Weekend away to see my girls

Things have finally calmed down at uni. Not for long though because exams start in 2 weeks. But for now I've decided to take some time to chill before it gets super hectic again. On the bright side, we're in October already which is very exciting because its means just one month left before summer holidays! AND summer holidays means Jordy is coming! Also, Faffa gets home this week :D

Emma and the kids (my step mom and little sisters) got back on Thursday after being in Bali for 3 months so Jason and I decided to fly up to Johannesburg and spend the weekend with them. My dad was meant to join us from Mozambique but unfortunately he got caught up at work so he couldn't make it.

Jason and I landed at OR Tambo airport on Friday afternoon. We were meant to hire a car but it didn't quite go as planned. There was not one car hire place that had an available car for us to use. So, we ended up catching an Uber to Lanseria airport in the hope that they would have a car for us to hire and luckily they did! It was a long afternoon of driving but we made it to the house eventually. We were both starving when we arrived so we ordered pizza and spent the evening chilling with the family. I didn't think it was possible, but the girls are even cuter than before! It was really good to catch up with Emma as well.

On Saturday morning, the kids woke me up at 5 am, buuut to be honest I didn't mind. It was just so good to see them again. Somehow Jason managed to sleep through all the noise. Once everyone was dressed and ready, we went to the Harties market and then for lunch. By the time we got home, I needed a nap. We spent the rest of the evening chilling out, watching tv. We also watched South Africa play against New Zealand in the rugby which I won't comment on haha. Emma made her famous chicken soup with noodles for dinner. It was DELICIOUS as always!

On Sunday I took emma and the girls to another market at Jasmyn and to do some shopping. I made play dough for the girls and that kept them busy for a good portion of the day :P Jason and I flew home early on Monday morning. I'm so happy I got to see my girls again <3 Hopefully I'll see you guys in Cape Town soon x

Plastic Playground

On the 12th of July, Jordan and I flew to London. We caught a taxi to the cable where we met up with Faffa again. We dropped our bags off and then got a lift to Tesco's to buy a tent and get food supplies for the week ahead. We found a sweet deal on a tent, and luckily this time it was big enough to fit us as well as our board bags inside!

We had a few days to chill before it was our turn to compete. Jordan rode in Open Men qualifiers, slayed it and made it into the Quarter Finals! The level of riding was insane. He had a really tough quarter final heat with a lot of big names in it and unfortunately didn't make it to Semi Finals but he still rode like a champ. Faffa also did really good. I hadn't seen him ride in ages so was surprised when I saw him competing. He came 2nd overall in the Amateur Men division. I rode in the Quarter Finals but didn't make it straight to the Semi- Finals. Luckily I had a second chance in LCQ's which went in my favour and I made it to the Semi Finals! I was over the moon to have made it through. My heat was super tough in the Semi Finals (and so were all the other heats) and thats where it ended for me. We were all super stoked though because we didn't expect to make it that far.

Sophie and Jay came to spend the weekend with us and watch us ride. It was awesome to have them there and I'm so happy I got to celebrate Sophie's birthday with her! After the competition it was time for me to go to Lithuania. Goodbyes are always hard, especially this time because I had to say goodbye to Sophie and Jay, Faffa and then Jordy...

Lithuania #bschicks

At the beginning of this year, I received a message from a girl who lives in Lithuania, Agne, asking if I could come to Lithuania to do a girls wakeboard camp. She is into all board sports- wakeboarding, kiteboarding, snowboarding and surfing, and is trying to push girls wakeboarding in their country. At the time she was on holiday in Cape Town so I met up with her at our cable to find out more about it. We sorted out dates for the camp and they fitted in perfectly with my trip I had already planned for my holiday.

I flew to Lithuania on Monday the 18th of July, after Plastic Playground. I was a little nervous as I had no idea what to expect and I didn’t know anyone from Lithuania, except Agne, who I had met just once. When I arrived, she was waiting for me at the airport. We got along like a house on fire from the start. It felt like I’d known her forever. She took me straight to the cable, Wake Way, which was only 10 minutes away from the airport. I don’t think we ever drove for longer than 15 minutes to get anywhere in Vilnius, the city where they live. It’s a really small country, and to be honest, I’d never heard of it until she asked me to come over. We had dinner at the cable and I met most of the people from Wake Way. Everyone was very welcoming and friendly; they made me feel at home from the minute I arrived. After dinner, Agne took me to my hotel and I settled in.

The next morning, she fetched me nice and early for the cable. It was pretty cold but nothing my Roxy wetsuit couldn’t sort out. It took some time getting used to the cable because it’s a left foot forward cable- meaning it goes around in the opposite direction to any other cable I’ve ridden. It felt really strange at first, but once I got used to it, I loved the park. They have lots of obstacles, majority being UNIT. The obstacles are perfect for anyone, from beginners to pro’s. That evening, they treated me to dinner at a place called “Wonders”. We drank lots of wine and ate the most delicious food. We started with some raw beef, salmon, oysters and tomato & mozzarella salad. They wanted me to try everything so they ordered a variety! I was satisfied after all the starters but still had to try a main so ordered a steak with mashed potatoes.  

