Lucila Alexandre Dupey
Interview with Lulu Alexandre Dupey
Lucila Alexandre Dupey, or “Lulu” as she is better known, is one of the top 10 Finalists in our
“Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer 2011” competition!
We caught up with Lulu recently, and this is what she had to say…
Lulu, tell us a little bit about yourself or your story.
I started kiting a long time ago. At that time I was working for a big company and things were running smoothly, but something was missing…
Is it fair to work all year to only have two weeks holidays? So I decided to sell my car, quit my job leave my boyfriend and start to travel, doing what I love “kite surf”. Initially I only intended doing this for 3 months, and so far I have been doing it for the last 5 years.
Lulu doing what she loves most!
It’s a good lifestyle being in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and central America, Caribbean, etc., always kiting and teaching kitesurfing and always promoting kitesurfing, especially for women.
I also compete and I get results too, but I do it for the fun and to meet other riders and of course for the party!!!
Right now I can say that I m doing what I choose to do, I kite often, I live on a Catamaran with my boyfriend and I keep travelling!
Where are you from?
I’m from the end of the planet, down there in ARGENTINA!!
Where do live and kitesurf now and what brought you there?
Lulu
How often do you kite?
As much as my body can, but sometimes less.
Favourite kitesurfing spots?
My heart lies in the kite spot where I learned, the river in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the beach in Pinamar and Punta Rasa, but the water there is cold and the season is short. So I would say that Dakhla in Morocco has a mystic, also many kite spots in Venezuela which are very windy. Definitely Tarifa in Spain and of course Brazil, Cumbuco and Ibiraqueira. In the Caribbean Cabarete RD, and The Grenadines.
Do you have any sponsors? Who are they?
I have many sponsors for the “Girls Kite Camp” that I organize
Girls Kite Camp 1: Rip Curl, Red Bull, Dig Boards, Nivea, EH Cabarete. Ave Fénix & Paradise TV.
Girls Kite Camp 2: Nivea, Mormaii, Red Bull, Dakine, Aereal & Vairo.
Girls Kite Camp 3: Isabel la Católica, Rip Curl, Nivea, Indra, Mormaii eyewear, Krial foot wear, Indra Nose Boards, Wind Experience, ksksradio.
Girls Kite Camp 4: Red Bull, Mormaii eyewear, Isabel al Catolica & Rip Curl ,Nature Valley, Nivea, Krial foot wear, Indra Nose Boards, Slingshot & Kite Beach School.
Girls Kite Camp Cabarete: Red Bull, Extreme Hotel, Lifestyle Cabarete, Starkites, Gokite School, Onno’s.
Girls kite Camp Cabarete Video
My personal sponsors are DIG Boards & Indra board bags.
Apart from kiting, what are your other Interests?
I love sailing, surfing, wake boarding, snorkelling, and many other sports, but I am also interested in the climatic change and the planet.
How did you learn to kitesurf, who taught you and when did you start?
Lulu
At that stage the kite shape was a C kite and the safety wasn’t as developed as it is now, so I asked them if they can teach me. Fortunately they are professional instructors from “kitebeachschool” in BS AS, and luckily I learn pretty fast. I immediately bought my own kite, a 2001 Slingshot 8 Mts. Black with white tubes. I love that kite, my first love!! Then I went with my cousin to Ibirqueira in Brazil with no clue!! I still remember being overpowered, body dragging in the lagoon and my cousin running on the beach following me. That was a fun Kite trip!
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your kite career and how did you overcome it?
A big Challenge was to be the only girl in the Championship of the “Kite Surf Argentinean Association” riding against the men for two years to secure my place.
And the second challenge was to travel around the world alone and make my life and money teaching kitesurfing. But it was very good, with so many cultures and people being so friendly and cool.
What is your proudest achievement?
I think my proudest achievement was to compete with the boys and take the 5th and then the 2nd place in freestyle, promoting kitesurfing for women when nobody believed in it. I am also proud of being an influential figure for many girls especially in Argentina. Now it’s best to find a balance between my livelihood and the things I like to do, sailing and kiting!
