interview
Interview Carly Lubicz Photo Paul Smyth
HIGH AS A KITE GIRL
Competing in her first national kiteboarding bout in the Burdekin over the Easter long weekend, Rachel is satisfied with the result, coming fifth in a field of 16 girls. “It’s a pretty good result, but I hope to do better in the next one,” the 22-yearold education student openly states. “I wish I got into the sport earlier, but most people have been pretty surprised with my progression, especially as girls tend to progress slower because they’re generally more careful.” Rachel discovered the extreme sport that has come to occupy most of her free time in fortuitous circumstances. Not long after she met her kiteboarding boyfriend – Marvin Baumeister, who is the James Cook University Kiteboarding Club president and the owner of In the Loop Kiteboarding – she quickly realised that she had two choices: sit on the beach all weekend and watch him, or get out there and have a go. “I don’t see myself as the sort of person to just sit back and do nothing,” Rachel reveals. “But I’m afraid of the ocean – I don’t swim, snorkel or do anything in the water, so I was nervous at first, but maybe that’s why I got good at it so fast – I’d do anything to avoid falling off!” Now at the “expert” level – the highest stage in the sport – Rachel can do nearly every trick up to s-bends (unhooked, off-axis front rolls) and is currently learning to ‘blind’, or land backwards
and do handle passes. But despite the thrill-factor of freestyle kiteboarding, Rachel says there are many different variations from free-riding (cruising around and relaxing) to racing and wake-style (hitting kickers and sliders like wakeboarders), making it suitable for every age and ability. “The sport is classified as extreme so you do need to be careful when you’re learning, especially when you’re practising in shallower water,” Rachel cautions, “but generally anyone can do it, you don’t have to be super fit – I’ve seen girls from nine to 70-year-old ladies taking lessons, and we have a very supportive kiteboarding community in Townsville… as a female you do get respect here for giving it a go.” Due to study commitments, Rachel doesn’t plan to compete until next year’s nationals, which are likely to be held at either Alva Beach again or in WA, but she reveals she was recently chosen as an international team rider for Xenon Boards – the only female in the squad. This will give her a travel allowance to participate in competitions further afield, but she also has leisure trips to look forward to, including an all-girls kiteboarding holiday to PNG. “It’s a sport that has the ability to take you all over the country and world,” Rachel smiles. “And I don’t have to spend much time in the water because I’m mostly cruising on top!”
Photo: Luke Willmott
TWO YEARS AGO RACHEL BAGLIN HAD NEVER SET FOOT ON A KITEBOARD, BUT SHE NOW COMPETES IN NATIONAL COMPETITIONS AT AN ELITE LEVEL: SOMEWHAT IRONIC FOR A GIRL WHO FEARS THE OCEAN.
WHERE TO START JCU Kiteboarding Club and In the Loop Kiteboarding have permits to kitesurf in Townsville/Pallarenda. Visit www.intheloopkiteboarding.com. The advice is take lessons first to familiarise yourself with the equipment and safety procedures as it is an extreme sport and has caused serious injury to the uninitiated. 47