Tuesday, February 25

Shortcutting

The Tour was cut short, what a bummer!

The KTA for this season was cut to two stops because of potical issues and economic issues in Thailand and some more issues in China I guess.

O well, lets hope it’s for the best.

I am a bit disappointed with this news as I really prepared for the season, trained hard and cleared out my schedule.
Although, I guess this is not what the universe wants for me right now.
I always believe that the world turns its ways to change towards the where you need to be.
Now I’d have some time to manage a few new projects that landed on my lap which am really really stoked about!

This KTA stop was really fun! I had an amazing Girl on fire Kite Camp with the girls prior to the competition and then a lot of my local girl friends started doing more tricks and even joined racing which am really stoked about since this is one of the goals of putting the kite camp together. Women Empowerment!  - in the most absolute fun way which is for me kiteboarding! Just going out there and being able to overcome fear, overcome your own limits and stretching your goals!
Ahhh am so happy.

I also had a nice heat but unfortunately I didn’t make it through but hey competition is always about fun and giving your best !


Here are a few snaps from the competition using my Sony Xperia (PS this phone is really awesome! I swear! )

Monday, January 27

Learning to Fail and Ride again

-Jan 23

I gave up,
As simple as that,
For the first time, in my entire life I gave up in the middle of a competition heat.
Ok maybe 2nd time, the first time was when I cannot catch my breath anymore in a
800m breast stroke race for competitive swimming when I was like 13 or something.
But ye, in my whole time competing for 2 seasons in kiteboarding, I gave up in the last minute of my heat.

The day before, “D Day” I gave up I had an accident involving the buoy again (which by the way happens in every single kitesurfing competition I joined, ever) I really don’t know what’s up with me, and getting tangled into buoys. This time it was different, the spot here in Indonesia was a bit of a challenge for everyone, strong currents and a really nasty shore break. I do love waves, especially with an inward current to help you get that extra push to ride a surfboard easier, but not when your 20meter lines are tangled with a buoy, and kite crashing on the shore break, kite lines around your body and in my bindings which made it very challenging for me to get those lines out of my body, after a few tears and maybe a liter of sea water down my throat I managed to get out of the situation and get my board out of my feet, I was safe back in the bay.
Whew. Talk about luck eh?
But I guess, what I had was nothing; compared to my roommate Bitna from Korea who was accidently on the way of a flying fish while she was practicing for the races, the fish went straight to her leg, causing a big hole that needed to be stitched, and to my fellow Filipino teammate Jay who got caught in one of the bigger waves outside the reef, his kite ripped apart and got caught in a strong rip current, the rescue took awhile to get to him because of the huge waves and shallow reef.

Thank god, everyone made it out safe.
There were a few more incidents that really scared the shit out of us

Including another tangling incident outside the reef and some alleged shark sightings from one of the racers.

Whew, Indonesia is truly exotic especially out at sea, being notorious for its awesome surf and also dangerous at that.

It did make me think again,
Just like the Philippines, mother nature resides in the most untouched of places around the world, with all her beauty and Wrath.

So going back to my D Day, that night (last night) I was dreaming about waves, but not the good kind, waves swallowing me in and not spitting me out.

Today, I had my last heat and when I crashed my kite with a Railey to blind attempt, what seemed to be a repeat performance from yesterday’s incident, I just said, fuck that am going in.

When I managed to get my kite up (thankfully!) I just went straight to the bay, I was not feeling it anymore, I was just scared.

I felt bad about myself for giving up but hey, we have to know our limits especially if it involves being in danger in nature’s arms.

The rest of the day I just spent listening to music, launched and landed kites for the team and at the same time packed my board bag so I can bring it back to Agro Beach Resort.

Like any other sport or activity I’ve done in the past, I fuckt it up so many times.
Some were even serious like dislocating my shoulder, getting a concussion, almost landing on the trees, things like these , but the moment these things happen I just wait it out for a bit (cry a little, for being a wimp and a whiney little girl, and being stupid sometimes) but of course always ready to just brush it all off and go again.

It is also easy for me to get scared to try new stuff when I get into a really bad crash, so I knew I had to go back and go out kiting again to keep the fear away.
Also, I had to do it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE or it would really be a difficult mental battle in the future, if I waited it out too long.


I was so keen to go back to Agro Beach Resort Right away for a sunset session to end my horrible day, nothing beats going out there on your own, no competition involved but just having fun for yourself and giving it the best you’ve got at nobody’s clock, which is what all this is about.

What I truly love about this sport is it’s some sort of religion you can do on your own (some soul searching) and also go radical on do some crazy tricks if you wish (to get some aggression out at some point). Either way, it’s perfect.

