50 May 2014 www.womanthismonth.com Ambitious surfer Anke Brandt takes us through her kite surfing adventure and the making of her Guinness World Record in Bahrain. Breezing It Up people | interview by SIMI KAMBOJ Anke Brandt is walking on air. Last month, the intrepid German circled the Bahrain coast on a kite board for over 11 hours, setting a world record for women’s endurance. More than personal glory, the 30-year-old was motivated by the thought of raising money for a cause close to her heart. Anke speaks to us about her 250km expedition and her battle with gusty winds, strong currents and fatigue. Woman This Month (WTM): Congratulations! How do you feel after winning this record? Anke Brandt (AB): It’s hard to put it in words. It is very special, but it’s actually more about the journey than the actual record. This project cost a lot of time, money and dedication. Having such a great team behind me at all times was the key component that made it possible. In the end, it was an amazing team exercise. WTM: What brought you to kite surfing? AB: with my dad being a sailor, I was introduced to sailing at an early age. I was lucky to grow up by a lake in Berlin, where we had a sailboat. I was in a sailing club, where I learned windsurfing. When I saw kite surfing for the first time, I knew that would be something I’d like to try. WTM: How long was this goal on your mind and what was the motivation behind it? AB: The idea to kite surf around Bahrain was born last summer. I didn’t plan to break a record when I started to think about it initially. I wanted to challenge myself and do something different while also doing something I loved. I’ve always wanted to do some kind of charity event for Wings for Life, an
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