Daily Inspiration: Meet Olya Raskina

Today we’d like to introduce you to Olya Raskina

Hi Olya, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been windsurfing since I graduated from university in 2005. After moving to Dahab, Egypt—one of the windiest places on Earth—I spent a couple of years training every day, driven purely by my passion for the sport. By 2008, I was competing on the World Cup circuit, and a top 10 finish that year skyrocketed my motivation. From that moment, I knew I was hooked; windsurfing and coaching became my life’s calling.

In 2014, I achieved a major milestone by securing sponsorships from Red Bull and Roxy, and that same year, I became a World Cup medalist. Since that time I was on the water every day. I won multiple SUP racing competitions in Eastern Europe and in 2021 became a vice-European champion in windsurfing freestyle.

My passion for sharing the sport led me to create Windsurf Be Camp, a unique multi-sport clinic that attracts participants of all ages from around the globe. This year, I have three more clinics lined up: Mauritius, which is fully booked; Hawaii, Maui, from November 23rd to December 1st; and Dahab, Egypt, from December 21st to January 11th, where I still have a few spots available.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey of a professional athlete is never without its struggles. I’ve faced my share of difficult times, particularly when injuries forced me to step away from the sport I love and focus on endless recovery. But life has also thrown me some unique, albeit fun, challenges—like having two babies (my sons are now 6 and 8 years old) while still competing. I vividly remember competing in the World Cup when my first son was just 5 months old. I literally had to run between my competition heats to breastfeed him.

Recently, the toughest challenge for our family has been adjusting to life in three different countries over the past three years. In 2022, we moved to Portugal, fleeing the war, and now, in 2024, we’ve just settled into Manhattan Beach. The community here has been incredibly welcoming and friendly, making the transition smoother. But despite the warmth, we still feel homesick at times.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a professional athlete and a certified coach in windsurfing, SUP, freediving, and swimming. My passion for water sports runs deep, and the ocean has been my home for many years.

I organize and lead windsurfing clinics called Windsurf Be Camps in stunning locations worldwide. While windsurfing is at the core, we offer a variety of incredible activities, including SUP, surfing, hiking in the mountains, and even swimming with whales. Mauritius is a truly special destination where you can experience all of these adventures, including the unforgettable and safe experience of swimming with sperm whales—an adventure that will stay with you forever. Hawaii, Maui, is our new camp destination where we’ll go from November 23 until December 1 to provide our exclusive Windsurf Be camp with windsurfing, wingfoiling, surfing, hiking, freediving, yoga and other fun activities. We will also have a kids camp there, which is great, because these are kids holidays. You can send me an email to windsurf.beauties@gmail.com and I will send back all the info regarding upcoming camps.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Many people assume that I began my sports career as a child and gradually developed into an athlete during my teenage years, but that’s not the case.

I actually started windsurfing at the age of 21 and became a Red Bull athlete on my 30th birthday. I’m proud to break the stereotype that says, “If you don’t start young, you won’t succeed.” Success comes when you put your heart and soul into something, no matter when you start.

Pricing:

• a windsurfing camps vary from 600 to 1200 usd depending on location and program
• individual lessons vary from 50 to 150usd depending on the sport and location

Contact Info:

• Website: https://windsurfbecamp.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olyaraskina/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olya.raskina1/

Image Credits
All photos are made by a professional photographer Kirill Umrikhin @kirillumrikhin