Karen Lang
Aqua Sports Maui General Manager
IKO Certified Level 2 Maui Kiteboarding Instructor
The early part of Karen’s life was taken up with many fun sports, skiing, , cross country skiing then snowboarder back in the beginning of the sport. Also mountain biking, hiking, just about anything outdoors.
She started windsurfing in 1980 in Lake Tahoe, The Gorge and Rio Vista, then came to Maui to windsurf and surf in 1990 and never went back home. Spent many fun days sailing and surfing her favorite spot, Ho’okipa. Later a friend gave her a kiteboarding lesson and she was hooked !
Work History:
Neil Pryde and Cabrinha Design Center: Sailmaker, Kitemaker, AutoCad Technician: 12 years
Working with the legendary windsurf sail designer Barry Spanier, Karen was responsible for making the prototype sails for the company as well as the personal quivers of the top sailors of the time, 13 time world Champion Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Laird Hamiton, Josh Stone, Jason Polakow, Jason Prior and many more. When Cabrinha joined NP, got to work with Pete Cabrinha building kites.
Goya Sails: Sail Designer: 5 years:
Karen spent 5 years designing windsurf sails with world champion wave sailor Francisco Goya (one of the nicest people on the planet) for his new company “Goya Sails”
IKO level 2 Kiteboarding Instructor : 8 years
Karen’s love of kiteboarding led her to take the IKO course to teach kiteboarding, she says:”I love teaching kiteboarding! This is such a fun sport , the students are really stoked and it’s very gratifying”.
Northshore Kite and Sail Repair: Owner : 10 years
Karen started Northshore Kite and Sail Repair over 10 years ago. She has a great niche business here on Maui. “I get to meet almost every kiter sooner or later, either I give them lessons and teach them how not to crash their kite or if they don’t take lessons I get to fix the kites they break while they are trying to learn”!
Best trick / Move: riding waves and going for big air
Visit Karen at one of her many blogs:
http://northshorekiteandsail.blogspot.com
http://kitebeachcrew.blogspot.com/
http://naluwahine.blogspot.com/
http://mauikiteboarding.blogspot.com/
