"At first they thought I was cute ..."

The Spaniard Gisela Pulido is one of the best kitesurfers in the world, was nominated for “World Action Sports Person” at the recent Laureus Awards – and is only 13 years old. In interview, “Gigi” talks about how she balances being a top athlete and a really normal teenager.

Gisela, recently you were invited to the Laureus Sports Awards, the Oscars of the sports world. Among the winners were players from FC Barcelona. Did you get autographs for your grandfather, who you always play football with?

No, not all the players were there anyway. But the event was fantastic. The atmosphere was incredibly luxurious, and I kept bumping into all sorts of famous people whom I’d only seen on TV. That was a lot of fun.

Apart from evenings like that, what’s the difference between your life as a top athlete and that of your friends of the same age?

I travel a lot and train every day after school for three hours, always from 3 to 6 o’clock. I then try and do my homework in the evening or at night.

What aspect of your sport do you enjoy the most? The competition, making up new tricks, the feeling of being free?

Most of all, the training. Being at the beach with friends, that’s really fun. And I love to compete with other people.

In 2006 you won the Kiteboard Pro World Tour for the third time. Are you more talented than most others – or is there other reasons for your success?

Maybe it’s because I don’t find training an effort but really like doing it. I can’t sit still, always have to be doing something: if I’m not kitesurfing I’m playing basketball, tennis or football or I’m skateboarding. Apart from that, kitesurfing is a sport that doesn’t demand a lot of power – that helps.

Your goals for 2007?

To become the Spanish champion and PKRA World Champion.

When you were born PKRA champion Kristin Boese was older than you are now. How do your rivals cope with being beaten by a 13-year-old?

At first they found it cute to have a little girl surfing with them. Then, when they saw that I could hold my own next to them, they got offended. In the meantime they’ve accepted me as a normal competitor.

You’re almost always with adults. Who do you gossip with about mutual friends, who do you exchange stories with about your favorite band Mána?

There’s actually enough time in school for that. As it is, my friends are always trying – with everything they’ve got – to get me to smuggle them onto these exotic beaches. But I don’t know how to set that up ... and Mána? I’ve always got them on my i-pod because I listen to their songs before I train and before every competition ...