On this episode, we chat with Zara Rozeboom, a driven young IQ Foiler from Curaçao now based in the Netherlands, chasing her Olympic dreams alongside her brother. From barefoot beach days in the Caribbean to mastering extreme winds in Europe, Zara opens up about her wind sports journey, the technical world of IQ Foiling, high-adrenaline races, and the family-fueled grind of elite training. She shares hilarious culture shocks, boundary-pushing sessions in 45-knot gales, and the mental edge needed for Olympic qualification. Whether you're into windsurfing, foiling, or stories of resilience and global adventure, this conversation captures the passion, strategy, and supportive vibe of the sport's rising stars.
- Island Upbringing to Global Racing: Growing up in Curaçao with school-to-beach routines, starting wind sports at age 8 with her brother, and adapting to Dutch winters, public transport, and wetsuits after moving at 16.
- IQ Foiling Essentials: A deep dive into the Olympic one-design class, including 7.3m sails for women, foils on 95cm masts, racing formats like upwind courses, downwind slaloms, and new upwind slaloms in winds from 6 to 45 knots—hitting speeds up to 50 km/h.
- Extreme Race Experiences: Thrilling recaps of events like Kiel with massive winds, waves, rain, and crashes; strategic racing at 80% effort to avoid time-sucking falls; and the chaos of 45-knot blasts where everyone swims but laughs about it later.
- Olympic Aspirations and Prep: Path to 2028 via upcoming Panam Junior Games in Paraguay (light winds on a current-filled lake); visualizing medals; recent wins for confidence; and competing in fleets of 25–79 girls against top Olympians.
- Training Grind and Family Bond: Daily routines of gym sessions, biking, rowing, and on-water practice; balancing university studies; traveling and pushing limits with her brother (who just scored a race win at Worlds); and the supportive, fun women's fleet that bonds off-water but competes fiercely on it.
- Life Lessons and Thrills: Reflections on pushing fear boundaries for growth, the excitement of high-stakes racing, how sport builds bonds and changes perspectives, and embracing the "easy" surf life amid hard work.
Follow Zara on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/zara_surf/ for more of her foiling adventures, training updates, and Olympic journey.
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