Insight - Annelous Lammerts

Annelous Lammerts is a jack of all trades, master of everything! In this interview, Annelous tells us all about her 200 km kite for ALS, what she’s been up to with all the Corona craziness, and her recent trips testing Cabrinha's latest line up. We've got it all, right here!

Annelous Lammerts is a jack of all trades, master of everything! The last time we checked in with Annelous in 2018, we were mainly focused on her career as a pro freestyler and her rise through the KPL rankings, but she hasn’t stopped there! In this interview, Annelous tells us all about her 200 km kite for ALS, what she’s been up to with all the Corona craziness, and her recent trips testing Cabrinha's latest line up. We've got it all, right here.

First things first, you recently completed a gruelling 200 km ride in support of the ALS Foundation. Can you tell us what that was like and why you chose that specific foundation?

I recently started working with Garmin, and they are the main sponsors of the 'Tour for ALS.' Their annual event was cancelled due to COVID, so they changed it to a 'Home Edition,' and that way we were all able to create our own individual challenges from our home spots. ALS is a severe muscle disease; the average life expectancy is three years, and there is no cure. My life depends on movement and sports, and I can't imagine what it would be like to lose the ability to move, talk, and eventually breathe. When I heard about the event, my mission was to go the extra mile. I was eager to help raise money for the ALS Foundation; for research, to help patients, and give them hope for the future.

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Prolimit | View in Mag

What were the biggest challenges you faced and what was the most rewarding part?

I faced quite a few challenges, to be honest with you! First of all, choosing the right day was essential, as the days are getting shorter. The week I had decided to do the challenge turned out to be super stormy. The forecast looked promising on Monday and Tuesday, but on Monday, I had to get my wisdom tooth removed, which wasn't ideal before attempting a 200 km kite expedition! I promised the doctor to take it easy for a couple of days, but Monday night I rechecked the forecast, and Tuesday was by far the best day to attempt the challenge.

The wind was consistent, it had the least amount of rain, and it wasn't as windy, so I could hopefully do the full distance on my foil. I woke up on Tuesday at 5:15 AM and looked like a hamster! I took a couple of painkillers and headed to the beach, too preoccupied to think about the pain!

The next challenge was the weather switch. After 4 hours of kiteboarding and almost 100 km in, the wind picked up, and I had to change from an 8m to a 5m kite. The clouds rolled in, and the strong wind and rain took over. The next 2 hours were heavy and the wind direction shifted slightly offshore, which didn't make it easier. After 6 hours, I started to feel the cold; I could barely feel my hands, feet, or face; which helped with the pain! But these challenges seemed trivial when I thought about the cause, and why I was attempting this challenge. Thanks to all the donations, I raised over €4000, and collectively we raised €62,565 for the ALS Foundation. The 'thank you' messages we received were incredibly touching!

Why did you choose the hydrofoil for this ride? Did you have backup equipment in case the conditions changed?

The point of this challenge wasn't to do it as fast as possible (although the foil was quick!), it was about doing something crazy to raise awareness. All the attention seems to be on COVID now, which is understandable, but it also means that the ALS Foundation couldn't raise very much money this year. I did have a twintip with boots ready to go, but I knew that would be pretty uncomfortable on the choppy water with stitches in my mouth. I was completely overpowered for the last 2 hours! Luckily, in the end, I was able to complete the 200 km on the foil just as a massive rainstorm and strong winds came through!

You experiment in various disciplines and excel in them all; do you secretly have a favourite?

Riding my twintip is still my favourite! My all-time favourite sessions were on my CBL, combining freestyle and park riding. There is still nothing that beats doing a line with air tricks and rails, hitting a kicker or a wave. But after years of riding a twintip, I notice that I need pretty good conditions to enjoy it, whereas with other disciplines, I can enjoy a session regardless.

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Eleveight Kites | View in Mag

What are your takes on Wingfoiling? Fad or future?

Wingfoiling is here to stay! I've been so surprised by how fun it is in less-than-average conditions, and I see that almost everyone around me that gives it a try feels the same way. It might not be interesting for people who live in perfect kiteboarding spots, and it will never replace kiteboarding for me. Still, it can turn bad conditions into fun sessions!

The moments I would usually not be bothered to go out, I'm now having so much fun, and more and more people at my home spot are joining in. I've also seen windsurfers add it to their quiver, and even hardcore surfers who have never done other wind sports before are getting hooked. Seeing us ride almost invisible waves while waiting for the next swell to arrive has sparked their curiosity about this new sport!

You recently went to Lake Garda to test out Cabrinha's latest gear. Can you tell us about the latest line-up and what significant changes you've noticed?

The new 00 collection is entirely different, with significant changes in all products. The surfboards have been tweaked, and two models come in the pro construction. Foilboards, foils, and the X2 wing have been redesigned, and new wing boards have been added to our line-up. My favourite item of the 00 collections is our new foil, it is insane! It has really high performance and crosses over amongst sports. The foil just feels fantastic, and I've been having so much fun riding it while surf foiling, wingfoiling, and kitefoiling.

We caught up earlier this summer, and I remember you mentioning you were spending some time at home, surfing, foiling and winging. What was it like being home for a whole summer? That's quite a change of pace for you!

Yes, it's been an entirely different summer than what I'm used to! I usually spend the summer in the US training for the KPL competitions, learning new tricks, filming, and pushing my park riding. This summer was all about trying out different disciplines, which still kept it interesting because there are so many ways to progress.

What have you been up to since then? Are you planning on spending the winter in the Netherlands?

I've been riding as much as possible! We organised some Cabrinha test events in Benelux, and I made a few short trips close-by. My most recent trip was to Fuerteventura for the Cabrinha 01 Collection (2021), and it was great to be back together with the team. I don't have too many plans for the winter. If COVID has taught me anything, it's to go with the flow and book last minute!

Airwave Kiteboarding | View in Mag

Prolimit | View in Mag

What 2021 gear from Cabrinha are you most excited to have in your quiver?

There are some entirely new products coming out in the 01 Collection, but you'll have to wait until February to find out more about that! Right now, I'm the most excited about the brand new Autopilot 4'10, with a new shape and increased volume compared to last year. I love that I can use it for kiteboarding, surfing, and wingfoiling.

2020 is coming to an end, and what a ride it's been! What are your bets for 2021, and what plans have you made? Are you optimistic that things might go back to normal?

What a ride it's been, indeed. The year went completely different for literally everyone, and I somehow think we've all become more connected! Hopefully, the vaccine will be ready soon, so we can live more freely. I am optimistic, but I also know it might take some time. Right now, I'm just enjoying what I can do. Everything is planned last minute these days, and that will stay the same for the start of 2021, so let's see what happens!

Are there any projects you are currently working on that you could share with us?

Planning is probably one of the hardest things to do right now, but I definitely would like to escape the Dutch winter for a little bit in January/February. The Cabrinha 01 Collection will be launched at the end of February, so the plan is to head to a windy destination and get some last footage of the new gear. If not, I'll be riding at home wholly covered in neoprene, which will also be fun!