Para Sailor Spotlight - Q&A with Willem Hooft

32-year-old Willem Hooft from the Netherlands, is a sit-kiteboarder and motivational speaker.

He discovered the sport in 2017, after a motorbike accident left him in a wheelchair. Never one to be held back, his big dream during his rehabilitation was to kitesurf the waves of South Africa – which he not only did, but conquered – recording the biggest ever jump on a sit-kiteboard while in Cape Town.

As founder of the The Willem Hooft Foundation, his mission is to promote the sport of sit-kitesurfing, and to make the sport more accessible to people with disabilities. He gives motivational talks worldwide about personal leadership, dealing with setbacks and living life to its fullest potential.

Willem says kiteboarding and being on the water allows him a feeling of freedom he can’t get elsewhere. We caught up with him to find out more.

When did you start sailing?

I started sit-kiteboarding  four years ago when I ended up in a wheelchair after having a motorbike accident. Before that I was a fanatic windsurfer. The main reason I love surfing is because it gets me as close to the feeling of freedom that I can get. Being out there on the water makes me really forget about everything in life that sometimes is on my mind. So that’s the main reason.

Who is your biggest supporter? 

My biggest supporter has been Thierry Schmitter who taught me to sit-kitesurf and my sponsors Slingshot Kite and Wind Voyager, who really give me a lot of confidence to push the limits further.

What are you most proud of?

What I’m most proud of is breaking the height record for sit-kiting last winter, when I went above ten metres in Cape Town. And it was just insane flying up there in the sky and looking down like, ‘wow’. Yeah, that is a feeling I will never forget.

What is your current focus? 

So, the thing that I’m working on most is finding the right balance between trying out new tricks and pushing the limits of the sport. But at the same time, not taking unnecessary risks and keeping myself safe. Finding the right balance between those two is always something I’m working on.

Why do you think it’s important to see Para Sailing back in the Paralympics?

I think it’s super important to have Para Sailing back in the Paralympics, but also to start creating a pathway for Para Kiting to be in future Paralympics, because water sports are just amazing. And as I said before, being out there on the water gives me a lot of freedom. I’ve seen so many people with all kinds of disabilities enjoying it so much – it gives back a lot of life for us. So yeah, I think the Paralympic Games can help to make the sport grow to another level.

What would you say to someone thinking about trying Para Kiting for the first time?

So, if you are interested in starting Para Kiting, I would say start with trying sit wakeboarding to get better board control. And once you manage to do that, contact one of the kiting schools that teaches Para Kiting. The risks are a lot less than many people think and it’s so much fun to do. I hope to see you on the water!

Tell us about the first Para Kiteboarding Development Clinic 

For three years I’ve been looking forward to the moment when we have international riders coming together to compete, but also to share their knowledge and experience. And it’s so amazing to have people from all kinds of places in the world together here. It really helps me to be even more motivated.

What is the best thing about Para Kiting?

I think the best thing about Para Kiting is that I literally forget about my disability. When I’m out there on the water, I have all my senses focused – like, where’s the wind? Where are the waves coming from? Where can I jump? I really forget about everything in life and just be in the moment with nature. And I think there isn’t a better feeling than just that freedom.