What is your preferred riding style?
FREESTYLE!!!!
What would you like to learn?
Ufff!! So many tricks! I so wish I had someone to teach me everything in kitesurfing.
Who influenced you to start kitesurfing? Is there anyone you really look up to?
My friend the owner of KBS Argentina, and a rider expert on skim boards and wake skate style influenced me the most, but I also like the style of Andre Phillip and Etienne Lhote a lot.
Lulu
Describe a time you inspired someone to start kitesurfing?
I have been teaching for a long time and I believe that students keep kiting because they have a good first impression of the sport. Also, and especially for girls the “Girls kite Camps” are a good way to gain confidence.
How has kitesurfing changed your life?
It changed my life style, and made me realize that we have to do what matters to us.
Kitesurfing is a way to adjust your mind, open it and feel really free, and then you will change your life.
Besides kitesurfing, what are you most passionate about?
Sailing!!
What are you doing for Kitesurfing in your community or globally?
I promote friendships between riders, forming a community to help each other, especially for girls. I organize the Girls Kite Camp to improve their level and have fun!
GIRLS KITE CAMP 4 Video Argentina
How do you think winning the 2011 Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer will shape your life and the positive work you are doing now?
Wining the “Most Influential Girl Kitesurfer” will help me to promote the sport, especially for girls and to organize a Global Camp with more girls riding all together, and more brands to support the sport and the lifestyle. It would also be great recognition of my career and all the energy that I put into what I love, which is kitesurfing.
What do you think the future holds for kiteboarding / Kitesurfing and what can we do to improve our sport?
Well I think that Kitesurfing has been growing very quickly, especially after 2006 and then 2008. It’s good to have so many brands that support the sport and people practicing it. I’m happy to see the young generation starting, and at such a good level. Also we need to be conscience about the safety and the friendliness between kite riders and other sports like windsurfing.
Lulu
What do you hope to achieve in the next few years?
I will continue promoting the sport and the level especially of girls and I would like to work with kids, as they are the future. On a personal level, I want to progress in my style and level – keep kiting, sailing and enjoying my life, doing what’s make me happy.
For more about Lulu, visit her blog.
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I’ve met Lu at the airport in Manila going to Indonesia. She is an extrovert, energetic and outgoing person. easy to hangout with and she has this sense of humor that totally rocks. I haven’t seen her kite personally but her videos tell it so…I’m hoping for Lucila to win. and to see her again someday…good luck Lu! wish you all the best!
hello luluu whats your favorite trick?
I first time I met Lulu it was when she arrived to teach kite surfing at Cabarette, she is amazing. I was told by the owner of the resort, that I should not learn kitesurfing and she disagreed and fully supported me on this quest, giving me the confidence that I should learn this sport, without her, I probably would have listened to the owner. Not only that, but she arrived in the middle of the night, having landed at the airport and found her way, in a foreign country, via buses, that stopped in dangerous spots, to the resort, to wake up and teach us all the next day. Most people would be terrified of this kind of adventure, but not Lulu and that speaks volumnes with regard to her love of the sport and the way she cares for her students. She is a great kite surfer and teacher and I am really looking forward to teaming up with her again. Lulu to me is great fun, diplomatic, dynamic, fearless, an amazing teacher, inspirational and a fornominal kite surfer – she deserves to win this, because she is simply the best and has spent the last 5 years in all different climates and countries learning and teaching as much as she can, globally with regard to this sport and different nations. She has literately and physically beaten a path to open the doors for acceptance and respect for all women kite surfers, world wide – we owe her an huge debt for this and the least that we can do is ensure that she should win this. Go Lulu, you are an inspiration as well as the best teacher ever, thanks for your patience and understanding and for being the pioneer that you are for all other women all over the world, you are a wonderful person, with a great attitude to life and we are indebted to you.