She's a first year SUP competitor and already a SUP Champion. SUP11-City Tour 2014 female winner, Janneke Smits is just amazed on how fast things have been going since she decided to start competing this year. If you wonder who she is, here is part of the answer...
Janneke ! Congratulations on your impressive victory. This was your 1st partipation to the SUP11 City Tour and you actually managed to win all 5 legs of the event. Did you expect to win before the race?
Janneke Smits : Thank you! No, I did not expect to win this race. I was hoping for a top 3, but thought 1st position was just an illusion.
Who are you Janneke Smits ?
Janneke Smits : I'm 31 years old and I live in Gouda, in The Netherlands. My husband and I have two little daughters, they are 2 and 4 years old. I own a SUP-school, Jaba SUP and a webshop, supboardshop.nl. I am also a swimming teacher and sports instructor (rowing on a ergo trainer) for a few hours per week. It’s a bit busy at this moment but next year I will try to focus more on my own (SUP)business.
What's your sports background and SUP history ?
Janneke Smits : I was born on a houseboat and I always had to deal with the water in some way. I did competitive swimming, compressed air diving, white water kayaking and rafting in a women’s team.
With the rafting-team we won 3 Dutch Championships, took part in 2 World Championships (South Korea in 2007 and Bosnia Herzegovina in 2009) and 1 European Championship (Wildalpen 2008, Austria).
We became World Champion in Sprint in Bosnia and 2nd on the Downriver discipline, in Austria we took the 2nd position overall. After the birth of our eldest daughter in 2010, I decided to stop rafting.
In 2013, I started my own sup-school Jaba SUP. In October 2013, I’ve met some other people who were into SUP and racing. With my SUP-buddy Albert Grossguth, I started training during the winter.
This year, I decided to take part in the Dutch Championship competition and now the SUP11city tour ... which I won!
The final race for the Dutch Championship competition will be held on September 21. If I win this race I will be the Dutch Female Champion
