Flippin’ Into 2025: A Year of Growth, Challenges, and New Beginnings
2024: A Year of Challenges, Growth, and New Adventures
31 december 2023 ended just as it should—on the water. My home lake served as the perfect backdrop for a last wingfoiling session of the year in thick wetsuit, wintergloves and shoes. It is where I set ambitious goals: mastering the backflip and the 360. No secret it`s inspired by the locals on and around the spot, I had to find out what the stoke of wingfoiling was all about. At the time, these tricks felt far out of reach, as I could barely manage a jump. But I was determined… to start 2024 the right way! After focusing on kitefoilracing for the past 4 years…setting sail into a new direction..? in the same ocean.
A New Adventure: Finding My Smile Again
In a late-minute decision, I packed my gear and headed to the Philippines. My goal? To dive headfirst into wingfoiling with a 90% commitment and a hopeful 10% “let’s see how this goes.” I needed a fresh challenge and a reason to smile again on the water, something completly different – and out of reach at that moment..How it looked like..? Old gear, No fear, No doubts, No limitations, and a lot of crashes 🙂
I also regained my freestyle & big air groove in kitesurfing at cuyo island, won freestyle, foil race, twin-tip race, and hangtime events on Boracay, and rekindled my love for kitefoiling—because some things never leave you.
The trip wasn’t just about the wins but brought reunions with old friends and the joy of making new ones. This little island has become my home away from home. The place where I learned my first tricks, won my first events. Shared stories for a lifetime, opened up my eyes to the world and dreamed a little bigger everytime I came back. Though I won’t be returning this year, the memories will stay with me, just as the lessons learned. I will be back for sure!
Mountains and Memories
Next came an unforgettable snowy adventure in Norway—flying off hills and gliding across endless white landscapes. I met up with my brother, and the mountains became our playground. The thrill of it all reminded me why I love chasing new experiences and keep coming back.
Surfing Giant Waves at Home
Back home, I faced a completely new challenge—surfing the biggest waves in the ocean with my wingfoil. The powerful swells were both exhilarating and humbling. Finding myself swimming shore – breaks for 30 minutes, to get out there… Catching waves I never thought I ever would. With every session, I grew stronger and more confident. It showed me that you can find adventure in unexpected places, like at home! And that surfing waves with a foil is something special!
Righting a Wrong: Round of Texel
Back in the Netherlands, I had unfinished business. So it was time to pack the van and head down to Texel. The prior year’s Round of Texel had ended in disappointment due to a GPS error that wiped out my winning score. This time, I was determined to set it right—and I did. Finishing 5th in The Wingfoil Marathon World Cup and even winning a race in a discipline I hadn’t trained for, using gear that wasn’t optimized, was a victory in itself. A victory for resilience and perseverance – and a little help from my friends along the way! 😉
Olympic Dreams and Tough Decisions
This was also the year of the Olympics, a goal I narrowly missed. The journey was unforgettable but left me at a crossroads: Should I quit? Continue? Switch disciplines? I chose to prioritise my happiness. I focused on the reasons WHY I started; fun, freedom and the constant improvement (the 1 % better every day). In the end, I chose me over external pressures—sponsors, brand politics, and behind-the-scenes battles – opinions. I embraced the notion that success doesn’t always look like a medal; sometimes it’s about staying true to your passion.
Balancing Act: Studies and Sport
This shift opened the door to a path I had paused to chase my sporting dreams: my studies in accountancy. Passing my first exams and working with clients, in different teams reminded me of the balance I thrive on—intellectual growth paired with athletic passion.
The same week I started my new adventure at BDO, I earned 2nd place at the Dutch Wingfoiling Championships and dominated the Round of Loosdrecht. It was a moment of personal triumph, blending my two worlds seamlessly.
