Team Rider – Anita Leiņa

Name
My passport says Anita, but my friends call me different names depending on the park — Ančita, Huanita, A-nītāa, Žube

Sporting achievements
I’m always on the move, and I’ve been wakeboarding, kiteboarding and snowboarding for just over.
Dāvis recently introduced me to longboarding, and I fell in love with that too ☺

How it all started
When I was studying at Riga Design and Art School, I came across a women’s magazine with little descriptions and photos of extreme sports. Right then, I knew I’d try most of them once I’d earned enough money. I felt they were made for me, and that eventually I wouldn’t be able to live without them.
So I started snowboarding in winter, wakeboarding in summer and kiteboarding in September. Those were the sports I felt I just had to try. I met lots of inspiring people who encouraged me to take wakeboarding and kiteboarding more seriously. One thing led to another as I searched for the right board for each season. That’s how I fell in love with all kinds of boards ☺

My trick
Definitely the S-bend to blind or Crow Mobe! That feeling when I pop off the water and shoot towards the sky like a rocket, with my body stretched out straight… Then, just as I’m closest to the clouds, I slowly rotate a full 360 degrees before gently landing and gliding across the water again. The feeling is incredible. I should try a double…

Life beyond sport / hobbies
I’m active every day — wakeboarding, kiteboarding, snowboarding, longboarding and fitness keep me moving through every season. I’m also an artist: I design clothes, sketch, paint and create clothing collections.
The next activity or sport I’m planning to try is…
I love wakeboarding, kiteboarding and longboarding so much that, right now, I just want to keep improving at these wonderful sports. Trying a new trick counts as a new activity anyway!

Something everyone should try at least once
Try one of my action-packed days! Wakeboard at two parks, go kiteboarding, find a spot sheltered from the wind beneath the kite to do some sketching, then cruise along smooth asphalt on a longboard after dark. Those are my favourite days ☺

My inspiration
The Wakeyou crew https://wakeyou.lv/ — we motivate each other. Positive people who recharge my batteries, sunshine, wind and water. And, of course, the guys who wakeboard better than me
Before a session, I get my energy from… Listening to music and imagining myself wakeboarding to it, running through tricks in my mind. A day full of things happening gives me a great boost too. A lot of this daydreaming happens at that wonderfully creative place, the Art Academy of Latvia.

Sport and friends
= one inseparable whole. The perfect formula.

Sporting goals and highlights
Last year was full of success — five first-place finishes. I’d love to learn tricks worthy of the men’s pro division so I can compete at European-level events and earn a place on the podium. I also took first place at the European Cable Wakeboarding Championships.

Something I’ve been afraid of since childhood…
I’ve never really been afraid of much. I have two older brothers, and I followed their lead.

Something I’m no longer afraid of…
Actually, I’d say I’m only now starting to get scared of certain wakeboarding tricks

Music
I don’t go anywhere without it… It’s part of everyday life. Listening to music is like brushing my teeth.
A scent that captures me A feminine fragrance mixed with neoprene and fresh air.

I love the taste of…
Oat milk and strawberries.

If I had five days off, I’d do these five things
I’d fit five days’ worth of things into every day. That would be time well spent — the kind that recharges you, because energy creates energy.
As for what I’d actually do: kiteboard, wakeboard, longboard, paint, sew something new for myself, sew something for someone else, sketch, meet friends, drive through the night wherever the road takes me, get swept up in adventures, go to fitness classes, browse fabric shops, create a new clothing collection and follow every spontaneous idea — because they’re surprisingly good!

My top five things
Ooh, it’s hard to narrow down such a long list of favourites… But definitely a wakeboard/kiteboard, a helicopter, a sewing machine, a car and a cable. Lip balm is great too… one that smells and tastes delicious.

The best way to spend €20?
Put it towards a fun activity. Even if that just means buying fuel to get out into nature.

Party or yoga?
Fitness, yoga, then off to a party.
In the near or distant future, I’ll be / plan to be… A Pokémon with magical powers that keep getting better.

Aliens. Ancestors. Illuminati. Pokémon. Avatars. Wakeboarders. Kiteboarders.Anita Leiņa.

