A little about me...
Hello, Karen Cartlidge, aka Bartiebat :) I started kiting in August 2004 after buying a Flexifoil Stacker 10 when we got married. In 2005 I discovered buggying!!! After never ever wanting to buggy jump, I started buggy jumping in February 2008 and also did my power kite, kite buggy and kite landboard instructor course. Unfortunately injury then took me off land for 8 months so instead I learnt to kitesurf. Once back in the buggy in 2009, my jumping began to really progress.
By the summer everything went a bit mental. I was asked to test buggys for Peter Lynn Kites New Zealand; a sponsored Team Rider for Peter Lynn Kiteboarding in Holland; I made my first appearance doing a trick sequence in Powerkite Magazine; won every round of the BKSA British Womens Kite Buggy Freestyle competition, (coming 2nd in the landboard); then I ended up on the BBC news!
The next year I won every round again, so headed off to Germany to compete in the European freestyle championships. Two minutes before the start of the comp I made a terrible mistake & put my foot down to stop (never put your foot down!) The doctors who fixed my injuries said I would never buggy or board again and after seeing how few girls all over Europe land freestyle, I made it my mission to find and encourage a few more and that's how this site came about.
During my broken year I watched tons of old kiting footage. I decided to turn them into freestyle trick guides which I hope will help anyone who comes across them. I've met some lovely ladies along the way (thank you all!) who've helped put together more trick guides, videos and photos to help build on this site.
Of course I ignored the doctors and the following year went on to beat the blokes in the Blackpool round of the 'Men's' British championships, coming second in the overall series!! Boys take it way too seriously!teehee, and so there seemed a nice place to finish my competitive career :)
There's still plenty of guys out there whom I will never be as good as, but that doesn't matter. For now I'm still loving every second of it and always on the look out for more girly freestylers, who I can help, ride with, or just post your pictures/videos of to help inspire a few more. If that sounds like you, get in touch! ...& I'll see you on a beach soon.
Ride Like A Girl! x