- 18 August 2016 | Kiteboarding
The Spanish kitesurfer is the first athlete to connect La Graciosa, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro on a solo journey.
Pulido, 22, rode her kite for roughly 380 kilometers (205 nautical miles) across all eight inhabited islands of the Atlantic archipelago. She kicked off her adventure on August 11th and finished August 18th.
“It has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life, and I’ve lived many since I was eight years and learned to ride a kite. I was tired of the previous six crossings. I could notice the fatigue especially in the legs and arms.” explained Gisela Pulido.
“I have learned that, if you want, you can; and if you put a challenge in front of you, you have to go for it and give it all you have. The most important thing is to surround yourself with a good team that helps you.”
Gisela Pulido is a freestyle kitesurfer. She is the youngest world champion in the history of kiteboarding. The rider from Premià del Mar, in Barcelona, has already won ten world titles.
Desafio Movistar Gisela Pulido Islas Canarias | The Eight Islands
1. La Graciosa (Playa de El Salado) – Lanzarote (Playa de Famara)
“It was harder than I thought because the wind was very light. It is a pity that I haven’t been able to enjoy so much, since I was super focused on having the kite flying, on not to make a mistake and also on getting to the final point as quickly as possible.”
2 – Lanzarote (Faro de Pechiguera) – Fuerteventura (Corralejo): 17 kilometers
“The ride was breathtaking, with the island of Lobos on one side aside, then sail around Corralejo, and the color of the ocean when arriving at Flag Beach. I rode a 12-meter kite with 23-meter lines because, in the beginning, it was very windy but when you reach Corralejo, it died down.”
3 – Fuerteventura (Punta de Jandía) – Gran Canaria (Playa de Pozo Izquierdo): 94 kilometers
“I couldn’t see the coast, and I was riding blind with my watch and the boat. I just kept sailing. I didn’t know if there would be people waiting for me, but I soon found a huge crowd cheering me at the beach. Everyone clapping. I was not expecting it, and it was amazing. It was a fantastic surprise. Thank you!”
4 – Gran Canaria (Las Salinas, Agaete) – Tenerife (Playa de El Médano): 82 kilometers
“It was super physical. Basically, it’s been too long, but thanks to the team and I never lost the smile.”
5. Tenerife (Playa Las Arenas, Buenavista) – La Gomera (Playa de Vallehermoso): 36 kilometers
“What a crazy adventure! From 45 knots in Tenerife to 0 knots in La Gomera! I spent a lot of time in the water suffering because there was no wind, but found better conditions in the west part and managed to complete it.
6. La Gomera (Los Órganos, Vallehermoso) – La Palma (Fuencaliente): 57 kilometers
“Made it to La Palma this morning in one hour and 50 minutes with my 4.5-meter – the smallest kite I have. It’s insane how windy it was during the whole crossing, and how huge the waves were in the middle of the ocean, but having such a great team next to me kept me calm.”
7. La Palma (Fuencaliente) – El Hierro (La Caleta): 79 kilometers
“It was a very tense day because it was the last stage between La Palma and El Hierro. It was tough because the wind forecast was not favorable, and we had to wake up early to prepare and get to El Hierro. Then I realized how difficult it would be to get there because I would be sailing downwind, and my arms and legs were already exhausted after all the previous stages. This is the result of teamwork, and I am extremely happy.”
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Source: WCAK