This trip has proved me two errrr three things.

1.     I don’t like racing. – because of the protests and you see people lying on their faces just to keep their winnings.
2.     I have a serious case of stage fright
3.     That I function worst when I drink instant coffee.

So what is the whole point of this whole two page article am writing?

Nothing much - just to share an experience; an experience that I am very proud to have gotten over. If you ask me, and a few other people that follow the Asian tour as well; they would say, I am very unlucky on competitions, I rarely win and usually needed rescuing, but am still here. Trying my luck and testing my limits, my patience, my character which I think most of us should do, just for some kicks, laughs, new lessons to learn, a battle with yourself, and to keep our feet on the ground; a constant reminder that in competitions, winning is not everything.  J

Kiteboarding, or boardsports in general has opened doors for me to be able to travel and meet new and amazing people from all around the world. Especially other girls.that rip, like estefania from Brazil who always helps me with me riding, she is so amazing and graceful out on her kite, and in this event I was able to ride with her in a heat which was super fun to be part of. Hihihi 

I am stoked on this opportunity that landed on my lap, on a random day. The day I started riding a board 

PS: Don’t forget to enjoy, have fun, explore, take lots and lots of photos and keep memories on your travels 

follow the KTA on Facebook


Wednesday, January 8

Getting all pumped for 2014.

Whut an effin' nightmare!
just kidding.
but yeah, seriously that was an intense 2 week holiday period of just tourist after tourist 
coming in for the holidays.
It's been difficult for me to kite lately due to the abundance of kiters in the water. no.1
and also for the events ive been hosting in Kasbah.
but hey, am not complaining. am just saying :)

after a great new year's party, as always.
i was able to sleep well, jan 2, not remembering that i 
have a PKA competition the next day...
aHHHHH.
i wanted to crawl out of bed in all fours to peel myself out and go ride
for a competition.
as usual i feel am not ready, never ready for anything like that.

being half asleep and also nursing a cold.
i had to compete for the first ever ICTSI kite tour in Boracay which also 
determines the National rankings in the Philippines.

but still am stoked to manage to make it to 3rd place overall freestyle and 1st in Nationals.

during the singles elim i managed to climb to 2nd but afterwards during the doubles my cold was turning into a flu and my ronix boot broke.
For some reason i also always manage to get tangled in the bouy during my heats.
o well, i guess ive been focusing to much on being able to do my tricks inside the competition zone.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
this experience has taught me a lot again

it was a great start of the year and am feeling the good vibrations already.

Forgive me for not updating this space some more there are a lot of projects instore in the next few months which am really excited about.

A year of fun and good vibrations to everyone. Namaste !

PS: don't forget to follow the Philippine Kiteboarding Tour here.
and my instagram at : @paularosales

we were on yesterday's paper.




Tuesday, December 17

Roxy Does

in an effort to increase the confidence of women around the world, Roxy brings you this 5 ep series of fun filled boardsports action packed with a lot of pink flowers and smiles.

and of course a cool reason to escape and enjoy the sea. 

Watch through all first 4 episodes and laugh with us with Roxy does Baler.

Creds to my fellow Roxy Shredder Tamara Benitez for the sick edit and concept.

Check out some kiteboarding action and a lot of stupidy on my end at Ep. 2 - yes as you know i have not entertained the idea of having a real car for the last 4 years, since i live in a 1-road island, so it's been a funny ordeal to drive again. hehe


Enjoy!






ROXY Does Baler - Episode 1 from Tamara Benitez on Vimeo.

ROXY Does Baler - Episode 2 from Tamara Benitez on Vimeo.

ROXY Does Baler - Episode 3 from Tamara Benitez on Vimeo.

ROXY Does Baler - Episode 4 from Tamara Benitez on Vimeo.

Thursday, November 14

lessons from the rain



shit that was scary. i really thought i was gonna die.
ok yeah its not like this when i crash really bad because its just me,
and nobody else is involved in the extreme sport but me. its not that kind of scared..

on this case, its your whole life, the people that you love, your friends, your enemies, your co workers, everybody.

its insane to be in a situation when everyone think its the end of the world.
i admit i was scared, shit scared.

but i was proud to say that i did prepare for this storm.
in the last month ive been anxious and restless with no apparent reason, and always blaming it on mercury retrograde, things happening that are so random and upside down, to a point that i even came as the girl who is "not ready" for halloween just to have a few laughs about it.
am so glad to be with my "older sister" anamie who has been taking care of me. my yoga mentor, and mom on the island louise, and her family especially the two lovely girls satya and jordan who kept our spirits alive and keeping up with pure intentions. to rozie, clu and eminand djila who was also with us during the storm.


