Angely Bouillot is one of the most dynamic and fearless big air kiteboarders on the planet! In this exclusive interview, Angely takes us on a journey from her roots in Lyon, where she was a rising skiing star, to harrowing moments in Morocco. Read about her kiteboarding adventures, van life escapades, and the insatiable quest for life's most extraordinary experiences!

Angely, we are stoked to catch up with you for this Insight special feature! I'm sure everybody reading already knows who you are, but let's start with the basics! Where are you from originally, and were you always into sports growing up?

Thank you very much for your interest! I'm originally from Lyon and grew up between Lyon and the mountains. I was already a fan of skiing from an early age. When I was 3 years old, my parents put me on skis, and it was my main focus growing up. I entered this ski program and launched a career in skiing at a high level until I was 17.

How old were you when you started kiteboarding, and what (or who) inspired you?

I first touched a kite when I was 15 when my windsurfing teacher introduced me to it during a summer vacation. It remained a very occasional hobby until I was 26.

When did you start gaining recognition for your big air talents? What was it like to get your first sponsor?

It was in Cape Town during my first year, and I had also submitted an entry video for the King of the Air. Unfortunately, I was injured quite early in the season and could only train for a short period, but this motivated me even more for the next year.

Before I got into Big Air, I started with speed kiting, and that's how I began my kitesurfing career. When I was 26, a friend suggested I take a course to learn speed and do my first competition at the Mondial du Vent. I also took part the following year, and there was a big air demo at that time where I started to learn my first kite loop. The wind was very light, but I persisted in sending kite loops, crash after crash, never managing to land one, but continuing to try for the show! CORE was present at this demo with Steven, and he said, "If she sent another one, we'd sponsor her." That's what I did, and then I joined the CORE team.

Today, you are a legend in the women's big air kiting world, and, best of all, you are totally, 100% yourself! As your Instagram profile says, "Cross the line, break the rules, and be who you really are!!!" What does this phrase mean to you?

This represents my freedom of thought. Since our childhood, we've been subjected to rules created by, I don't know which asshole who thought that life was like that, but I saw it totally differently. Each person is unique and, therefore, has their own freedom of thought and a vision of life in their image and, therefore, their own rules. Society wants to turn us into robots, but once we've discovered our inner truth, we can no longer be manipulated, which makes us rebels because we've broken the shackles of society. We are determined to live by our own truth.

What is your craziest story from your years as a kiteboarder? 

The craziest, most frightening story was when I was just an occasional kiter. I must have been around 22 years old, and I travelled with my van to spend three months in Morocco. I was with friends who didn't kite; we were mainly there to experience Moroccan culture. But, I was still not very up to date with the analysis of the conditions at a spot…

We were on the road and passed through Paradise Valley, a magnificent place. As we left the valley, we arrived at a wonderful surf spot but with a completely offshore wind. The waves were big and beautiful and blown by the wind. There was a cliff that made a bowl, with a bay effect in the middle, perfect for surfers to pass the wave but very dangerous for kitesurfers. Today, I would never have gone there, but back then, I did, and it was a big mistake.

Of course, I was the only kitesurfer there, but at least I had all the attention on me, which saved me in the end. People must have thought, "What the hell was she f***ing doing?!" So, I took to the water and jumped over the first wave, then the second, and the third, I missed. I quickly realised that the fourth wave was going to eat me alive. I didn't have time to get going again or get past it, and I got swallowed like a pancake.

With the power of the wave and my lack of experience, my kite fell into the water, and when I got out of the washing machine, I just had time to take a deep breath of air to get back into the whirlwind of life. The fifth wave hit me in the face with my kite and lines, and in a split second, I disconnected everything and swam perpendicular to avoid turning into Saucisson.

I don't know what the miracle was, but not one of my lines touched me. I felt like I'd been underwater for a long time and felt a current sucking me out. When I got back to the surface, I could hardly see the beach anymore, just the ripples of the swell because the current had taken me so far away. I could still see the cliff, but 5 minutes later, it had disappeared, and I was out in the open sea. The water went black, and I realised that I was floating over deep, deep ocean and that I was never going to be able to get back to shore. 

Of course, there were no boats out there. I said to myself that it was over for me. I started by panicking, and very quickly, I calmed down and accepted my end. I put myself on my back and let myself drift, looking up at the sky and in my thoughts; I remember very well it was like something from a movie. I thought of all the people I loved, and I was very sorry to leave so soon and to make them sad, especially for my mother.

