Having been travelling the world as a professional kiter for the past ten years, and as a super passionate surfer, I’ve been hooked on the SUP virus ever since my very first go at it in 2007.  Paddleboarding has given me the opportunity to see the world through different eyes and is enabling me to enjoy my life-force  -  the ocean -  in additional ways.  New possibilities and opportunities for new adventures, new thrills, new playgrounds, new stokes are opening up almost every day that I take one of my Fanatic SUP-babies out and I very openly admit:  I’m a SUPaholic which is a beaaaaaaaautiful thing and contrary to most other addictions a very, very healthy one too

I could hardly imagine a day without not picking up one of my beloved SUPs to enjoy a session in the waves, a down winder, a meditative cruise up the river or a couple of yoga moves on top of my board.

..and I’ve just come back from an absolutely beautiful, joy session, I’m feeling GREAT, yew !

High time 4 the ones amongst you who still haven’t given this amazing sport a go yet, to have a shot at it !!!  Trust me guys, you won’t regret it.
I’m always here for you and any questions
Yours Gabi

I’m  s t o k e d and very grateful for yet another fantastic year in this amazing life with all its experiences, lessons, high & lows  (just like the waves in the ocean), awesome wonders and presents that life ‘throws’ at us  -  quite often, when we least expect it!  All we gotta do is being present and mindful of the opportunites as they arise…

Yew, life is beautiful and so incredibly exciting and there’s so many gifts in it waiting,   it’s all up to us to grab them!   So many dreams to be lived and we shouldn’t wait to live them, we only have one life and the very ‘simple’ way of making the most out of it and THE very upmost important ingredient in the equation of ‘being happy’ is:  follow  Y O U R  heart on  Y O U R  very own personal path!

In this spirit I send my very best wishes to all of you:

MERRY X-MAS, where ever you are & a JOY RIDE INTO THE NEW YEAR !!!

Enjoy the holidays, relax, take it easy,
inhale the peace and energy of Mother Nature &
Carpe Diem guys, because “Life is not a rehearsal” 

Thanx to my sponsors North Kiteboarding, ION, Fanatic, and Oakley for their continuous support in living my very personal dream!

With all my love
Yours Gabi

Yeah, I’ve only just returned to my home base in W.A., where two biiiig boxes have already been waiting for quite a while for me;   finally I get the chance to unwrap’em and hopefully play with its contents in the water very, very shortly:

It’s the second shipment of my brandnew 2012 Fanatic ‘toys’:  one SUP and one Surfboard, s t o k e d !!!

As my new SUP for 2012 and ‘successor’ of my beloved “Fly Wave 9’6” from this years Fanatic SUP-range,  I’ve chosen the PRO WAVE 8’10”. Looking at it, I simply CAN’T wait to get in the water with it, yew !!!  It looks absolutely beautiful in its incredibly stylish wooden design. Five fin boxes are giving me the option of riding it either in Quad or Thruster set-up,  sick! Mono concave bottom entry into rolled V and double concave for maximum glide and drive, what more can I say, I’m positive Sebastian Wenzel, the shaper of this ‘baby’ and all the other incredible Fanatic SUP babies has done an amazing job.

As my new surfboard, I’ve chosen the SURF BAMBOO 6’6” FUN EGG, yew, that’s gonna be soooo much fun catching waves on !   Fast and floaty thruster fun from slop to fast surf, a great joy allrounder for all sorts of conditions that will keep me smiling no matter how crappy the conditions. Hehehehe, yep, I reckon it’s a siiiick ‘wave catcher’ !  And just like my Fanatic Surf Bamboo Evo 6’8”, I’m loving its bamboo design. Aussie shaper legend Bruce McKee has certainly done a fantastic job with this one and I’m frothing to take it for a ride !

You should get yourself set-up with a Fanatic SUP and surfboard as well  -   Life is beautiful when you SUP and surf !!!

Soon more, stay tuned,
Carpe Diem & have fun folks
Gxx

I’ve been away from my home base Australia due to several missions for a few months… finally I have returned, sweeeeet .   Though I’m still not ‘home home’ for now;  at the moment I’m at my annual wave-training location over a thousand kms away from home but a little angel has brought me a present:

One of my brandnew 2012 Fanatic SUP-boards – YEEEAH, I’m so excited !!!
It’s the  FLY WAVE, the true “Allrounder” in Fanatics amazingly comprehensive 2012 SUP-board range, check it out right here!

I’ve chosen the Fly Wave as part of my Fanatic board quiver in 2012 for several reasons:
1. It’s a fantastic allround board that I will be taking into surf pretty much of any size plus it’s a great ‘cruizer’ for flat water, downwinders etc etc…
2. I would like to give the opportunity to everybody around me to have a go and to get people into SUP’ing, cause it simply is one of THE VERY VERY BEST fun things 2 do in this world, and the Fly Wave is simply perfect for that   !!!