Anita Leiņa – Boardside.lv komanda | Saule – Vējš – Ūdens – Sirds – Prieks – Spēks

Tags: Kiteboarding Surfing Team Wakeboarding

Snovkaitošana Hardangervidda plato Norvēģijā

Snowkiting on Norway’s Hardangervidda Plateau

A few years ago, we managed to squeeze in a short visit to the world’s best winter kiting spot — Norway’s Hardangervidda Plateau. We’re talking about kiting on snow, of course. Surely everyone has drooled over the stunning scenery and impressive riding in the cult snowkite film “Dimensions”.The Easter holidays are a great time to go. Winter is already starting to loosen its grip, and it’s warm enough to spare your cheeks and fingertips that biting cold. We brought along nearly 14 metres of our own rails, made up of three separate sections. The local kiters were pretty surprised to see visitors turn up so well equipped.The trip lasted three weeks, and we chased every opportunity to ride — on the Hardangervidda Plateau around the main road, on the glacier at Finse, accessible only by train, in Geilo’s local snowparks, and on our rails right outside our cabin. Snowkiting on Norway’s Hardangervidda Plateau — facts and tips The Riga–Stockholm–Riga ferry, including the car, costs just over €100 per person. Stockholm–Oslo–Geilo is an 800 km drive — around 13 hours on the road. Norway has toll roads. Accommodation in an eight-person cabin in the resort town of Geilo costs around €500 per person for the whole stay. Hardangervidda Plateau is 50 km away. The ski lift is 3 km away. The legendary Hemsedal snowpark is just over 100 km away. Beer costs a fortune. Other alcoholic drinks cost twice as much as in Riga. They’re only available in specialist shops with very limited opening hours. We bring all our food and cook for ourselves, as eating out is expensive. A car is essential. I’d definitely recommend planning more than just kiting — the weather can be unforgiving. On overcast days, you can still enjoy the slopes properly. They run between trees, so you don’t get the usual flat-light “blindness” you’d experience in similar conditions in the Alps. A lift pass costs around €60 a day. On days when the weather looks uncertain, you can snowboard and perhaps squeeze in a kite session at the nearby spot up top. It had the most beautiful scenery of anywhere we managed to get our kites out. Geilo has around 20 ski runs. They aren’t particularly long, but the atmosphere is lovely. There are four snowparks catering to different levels and two halfpipes. Compared with the Alps, there are very few skiers and snowboarders. Bring cross-country skis for a change of pace on days when your body needs a break… cross-country skiing is king here. Kite sizes: bring the full range, from 12 m² down. Pack some patience too — good kiting conditions can sometimes be hard to find. There’s no dedicated kite rescue service. Before venturing far from “dry land”, make sure you can get yourself back. If the wind drops, you could face a serious hike through chin-deep snow. On sunny days, very dark sunglasses are essential to protect your eyes from the glare. Freestyle is harder on snow than on water. Learning to kite is easier on snow than on water. You can enjoy fantastic freeriding through untouched terrain, using your kite as a lift. You might encounter herds of wild reindeer on the plateau. The road across the plateau is closed in winter. The best months for kiting are late March, April and early May. Temperatures are more comfortable, there’s more wind, and the only road through the glacier towards the fjord is open — provided the wind stays below 20 knots. https://www.visitnorway.no/reisemal/ostlandet/geilo/ https://www.haugastol.no/ http://www.finse.no/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardangervidda http://www.hardangervidda.as/

