Nationality: Netherlands
Born: Lelystad
Hometown: Castricum
Home Spot: Wijk aan zee
Study
Bachelor Sport,
Management & Entrepreneurship
Master Business
Administration, Entrepreneurship
At the moment
Master Management,
Accounting & Control (Register Accountant)
“I never did it before – so I think I can do it”.
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Growing up with lots of sport around, always driven to reach new goals, fearless, makes her live fun and sometimes a bit of a never ending adventure for everyone around. From a young age she already learned to challenge herself. In every sport and in studies. Soccer with the guys and the national team, skatepark competitions, world wide running competitions, swimming, flying through snow parks/ kickers, skiing 140 km /hour. Competing national, international. Learning the hard way ; What the boys can do, she can do too & maybe even better!
From Pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO) to studying a second master at the moment. Travelling the world, training, competing (again). Converting a van with no prior knowledge…. Life has no limitations with the right mindset.
From frozen to liquid water. She added kitesurfing to that list at the age of 18. A little scared to go out there. Not expecting anything, becoming a kite / surf / snow/ ski/ outdoor instructor, not practicing any trick the first years. Where she was fearless in all other sports before, she doubted the kiting now. Still with the drive to finish what she started and to make the most out of everything and every day, the chase to progression… A little hold back by the past, the voices but still a huge will to learn more every day, disciplined to do the impossible and see where it gets her. Once Mariska focused on the things she could do and started to fight for what she believed in (again) ……a new passion is born: the kitesurfing & snowkiting.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀”if the plan doesn`t work, change the plan – but never the goal”
With a family always supporting her, even if it might be a little crazy. All limits will be tested now: foiling in no-wind or holding on to that 3m in 55 knots. Missing handle passes, throwing board offs, kitelooping, water taxi, not hitting the cameraman, and flying over the course on a hydrofoil. Landing a strapless backroll but never surfed a real wave…. attempting wing backroll splashes and conquering the biggest waves… Back on the snow with a kite, flying off the mountains…Pushing the limits day in day out – because that’s what makes live fun!
Best result? … Capable doing all of this over the whole world! The past few years; Dutch champion big air, PKA overall 1st in freestyle, 1st race, 1st big air, Long distance world/European Champion Snowkite, 5th Redbull Ragnarok, 4th goldcup sardinie, 19th WK Formula Kite, 14th Anoc World beach games, 8th World cup wing foiling, 1st round texel wingfoiling. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This last results let her decide to change more to hydrofoiling. Letting go of the soccer, running competitions and other sports. Representing the Dutch on the World Championships Formula Kite, the new Olympic discipline – kitefoiling. Ending up in the middle, motivated her to learn more and climb the rankings next time. Knowing with more training, some training buddy`s and the development now in the foiling world of the Netherlands we can reach that new goals! We are not there yet but closer every day!
She wants to continue her Olympic dream for a second time, but not at all costs. In mind she knows that was never the why of starting to kitesurf. It was the fun and to be 1% better every day. The become the best version of herself and the best athlete (2.0) she can be- in her own way.
Never forgetting how kitesurfing changed her life. From frozen to liquid water. The light at the end of the tunnel – a whole new world. The confirmation to never, give up on the dreams you once had and still have. For that is just the place and time the tide will turn.
Now combining all passions in one! Who would have thought that……
