Gabriele Steindl: Professional Kitesurfer & Freelance Writer - Action, Lifestyle & Travels

• + Home Page
• - Portfolio
• - Publications

Feel the power of Snowkiting

Winter in Austria is certainly a beautiful time of the year with snow falling, white mountains, cosy Christmas fires, snowboarding, family and of course lots-a-cookies  Nevertheless, I’m somehow allergic to the cold, especially as I live in Vienna, where winter rather signifies: grey, mushy snow everywhere, grumpy people, overcast skies for almost 4 months… grrrr, not nice, thus I’m usually gone long before deep winter hits.

A couple of year ago, though, in between coming back from several competitions in Brazil and right before jumping back onto a plane for some hardcore training, I gave snowkiting a go. A good friend of mine, Hardy Brandstoetter is founder and owner of www.snowkiting,at and so we had a fun afternoon at a field near his home in Upper Austria. We built some snow-kickers and other obstacles and had a great fun afternoon.

There’s no doubt, however, that I personally definitely prefer kitesurfing on water … I’m simply a water-addict, I love this element and feel so much at home as soon as I leave land and get into the water!