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The Big Brazil

Brazil. Or rather — BRAZIL!!!A country that knows how to surprise you. Most Latvians who haven’t had the chance to visit in recent years have a pretty misleading picture of the place. No, bandits don’t eat tourists for breakfast, bloodthirsty sharks don’t block the highways, shoals of piranhas don’t drag children underwater, and the president doesn’t keep a harem of kidnapped blonde slaves.Of course, travelling comes with risks everywhere… even back home in Latvia, being in the wrong place can land you in trouble. Brazil, too, has places where outsiders are better off keeping their noses out. Just like anywhere else. Overall, Brazil is a major nation with steady economic growth, ambitious plans for the future and a strong cultural identity. There’s a reason experts describe the region as one of the world’s emerging economic powerhouses.In recent years, crime has fallen sharply, and the streets have been cleaned up, tackling the kind of mess no self-respecting country should tolerate. Brazil hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2014, and the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro are just around the corner. From September until New Year, Brazil’s coast gets some of the most consistent, reliable winds in the world. That makes it one of the most popular destinations for kiteboarding and windsurfing trips at this time of year. Our crew headed there this year too, chasing the good life around the lagoons and beaches of Cumbuco, Taíba, Jeri (Jericoacoara) and Barra Grande. Between sessions, we also took some time out to explore Rio de Janeiro.Brazil really is a wind powerhouse. At this time of year, the wind has a 100% hit rate. Every day, non-stop, 24 hours a day. Several guesthouses — known locally as pousadas — even offer a money-back guarantee if there’s no wind. But don’t get your hopes up about claiming it — that simply doesn’t happen. Moon phases and the other factors that affect many of the world’s windy spots don’t seem to make any difference here. The wind just blows. That’s normal.What’s more, you can kite and windsurf both in the waves and in countless lagoons, with the winding coastline and its many sand dunes providing plenty of options. Most lagoons sit at river mouths. Enclosed ones tend to be freshwater, while those open to the ocean are salty. At this time of year, the rivers are practically dry, so the tides do most of the work, pushing seawater in from the ocean.Incidentally, Brazil’s white sand has been carried all the way from the Sahara Desert by powerful Atlantic Ocean currents. Those same currents are also the driving force behind Brazil’s wonderful winds. A few useful facts about Brazil: • Europeans don’t need a visa. • Exchanging money can be tricky. Your best bet is to do it at the airport when you arrive. • Leave your light-wind gear at home. • There are great waves for surfing. • A usable second-hand surfboard cost our crew €50. • Domestic flights are expensive, as they’re mostly used by wealthier locals and tourists. • Prices in coastal towns are roughly on a par with Latvia. • In November, we needed SPF 50 and SPF 30 sunscreen. • The air was pleasantly warm, day and night. • The water was lovely and warm too. • Leave your wetsuit in Latvia. • A couple of rash vests and a cap will come in handy. • Brazilians are quite proud and composed. Nobody hassles you or pesters you in the street. You’ll only get attention when you actually want it. Hard to believe, but true. • At least half the tourists are Brazilians visiting from other parts of the country. They kiteboard, windsurf and, of course, surf too. • The water gets much busier at weekends than on weekdays. • Cards aren’t accepted everywhere. • In January, the wind gradually eases and a three-month rainy season begins. And it pours like even we Latvians, raised on rain, can barely imagine. • After the rainy season, the wind returns. You can head back during the Latvian spring. • Mangoes, papayas, cheese balls, caipirinhas, nuts, fish, pizzas. • Brazilian food is simple and based on seasonal ingredients. • Despite having a coffee bean on its flag and producing around 70% of the world’s coffee, finding a decent cup isn’t easy. • Few locals understand even a couple of words of English or German. • Sharks and other creatures of the deep generally leave watersports enthusiasts alone. Wading through the mangroves, though, probably isn’t the best idea. • A buggy costs around €50 a day to rent. • Buggies aren’t the most reliable vehicles in the world, but they’re unbeatable for getting around on the beach. • We didn’t notice any mosquitoes, flies or nasty sandflies. There’s all that wind, after all. • It’s a relatively safe, suitable destination for bringing the kids. • We didn’t encounter overwhelming tourist crowds or that packed-like-sardines feeling. • Even if the pousadas you find online are fully booked, finding somewhere to stay once you’re there isn’t too difficult. • Accommodation that meets a Latvian traveller’s expectations costs around €25–40 a night, including breakfast. • The further north you travel from Fortaleza, the quieter and more relaxed it gets. • Typical wind speeds in November are 10 metres per second or more.And a few tips for Rio: • If you’re planning to party, learn a few samba moves before you go. • Rio’s city beaches have good waves for surfing. • The city has a thriving arts and culture scene. • Feel free to stroll around the city in your Speedos. That’s completely normal there. • If you make it to a football match, don’t count on being able to get a beer. • A photo with Christ the Redeemer is a must for every visitor ;) • Hardly any tourist goes home without a pair of Havaianas. The locals love them too. Brazil is far away, but damn, it’s good!

