Bri Chmel, Florida
by Bri Chmel
(Florida)
Me at action
Where are you from: I grew up in Bellingham, WA. As soon as I graduated high school I moved to Hood River, OR in the summer and La Ventana, Baja Mexico in the winter. In 2005 I moved to Orlando to pursue wake water sports, and am currently living there and in school.
Your age: 24
Favorite kitesurfing spots for you: I love La Paguera, Puerto Rico. This is where we filmed "into the air" a kiteboarding documentary a few years ago. I also went to the British Virgin Islands this March, and it was amazing there also.
Tell me a little bit about yourself: I am a professional kiteboarder and wakesurfer (The full Interview & more photos). I got the first female cover of a kiteboard magazine, April 2005 The Kiteboarder Magazine, and also I won the world championships in wakesurfing in 2007. I am also a senior at the University of Central Florida in Business Marketing, and am planning on graduating in Spring of 2009.
How long have you been doing this? I have been kiteboarding for six years and wakesurfing for almost two years.
Why kitesurfing? Wakesurfing? I love kiteboarding because you can put up a kite anywhere you want when it is windy, and take off onto the water. You do not need a boat, and it is a natural sport. I love wakesurfing because you can ride an endless wave, and do all the tricks you could imagine.
What does your family think of this? My parents both kite all the time, and have houses in both Hood River Oregon, and Baja Mexico so that they can enjoy kiteboarding throughout the seasons. So I guess they love it!
What does this sport mean to you? These two sports give me freedom. They allow you to get exercise while having fun. They are also my community. Around the US and also the world, I often run into good friends or other people that I have met in the past. They are the people that I have history with, and enjoy seeing all the time. I do not know what I would do without these sports!
See Bri Chmel's wakesurfing photos
or read an interview where Bri talks about her wakesurfing experience
Favorite tricks? Kiteboarding, I love doing unhooked tricks. I also love being in the waves in warm climates. Wakesurfing I love doing front and back shuvits, and am trying to learn backside big spins.
Checkout Bri Chmel Kiteboarding photos
or read an interview with Bri about her kitesurfing passion
What does this sport demand of you? These two sports demand that I stay in shape (I don't mind this J ) so I also cross train by running 15-20 miles a week. I also eat very carefully, being careful with sugars, carbs and fats. I am proud to say that I've never eaten fast food!
Have you ever been in an accident? No, I have been really lucky! I have had a few small kite-mares, but no other large accidents in my life. I plan on keeping it that way!
Vision...you wishes for the future:. I hope to win worlds for wakesurfing this September of 2008. I also hope to stay involved in kiteboarding enough keep my name recognized and respected in the Americas.
some last personal words to other water sports lovers... Get out there and learn as many watersports as you can! If you just stick with one thing, you may start to get pretty burnt out after a few years. It is great to know how to surf when it is not windy, and great to know how to kite or windsurf when the wind comes up. Also, there are so many other sports to try, like stand up paddle boarding, wake sports, and new things like "riverboarding".
Click to go back to Bri Chmel Special Interview & more photos
Wanna see Bri Chmel's wakesurfing photos? Click here
Read an interview with Bri about her kitesurfing passion
Click here to see some great Bri Chmel Kiteboarding photos
Bri Chmel
Professional Kite/Wake
UCF Marketing Major
UCF Professional Selling Program
www.brichmel.com
