GEMS Kitesurfer Matéo Vieujot-Mouquet has Olympic ambitions

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  • High-flyer: Matéo is the only kitsurfing athlete at GEMS Academy.

    Can you tell us a little about your background in kitesurfing?

    I got into the sport through my father. He competed in catamaran sailing with my mother at the pre-Olympics for the French team. When we moved to the Dominican Republic he made the transition to kite surfing and I went out a couple of times with him.

    Did you find it easy when you started?

    I didn’t find kitesurfing the hardest thing in the world, I had learned the basics with my father before actually taking classes and everything was already pretty natural. The only thing I had trouble with was going upwind which took a bit longer for me to actually get it going.

    What do you love most about the sport?

    The adrenaline. It’s the fun, the speed, the jumps and the freedom of being on the water that I love. You might say that I prefer being on the water than the land!

    On windy days it is not unusual to see 30 kites at Dubai Kite Beach.

    Is it a dangerous sport? Did you say something about jellyfish?

    Jellyfish are a problem for kite surfers only in Dubai. We have something called jellyfish season where for a couple of months in the summer there are just loads of them. It’s dangerous because if you get stung too much then it becomes too painful to kite surf – I know because I have been stung a lot! Dangers that apply for all kite surfers though come from crashing or being hit by the board. I haven’t had too many bad crashes. I have been shaken up for a couple of minutes before and have some cuts and bruises but nothing too bad.

    What is it like being the only kitesurfer in GEMS Sports Academy?

    It’s interesting as I am kind of like the lone wolf. I have a different timetable to everyone else when it comes to training and nobody knows much about the kitesurfing as it is a brand new sport to the academy.

    Does it work in your favour being the only kite surfer in the academy?

    I like it when people start asking questions and some of the other students have shown an interest in what I do. For example, I sometimes teach the swimmers some of the basics of the sport as they are interested and I enjoy that. It can work against me though as some people don’t much about my sport and therefore do not consider me as much of an athlete as other students. But ultimately I love the sport so I do not mind.

    Matéo lives on the beach and practises every day.

    How do GEMS support you?

    Academically they support me the same as everyone else at the academy. In terms of my sport the main benefit of being at GEMS is the strength and conditioning training that I receive. It keeps me injury free and prevents me from fatiguing during competition which is important. Also they adapt my timetable so that I am able to train outside with the kite.

    What is your typical day like at GEMS?

    I start school at 7.45 and finish at 1.20 in the afternoon. From there I either hit the gym or come to the beach to go kite surfing. I train with the kite every single day so it is a good routine to be in.

    What is your best achievement in the sport?

    For sure it’s the hydrofoil 2012 World Championships in France where I won the junior category. It was the first time I tasted success on that scale and made be believe that I could achieve something great in the sport – it was a fantastic occasion and it was pleasing to beat great kitesurfers from around the world.

    Kitesurfing can be performed on lakes or at sea.

    Where do you see your future in the sport? Do you want to go pro?

    Not completely. I definitely want to continue it but I will first need to get a different job so that I can sustain my involvement in the sport and keep entering competitions. Kitesurfing is only good if you have enough money to make it to the best tournaments so the harder I work outside of kite surfing, the more likely it is that I can go far on the water.

    Do you think kitesurfing could become an Olympic sport and you could follow in your parents’ footsteps ?

    Hopefully. While it is a requirement of our sport to have wind, you do not need coast to have a competition. Some of the best kite surfing you will see happens on lakes and it is a really spectator-friendly sport so the crowds would love it. It’s exciting, creative and fun. To compete in an Olympics like my parents would be a fantastic incentive for me to train towards.

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