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Surfing in Sri Lanka

Surfing + Sri Lanka.Sure, everyone has their own tastes, etc., etc… but in our opinion, Sri Lanka isn’t exactly the most exciting or romantic destination. There’s nothing there!…except for a few small but very important things — cheap living, consistent waves and 30°C water. That’s exactly why this Indian Ocean island has become such a popular destination for anyone chasing waves and the easy life. p.s. (Don’t feel like reading? There’s a 3-minute video at the end.) We ended up there too. Here’s our take on Sri Lanka, in black and white. Hopefully, some of it will come in handy for fellow wanderers heading that way.First things first. Once you’ve booked your flight, apply for your visa online. You should receive a confirmation email the same day.P.S. Turkish Airlines flies there with one stop at Istanbul’s cockroach-infested airport. Apparently, though, a modern new airport should be ready there soon. https://www.turkishairlines.com/Clothes: Don’t overpack. A pair of shorts is all you need, day or night.Money: Roughly 400 Sri Lankan rupees to €1. The best place to exchange money is at the airport, just after passport control and baggage claim.Internet and staying connected: Pick up a SIM card with unlimited data as soon as you arrive at Colombo airport. Dialog is the most popular provider.Airport transfer to your surf spot: Around €80, paid in local rupees. You’ll find contact details for a reliable driver in the photo gallery below.Accommodation: Look on Booking.com or find somewhere once you arrive. Rooms and apartments are available to rent everywhere, usually with a clearly visible sign outside the house. https://www.booking.com A few handy places to base yourself in southern Sri Lanka during December–March — the ideal escape from the Latvian winter:– To surf South Beach Surf Point, look for accommodation around Kabalana.– To surf Jungle Beach, a beginner-friendly spot popular with Latvians, look around Wallivela.Jungle Beach is a mellow left-hander that breaks like a point break. If too many skilled longboarders turn up, getting a wave can be a challenge. It works on all tides. The spot can’t handle big swells, but those are rare at this time of year. The waves peel gradually, offering fairly long rides, though you’ll need to pump for speed now and then.– For steeper waves and a chance to get barrelled on a good day, look for somewhere to stay in Madiha.The bottom is a relatively forgiving, smooth reef, and the spot is surfable even at dead low tide. The rides aren’t long — three or four turns at best — but the waves have some serious steepness. Expect wide eyes and a proper “WHOA, what a view!” moment as you catch one :)Several peaks are dotted along Madiha Beach, fairly close together, and you can catch both rights and lefts from practically the same spot. We also noticed fewer longboarders at Madiha.For more on surf spots in southern Sri Lanka, have a browse through https://www.surfsouthsrilanka.com/ Eating out: You won’t need to cook on this trip. Apartment kitchens tend to be poorly equipped, and eating out is cheap and delicious. You’ll easily find food for all the usual diets pretty much everywhere — vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, alien… What to bring: You could get away with just bringing money — everything you need is available locally. The good news? Life as a surf tourist in Sri Lanka costs less than everyday life in Latvia Surfboards: Bigger or smaller? Bigger. December–March is the season for small, mellow, friendly waves. They’re rarely bigger than head-high. If all else fails, board rentals are everywhere, with decent equipment for different tastes at reasonable prices. Sunscreen: Bring the strong stuff — SPF 30–50 — and preferably zinc for your cheeks too. It’s easy to find locally. Weather: Night-time temperatures range from 25–30°C, with daytime temperatures well above 30°C. It’s hot, especially during the first week while your body adjusts… then you’re good ;) What to wear in the water: Boardshorts and a rash vest. If you’re planning to surf every day, though, consider a neoprene vest or top to help prevent chafing on your stomach. Every other tourist seems to be walking around with a scabby belly from too much surfing. Reef booties are worth packing just in case, too. Chase enough waves with enough enthusiasm, and you’re guaranteed a few reef scrapes. Wax: The water is around 30°C. Go for the hardest stuff — basecoat or tropical wax is all you need. Getting around: They drive on the left, like in England. Renting a scooter costs around €5–10 a day. You’ll definitely need a motorcycle licence.In the more touristy areas, the police are fairly laid-back, but at night and in quieter corners, the local “cops” can be quick to squeeze money out of you.To avoid trouble, follow a few traffic rules — wear a helmet and don’t overtake across a solid line. You can overtake, though, as long as you don’t actually cross it. Hell yeah!Another favourite with the cops is claiming that the licence you’ve shown them isn’t an International Driving Permit — as if such a thing even existed. As we later discovered back in Latvia, it turns