PWA Athletes

Biography

Karin'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.

Karin lives for windsurfing, she trains regularly in preparation for the wave, freestyle and racing 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.

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. Her competition schedule consumes most of the year. But whenever she has some spare time she heads for “down under”. “Australia is my favourite place on this planet”. There she also discovered her passion for big wave windsurfing and tow-in surfing.

Her goal for 2004 is to return to the top of the podium in all disciplines. “It’s probably the Formula Windsurfing title I wish most for – just because I never had it before”. 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!
On the other hand Karin is always trying to 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".

Rankings:
IFCA European Champion 1994
IFCA World Champion 1997
PWA Speed World Champion 1996
PWA Overall-, Wave-, Race World Champion 1998
PWA Overall-, Race-, Freestyle World Champion 1999
PWA Freestyle World Champion 2000
PWA Overall-, Wave-, Race 2000: 2. place
PWA Wave 2001: 2. place
PWA Freestyle World Champion 2002
PWA Wave-, Freestyle 2003: 2. place

Sailor history

Born near the Alps in Switzerland my destiny wasn‘t really to get a windsurfing worldchampion. In 1988 I started sailing on a lake back home. That first day on the water I completely fell in love with windsurfing. I immediately dreamt of doing this for a living. But from persuading my parents that this is the right thing for me to do, to earning my living teaching in a windsurfing school, from the first national competitions to the first WC’s, over learning the hard way to handle the media, and finally having to catch up on so much knowledge of the ocean and learning to sail in waves – it‘s been a hard and long way to the top for me. But not for one second I ever regretted my decision. Windsurfing has taught and given me a lot. Most of all my life-motto: “Follow your dreams – nothing is impossible - just do it!

Rankings:
2026 3rd Pro Women Margaret River
2013 Ranked 3rd Women's Slalom
2012 ranked 2nd overall Slalom & 3rd PWA Wave
2010 Ranked 3rd PWA World Tour Wave
2009 ranked 2nd PWA Slalom, 3rd wave
World Champion: PWA World Tour Slalom 2008 & 2010, 5th PWA World Tour Wave 2008
13 x PWA Windsurfing World Champion
10 x IFCA / IWA Windsurfing World Champion
2 x ISA Speed World Champion
Windsurfing Speed World Record (41.25 knots)