I learned in March of 1999, but I didn’t kite much that summer until I moved back to Maui in August of 1999. That’s when I quit windsurfing and started really learning to kiteboard.
Current Residence
Maui, Hawaii and Hood River, Oregon
Favorite Kite Spot
Kite Beach Maui; Waddell, California; Baja Joe’s La Ventana, Baja
Other Sports
Snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, running
Sponsors
Red Bull, Cabrinha, Billabong, Kiteboarding School of Maui, Zeal Optics and Rainbow Fin Company
A professional kiteboarder since October 1999, Julie has been at the top of her sport from the beginning. She was crowned World Champion in both Freestyle and Hang Time on the 2001 Kiteboarding World Championship Tour, and holds the women’s world record for Hang Time (6.48 seconds in the air), re-set at the 2002 Red Bull “King of the Air” on Maui. Her favorite conditions are strong wind and waves, which is no surprise since she is based on Maui, Hawaii. Traveling and competing around the world has allowed her to prove her ability in all conditions. She is an active promoter of kiteboarding and of women in sport, and has been showcased in numerous videos, television programs, and magazines worldwide.
When she is not kiteboarding, you may find her snowboarding, mountain biking, practicing still photography, or just hanging out with her dog, cat, and husband. Julie recently changed her name from Julie Prochaska to Julie Gilbert, following her September 2002 wedding to professional kiteboarder Chris Gilbert.
Education
No Comment
Kiter.com:
How did you pick Maui as your home base and how long have you been here?
Julie Gilbert:
I went to Maui in October 1998, originally to get better at windsurfing—specifically wave sailing. I only intended to stay there for the winter, and then to move back to my house in the Gorge as a base for traveling around the world. I had been competing in windsurf racing, and I just wanted to get better at waves, since I hadn’t spent any real time in them. I took a part-time job at a surf shop for the winter, and that’s where I met Chris Gilbert. He was really into kiteboarding, and got me into it. We started dating, continued kiteboarding, and before I knew it, I was moving my stuff to Maui permanently and Chris and I were living together. So, it seems like fate, if you believe in that. It’s hard for me not to. I have been in Maui now since October 1998, but I spent the summer of 1999 in the Gorge, so I have been there full time since August 1999.
What are your best contest results so far and how was your 2002 season?
I was the 2001 World Champion in both Freestyle and Hang Time, and am the women’s World Record holder for Hang Time, with a record set at the 2002 Red Bull “King of the Air”. My best results are wins in Maui, Waddell, The Gorge, Fuerteventura, Dominican Republic, Germany, Tarifa, Austria, France and Morocco.
My 2002 season was good in both Waddell and Maui. I tied for first in Waddell and won the overall at the Red Bull “King of the Air” in Maui, where I broke my previous world record for Hang Time and got 4th in Freestyle, giving me a first overall. The rest of the season was okay, but I felt like the odd woman out in wakeboard bindings (everyone else was in straps, which was not the case in 2001). I had just come back from an injury that had kept me off the water for 9 weeks…up until 4 days before the first contest. I just never really felt like I was able to come from behind in the flatwater freestyle stuff. It was kind of a bummer for a follow up to a great 2001 season, but I am okay with it now. I’ve found the positive in the whole experience. I think a set back like mine either breaks you as a competitor, or it makes you stronger….and I definitely feel stronger, so that’s good.
What do you think the limits are in the Hang Time competitions? Will we see 10 seconds?
I don’t like to think of limits for our sport. Instead, I like to look at the possibilities, of which I see many. I definitely think we will see 10 seconds…if not more. I think technology is going to blow our minds in terms of what the kites will allow us to do. Plus, our ability levels are all getting better and better, so with the developments of both the gear and our abilities, I definitely think we’ll see longer and longer hang times.
How much carry over is there from other sports?
Does an athlete with a background in snowboarding or wakeboarding for example, have a head start in learning to kiteboard?
Absolutely. An athlete is going to pick up kiteboarding much better than a couch potato or book worm. Then you take it one step further…an athlete that comes from a board sport will have the familiarity with sensations that carry over into kiteboarding. Snowboarding has a lot of the same sensations, movements, and maneuvers that kiteboarding has. Same with other board sports, too. Then you take sports like windsurfing, where both wind and board knowledge help you out in kiteboarding. There are some drawbacks sometimes, though. For example, when windsurfers try to jump the same way in kiteboarding…you typically just get slammed. These sports give you a headstart, but you still have to develop a knowledgeable relationship with the kite to really excel in this sport.
Who are some of your favorite people to ride with?
Chris Gilbert, of course… Nina Heiberg, Rebecca Wolthers, Dylan Grafmyre, and many of the people at Kite Beach. Many of the people at the Hood River sand bar, numerous people in Waddell, California (Krista and Matt Schwartz, Dana Pinto), and the whole crew at Baja Joe’s in La Ventana, Baja (especially Angie and Joe Cheek).
What do you do when you are not kiting?
