Name/Nickname : Susi Mai
Age : 25
Resides : Cabarete Dominican Republic
Years riding : 6
Sponsors : Cabrinha, Red Bull, Animal
Equipment : Nomads and Caliber
If I wasn't a pro kiter, I'd be : Unemployed
What's in your iPod? : Linkin Park, Xavier Rudd, Eminem, Reggae
What are you watching right now? : True Blood (series on HBO)
Travel survival tip : Always have candy in your carry-on bag. It’s perfect for when you’re tired after a long flight and have to make it to the next plane/hotel.
Website : www.facebook.com/susimai

You've been crazy busy this past year with photo shoots, tv gigs, writing, and more. What are some of the highlights?
This year I’ve been all over the place. In Feb I organized a girls kiteboarding trip to DR and Necker island, together with Tuva Jansen, Tomoko Okazaki and Tracy Kraft. That was definitely my favorite thing so far this year. Aside from that I’ve done a road trip through Cuba, a tv pilot shoot in a studio in London, another TV shoot in California and Orlando and I was at the Triple S in Hatteras which is the best contest ever.

You and Tom Court and have been working (and playing) together quite a bit. In what ways does having someone or a crew to collaborate with help in this business?
It works really well when you travel with a boyfriend, not only because he can lift the heavy stuff and give you foot-rubs after a long flight but because you can make him stand on the beach and film or take pics of you. We are a lot more efficient at getting stuff out there when we do joint trips and even though there is the usual bickering over who does what, we usually come out of a trip with enough footage for a little web video and a small news section with some photos. Another important thing for me was having something constant in the ever changing lifestyle of traveling around the world. You’re less likely to get homesick when you have someone to talk to and someone who is just as jetlagged as you are.

Your Mai Tai Camp with Bill Tai is getting so much media play and attention in only it’s third year. What is the appeal?
It’s funny because we don’t actually advertise the MaiTai or tell anyone about it except for the people we invite. But everyone is so connected with Twitter, the fun they have spreads quickly. It’s amazing to see over the last few years it has grown to be what it is now and I think the main appeal is the fact that the event is so exclusive. Bill Tai, a venture capitalist from Silicon Valley, handpicks the participants and since he has a really good people sense it always ends up being a super interesting and positive crew. I’m really happy to be involved in something that combines high powered business people and kiteboarding. I find it amazing how some of the world’s smartest people are happy just flying a kite. For kiteboarding to gain critical mass, crossing over into the mainstream is essential. You've worked hard at this and have been successful. What can other riders do to bring kiteboarding to the next level. Bringing kiteboarding to new places starts from the bottom up. The first and most important thing is for a rider to be approachable. Back in the day people that have never ever seen kiteboarding before would come up to me with all sorts of crazy questions. One person actually asked me if the kites were filled with helium! So being understanding and patient with people is always key. Another good thing is to find something people can relate to and try to work kiteboarding in around the subject. A perfect example is the Cuba trip. We used Google Earth to find new kite spots. It was an entirely new way to explore the untracked.

What do you think would help getting more women into the sport?
I think the first thing we need to do is make more gear that targets women. Chicks wanna look good on the water and if they see a girly looking board/harness or bar in the shop it will make them want to go try it. Also, giving girls more attention in the sport will lead to more girls getting involved because they can relate. I didn’t get excited about kiteboarding until I saw girls ripping on the water.

[Interview AUG 2009]