train & learn! (photos courtesy of Tom Brendt & Dani Miguel/Cutre)
The "Fuertewind 2005" training camp is said to have been one of the highlights in recent women windsurfing. Karin, Daida and Iballa had organised the camp in order to share skills, experience - and fun.
 
Ocean's 11

PART 1 lets 11 pro girls, who had answered our call to write down their impressions, have their say.

In PART 2 Karin Jaggi explains how the idea had materialised. A great VIDEO concludes the report.

I think that the idea about a training camp for the girls is really good. In this event Daida, Iballa and Karin focussed on teaching about how to be able to become more professional and then we had a lot of photo shoots because they were trying to get more publicity for us windsurfinggirls. It was so good to listen to the top girls during the lessons because they really know what they are talking about. I learnt a lot about how to apply for sponsors, what to say in interviews and how important it is to get publicity. I had a really good time during the training camp. Not only the lessons, windsurfing sessions and photo shoots, it was cool to meet and to get to know the other girls under more relaxed conditions than during a competition.
Anna Joensson
From an organizers point of view, this camp was very helpful for all girls that want to introduce themselves to the windsurfing competition world. We learn a lots of things about marketing, how to promote ourselves and of course sailing! One week of great fun and hopefully next year we will do it again!
Aloha, Iballa Ruano Moreno
I hadn't planned on doing the Fuertewind Camp when I first headed over to Europe for the Tour, but ended up going and it turns out it was the highlight of my whole trip! I loved it and learned so many things not only new windsurfing tricks but the knowledge of how to promote yourself through media communications. Everyday was a day full of fun lessons from taking interviews to big loops in flat water! It was a great opportunity to meet and hang out just with windsurfing girls. All of us came from different places around the world and when we all joined together it was like we had known each other for years, even though we had only just met, and were always laughing and having a good time. I think it was a great idea of Daida, Iballa and Karin to have started this camp. They were so helpful to us all and now we have all become just that much better because of their efforts. Big Mahalos to Daida, Iballa and Karin!
Tatiana Howard
It was a good vibe, and everyone went for it! There was not a thought about 'not going for it', for everyone was stoked and ready to give all they could.
Anne-Marie Reichman
I thought the training camp was a great and original idea. It was so much fun with all the girls. A very good atmosphere. I had no idea what to expect really but this was far beyond anything I could think of. We got to see different places on Fuerteventura. We sailed different spots, which is always a very good experience. Also they tought us a lot about other things, like sponsors and promoting yourself. This is something that I think is at least as hard as windsurfing by itself. It was great. Thanks Daida, Iballa, Karin and all the others that made this possible.
Femke van der Valk
This girls training camp was the best I have ever seen what came up for professional windsurfing women. It pushes and motivates so much to have so many other good windsurfing girls around, this helped me a lot again to push also my own limits on the water! And even pushed my boyfriend too, as he was seeing the girls trying goiters and flakas. This has been a great sucess of coverage, windsurfing, fun and meeting each other. All I can say is the BIGGEST THANKS to Daida, Iballa and Karin for making this event happen! I really hope that there will be many other girls event as this one!
Astrid Muldoon
The Girls Training Camp in Fuerteventura 2005 was a surprise and a gift for us. Before the camp I imagined that we not gonna learn too much in windsurfing, because is a hard sport and just a week is not gonna be enough, especially after I had hurt myself in Lanzarote. I was so sad. Just imagine my dream about to get my first spock at camping going out of the window... But I was wrong. I learned a lot about life from windsurf and we had a lot of fun together, getting to know the culture (dances, food and languages from 16 countries) of each other.
This idea about the Girls Training Camp was wonderful! Really congratulations for Karin Jaggi, Iballa  and Daida Ruano Moreno! For sure will help me to keep  windsurfing. This Camp tought me how to become a professional windsurfer. That includes to eat good (recovery with nutrition) and especially to get more sponsors, connections, interviews – media communication that is super important. Before I just had the contacts from my own country, Brasil. For sure, after this I gonna pay attention better at the contract in order to be able to follow the instructions.
Juliana Farias BRA 124
 
This first Girls Training Camp was very nice to get to know better all the athletes on the tour and to make the windsurf girls more strong and professional. It was a wonderful experience to improve my windsurfing, having fun, smiling a lot with the girls and enjoying the beautiful water of Fuerteventura. This kind of project is a help for all the girls that like to compete and a perfect idea to help women windsurfing to grow more and more – for me this is the most important thing! I want to say congratulations for Iballa, Karin and Daida for this project!
The Training Camp tought me how  the life of a professional woman windsurfer is like. I learned about alimentation, travelling, sponsors, interviews, things really important to get a great media coverage. On the water I learn the best way to get the volcan and grubby, so I have to keep training and having fun.
Ivana Farias, BRA 770
This girls training camp has been an amazing experience full of energy and motivation. Since it started, all of us were expecting to go sailing as much as possible and try to learn and enjoy. The atmosphere was full of good vibes and sailing was the main and first priority. Also all the good stuff that Karin and the Moreno Twins, Daida and Iballa, were teaching about how to become a pro and to approach the pro life was more than interesting and really good for all the girls that really want to go for it and give it a chance. We learned a lot inside and outside the water but the best thing of all for me was to sail with all the girls, with a lot of power and really going for it in all the conditions we sailed, both waves and freestyle. I think it was a very nice initiative from Daida, Iballa and Karin and hopefully we will be able to do it again with even more girls and for sure much more action!
Nayra Alonso
I really enjoyed taking part in the camp. It was great meeting the other girls and having a lot of fun on and besides the water. Thanks again to the twins and Karin for organizing everything and especially to the sponsors who finally made all possible. I improved a lot from the Camp. For one thing I finally did my first frontloops under Daidas surveillance in the training part. As I haven´t taken part in the worldcup so far, I also learned a lot from what the girls told us in the meetings.
Britta Kuehn
About the training camp I think that Daida, Iballa and Karin had a really great idea. All the girls together sharing everything: living, sailing, enjoying – one whole week! The best idea to improve together!
Anna Blanch

continue with part 2

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photos: Anna Blanch, Tom Brendt, Dani Miguel/Cutre, PJT © windgirls 2006