be up against fellow Uk rider Johara.
Monday 12th April.
Chilled day, No wind :(
Tuesday 13th April
No wind, fingers crossed for tomorrow!
Wednesday 14th
Unfortunately the wind didn't show! Things started to get a little boring hanging around. So a group of kiters decided to go wake boarding at the cable tow in Leucate. For sure I went too! There were 2 lakes next to each other with 2 separate cables on. The big lake had a clear circuit with no obstacles. On the other lake there was a 2.0 system with some nice obstacles to hit. It was an awesome session, and a great vibe with all the kiters styling, and putting the wake boarders to shame! ;-) There were a few photographers there too, so I will up-date you with some action shots as soon as I get them! Check out the next Stance magazine DVD too, as there should be some good footage from the cable on there!
Thursday 15th April
Last day of the event, gutted there aint no wind! It's crazy Leucate is known for it's strong winds! The Mondial du Vent has been running for 14 years! and has had wind at every event so far! I was disappointed that the double elimination couldn't get run. I really wanted to compete, and try and get a better place, I think I had a good opportunity to do well at this event. Unfortunately we can't control the wind though, it's just the way the cookie crumbles! I'm really motivated for the next comp now :)
In the evening was the prize giving ceremony for the single elimination, I finished with a 5th place. Afterwards everyone made their departures back home. I enjoyed France, it was a fun road trip, and a great to experience my 1st PKRA event.
Saturday 16th April
Holsy and I hit the road, on our mission back to the UK, It's looking like we made the right decision to drive, as all the airports seem to be closing(ed), with the puff of smoke from the
Icelandic volcano!
Thanks Kiteitright for supporting me:-)
