Background
Kiting since ten years ago, Sarah is a twenty-six, half Egyptian and half German young lady. She grew up in Cairo, studying in the German school. After finishing school, she moved to Germany for pursuing a bachelor of politics and public administration.
Setting Off the Shore
Starting at the age of fifteen, Sarah did her first kitesurfing in the golden-shored city of Dahab, discovering she harbored a powerful passion for the sport. However, because her school was in Cairo, kitesurfing was swept to holidays only. When she moved to Germany for her bachelor studies, practicing days were further narrowed down to semester holidays, giving her slow progress. “I came kiting for a month, and then, I`m gone for ten. The first week, I have to remember everything, and in the second week, I`m landing everything again. In the third week, I`d try something new. In the fourth week, I`d land it. Then, I`d be leaving. I have to start everything all over again.” Nonetheless, her passion remained alive, surfing over the years, and so was her persistence. “I have always loved kiting for myself, waking up super early, biking to the spot, and then kiting when there was no one else. I loved that.”
Dedication and Consistency
When she moved to Dahab in the early of 2021, her progress was augmented. Every day where there was wind on the sea, she was there catching it with her kite and soaring over the shimmering waters. It was that consistency that rewarded her with a crazy progress.
Looting Prizes and Records
In 2018, Sarah participated in her first competition, King of the Lagoon, in Raas Sudr. “I thought that I didn`t know what I should do there…everyone is going to be so much better. Then, I found I was on the same level as everyone.” Her following competitions proved that she was even more. In 2019, she secured the 3rd place in King of the Lagoon (female air-style and freestyle.) In 2021, she seized a bag of bounties, scoring the 1st place in Kitemania Dahab (Big Air Female) and the 1st place in Kitemania Gouna (Big Air Female). She snatched the 3rd place in the kitesurfing nationals in the category twintip race, being the only female in the whole event. Lastly, she assigned her name to the 1st place in King of the Lagoon (Female freestyle and air-style). Keeping the Gouna streak, she won the 1st place again in Kitemania Gouna. Coming up on the 15th of September is the next King of the Lagoon.
A Message to Girls
Regarding her experience in Egypt, Sarah expressed how it disturbed her that there is a subtle belief that women cannot be proficient in kitesurfing compared to men. “Something that has always annoyed me is the difference between guys and girls and how everyone sees that it is not possible for girls to be that good…and it is kind of cool to see that it is,” said Sarah. Her message to women out there is: “even as a woman, you can push limits and be as good as men. It might take more efforts since obviously men and women are biologically different. But at the end, if we want to do something, we can.”
Opposing winds
Thrilling endeavors are often opposed by currents of wind, but kitesurfing is one of the sports where the absence of wind is actually an obstacle. Sarah had been recently in Germany for a kitesurfing contest. Unfortunately, it did not take place due to the absence of the wind. Other than the wind and the forces of nature, the journey is lined with other hurdles. Managing between working, studying, and training is obviously a non-easy task, in addition to affording the money needed for sustaining the activity and traveling for international competitions. Nevertheless, her core drive is doing what she loves, and that`s what keeps her going, as she explained it. “I`m kiting because I enjoy kiting, and not to be the best, not to win competitions, and not to be sponsored. All of these are nice, but if they made me feel pressured into kiting, that is not what I want. I want to kite because I love kiting.”
Present and Future
Nowadays, Sarah is staying in Dahab, practicing her beloved sport besides doing her Masters thesis for her German university remotely and working in Sustainable Network Egypt that connects and facilitates the collaboration of environmental organizations and individuals that focus on reducing single-use plastic waste and raising awareness. Believing highly in herself in a positive confidence, Sarah looks forward to propelling her energy overseas, competing in international events, having been also inspired by two of her kiting friends. Next winter, she will be training and contesting in South Africa. “It is going to be my first international competition.”
