What do you get when you combine sport with travel and lifestyle…freedom!  And, Johara ‘Freedom’ Sykes-Davies gets plenty of it while she is flying through the air off the coast of exotic, remote beaches around the world.

Born 27 years ago, with a childhood love for skiing and sailing her passion and skills have since developed her into a strong, confident and committed female athlete who devotes her time to the sport of professional kitesurfing and snowkiting.

Johara’s longing for the extreme has led her from her home in North Wales to far away places such as the Canadian Rockies, Kenya, Brazil and most recently Turkey.

We at ExplorerGirls.com are excited to have Johara as an Ambassador to help share her knowledge and passion for the sport.  We were lucky to grab her between comps and filming and get down to the heart of why she does what she does…and so well!

EXP/G: What ignites your fire to get up and go everyday?
Johara:  Wind, water, snow…

EXP/G: You have chosen a life of sport and travel with your Kitesurfing and Snowkiting career. When did you know you wanted to invest all your energy into making it happen for you?
Johara:  It sort of just evolved.  The first time I got up wind kitesurfing in Squamish, Canada, I new I was hooked at this sport!  It just emerged from there.  I went to hang out at a couple of competitions to see other kiters and kite some different spots, got interested in the competitions and decided to enter… then couldn’t stop!  It gives you a goal, which is so inspiring…

EXP/G: Kitesufing and Snowkiting can be a dangerous sport with wind, weather and water sometimes unpredictable. Do you ever feel fear? If so, how do you overcome it?
Johara:  Well I broke my foot last year in a competition and it took 6 months to recover, so I am still getting my confidence back to where it was before.  The main thing is to respect the elements and only do what you are happy about.  The safety systems on modern kites are a hundred times better than they were when they first started so that gives a lot of confidence!

EXP/G: How important are friends to you when traveling the world and Kitesurfing?
Johara:  They are totally everything!!  I cannot express to you how amazing my friends both at home and when I travel are!  I could not function without them!  E.G, I was driving to Morocco and the Western Sahara a couple of years ago from the UK and my grandma died while I was away.

I had promised her that I would not go back if she died, so without hesitation, my amazing friend Zoe went and helped my mum all day.  My mum and I have just moved house and so many of my friends came and helped move furniture and lent me big vans etc!  Complete legends!  When I am away they totally look out for my mum and check up on her!

EXP/G:  If you could offer one piece of advice to girls who want to kitesurf, what would it be?
Johara:  Never give up, you will succeed!

EXP/G:  How important is maintaining fitness in kitesurfing? Do you do any special training?
Johara:  I think it is important for all levels of kiters to maintain a certain level of fitness so that they can get the most out of it and prevent injury wherever possible.  However, it does depend what level of kiting you want to do as to how much you have to concentrate on your fitness.  

Over the last year I have been really trying to concentrate on specific fitness training for my sport and have been working with a personal trainer from the Buzz Gym in London, Josh Wedlock, on specific training programs.  It can definitely help you achieve your goals.

EXP/G:  How is the sport of women in kitesurfing matching up to the men? Have you seen changes or growth in the industry for women?
Johara:  So women’s riding is naturally much different to men’s due to strength and general intelligence vs. stupidity levels ;-) only joking boys!!  Over the last two years the level of the girl’s freestyle at the top of the ranks has shot up.  Riders such as Bruna Kajiya and Gisela Polido have developed girls riding in leaps and bounds, landing numerous powered handlpasses.  This is the way girl’s riding should go!

EXP/G:  You travel the world competing in exotic places like Kenya, Egypt and Brazil…where is the most amazing place you have kitesurfed?
Johara:  So many amazing spots all over the world it is so hard to choose!!  I love the spots that are an adventure to get to and totally deserted when you get there!  Snowkiting in the High Atlas mountains in Morocco was a mental experience!  Driving to the Western Sahara and getting to totally deserted spots in my 4x4 van has to top it too!  

But I think the best spots I have been for kiting have to be in Brazil in the North East.  Cumbuco and the lagoons up the coast are amazing for learning freestyle tricks.  The beach at Jericoacoa is also incredible, with howling offshore wind and perfect little two-foot kickers!!  My new favourite is a spot in Turkey called Gokova, it’s epic!!  As you can tell, I love a lot of spots!!

EXP/G:  When traveling for kitesurfing, you must have heaps of luggage, how do you pack it all up for travel?
Johara:  I am the worst packer ever!!  I stress about it a lot!  You would think I would get better with practice but I still stress last minute!  It is good though that I travel so much you get in the habit of knowing what kit you need to take for different locations and the best techniques for ramming your kit bag full! Sit on it is my best advice so far!

EXP/G:  What’s the most essential item you could not live with out while on the road?
Johara:  Hm… my pink macbook!  

EXP/G:  When you’re not in the water what are you up to? What other activities do you love?
Johara:  There is loads of other stuff I love!  24hrs in a day is totally not enough!!!  Skiing is the thing that fights kitesurfing for my heart!!  Then mountain biking, core training in the gym, running, swimming, yoga, horse riding, cable, music, making beach art, reading inspirational stuff… etc!!

EXP/G:  You have a degree in Maritime Leisure Management! Sounds exciting!  What is that exactly and how do you use it in your life/career today.
Johara:  Yes!!  It was a totally fun degree to do as everyone is into outdoor sports and the course content is awesome.  Modules go from business and management subjects to coaching and event management.  It is totally useful for what I am doing now.  I use bits of marketing, event management and coaching at the moment which is great !

EXP/G:  How important do you find education in helping to live a fun-filled life?
Johara:  I think all aspects of education help you to get to a place you need to be to live life to the full.  Not only the academic side, but total life skills at university from managing your own money to doing your washing!

EXP/G:  Fave color?
Johara:  Ha ha!!! Well typically I have to say pink!  Looking at my kit and my van you would definitely say pink!!  But I am a bit of a ‘black’ fan at heart!! ;-)

EXP/G:  Most played song in your ipod?
Johara:  Chop Suey, System of a Down!

EXP/G:  Your ultimate day would be…
a) Blowy day on a bay somewhere
b) Powder filled bowls in the alps
c) Sipping champers, kicked back by the pool
d) all of the above!

Johara:  I could never choose between a and b!  C is good following a or b!

Find out more about Johara!

From her website: www.JoharaFreedom.com

ExplorerGirls.com: www.explorergirls.com/user/johara

www.ExplorerGirls.com / Courtney Crow

Images: © Johara Sykes-Davies