SUP’ing is such an amazing watersport and I could almost not imagine one day without having a session on my SUP, whether it’s a relaxing cruise on flat water or riding some sweet waves.  That’s precisely  t h e  very best thing about SUP’ing:  the options for fun and a stoke are endless!  SUP’ing will make your day,  a n y d a y, regardless of the conditions, there’s always a sweet SUP-sess to be had, which will make you feel great !

So, to come back to my brandnew “Fanatic-Baby”, the Fly Wave:   Shaped by Fanatic’s master-board-brain Sebastian Wenzel, it’s a board for a lifetime of surfing.  Timeless thruster shape, soft rails up front and sharper edges in the tail give the grip and feel of a smaller board with all the grace and glide of the ancient Hawaiians. Thanks to a flatter nose rocker and more pronounced curve in the tail, you gain easy paddling and turning ability for effortlessly catching rides. A flat deck and volume out wide mean there’s balance and stability galore. What greater way to share the joy of riding waves with family, friends and beginners?
And its design and construction definitely needs to be mentioned as well:  I’ve chosen the Wood Edition, beautifully crafted wood that comes with the deluxe Deck Pad that ensures super comfy paddling;  Yew, the Fly Wave Wood is one of the lightest boards on the market for extra performance and fun and I’m truly L O V I N G  IT  !!!
Check out the photos in my photo gallery on the right hand side!

Out of Fanatic’s paddle range, I have chosen the Paddle Carbon 80, the most versatile paddle of’em all.  The 80% 3K Carbon shaft’s easy on the shoulders in longer sessions, with quick response for racing or darting into set waves. Fanatic’s invested heavily in a genuine, quality CAD-designed paddle program with unique mould and tooling processes, without generic or off-the-shelf parts and shortcuts.

I’ve had several JOY-session on my Fly Wave so far on it and came back to the beach  s t o k e d  soooo many times and so did also all the people who had a go, everyone was lovin’ it too !

The waves here are too far from the beach to take photos of, however, I organized a little ‘lifestyle shoot’ in some amazing locations, photos will be posted shortly, so stay tuned folks and check out Fanatics web in the meantime!

Have fun & start SUP’in folks, trust me, you won’t regret it, always here for any Qs & queries
Gabi

I’ve just returned to Australia after a mission in Asia and am suuuuuuuuuuuuuper stoked already having had a crack on my 2012 Rebel 7m2 kite and Kontact 6’1” waveboard.

All I can say is:  North’s products have yet again improved quite considerably, the performance of the 2012 Rebel, its windrange and handling is the sweetest feeling I’ve felt with kites in my hands since I’ve started this sport, sounds cheesy but it’s true!  Tunable bar pressure, new square wingtip design maximizes the effective tip area, and rock solid stability are just a few of the amazing qualitities;  no doubt the 2012 Rebel remains North’s flagship kite, combining all the ingredients you need to cover a huge wind-range, rip apart any size surf, boost huge airs and ride comfortably in nearly all conditions. Check it out on North’s website!

Same accounts for the 2012 Kontact, my very favourite model of North’s wide waveboard range.  I’ve chosen the 6’1” x 17 ½” x 2 1/16” for lighter winds and the 5’9” x 17” x 1 15/16” for strong winds, there is one more size in the middle, the 5’11” x 17 ¼” x 2”.   The fourth generation Kontact remains a staple of the NKB Surf Range and a powerhouse board in a class all its own. The Kontact is ideal for riders looking to ride bigger and more powerful surf, however due to its control-oriented nature, the Kontact is also a great choice for riders who want a board to handle strong wind and choppy water with ease and comfort. The 2012 model features the same popular rounded pintail but now has a slightly shorter and fuller outline than last years’ model and a moderate single to double concave to improve turning and release. Check it out on the NKB’s website!

Oki folks, gotta go… the wind is up and I would like to test my 2012 Rebel 10m2

For the coming season, I can only recommend to get ur a$$ down to the next shop that sells NKB gear and to get youself the greatest gear on the planet, trust me, u will  L O V E  these toys !

Please feel free 2 email me with any Qs u might have,  a n y t i m e  here 2 help you
Gxx

From one mission 2 the next, YEW, don’t wanna complain

… and a couple of plane rides later, I’m finding myself in Indonesia, the country of smiles, sweet !

Internet connection is almost non-existent but I was lucky just then and found one, so decided to blog this short update.

Stay tuned 4 more!

