For most sports the end of the season marks a period of reflection, and the chance to applaud the most deserving new talents who've made the biggest impacts on the elite competitive scene.
15 yr old Sarah-Quita Offringa of Aruba, first turned heads back in the 2005 season with a magnificent showing in her first two European events in the Canaries leg of the tour - then aged just 14! Finding the strong winds and rough water a contrast to the smoother Aruban conditions at 'The Huts' where she lives and trains, Sarah-Quita also entered the King of the Caribbean event at nearby Bonaire, although sadly no wind showed up to give her a chance to shine in the super flat freestyle location.
What a difference a year makes however, and in 2006 Sarah-Quita rocked up to the opening event in Pozo and immediately had the top ladies worried when they saw how much this charismatic young performer had progressed. A full arsenal of switch stance moves and more, all performed in the hectic waves of Pozo, and furious chop in Sotavento sent fear coursing through their veins. Those fears turned out to be warranted when she finished up 5th in Gran Canaria, and took an historic victory in Fuerteventura, beating fellow newcomer Laure Treboux (SUI-4 Naish / Naish), and legend of women's windsurfing Daida Moreno (E-64, Mistral/ North) in the process.
Sarah-Quita Offringa in winning form at Fueteventura
Known on the windsurfing circuit as “the girl with big hair,” with this win Sarah-Quita has set the world record as the youngest woman to win a gold medal in women’s freestyle competition. One year ago, in Lanzarote Spain, she was already turning heads and “making a splash” with an outstanding performance that earned her a bronze medal and made headlines. This year she realized her potential despite tough competition and a battle against the windsurfing team of the Moreno sisters, Daida and Iballa, beating them both on their “home turf.”
“I was ahead from the first day of the doubles and singles, but Daida Moreno was really going after the win on the last day,” explains Sarah. ”During the final doubles I was very disappointed in my performance in the first heat, falling a lot, and Daida was doing some great jumps, her forté. For the second heat though, I was very relaxed, and ready to win. I think my mother, watching and filming from the shore was more nervous than I was.”
Sarah-Quita in a spin in Gran Canaria
“I can’t get over the reaction of the people when I arrived on shore after my winning heat,” confessed Sarah-Quita. “They were all screaming and applauding, they were so excited and happy for me, really supportive.” Their enthusiasm is understandable, as everyone loves a Cinderella story where the underdog wins against the established champion, and this little girl from a tiny island in the Caribbean came to the Canaries to conquer, and so she did.
Profile:
Sail#: ARU-91
Height: 0 cm
Weight: 0 kg
Birthdate: 04.07.1991
Nationality: Arubian
Residence: Aruba
Debut: 2003
Biography:
1st PWA event Bonaire Freestyle 2003
I actually I started windsurfing with three years old then I stopped windsurfing and started at the age of nine.
My first competition Bonaire regatta 2001 started freestyling at 10 years
My results Bonaire regatta:
2001 Bonaire regatta 2nd freestyle princess of the bay 3rd racing new kids
2002 Aruba hi-winds 4th queen of the huts freestyle
Bonaire regatta 1st queen of the bay freestyle 4th super kids racing
PWA amateurs 1st 12 and under girls freestyle
2003 Aruba hi-winds 2nd queen of the huts freestyle 4th kids racing
Ambitions: I would very much like to compete with the pros.
Represent Aruba make people more enthusiastic about windsurfing in Aruba I would really want to surf in Barbados and Margarita and I want to land the loop and switchstance chacho
Favourite tricks are vulcan spock (seriously!) duck jibe duck tack and more
Sarah-quita (rasta gial)
Sponsors: MauiSails, Starboard
Photos PWA / John Carter
