Mallory de la Villemarqué

One sentence about the products that you are using
I take the conditions as they come and choose my gear accordingly. With strong wind, I go for a Big Air or strapless session. Light wind, I go for my hydrofoil. If there are waves, I take my Mitu Pro model. But there is one thing I don’t change: my BANDIT. It’s the most versatile kite I’ve ever used and I love it for all conditions.

How did you get into kiteboarding?
I started windsurfing at the age of 8 when living in Guadeloupe. We used to go sailing on my dad’s boat every weekend, and we’d windsurf around all day. Then we moved to Costa Rica and started surfing together with my brother. Three years later, we moved to Tarifa. I was 15 and discovered kitesurfing. My mother gifted me a kite lesson for my birthday and from the very first day I was hooked. I was so motivated that I soon got my first local sponsor that allowed me to have a full range of kites. Then came the first competitions and results, coverage in magazines, national and international sponsors. In a very short time, I was traveling around the world doing what I loved. Everything went very fast, and I was a happy kid.

What do you do before getting in the water?
Visualizing the tricks I’m going to do. Every time I go on the water, I go to “train” even though I’m not competing. I need to improve, otherwise I don’t have the motivation. I can’t do anything about it, it’s just the way I work. Sometimes I get depressed and want to quit when I ride badly.

Tell us about your best kiting memory
There are many, but one of the best is probably a session in the middle of icebergs during a MANERA trip in Iceland. I also love adventures and living new experiences. Riding surrounded by seals in freezing water, slaloming in between icebergs with some of my buddies… It is priceless. These memories stay with you forever!

Your worst wipeout?
Most likely the one that blew up my knee, resulting in torn ACL and LLC ligaments, a broken meniscus, torn ankle and a small fracture on my tibia plateau all at the same time. I remember my knee touched the board while my foot was still in the strap. It was so painful that I thought my leg was broken in two pieces.

Who you would like to say thank you to?
Of course my parents for the life they’ve given me the opportunity to live! If it weren’t for them, I’d never be where I am now and I would have never had the chance to live from my passion and travel around the world.  Also to F-ONE and MANERA for giving me the chance to be in the water every day with amazing toys, and to travel to some incredible locations that I’d never visit otherwise.