- Ashley Baxter:
"Windsurfing solves it all!"
Ashley Baxter (older sister to Connor Baxter) has been
windsurfing since the age of 13. In 2006 she took part at the Aloha Classic, at the same
time her 1st PWA event. She is student in one of the top high schools of the Aloha state
and - have a look! - also working as a model. Ashley is said to be "rather shy but
super funny". Having signed to the Naish International team, the future could very
well be hers. Or as someone at Boardseeker once put it: Could we have found the new
Princess of Windsurfing?
- date of birth: May 27th 1990
- nationality:
American
- profession: Student
- (Ashleys high school - Seaburry Hall - is said to be one of
the toughest and most expensive on Maui)
- sponsors:
Naish and of course Mom and Dad
- When AND where did you learn how to
windsurf?
- I started windsurfing when I was kind a young because of my
parents. In the olden days when my mom was young she was a professional windsurfer and
eventually became the World Champion. My mom wanted me to follow on her footsteps. In
those days I was NOT interested at all. Last summer I started to get really interested in
windsurfing and started doing a few contests. That’s when I realized that I wanted to
do it for myself and not for my parents. I would always sail at Kanaha because of the
diversities. You could sail on the inside in the flat water, or go to uppers or lowers for
some waves.
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WIND SURFING mag:
Covergirl Ashley! |
What do you train right now: Right
now I am trying a front loop. It’s hard for me because I know that it is such an easy
move, but it’s hard for me to commit. Hopefully I get it down soon.
- favorite windsurfing spot:
Hookipa is probably my favorite spot, but there are so many fun
spots that it’s hard to choose. I also really love Sprecks and Kanaha.
- best music:
Rock, not to sure though cause I like it all.
- last book you´ve read:
"Beloved", for school. It’s a trippy book.
- best film:
"Little
Miss Sunshine", I think
- best food: Chilli
and Rice from Hana Ranch Store
- best drink: Pog;
Passion Orange Guava juice! The best in the world!
- Who are your models in windsurfing?
Anne-Marie
Reichman, Anna Blanch and Tatiana Howard (= "Robby Angels", see also http://tatianahoward.blogspot.com/2007/02/robbys-angels.html!)
I got to sail with these girls the most and I love them so much. They are such an
inspiration to me, they are so good and are such nice people. I hope to one day accomplish
as much as they have! Also Silvia Alba, I love her, she’s hilarious and rips!
- What causes you fear? Well
maybe the dark and a forward loop! It’s weird cause I’m really good at
catapulting, so you’d think I’d be used to the rotation.
- What makes you laugh? Pretty
much everything! I love to smile and have fun. Most of the time jokes don’t make me
laugh because I don’t understand them, but I still try! I always love being around a
group of people who always laugh and who enjoy all life has to offer.
- With whom would you like to spend an
evening?
- That’s a really hard question. If you’re talking
about a windsurfer, I’ll keep that confidential, but if you were talking about a
famous person I’d have to say Orlando Bloom. I think, I don’t know, that’s
really hard.
- The famous 3 things to choose to take with
you to a lonely island?
- I’d have to say, all my windsurfing gear, a
surfboard, even though I don’t surf too much, I should get into it more and a
volleyball that I can name, and make my best friend (like in the movie Castaway).
- What do you like about windgirls.com
magazine? I like that it is a way of
connecting all of us girls since there isn’t that many of us. We can talk to each
other and learn more about other girls who are making it in the professional world. Also
it’s a great motivation! Seeing all these girls out there looking amazing is so cool,
and I hope that I can some day be an inspiration to girls as well.
- 3 tips for GIRLS who want to learn
windsurfing:
- 1. The first and most important tip that I could give anyone
is never give up! Windsurfing is a very hard sport at first, and the easiest thing to do
would be to give up, but I promise once you get past the learning curve it gets better and
way more enjoyable!
- 2. The second piece of advice that I’d give is always
believe in yourself. If you really want to do something, whether it be jibing or doing a
front loop, just imagine yourself doing it in your head step by step. Tell yourself you
can do it and soon enough you will. The last, but not least is, never get frustrated with
yourself!! This is so important because if you do, you can get hurt. I know at times when
you try and try at this one move, and you just can’t do it, you get so frustrated
with yourself. At this point just put everything in the water and take a break.
- 3. If you keep going you’ll be more concentrated on not
getting the move rather than thinking about what to do next. You need to take a break and
cool down, when you feel comfortable and willing to try it again get up and start all
over!
- What does windsurfing mean to you?
- Windsurfing is so sick, just like any other sport. Whenever
I’m feeling down or just have a lot on my mind, windsurfing solves it all. I can just
go out and for a few hours my mind is blank. And when I come in I’m in a way better
mood. Windsurfing is the one things that I will always have and I love that. It’s
also a challenge, I’m always learning new things so I will never get bored with the
sport, there’s an everlasting list of things to learn. Windsurfing over all makes me
a better person, and I appreciate the sport and the people who have the same passion for
it. Well I better get going so I can go windsurfing!
- What's next?
- Brit sailor John Skye just wrote in his (november 2007)
report for the PWA website: "The ladies are here in force too, with up to a third of
the sailors out at Ho’okipa being female! Ashley Baxter is showing great potential.
Whether she’ll follow the tour next year remains to be seen." To be continued...
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