This time competing was about the fun and the thrill of the challenge, showing up for me. There were times when I doubted whether I should continue and sign up for the competitions, especially with all the other changes in my life. But every time, I was encouraged by friends who invited me to join events, reminding me of the joy and excitement that competition brings. Their support reignited my passion for the sport – the wing foiling discipline – and helped me, reminding me that the true value of competition lies in pushing myself, having fun, and being part of a community that shares the same love for the water. Thank you for that!
Jumpstarts and New Beginnings
A little later, Egypt offered the perfect mix of sport and all diciplines on the water. I forged new connections and rediscovered the thrill of adventure. New friends who became family and memories to last a lifetime.
Not long after, I shifted gears to kickstart my professional journey with the BDO Learning Week. It was an exciting challenge, immersing myself in new skills and learning the ropes of the accountancy world. A week filled with learning, networking, and professional growth, fueling my journey & career as an assistant accountant and RA student. While I passed my first exams and began contributing to client projects, I still have so much to learn and adjust to in this field, but thats what makes it fun!
Throughout the year, I continued to compete and immerse myself in the new discipline of wingfoiling – a sport I just learned more and more, while also embracing a completely new challenge in the world of accountancy. Balancing both has been a rewarding yet difficult experience. On one hand, wingfoiling introduced me to new disciplines and pushed me further than I imagined (with the note that I wanted to stay an independent rider and keep the fun in it). On the other, diving into accountancy brought its own set of challenges—learning new concepts, managing work and study, and adapting to a completely different pace and environment. Both worlds are new to me, but they’ve taught me valuable lessons in perseverance, adaptability, and growth. I enjoy every second of it! 🙂
While it hasn’t always been easy, I have no regrets—only excitement for what lies ahead as I continue to explore both passions!
Independent and Unstoppable
As 2024 wrapped up, I completed my final projects for outstanding sponsors and from now one embrace life as an independent rider.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing in the end, (note: the last trick of the year ) and saying goodbye to full-time top-level sports )for now) wasn’t easy. Yet I knew it was time to find a middle ground that works for me—a way to combine my career and my passions without losing the joy in either. As I step into 2025, I’m committed to figuring out this new chapter more and more, and charting my own course.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Sometimes we are so busy with what we want to achieve in life, we forget what we have right in front of us. I am definitly quilty of this in the past, forgetting to live in the moment and not being present and content with what I already achieved. As a person who is always striving for the next “thing” wether its in work, life, sports it is hard to live in the moment at times. With the next chapter ahead, I making more room for that.
Through all the highs and lows, 2024 taught me the value of reconnecting with myself, the sport, family, finding joy in the process, and balancing dreams with practicality. It showed me how important it is to stay grounded and persistent, and in 2025, I’ll focus on mastering the landing—both on the water and in life. Sailing my own direction (-well, maybe not on the concrete & rails this year..). and being even more present in the moment!
This January, I won’t be starting between the palms, dragging my 120kg luggage through boats, airports, and undiscovered places, but you know what? I’m choosing to enjoy other trips for now, appreciating the balance and growth I’ve found here. Which events and competitions I will attend next year I keep as a surprise, guess time will tell – promised to be exciting like always, involving wind, water and snow! 🙂
With a renewed sense of purpose and passion, I’m ready to tackle 2025. Here’s to more adventures, more growth, and another year of chasing dreams—on the water, in my career, and with the incredible people I’ve met along the way. Whether at home, the office, the beach or abroad, the journey continues!
Thank you all for being a small part of my 2024 – Wishing you all the best in the year ahead!
A thank you to all the amazing people who’ve shared the stoke of wingfoiling with me: thank you for being my inspiration, for bringing the joy of wingfoiling into my life. Your energy, passion and love for this sport have truly made it a part of me!
A special thanks for everyone, capturing all the moments that keep the stoke alive!
A thank you to everyone who has supported me on this incredible journey. And still supports me on what`s coming on the water and on land! I will never stop dreaming and so should you. . If I can do it, everyone can!
…ooh.. That elusive backflip? I haven’t landed it yet—but it’s my mental Everest, and I’ll get there in 2025.
