Ella

Ella is our expert on everything that has to do with Greenland paddling – which means, of course, rolling. Flexible as a cat, she has mastered the acrobatics of Greenland rolls with playful elegance. Her trademark in this – both when kayaking, but also more generally, is her great big smile, whether she happens to be underwater, the right way up, in the waves, between the rocks, or back at camp after a long and fulfilling day. When Ella is outside, and especially when she is out on the water, she is 100% happy. And this happiness is contagious. Ella’s speciality as a coach is getting people motivated, sweeping them up with her enthusiasm, and working on their skills: focussing on goals, but paying attention to the details, and starting the journey at whatever stage of development her students find themselves at.

Perhaps less widely known, but just as characteristic of Ella, is her passion for fire making, gathering things out in nature, and outdoor life in general. Wherever she is, her perseverance and determination and her astonishing ability to locate tinder and kindling mean that she always manages to get a fire going, no matter how bad the conditions. And it’s this meticulousness which she also brings to the work she does together with Yuri on developing new ideas and organising and caring for our equipment: repairing kayaks, paddles and drysuits – none of this is a problem for Ella who, as a skipper’s daughter not only grew up more or less on the water – but also surrounded by glue, resin, sandpaper, and fibreglass.