Giada Borghi - Kitesurfer

Giada Borghi, 34 years old, lives on the island of Sal, Cape Verde.

@giadaborghioceantravelgirl on Instagram

“I didn’t grow up here. I originally come from Saronno, a city in the Lombardy region in Italy. I used to travel with my parents in beautiful tropical places like the Maldives, the Caribbean, etc., but at 14, we went to Cabo Verde and stayed for over a month (which was atypical since our trips would usually last about 2 weeks). I fell in love with the place after realizing that my passion for the ocean was bigger than my passion for the city (laughs). So here I am! I also got into kitesurfing a few years ago. It was in part because I met so many wonderful locals, but also because I was simply amazed by the amount of passion my friends had for it. Time passed by and my daughter Giulia was born and, of course, my husband and I wanted her to get passionate about the sport too. Then Joshua, my son, was born and now I am a full on kiter. It’s so nice to kitesurf with her, sometimes you really have to insist to actually get us out of the water otherwise we keep on going forever (laughs). It’s just a beautiful sport, you know. You can practice it with your family and it’s just the best way to destress. Even if you’ve had a rough start to your day, if you get in the water for just 30 minutes and do a couple of maneuvers, by the time you’re out you feel regenerated, like a new person! Overall, I love simplicity in my lifestyle. The tropical weather, running on the beach, and, of course, all the water sports I can do here—everything on this island gives me the sensation of freedom. I couldn’t ask for a better home.”

How would you describe the vibe between people doing watersports?

“In my personal experience, I have always seen support and respect between the people that practice watersports here, regardless of their gender. Even between girls, there’s not that competition where if you do better tricks I feel better than you—it’s the opposite. If I see a girl doing crazier things I ask them to teach me, so at the end of the day it’s simple admiration. This applies even to singular sports, where it’s just you, the kite and the water, because at the same time you are surrounded by friends that have the same passion and you get to live incredible moments with them, both in and outside the water.

For anyone looking to dive into the kitesurf, my advice would be to just try it. A lot of times we think that we are not able to do these kinds of disciplines, and people often get blocked by these convictions, but believe me, it’s easy once you have learned. It’s more about technique than strength. It might sound stupid but it’s really an easy sport. To a young girl, I would say throw yourself out there and organize a trip with the purpose of trying a new sport, in this case kitesurfing! From there everything unfolds. You meet people, they give you advice, and you become captivated by this world that you won’t ever want to leave, almost like a drug (laughs). Don’t ever be afraid. If you already do boardsports like skating and such, then you’re already advanced. Just jump into it and try!”

How do you take care of yourself?

“Whatever daily sport. If by any chance there’s no wind at the sea, I go running, do yoga, stretch, walk my dogs and sometimes go for walks with my horse. I love watching movies and reading. I’ll pretty much read any genre except the overly romantic novels (chuckles). I am happy they finally built a proper library here in Cabo Verde because it was very difficult to find books a couple of years ago.

You know, there are times when I wake up and say to myself, ‘I don’t want my life to ever change.’ I’ve arrived at a point in my life where I feel that I have accomplished I wanted for myself. I think you arrive at this point once you love doing your job, everything around it, and you never want to change it. For now, I still want to live here, do kitesurfing, and keep my life the way it is. I also know that over time I will gain more interests and hobbies though.

Regarding future projects, Djo and I have organized a stage for the worldwide event kitesurf competition here in Cabo Verde. We put our heart and soul into it. I don’t even see it as a job because even though we work hard to make things go well, it’s always a pleasure for me at the end of the day. I hope to continue with this lifestyle forever.”

On Instagram: @giadaborghioceantravelgirl