We spent Wednesday at the cable too. As the week went on, it got warmer and warmer so my smile got bigger and bigger. On Wednesday night, they took me to see their restaurant in the city called Bruisly. I had already eaten dinner at the cable so I just joined them for a drink.

We checked the forecast and it said that the weather wasn’t going to be great on Thursday so Agne decided it was a good day to take me sight seeing in the city. One of the girls, Tia, arrived from Estonia on Wednesday night. She flew down to join us at the camp on the weekend, so she joined us for the day. We stopped at most café’s along the way for coffee. I was buzzing by the end of the day from all the caffeine! Two girls from the cable, Ester and Simona, met up with us at a small restaurant called Strange Loving for lunch. We needed to discuss plans for the camp on the weekend and they were helping with coaching. The food was different but yummy. Of course after lunch we had to try some of their cakes for dessert. Apparently that is what they like to call a “business meeting” in Lithuania, something I could get used to for sure! ;) We walked around the entire old town and Agne explained some of the history to us. It’s such a beautiful place! I literally had to take pictures of every building. Once we were done being tourists, she took us to see their Board Sports shop in the city and to say hello to the guys working there. We then headed back to the cable.  Because I didn’t try any of the food at Bruisly the night before, they decided we had to go back, except this time on empty stomachs. They ordered a few of their favourites from the menu so that Tia and I could taste a little bit of everything. Again, every dish was amazing and our bellies more than satisfied!<3

My body was aching on Friday from all the riding so I took it easy and chilled with Tia while the rest of the girls arrived from Estonia. We had dinner at the cable on Friday night and of course, drank wine.

Saturday was the first day of the camp, which kicked off at 12. The girls all looked very nervous when they arrived because most of them had never ridden a full size cable before. Wake Way is the first full size in Lithuania and is still brand new. It only opened 2 months ago. There are lots of 2.0 cables around their country so that is what most of the girls are used to. We started off by giving each girl a piece of paper and they wrote what their goals were and what they wanted to achieve over the weekend. The level of riding among the girls varied so everyone’s goals were different, some being to do a full lap while others wanting to learn spins off the kickers. We decided to divide the girls into groups according to their capabilities to help them achieve their goals. I had an awesome day.  I spent some time riding doubles with a few of the girls. I find its easier to learn something new when you see someone else do it, and there is more chance you’ll try it when you have someone on the water with you, pushing you to do it! The main goal was to have fun, which I think everyone did, including me.

Sunday started a little later as most of the girls were tired and sore from the previous days riding. Some were too sore to ride again but came anyway to support the rest of the girls. It was inspiring to see how they all support and push each other on the water. Everyone wants to help where they can! I feel privileged to have met such a great group of girls and to have made so many new friends that I’ll hopefully be seeing soon in South Africa.

On Sunday evening, we had a small prize giving for the girls. We rewarded whoever had achieved their goals over the weekend and really pushed themselves.  I hope that after the weekend, they are all feeling motivated and are going to keep pushing their riding. Lithuania is the smallest country I’ve been to but has the most girls riding (that I’ve ever seen)!

Monday was my last day but fortunately I was only flying home in the evening so I could have one last shred at their cable. I spent the morning packing and then Agne fetched me later for the cable. Unfortunately she couldn’t ride with me because we had way too much fun over the weekend and there was no time for business, so she had to catch up haha. I landed my first tantrum to blind off the kicker, which she got on film! It was the perfect way to end my trip!

I can’t thank everyone at Wake Way enough for the hospitality and spoiling me for the entire week. Also, for pushing me try the tantrum to blind! I look forward to seeing you guys for our summer in South Africa. Thanks again, I’ll be back soon for sure! x

Spain 2016

I've spent the past 5 weeks at Xtreme Gene in Spain, enjoying their summer holiday. I'm so glad I managed to get away from the coldest part of our winter in South Africa.

I flew from London to Spain with Jordan, and we went straight to Xtreme Gene in Cordoba, which is basically my second home now ;) As usual, I loved every moment of it!

They have a new cable at Xtreme Gene, so I was able to get the best of both worlds! I spent my first few days getting back to grips with the wake as I had been dying to ride boat since I left last year. Once I got my lake legs back behind the boat, it was time to give Xtreme- Gene's new 2.0 the attention it deserved! Having the facilities to push both aspects of my riding at the same time is something I've never been able to do, so I thought I'd make the most of it while I had the chance and shred boat and cable every day if I could! I also found a new love for wakesurfing this holiday. When my body was knackered from wakeboarding, I'd go for a surf.