After a bit of time passed, in the distance, I saw three black dots coming in my direction, appearing and disappearing from my vision according to the movement of the waves. Little by little, they came into focus; it was 3 Moroccan surfers coming to my rescue. One was on a longboard and was carrying a bodyboard for me, and the others were surfing. They saved my life, and brought me back to the shore. 

When I arrived on the beach, I remember my friends were scared and angry with me; they thought I was dead. Apparently, I had been in the water for more than 2.5 hours. I didn't believe it! For me, it felt like it wasn't more than 20 minutes. I followed my saviours and went to their house to meet them better and spend some time with them. They introduced me to the village chief, who had spotted me from the start and told the young man to come to my rescue. It was wonderful meeting these really beautiful humans with big hearts. I gave them what I had and thanked them a thousand times. One thing's for sure: I'll remember them forever…

You've been on a few CORE product shoots. Tell us about one of your favourite shoot stories!

It must have been during my first shoot with CORE in Cape Town, where I tried the short lines for the first time. The wind was light at first, so they started with freestyle, and once the wind began to pick up strongly, some of them stopped. I jumped at the chance to get a kite and take my turn to show what I could do.

I did not really pay attention to the kite I took, but it seems to me that it was a 9 GTS with 14m lines, but without a donkey dick, as they were doing freestyle before). Yiiihaaa... I went off to send the loops anyway. It surprised me a little bit at first, but then I got used to it. I think I managed to do a nice shoot, and after that, it seems the team appreciated me even more!

One of your first major event wins was the grassroots Queen is Born event in Cape Town, which put you and women's big air on the map! Whatever happened to the awesome cactus trophies? Are they still alive somewhere?

Of course, they are fine! They're in the most beautiful garden in Blouberg, but I wouldn't say they lived happily ever after and had lots of little cactuses because a Walt Disney story where everything ends well just bores me!

There are no ladies in the King of the Air this year, and sadly, there were not a lot of entries from the ladies. Why do you think that is? Is there more support or incentive to ride in BAKL or GKA events?

Yes, it's true; we should all post a video encouraging Red Bull to open this women's section. In my case, I didn't feel like doing it anymore because I'd been pushing them for years without any feedback from them, and it bored me deeply and made me not want to get involved anymore. But all the girls are highly motivated, and together, I'm sure we can make things happen. It's a shame because this event could make women's Big Air grow enormously, but fortunately, the BAKL and GKA have understood this. Since we have these women's big air categories, this discipline has grown a lot. 

With so much at risk and not a whole lot of money on the table, what do you think it will take to motivate the next generation of young women to get into big air?

It all depends on how they see it: If they're doing it to make money, then no, it's not enough motivation. But, if they're doing it for passion and it's their dream, then they should just go for it!

It's clear from your social media accounts that you are addicted to anything and everything outdoors!! From hiking to climbing, van life to camping, snowboarding to skateboarding, and more. What draws you to the great outdoors?

What attracts me is living life to the fullest, savouring every moment, meeting new people, and sharing our passions in breathtaking settings. I learn a lot from others, and that helps me to grow. I'd be bored to stay only in the kite world; I need to see and learn about other worlds, as this exalts me and makes me happy, like a child discovering life. The beauty of the world is infinite…

Paragliding is another recent hobby you took up! What do you enjoy about paragliding? Why do you think so many kiters have been taking on this hobby?

The simple fact of being able to fly like a bird has been the dream of every human being for generations and generations. It's a good complement to kitesurfing because when there's not enough wind to go riding on the water, there's enough to go paragliding. There are also a lot of similarities when it comes to handling the wing for soaring.

You spent many years doing the van life thing before selling your campervan. Do you still do a lot of van camping? What do you miss most about van life?

I started discovering life in a truck when I was 17, and now I'm 35, so it's already been a long time. I've always lived on the road, so a house with wheels was the best option for me. It's an opportunity and a freedom to be able to put your house wherever you want. I miss nothing because I live it and adapt to everything.

Cape Town has become a bit of a second home for you. Apart from the incredible wind conditions, what keeps bringing you back?

As you said, it's my second home, which generally means we keep coming back! And I won't say any more because I don't want too many people coming!

If you weren't a professional kiteboarder, what line of work would you be interested in doing instead? 

Shepherdess.

What's next for you this year? 

I'm looking forward to some wonderful surprises and encounters!

 

By IKSURFMAG

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