i vividly remember when i was young, i'd be so happy when there is a typhoon because we can stay at home and play in the rain before the sun sets, go to the beach and brave some rain while laughing and trying to outrun the neighbor's dog. when the storm hits you run indoors watching the chaos outside through your room window, when the night comes playing card games and reading books/ playing with your shadow inside the little fortress you built outside the garden made up of your blanket, lit by candelight, snuggling up with your siblings, this is how a stormy day and aftermath is like. when i was young.

but a category 5 storm was something ive never experienced before.
shit scared.
to the point that i even said my goodbyes to dear people in my life


but yes, so it seems to me that i was preparing for something huge but i was not ready and just dont know  what i was really preparing for. preparing my presence of mind, keeping my heart warm and putting on personal challenges in my life.

and then it hit me, all those learnings in the past few months through my favorite hobbies yoga and kiting and just everything thats happening around me, has brought me to a conclusion that i was preparing for this. this b*tch yolanda coming in trying to destroy the spirit of my beloved country with all its beauty and warm people.

am so grateful that i was at this state of self, to be a survivor in this aftermath.
apparently, due to a lot of LUCK, our island was spared from total loss of life compared to the survivors in leyte, samar, bohol and the list goes on. all those people that lost everything including their loved ones. those who dont have food to eat, no shelter, no water to drink and no loved ones to help each other survive.

I admit the load was too much for me to carry,all my staff, my friends and family, i was not ready.

if you check out the satellite images when the typhoon was passing through PANAY island, the eye of the storm suddenly disappeared and what was a category5 became more like a 3 which was a big sigh on my heart.
this is also a grave example on why the Filipino people have strong faith in GOD, good karma, allah,  or whoever is out there.


so i would like to take this time to thank every single human soul out there who has helped us filipinos in any way you know how to survive this aftermath, you should know that we are grateful and we will immensely pray for your good heart.
as of now we don't have much here in Boracay, but we are ok, there are more people out there who need your help more than we do. please send all relief goods and through the areas of Capiz, Antique, Leyte those that need it most.



we are now in #lifeafteryolanda day 6.
electricity in the main road is back, And most establishments are running on Generators, although fuel is running low on supply.
power and clean water is conserved.
phone signals are on and off.
most of the people here have no work since
the airport was closed for a few days.


but in the end what matters the most is that we are alive and tried the best way we can to survive this aftermath. i actually like this whole idea being back to how it was like to live in Boracay the first time i came here when i was a kid.

we sleep under the stars, the moon is your streetlight, you hang out with your friends amidst tall trees and fireflies. you play in the sea during daytime, you come to work using pen and paper and not your smartphone. it is amazing how mother nature teaches us lessons to live well in a new perspective, and she does it through all her beauty and fury. it truly clenses away all the unnecessary if you look at thr big picture in this thing called life.


in line with current situations i've learned a few things.some of this may not make sense but yeah thats what ihave in my mind and heart right now. and i might add, some of these lessons were learnt thehard way.


1. conserve. conserve your energy and your usage of any form of energy in everything that you do.
if you can't conserve your energy, breath some new energy (prana). practice yoga.

2. time is gold. so use it wisely and spend it with people that respect the value of your time.

3. Be grateful. always

4. have good intentions for yourself and for others and you will find happiness.

5. go on daylight saving time.

6. live in-sync with your natural environment and you will find peace

7.practice free energy sports harnessing natural elements.
go kiteboarding, it gives you a different perspective of nature and the element of the wind and sea on how powerful it is. learning to respect the other living things in this earth.

8. spend some time in hardship away from your comfort zone, its character building.

9. live a purpose driven life, dont exercise your right to live, maximize it for the greater good.

10.sometimes we need to be selfish to be selfless.


i know a few of you my kiteboarder friends from around the world is scheduled to come visit me and see my wonderful country full of good intentions, i am happy for you in braving to come, especially my girlfriends from the Triple S, all the KTA riders coming in on FEb, my friends from Greece, Paris and Amsterdam , FlyTheEarth and a lot more, i maybe too busy rebuilding my home, my island life, to organize all our trips, and help you on your itinerary but when the time comes, spend a day with me or two or even more and i will find time. share a piece of this to you, let me show you around the way i know how. feel the nature we live in the way we live it, and understand why i believe the filipinos are the happiest people on earth.

in times of darkness and rain, find time in appreciating the little things, for it is in them we hold most of our energy.

PS: for those who want to help, please help in your own little ways.
--- and remember to always have good intentions.
be a patron
a positive vibration patron.
Staying Strong. :)