I spent my 21st birthday in Spain and was properly spoilt for an entire week by everyone at Xtreme Gene. My birthday started off with a pre birthday dinner with all the homies at the lake, followed by a night out in town to celebrate. The next day, Jordan woke me up with balloons, banners, cards and coffee in bed. We made a delicious lunch and then drove into Cordoba where we spent the day adventuring around and shopping. When the rest of the Darwin family arrived at Xtreme Gene, I had a second birthday celebration. They surprised me with a sweety cake (my favourite kind of cake) and lots of presents from the family! :D It is definitely a birthday I'll remember forever! I'm so lucky to have so many special people in my life <3

I spent my last week in Spain road tripping to Benidorm with the Darwin's for Spanish Nationals. I didn't compete but spent the weekend supporting my boys, Jordan and Marcus. I'm proud to say that Jordan did what he needed to and has defended his title as Spanish champion! What a ninja!

After Benidorm, we went back to Marbella and spent 2 nights there. We ate lots of yummy food and spent a day riding at Marbella wakepark. It's been 2 years since I was last there! I'm really happy that I got to spend my last 2 days in Spain with the family. I can't thank them enough for everything they've done/ do for me! I'm going to miss you all so much and can't wait until my next trip <3 I've missed Marbella and its beautiful views.

Liquid Leisure 2016

This semester has been a mad one at university. It feels like I've been studying non-stop for tests since I started in February. And once tests were out the way, it was straight into exams. But I got through it and now I'm on holiday! It's winter in South Africa and our cable is closed so it was time to get out.

I wrote my last exam on Saturday the 4th and flew to London on Sunday the 5th to go ride at Liquid Leisure and meet up with Jordan. The travelling all went smoothly and I arrived at London, Heathrow on Monday midday. It was very exciting because Jordan was waiting for me at Heathrow airport! We hadn't seen each other for 4 whole months so I was dying inside to see him! Also my younger brother, Faffa, started working at Liquid Leisure earlier this year so I got to see him too. Jordan and I spent 3 days riding at Liquid Leisure. What an awesome cable! When we arrived, he took me to Tesco's to buy some standard English snacks he'd been telling me about for ages. He knows whats good since it is his home country! :P We had surprisingly warm weather except for one thunder storm, but it was nothing our little tent couldn't handle.

I had an amazing time at the cable with cool people and it was really good to see Faffa again. I can't wait to return for Plastic Playground next month.

Right now I am at Xtreme Gene in Spain with Jordan. It's super hot here but I'm not complaining, just loving every moment of it because I know how cold it is back home, and I really really really dislike the cold.. I've had my first ride on the new cable here at Xtreme Gene and I love it! It will take a couple more days to settle back into it on the boat, but it has been a year.. For now I'm loving every minute in the sun!! On or off the water!x

South African Nationals 2016

Nationals was held quite a bit earlier this year than usual. It took place this past weekend (19th-20th March) at StokeCity Wakepark in Johannesburg. I flew up from Cape Town a few days early to do some training at StokeCity. The cable is much lower than our cable in Cape Town. They had been having loads of rain so the cable was even lower usual. Most of us were struggling with our air tricks. The one thing I always look forward to when coming here is their kickers! I always have so much fun on them.

My brothers and I spent most of our week at the cable. As the days went on, we started getting the feel of the cable better. On Thursday, the weather was grim. It was raining and cold but the wind wasn't blowing so we were keen to get our shred on. When we arrived at the cable, the water level was even higher! The rain had been so persistent. Only the Cape Town homies were there and we got ourselves amped to ride. It was fun riding together with everyone helping each other out.

Saturday was qualifiers which started around 9.30. Unfortunately my run didn't go according to plan. I fell twice and came last in my division which meant I was first off the dock in the finals on Sunday. We got to do some free riding on Saturday afternoon once the qualifiers were over. After free riding it was time for Ticket2Ride. Ticket2Ride is a kicker contest where 8 invited riders go head to head against each other. Two of the invited riders were international guys- Nick Davies and Raph Derome. It was a sick event to watch. The guys were going huuuge off the kicker. The winner was surprisingly a South African, Jacques Labuschagne, with the international riders coming 2nd and 3rd.

Sunday was finals day. I was pretty nervous, considering how it went in qualifiers. I was first off the dock which took some pressure off  me for sure! I stuck my first run and then managed to step it up a little in my second run. I was really chuffed with my riding. The level in the Ladies division was the highest I've seen in South Africa! This was really good to see, and all of us were pushing each other. Stoked to say that I'm the 2016 SA CHAMP! Well done Megan on 2nd and Mardi on 3rd. It was awesome riding with you ladies! Also, congrats to my brother, Jason, on claiming 3rd place in Open Men! Without his coaching and support, I wouldn't be where I am. What a legend! Massive thanks to Roxy for sponsoring some amazing prizes for the Ladies division <3 It was a fun weekend with the best crew. Always a treat seeing everyone!

I'm spending the rest of the week in Jhb with my family. Its time to hit the books hard before tests start next week. Hopefully I'll get one more day of riding in at StokeCity before I head back to Cape Town. Until next time xx