With kitesurfing’s Olympic debut, this Hawaii sailor seeks to add gold to her resume

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Former University of Hawaii sailor Daniela Moroz is preparing to compete in her first Olympic Games in Paris.

The 23-year-old will be competing in kiteboarding — also known as kitesurfing — in its Olympic debut.

“It’s super exciting,” Moroz said.

“You just dream about it for so long. Growing up I always dreamed about going to the [Olympic] Games, as any young athlete does. When the possibility came around, I was ‘yeah, I just gotta go for it.’”

Moroz, who is six-time Formula Kite World Champion and a four-time U.S. Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year — is now looking to add Olympic medalist to her impressive resume.

The California native sailed two seasons for the Rainbow Wahine. Moroz’s athletic background is in kiting, meaning she didn’t have much experience with boat sailing prior to UH.

However, no challenge is too small for Moroz as she went on to make the UH team and competed in several competitions for the ‘Bows.

“The sailing team was so much fun,” Moroz said. “It was just one of those things where you start school in a new place, and you immediately have 15 best friends because you just bond over sailing.”

Following Paris, Moroz said she will return to UH to complete her marketing degree.

“Daniela is a very happy, likeable person and was a very positive influence on all of us during the time she spent with the UH Sailing team. She is driven to succeed, and we are all extremely excited to watch her bring home a medal for all of us and our country,” said UH Sailing Coach Andy Johnson.

Kiteboarders require the balance of a surfer, while simultaneously traveling at a similar speed as seen in windsurfing. Competitors must navigate through a buoy-marked course that requires both tactical and quick decision-making, optimizing their equipment to maximize both speed and efficiency.

Moroz, with her eyes set on gold, is one of 20 women competing for a medal. Kiteboarding is one of the 10 sailing events at the Games and kicks off Aug. 4 at the Marseille Marina.

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