I hang out with Chris, I run with our dog Roxy in the pineapple fields, I hang out with our cat Java, I go to the gym, I go hiking, and I work on photography, which is a hobby of mine…I’m very amateur, but I enjoy it. Basically, I love the outdoors, I love getting exercise, and I enjoy being with my husband, friends, family and pets. I am constantly doing something.
Are you involved in any kiteboarding schools?
I don’t work for any kiteboarding schools, but my husband Chris and I are sponsored by Kiteboarding School of Maui, which is owned by Martin Kirk. Martin has been really supportive of us since the beginning of our careers. We think he does an incredible job promoting the sport, safety and access and addressing many other issues that affect the success and safety of our sport, not only in Maui, but around the world. He’s a great promoter of our sport, his school does an incredible job for kiteboarding, and he’s just a great guy, so we are stoked to be affiliated with KSM.
How has the sport changed since you started?
Where do I even begin on this one? When I learned, people were just starting to experiment with making boards for kiteboarding…we had been using surf boards. Guys were only just starting to figure out what worked about certain boards. And the kites…well, there were only 2-line kites available. I remember when 4-line kites came out. There was a huge waiting list. Things changed a lot after that. Then came wakeboards…and now the sport just keeps changing every day.
Besides the gear changes, I think the biggest change has been in the number of people kiteboarding, and also in the amount of exposure the sport has gotten. People have now seen kiteboarding and they often know what it’s called.
Also, when I started there was no such thing as Kite Beach in Maui. It’s now known all around the world. Things have changed A LOT! This is definitely only a small list of the ways in which it’s changed.
What is your fitness program to stay in top condition for kiteboarding?
After my injury last year, I started working with MPG (Maximum Performance Group) which is a company led by Scott Sanchez, a former Olympic trainer. He and his wife, Rhonda Smith Sanchez have a great set up and Scott has an intense training program. He tailored one to my specific injury and needs. I have a torn ACL that I tore 2 years prior and didn’t know it. I had been kiting for 2 years without an ACL and never knew it, so, when I hurt my knee again and didn’t have it fixed, I really needed a great program to feel like I could come back. It was amazing. I have never worked that hard in my life, and have never felt better. Lucky for me, this was all the same year as our wedding, so I was stoked! It’s great to have a trainer to get you fit for a big day like that! Anyway, I worked with Scott all last year, but this year, my schedule has been pretty crazy, so I have been training on my own. I utilize a lot of what he taught me…but it’s not the same. Hopefully I can start working with Scott again after this season, but in the meantime, I am doing a lot of riding my bike. I also do a lot of exercises that work on leg strength, flexibility, balance, and core strength (back and stomach muscles).
Did you see kiteboarders moving toward huge waves?
I feel very confident on a kite. I have kited Backyards, Phantoms and Makalia and had a great time. The conditions have to be right.
Tell us about your marriage to Chris Gilbert?
I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E !!!! I am really lucky to have a husband who is also my best friend. What’s even better is that we have the same careers, so we get to travel all over the world together. The traveling and the experiences just wouldn’t be the same if he weren’t along with me. We have a great, fun, easy, supportive relationship. Everyone should be so lucky to have a relationship that works as well as ours.
How did you meet?
We met while working at Hi Tech Surf Sports on Maui. I had moved to Maui, supposedly for just a winter. One December night, we went to our boss’ Birthday party. I think it was the first time both of us had seen each other in nice clothes (ie. not work T-shirts) and we both thought the other person cleaned up well. It was funny! He asked me out the next day at work, and we were inseparable from that point on. I even missed my airplane home for Christmas that first week we were dating, I think because I was on Cloud 9. We’ve been dating ever since. And now we’re married.
Would you still have gotten married if it were not for kiteboarding?
Definitely! Wind is what got me to Maui, which led me to meet Chris. We started dating …but the spark had nothing to do with kiteboarding. We were hooked on each other before I ever even put a kite in my hands. Kiteboarding and our kiteboarding careers have just given us the opportunity to have unique lifestyles. For us, it’s been great for our relationship…and now great for our marriage. We make a good team, and that works for us in kiteboarding.
Do you guys plan to have kids?
Absolutely. We both love kids…Chris is great with them… We just want to be married for a couple or a few years to have our relationship about us for a while before we add the element of kids. Plus, I definitely can’t take 9 months or more off from kiteboarding right now. I’m too addicted. So, yes, we’ll have kids…but just not yet.
Will your kids be genetically gifted for kiteboarding?
I hope so! I hope that they’ll be athletes, so that we can keep doing what we are doing. A lot of people have kids and then they stop doing the things they are passionate about because they don’t know how to do these things with their kids. We hope to, and think it’s important to still do the things we are passionate about…travel, sports, kiteboarding, hiking, fishing, camping, etc. etc.
What are your other passions?
Many of the things I listed above—most sports, the outdoors, travel, photography, and more. Also, some of the most important things in my life are my family, my friends, our pets, and living healthy…which means exercise and eating right. I am passionate about enjoying life, having fun, spending time with friends and family, and taking care of myself.