out it does. Apparently, you can get one from CSDD for an extra fifty euros.Online travel guides often advise against renting scooters in Sri Lanka because of the dangerous traffic. In our experience, that’s not quite the whole story. Take it easy for the first few days, keep towards the edge of the road and rely more on your instincts than on the rules you’re used to back home.Priority goes to whoever is bigger and heavier — scooters, tuk-tuks, cars, vans, trucks and buses, in that order. If there’s an open space on the road ahead, someone will fill it. Your job is to watch what’s happening in front of you, while the people behind you do the same. Still, keep an eye out for buses and trucks coming up behind you too. They’re completely mad. Luckily, you can hear them coming from miles away.At first, the roads feel like total chaos. But in such busy conditions, this basic pecking order actually seems more efficient than the system we’re used to. Stay alert and take care.Of course, you can squeeze yourself into a tuk-tuk — they’re cheap and available everywhere. You’ll lose some of that sense of freedom, though, along with the chance to explore on your own terms. A scooter means freedom to roam. Simply heading out for a ride is a pleasure in itself, and a chance to clear your head and catch a breeze in the relentless heat.One more thing — use your indicators, and don’t be shy about flashing your headlights and giving the horn a good blast when making a manoeuvre. We noticed that honking is less popular at night, when most drivers stick to flashing their lights. The locals: Laid-back and very slow-paced. When they’re not trying to make money off you, you’ll meet some truly lovely, genuine people. But when it comes to shopping, service and anything you’re paying for, our experience was a different story — we encountered some of the most dishonest dealings we’ve come across anywhere. People would look us straight in the eye, lie and try to rip us off at every turn. It happened so often that it started to feel like standard practice, with honesty in business coming last. Souvenirs and shopping: The famous Ceylon tea is good stuff, but if you’re buying some, stick to modern supermarkets. Even then, you’ll pay more than you would for the same tea at Rimi in Riga.Another thing — you won’t find good tea in cheap packaging. Growing tea isn’t easy, and the big global tea brands keep a tight grip on the industry… right down to the last bud and leaf. The locals themselves mostly drink cheap, low-quality tea.You’ll also find premium teas at eye-watering prices — white tips, silver tips, gold tips and so on. Sure, buy some as a souvenir, but know that the price will be hugely inflated. The same tea can cost several times less online. That’s the harsh truth about being a trusting tourist, much like anywhere else. Don’t believe us? Just compare prices online ;)Before agreeing to any service, always settle the price in advance. And don’t count on promised times or deadlines — they’ll tell you what you want to hear, rather than what’s realistic. Before buying anything at all, bear in mind that locally made products are very poor quality — crap! Enjoy the tropical fruit, go surfing and save the shopping for other countries. Remember, we warned you! The surroundings: By Asian standards, Sri Lanka is relatively clean. Surprisingly, even the streets don’t stink — a real rarity in tropical countries. A typical morning scene is street sweepers and homeowners cleaning the street while brushing their teeth.While surfing, we didn’t notice much of the usual human-made rubbish floating around. That was a real pleasure. As for tap water, though, you’re better off buying bottled water from a shop. The best thing: Sri Lanka’s wave consistency. During the Latvian winter season, December–March, the waves aren’t huge, but you can surf almost every single day, all those months long.During the other months, the waves roll in on the opposite side of Sri Lanka. That’s a whole different scene, with its own local knowledge, which we know nothing about. Of course, you can find out all about it online. Apparently, the waves are bigger then, but whatever — we’ve got our own summer to celebrate back home :) Partying: This isn’t exactly the world’s hottest destination for wild nights out, but finding somewhere to let off steam a few times doesn’t take much effort. We liked The Doctor’s House in Madiha — a nice spot with a hipster vibe. You’ll find techno nights at the big hotels. Sadly, we didn’t come across any heavy metal. A shame, because that was once the absolute highlight of a trip to the Philippines. Finally, is it worth travelling all the way from Latvia? – Yes, it is!Sri Lanka is a decent choice if you want a relatively cheap getaway, a peaceful life, daily surf sessions and more fruit than you can eat. For beauty and excitement, though, we wouldn’t give it many stars. Think of it more as a journey into yourself than a chance to marvel at the world and discover wonders you never knew existed. See you on the next wave!Words by Dāvis Drande.

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Team Rider – Anita Leiņa

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