Chantale Portelance just got her fiftieth anniversary in October 2016. This kindergarten teacher and mom of two child is recognized for her passion and determination. Sliding sports tracked by a sail are, undoubtedly, first place according to her criterias.
From the south shore of the St-Lawrence River, in Québec, Canada, it is in the winter of 2011 that she tried this unusual sport for the first time. The pack ice which is form from January to march offers an exceptional playground. It is by seeing a couple of riders on this greatest area on this unique surface in the world that she want to be initiated to this sport. Paule Gagnon and Jocelyn Cantin became over the years, not only good coaches but also excellent neighbors and friends with whom to share this passion.
Three years later, after having tried several sorts of kite, (paraskiflex, softkite and tubekite)on the pack ice or on the fields around the house, Chantale finally decide to try on the water with the help of a little push from her friend Paule. That was a major challenge. Several hours of practice were required to be able to get out of the water, the wind and make the turns. What patient this took without counting all the times that she show up to the spot and wait for the wind that finally didn’t show up. To improve her performances, Chantale visit her parents more often in Florida and took the opportunity to take some kite class’s with Ayyoub Sajidi from Aventure Sport at Matheson Hammock Park(the most courtesy school in Miami). Last December 31, it is with a lot of pride that she succeeded her IKO level 3, what a nice way to end the year and to begin her fiftieth.
During these years, Chantale share her passion with the members of her family (her son, her daughter, her nephew, etc.) and she shares with them precious moment in kite. In Québec on the snow or in the water at Cape Hatteras or in Florida, the memories do not miss because Chantale also practice the photography. She keeps a thousands of pictures and videos of different locations visited by this time by this sportive family. She’s dreaming of visiting the largest number of kite spots anywhere in the world.
Our rider of the month like to share this saying: If you can’t buy happiness, you can buy a kite. For her, this sport is therapeutic and the days without wind are a little more depressing. After work and in the morning when she wake up, she go observe the treetops to see if she could go on a ride. She would like that all those around her heard about her passion. This year, she bought a batch of little kites for her five years old students just to share her passion a little bit more. Because Chantale thinks that’s there is no age to learn this sport like there is none to stop practicing (Luis Comez, her idol prove it well). At the same time, guess the gift most often offered to her nephews and nieces… kites evidently.
If this little bit of woman (the mama) show up on a kite spot on a windy day, Canon camera around the neck, possibly accompanied by her son, daughter, nephew, sister or her husband ( that is always keeping an eyes on her to ensure her safety, riders on the snow and possibly a future one on the water…) Be sure, it will be with the smile that she will tell you the joy and the pride to practice the most wonderful sport in the world.
