We are proud to announce that Wainman Hawaii team rider Hannah Whiteley's took first place in round two of the pro ladies British freestyle kitesurfing championships which were held in Barrow, UK from 27 - 29th May 2011. Hannah is attempting to retain her British freestyle championship title and to become the only woman to win the title in three consecutive years!!!

19 year old Hannah from Stockport, Cheshire said, "The wind was gusty and although I won, I didn't ride my best in the heats. I then faced a tough battle against my friend and fellow competitor Holly Kennedy who pushed me all the way in the finals. But I knew that I needed the points and went all out and was able to pull off the more difficult technical tricks which Holly couldn't land in the inconsistent conditions. It's always good to get a win under your belt at the start of the championships and I'm now looking forward to round three which will be held in North Wales from 24 - 26th June.”

With time to spare at the end of the finals she tried her hand at speed kiting and unofficially beat the Woman's British GPS speed record on a borrowed GPS system!!!
Hannah, whose hobbies include aggressive inline skating, wakeboarding, yoga, and snowboarding said, "I've always been competitive and am a bit of an all rounder when it comes to sport. I really enjoyed speed kiting; it's so exhilarating and such a different challenge to freestyle. I'm impressed with my time and am wondering if perhaps there's a future for me in speed kiting too. There is a speed competition in Namibia in October 2011 which I would love to take part in. I've heard that the course is amazing, one of the best in the world and has resulted in the setting of many world records."

Well done Hannah!

Picture credit: Ian Edmondson / www.expix.co.uk