A Profile on Karin Jaggi
Karen's love of action sports started at the age of 3, when she first tried skiing. Throughout her junior years, she continually developed her sporting prowess enjoying tennis, handball, Judo, Triathlons and Snowboarding. Yet surprisingly for a landlocked country, it was her introduction to windsurfing at 16 that initiated her route to becoming a professional sportswoman. She studied for a further two years in Switzerland, sailing on a local lake as often as she could. After finishing college, she headed to France to become a windsurfing instructor. During this time she started to compete and after two seasons, she made the decision to join the PWA and turn pro. A decision she has never regretted.
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Karin lives for windsurfing, she trains regularly in preparation for the wave and freestyle contests, which demand the most from this gifted and modest sailor. She recognises that even the best spots in the world are "no fun without sailing with your friends", so she can always been found sharing her time on the water with others. She is pretty much self-motivated and quite driven to win, yet has always credited Team Whiteboarders top man Dave White, as being a constant form of inspiration. Although one of the less flamboyant high profile sailors, she is always loyal to the sport, attending and supporting events that encourage new people to have a go. As with so many freestylers, she is constantly having to develop and perfect new moves. Karin's current quest is the dynamic and incredibly difficult 'Grubby', which is like a flat-water loop, mid gybe, without really leaving the water.
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Karin Jaggi has become one of the worlds most talented female windsurfers, regularly winning world titles since 1997. She started windsurfing in 1988 and since then has been absorbed by the sport. She's explored the windsurfing globe and relished the most challenging conditions. Now, like so many of her fellow pros, Karin spends much of her time between events training and living on Maui.
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Right from her early decision to become a professional windsurfer, Karin has always followed that passion. Titles have always been important to her, "It's a way of people acknowledging your efforts". Since winning her first world title, things haven't really changed for Karin. "When that green flag goes up on the beach - all I want to do is win! 2001 was pretty much the only year without a "professional" world title for Karin, something she is determined to change. Her goal is to return to the top of the podium and appreciate where the sport has taken her. "I don't want to have to look back one day and realize what good life I did have every single day I want to be aware of my "dream life" and make the most of it".