Interview with Michalina Laskowska, polish rider, who won Kite Tour Europe on Sylt (1st women’s best trick, 2nd women’s freestyle double elimination, 1st women’s freestyle single elimination) and got third place in freestyle in Lamezia.

Q: How did you like the events on Sylt and in Lamezia?
M: The events were organized very well, everything was prepared and the riders had good care. Specially Sylt was amazing. So many riders, everybody was focused on the competition  but there was a great atmosphere between all the competitors. People enjoyed watching us on water and were pretty interested what it is all about. It was a nice feeling to have such a big audience. Besides, we had a good big breakfast and a nice dinner, as much drinks as we wanted and a lot of wind. Lamezia was a bit different. The whole event was smaller and happened on the camping Fabiano, which made it very cosy.
I liked both events very much. It was a great experience to ride on these totally different spots, to meet all the local people and see a bit of each countries.

Q: How were the conditions?
M: The conditions were pretty hard on Sylt. From the beginning of the freestyle competition we had very strong wind and big waves. I got used to it a bit during the heats I run through  but it was still a big fight against the huge waves which came to 3 meters. Lamezia was almost the opposite. The spot was on the open sea but the wind was very light and sometimes it just got a bit choppy. After Sylt it was so nice to take a big kite and have a session in the warm water.

Q: What tricks did you do and how were the other girls?
M: It was hard to do some good tricks on Sylt. My smallest kite was a 7 and sometimes I was pretty overpowered on it. But it was the waves which made it so hard to land something properly. I tried a F16 in one heat and it pulled the bar out of my hands. Even a railey to blind was hard to do.  I think all the girls had to struggle with this conditions. Some could cope with them better some not that good, but I think it was quite tough to ride there and all of us did the best we could. It was much easier in Italy. Light wind, just a bit choppy but warm water. I could do almost every trick in my heats. F16, back to blind, raily to blind, s-bend to blind and some more basic stuff. 

Q: What equipment did you use?
M: On Sylt I used only one kite during all the competition. It was my 7m Ozone C4, which did a good job, because after some “washing machines” – waves which took me and my kite under the surface, it survived without any damage. In Lamezia I also used just one kite and it was my 12m Ozone C4. Of course I was riding my Xenon board Laluz 132cm, which is just awesome. Big waves or choppy water and it always gives me hundred percent  control and good pop.
 

Q: What are your plans for this season? Which events are you going to compete in and where?
M: I am flying soon to Rhodes for some training. After that I am going back home for the last edition of the Ford Kite Cup, which is the Polish championship. One week later I might go to Germany for the fifth PKRA stop, which takes place in St. Peter-Ording.  Later on I want to go somewhere where I can train a lot for the last Kite Tour Europe edition in France.