Nina Macaraig

Nina learned kiteboarding at age 35, while working as Art History professor at a university in Istanbul, Turkey. Originally from Austria, she spent her childhood summers boating and windsurfing in Greece, and when she saw kiteboarders on a beach near her Istanbul home, she was intrigued. Due to the high waves and strong currents of her first home spot on the Turkish Black Sea, it took her an embarrassing length of time to learn how to water-start, but she was hooked from the very beginning. Thanks to kiteboarding, her life took several interesting turns, including a career change from academia to the watersports industry. Now she teaches and manages the Always Kiting retail store.

Although no longer a spring chicken, she loves to learn new things—such as unhooked moves and, lately, hydrofoiling—and to participate in amateur competitions. She has participated in endurance, freestyle and Big Air events in Istanbul, Bozcaada and Gökçeada in Turkey, and in the US in Hood River, OR, Pittsburg, CA, and Long Beach, CA. When not on the water or in the kite shop, she writes—for her blogs for the International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO), click on the list below. 

While passing the stoke on to her kiteboarding students, she can draw on an extensive teaching background, including Level 1 Instructor Certification and a Teaching Children Certificate from the IKO.  

Five Faceplants Away from the Waterstart: Is Learning Kitesurfing Difficult?

“Can I Ride This, Can I Get Over That Next Wave?”: An Interview About Learning Kiteboarding at Age 60+

New Kite on the Beach: How to Ride Safely at a New Spot (and Stay on the Locals’ Good Side)

The Kiter’s Ultimate First Aid Kit: 21 Essentials (and a Shopping List)

“Can’t Wait to Get Back on the Water”: Kiteboarding After Surgery

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Milo and Nina met in spring of 2016, while kiteboarding at Belmont Shore, in Long Beach, CA. After several adventurous camping and road trips to Sherman Island and Hood River, a coup d’etat attempt in Turkey where Nina was based at the time, and many flight hours between Istanbul and LAX, the two tied the knot in 2017, on Kanaha Beach on the beautiful island of Maui, surrounded by their kitefamily.

For them, kiteboarding is a family affair, and they are happy to teach couples and families with children who want to enjoy their favorite sport together!

 

Photo credits: Jen Mar