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by Jessica Valenzuela

On June 19, I literally strolled into a picture perfect kiting day on Sherman Island to participate in Kristin Boese’s KB4Girls event. It was my first time to drive out to Sherman Island, which is an hour away from the center of San Francisco. An easy drive on the weekend. Sunny with consistent wind conditions and the temperatures more forgiving than its counterparts in the San Francisco and the Bay Area. Sherman Island is located on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and is known for water sports.

Kiteboarding World Champion Kristin Boese and 35 women kiters at the KB4Girls event in Sherman Island

The KB4Girls event was equally enthralling as our backdrop. Kiteboarding World Champion Kristin Boese and pro-rider Sandy Parker opened the clinic with an IKO safety briefing followed by a demonstration of tricks on the water. Then they walked the participants through the maneuver specific key points before finally sending everybody out on the water to try these new moves themselves. Our group was divided into sub-groups based on level of experience and area of progression.

Women kiters on Sherman Island at the KB4Girls Event

Seeing 35 smiling women and their kites out in the water is such a breath of fresh air, when you’re used to seeing one or two others in the water. It was inspiring to hear what each participant had to share about their kiteboarding life and experience. One participant who is a mother noted how she was so “stoked to be in the event since having the baby it was not easy to simply get away and kite.” Andrea T. Bass, a frequent rider at Third Avenue shared her thoughts on the event “I thought the event was awesome!!!! I loved meeting all the women who kite, it was great to meet them all, and the event was a lot of fun.” Her husband is a kiter who participates in the Crissy races. The event certainly opened new connections to fellow women in the sport. Happy to have met Boriana Angelova who also frequents Crissy. I saw her on June 10 at the Cabrinha Race Series racing with a bunch of kiter men and was so proud and impressed! Majority of the participants are working professionals by day and try to kite any time they can otherwise, they make time.

Congratulations go to Michelle Gabriel and Jannicke Stav who both impressed the jury with their big and stylish tricks as well as Sandra Bostjancic who won the first prize for becoming the most improved rider of the camp by learning unhooked front rolls and unhooked kiteloops and was awarded a brand new “Kristin Boese Pro” board from Best Kiteboarding.

KB4girls participant showing off a grab while kiting Sherman Island

A huge congratulations to Kristin Boese, Sandy Parker, pro-kiteboarder and IKO instructor at Kitopia and Sherman Island Lake Marina for the tireless time and effort spent in making sure the event was a huge success. The months of planning and coordination certainly paid-off! A very special thanks goes to the sponsors and partners of the event: Boardsports school, Josh Anon, Linda Argila, Leann Greene, Lori Sebastian, Slawek Krauze, Clark and Kevin, Bill Tai as well as DaKine, Best Kiteboarding and Kiehl’s. The event was so cool that Bill Tai, partner at CRV and MaiTai Chief with fellow MaiTaier attendee, Richard B. from Australia came to help and kite with the ladies. Thank you Bill for saving my board!

Just Kite It is happy to support and participate the event. We’re so looking forward to the New York event in September!

About KB4girls
KB4girls is a non-profit worldwide clinic tour for female kiteboarders that was launched in November 2009 by Kristin Boese. While the tour gives female athletes from around the world the chance to get together for a fun time together it also motivates them to push their kiteboarding skills to the next level and possibly start to compete in kiteboarding. Another goal of the KB4girls events is to support the Surfrider Foundation Europe and the protection of the oceans and beaches. While registration fees are being donated to the Foundation educational materials are being supplied in return and given out to all participating girls, teaching them about their precious playgrounds and how to possibly help to protect them.

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