Kite Boarding Guajira

Kiteboarding Guajira

We are Martin Vega and Sophie Jackl, a couple passionate about extreme sports. Almost 10 years ago we fell in love at sea while kiteboarding, an extreme sport that depends on the wind. Martin grew up in Puerto Colombia and has lived his whole life by the sea. He started windsurfing at just 12 years old, practicing, teaching and competing. In 2005 he learned kiteboarding and brought it to Puerto Velero.

He has spent almost 20 years teaching water sports and running sailing schools, and found his passion in the sport and in supporting young athletes. Sophie, originally from Germany, was one of Martin’s students and fell in love not only with the sport and La Guajira, but also with her instructor! She studied International Development in Vienna and last year founded the Jouktai Foundation.

Kiteboarding Guajira

She now runs the school and chairs the foundation. They opened the first Kiteboarding Guajira school in 2011. They arrived in Cabo de la Vela, a village in the middle of nowhere, in the heart of the desert. The beginning was tough: tourists only came in high season, until people found out it was the perfect place to kiteboard.

The sport caught the attention of the young people of Cabo de la Vela. We started by teaching Nelson, a Wayuu boy with 10 siblings, then his brother, cousins, friends and sister. Today he is 20 years old and owns his own kite school with his brother Adalberto.

Adalberto is part of the foundation, and thanks to the support of many friends and customers we were able to send him to China to qualify for the Olympic Games. From fishing and handicrafts, these young people became the protagonists of their own lives and futures, with more opportunities and a broader outlook: from 0 to 5 kite schools and steady, sustainable tourism all year round.

Click here to see the courses

Kiteboarding Guajira: courses and prices here

Kiteboarding Guajira – see the lesson price list