Carpe diem folks & have fun,
Gabi

It’s time to “Rock’n'Roll” 

Yeah, Kitegabi is off to new adventures, new insane sessions, new experiences !

All my toys are packed, the greatest gear in the whole wide world, my North kites and boards as well as my Fanatic SUP- and surfboard and I can’t wait to explore new terrains with’em .

Stay tuned and keep checking my blog 4 updates & news my dears!
….oh yeah, and in case that internet-access proves difficult, please don’t curse me for a bit of an online abscence, I will make up for it, biiig promise.

Have fun & Carpe Diem guys !
Gxx

In the freshly printed latest issue of the magazine that has just hit newsagents shelves all around my home country, I decided to cover a journey of a different kind:  “The Journey to Spirituality”.

I have recently had the incredible pleasure to see His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet live during his “A Man of Compassion & Wisdom, 2011 Australian visit”.

His Holiness spoke in Perth’s Burswood Dome in front of 14.000 people about “Spirituality in the Modern World”.

Since many, many years I have been extremely interested in the Dalai Lama’s teachings and have been reading many of his books as well as I practice Buddhist Meditation myself.

Having had the opportunity to be in His Holiness presence was a rare and wonderful one that I will never forget in my life. He is one of the most amazing and inspiring people of our time and each and every person on the planet could learn so very much from him. If all of us had only 1% of the Dalai Lama inside of us, the world would be a MUCH MUCH MUCH better place, more peaceful and way happier!

Thank you Your Holiness for giving us your words of wisdom and for showing us your unending compassion for all sentient beings.

That day, me personally, I have received some of his immense blessings into my heart and mind and I would like to share these blessings with all around me.

“I believe the purpose of our existence is happiness”
(His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet)

You can find more on His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, recent visit to Australia right here, and I can only highly recommend to get into his teachings, wisdoms, world views…   Also have a look at the website of The Office of His Holiness.

Enjoy my article in Für Mich Magazine and please send me your feedback, I always love to hear from you !
Yours Gabi

I have met Angela Peral for the first time approximately 7 years ago during one of my first ever PKRA-events.  Back then Angela was the youngest female participant on the tour  but already amongst the absolute cream-of-the-cream of the top kite-chicks in the world.  The two things that I remember noticing about Angela first were her incredible smile and her smooth, powerful and extremely radical style that has been her trade-mark since.  The petite curly head from Tarifa, Spain, is a true waterwoman by birth. Both her father and mother were competing in windsurfing previously and Angela’s dream as far as she can think back, has been to become just like them. And she suceeded: Angela is a unique personality in Spain today and her achievements in wind- and kitesurfing confirm her passion and commitment to her career as pro-rider in both wind- and kitesurf !!

I’m stoked to see my team-mate still going so strong in the Kitesurf World Tour after almost a decade of competition-life. Angela is currently ranked 2nd on the PKRA World Wave Tour, which confirms her incredible level of riding as well as of her motivation and energy.

To me, Angela is not only the cutest of all kite-chicks, she is also a uniquely amazing character and I sat down with her for an interview, check it out on 10 pages in IKSURF Mag’s issue #28 !

Send me you feedback folks, always stoked to hear from you
Gxx

The BIG summer-issue of Austria’s leading Women & Lifestyle Magazine “Für Mich” has just hit newsagents all across my home turf Austria.

In it: My personal column “Wave of Life – Letters from around the World” and this time, I dedicated my column to  “SUP (Stand Up Paddle Boarding), THE new Trandsport in the Water”.

Besides being a professional kitesurfer, I’m also international team-rider and thus professional “SUP’ess and Surf-Chick” of FANATIC one of the leading brands on the board sector.

Ever since I’ve started SUP’ing about 3 years ago, I’m fully hooked… another word for it: a complete SUP-addict !  It’s simply such a beautiful fun sport and sooooooooooooooooooo great for your physique. Try it guys, you won’t regret it, I’m absolutely positive of that !!

So, get your a$$ down to the nearst shop and get yourself a copy of “Für Mich”, in my article you find all details on SUP, history, background, equipment, tips how & where to start with it in Austria and soooooooooo much more info on it! Plus, there’s way more good stuff packed in the BIG SUMMERISSUE, I just finished reading the mag and I loved  e v e r y  single page !

Uiiiii, and last but not least, here’s a little secret for you:
There’s also an online version of the mag    Check it out, right here guys !
And for my feature, click this link, though, I would recommend to get the ‘real thing’ (i.e. paper copy of the mag), me personally I just always prefer to have the print copy in hand, I find it’s a much nicer way of reading it;  but hey, up 2 you !

Have fun guys & please send me your feedback and questions anytime !
I always love to hear from you
Ciao 4 now
Gxx