PROFILE
The Pulido family is investing all that it’s got in the future of its little girl – a 13 year old who is best at home somewhere between the sky and the sea. But when you’re already the kite-surfing world champion at such a tender age, what is there left to dream about ?
Gisela and her family moved to Tarifa in September 2004. Objective - 100% kitesurfing! Two months later, Gisela won the KPWT World Championships, one of the Kitesurf tours that is open to all age groups, as opposed to the PKRA, the World Championships only open to those who are at least 14.
Juan Manuel Pulido, aka Dad, a windsurfer since he was 15, started kitesurfing back in 2000. Slowly but surely, he initiated his daughter into this new sport. She started out using a normal kite when she was 6 before moving into the water when she became 8 years old, in 2002.
From 2003, Gisela tried out her first few competitions, but living in Barcelona, it was difficult for her to train as often as she would have liked. Her Dad, a businessman, decided to take a break in his career and take the whole family to live in Tarifa, the Mecca for Spanish kitesurfing. “We thought about going to live in the Dominican Republic in 2006 or 2007, but it turned out that this wasn’t necessary. In Tarifa, Gisela can go kitesurfing whenever she wants, there’s always plenty of wind”.

JUST FOR FUN
Juan Manuel is Dad above all, but he’s also Gisela’s coach, psychologist, kitesurf instructor, trainer, manager… By choosing to live in Tarifa, he’s convinced that his daughter will hang onto the kite-surfing bug for as long as possible.
Gisela is a kid, just like any other. She goes to school from 9am to 2pm, and she can go training in the afternoons. To relax her muscles, she goes swimming and never forgets to stretch after exercising. And of course, she’s careful about what she eats, McDonalds once a month maximum. However, unlike her classmates, Gisela regularly takes off to the four corners of the earth : France, Germany, New-Caledonia, Australia, Italy, Brazil, Dominican Republic… “I get really bored on the plane so I use the time to do my homework. And finally, I’ve found a load of friends in Tarifa that have the same centers of interest as me, even though they are a little bit older”. Gisela loves getting into the water and adores competing… Her new life as a sports star seems to suit her down to the ground. And if ever she doesn’t make it as a professional kitesurfer, she wants to become a vet… “One or the other, it’s great fun either way !”