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BIO

Gisela Pulido’s biography is the chronicle of which probably is the youngest World Champion on the history of the sport. Gisela is born in Barcelona, in January 1994. The firsts years of her life take place in Maresme, a region with deep tradition in the practice of nautical sports. At an early age, the young girl shows great interest in all related with the sea.

Dolphins, Tenerife (July 1999)

Another of her passions are the extreme sports, especially those that imply a certain risk, hobby that shares with her father. Endowed with a great competitive spirit, Gisela achieves her first sporting success in swimming.

Snowboarding, La Masella (January 2000)

Gisela has her first contact with kiteboarding in summer 2001, and receives her kitesurfing baptism in July 2002. The young sportswoman progresses very fast in the sport. The absence of competitions in Spain where to show here abilities, makes her directly participate in the 2003 European Junior Championship. With only 9 years of age, she is classified 1st (category sub-18) and 2nd (category sub-21).

Kiteboarding, Denia (August 2002)

2004

With these perspectives, Pulido’s family arises supporting the professional practice of kiteboarding or keeping the activity at an amateur level. With the arrival of the first sponsor (Rip Curl), Gisela convinces her father to let her compete in professional events. The young girl and her father find an agreement: Gisela will keep competing if she reaches the top places; otherwise she will wait to be older. The father accepts convinced that the young girl won’t reach her goal and that will allow him to gain time in which undoubtedly is the highest vocation of the child.

The surprise arrives in April 2004, when she qualifies 3rd in a KPWT stop in Sables D’Olonne (France). A month later, Gisela wins the European Junior Championship (category sub-21) and obtains her first victory in the World Tour event of Istanbul. Gisela culminates this amazing season in New Caledonia, where is crowned KPWT World Champion in November 2004, at the age of 10.

New Caledonia (November 2004)

2005

Given the circumstances, Pulido’s family decides moving to Tarifa. At her new residence, Gisela can combine her studies with daily trainings. The young kitesurfer suffers a radical change in her life, being able to travel around the world and train more time. This fact makes her Red Bull Diagnostic & Training Center coachers to limit her riding time, to be able to control how the professional practice of the sport affects her growth at an early age.

2005 is another year of success for Gisela’s sportive career, dominating the Kitesurf World Cup (KPWT), and stirring media and sponsors interest. Gisela achieves incredible victories in Brazil and Australia, at the prestigious Gravity Games, and is proclaimed World Champion again.

Gravity Games, Perth Australia (October 2005)

2006

Without doubt, 2006 is the most important year in Gisela’s sportive career. Her physical development is correct and that permits her to train more intensively and progress her technical level. She gets important sponsorships with Movistar and Adecco. She’s current leader in the KPWT World Cup, and for the first time, she will face the PKRA World Champion Kristin Boese. For Gisela, this is a dream come true, and is the most important victory the one she achieves against Boese in Fuerteventura, in August 2006. In September of the same year, she is proclaimed Spanish Champion, a new title for her list of achievements. Gisela ends the amazing year with 4 victories in the World Tour, and is crowned three times KPWT World Champion in New Caledonia.

PKRA Fuerteventura (August 2006)

2007

2007 is the year that consecrates Gisela as a great sportswoman. The recognitions start in March, when is nominated to the Laureus World Sport Awards, in the category of Extreme Sports. Gisela obtains a new record, as being the youngest sportswoman ever nominated to this award. Laureus World Sports Awards (considered the Oscar’s of the sport) open her the door to the exclusive club of the top 5 Extreme Sportsmen of the World.

Laureus World Sports Awards nomination, Barcelona (February 2007)

Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony, Barcelona (April 2007)

In November 2007, Gisela receives the Guinness World Records as the Youngest World Champion.

Guinness World Records, Tarifa (November 2007)

In December, at the 70th Marca Anniversary, Gisela is considered one of the 100 Best Spanish Sportsmen, becoming the youngest athlete that reaches this distinction.

70th Marca Anniversary, Madrid (December 2007)

In the field of sport, 2007 is a great year for Gisela as well. In March she receives the authorization of the Professional Kiteboarding Riders Association (PKRA) to participate in all the events of the World Cup. After revalidating her Spanish Champion title, is crowned, for the first time, PKRA World Champion in Germany, in the cold waters of the North Sea. Gisela leads the professional tour, winning 6 stages and obtaining 2 second places, of the total 8 events.

PKRA Austria (May 2007)

2008

This is a hard year for Gisela’s sportive career. The Wold Cup has become a much more demanding competition. The World Tour increases the number of events, from 6 stages in 2004 to 10 stops in 2008. Combining her life as a student with her life as a professional kitesurfer is a big challenge for Gisela. The regular attendance to school, to sponsor’s events and to all the competitions trips, is a hard handicap to beat.

Gisela and Custo Barcelona (Mach 2008)

On the other hand, the technical level of its rivals continues improving and this forces Gisela to train longer and harder.

Red Bull Diagnostic & Training Center, Austria (March 2008)

2008 is also a full year of recognitions for Gisela, receiving two important distinctions: Best Catalonian Sportswoman and Best Andalusian Sportswoman.

Mundo Deportivo Gala, Barcelona (January 2008)

Andalusian Press Sports Awards, Antequera (January 2008)

The World Tour in 2008 has been the hardest one Gisela has faced. With 6 victories over the total 10 events, Gisela obtains her fifth World Crown in Matanzas (Chile).

Matanzas, Chile (October 2008)

2009

This is a year full of challenges for Gisela. The main goal is to defend her World Title, but also creating he new kiteboarding school, Gisela Pulido Pro Center.

Gisela Pulido Pro Center, Tarifa (February 2009)

2009 is a transition year for this sport. The ISAF (International Sailing Federation) recognizes kiteboarding as a new sailing class. This will be the last year with two different World Tours, the PKRA and KPWT, and with two different official titles. The objective of Gisela is to be proclaimed World Champion in both circuits, but a knee injury limits her assistance to PKRA competitions, so Gisela focuses only in the battle of gaining the KPWT. In December 2009, Gisela is crowned KPWT World Champion in Essaouira. The year culminates with the celebration of the title, with a small party in Madrid, and with the presence of Jaime Lissavetzsky, the Sports Secretary of the Spanish State.

World Title celebration, Madrid (December 2009)

2010

2010 is an historical year for kiteboarding. For the first time, will be granted a single World Title per discipline, and with the official recognition of the ISAF. Gisela enters again in the history of the sport, after proclaiming freestyle and waves World Champion.

The year begins for Gisela with a hard training in Dakhla. The objective is to improve her technical level and arrive in a good physical condition to the first event of the World Tour celebrated in Thailand. Gisela surprises the judges executing a new manoeuvre, the “kiteloop-slinchance” and achieves the victory in Asian lands. The struggle for the World Title in 2010 has been the hardest in the history of kiteboarding. Gisela faces her biggest rivals, Bruna Kajiya and Karolina Winkowska, which during the whole season has shown as the strongest competitor. To overcome these two obstacles, Gisela offers her best riding. After 10 difficult stops with presence in the 5 continents, Gisela is proclaimed 2010 World Champion in Australia.

PKRA Award Ceremony, Gold Coast (December 2010)

At a media level, 2010 is also an important year for Gisela. The international press echo her athletic feats, such as crossing the Gibraltar Strait competing against the Ferry that goes form Tarifa to Tanger.

Gibraltar Strait Crossing (August 2010)

Gisela is present character in the top fashion magazines, and is awarded with the Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Female in the Sports Category.

Yo Dona Portrait (June 2010)

Cosmopolitan Gala (October 2010)

2011

2011 confirms Gisela as the best kitesurfer in the history of the sport, with 8 consecutive World Titles in the freestyle division. The athlete finds herself in a great moment, far away from her roof. Gisela walks thru her coming of age with a promising future. Her competition results, surprises even the own sportswoman, after proclaiming World Champion in the absence of two World Tour stops to dispute.

Sankt Peter Ording, Germany (August 2011)

On a sports level, Gisela has become the most technical and consistent rider, and starts offering her first strokes of power in the execution of her manoeuvres.

PKRA Fuerteventura (August 2011)

This year Gisela receives the medal of the Real Orden del Mérito Deportivo awarded by the Spanish Sports Council.

Medal Presentation Ceremony, Madrid (October 2011)

Her popularity continues rising, appearing in all the lists of the best Spanish Sportsmen of 2011. And to culminate the year, is recognized by the supplement of the ABC newspaper, Mujer Hoy, as one of the most admired women of the year.

Mujer Hoy Gala, Madrid (December 2011)

PERSONAL:

NAME: Gisela Pulido
WEIGHT: 56kg.
HEIGHT: 1,66m.
DATE OF BIRTH: 14/01/1994
PLACE OF BIRTH: Premia de Mar (Barcelona)
LIVING IN: Tarifa (Cadiz)
YEARS KITING: 10 years
FAVOURITE SPOT: Rio Jara, Tarifa
FAVOURITE KITE: Best GP 7m
FAVOURITE BOARD: Twin Tip (133X39)cm.
BEST TRICK: Front Blind Mobe
STYLE: Freestyle and wave riding
HOBBIES: Surf, Skate, Snowboard
FAVOURITE FOOD: Spanish and Italian food
FAVOURITE DRINK: Red Bull Sugar Free
FAVOURITE MUSIC: Rock and Hip hop

 

LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS:

2011 PKRA WORLD CHAMPION
2010 PKRA WAVES WORLD CHAMPION
2010 PKRA FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPION
2009 KPWT WORLD CHAMPION
2008 PKRA WORLD CHAMPION
2008 SPANISH CHAMPION
2007 PKRA WORLD CHAMPION
2007 SPANISH CHAMPION
2006 KPWT WORLD CHAMPION
2006 SPANISH CHAMPION
2005 KPWT WORLD CHAMPION
2005 GRAVITY GAMES GOLD MEDAL
2005 WAVE MASTER CHAMPION
2004 KPWT WORLD CHAMPION
2003 EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPION