Most of you who follows this blog have already had a taste of Emelie’s amazing creativity and passion.
She is not only incredibly creative, but also spontaneous and one of the most humble persons I know. In the interview with me (Christine) you’ve already read what I think about my sister, but for you who would like to get to know her a little better:
Here’s an interview with Emelie!
How did you came up with the idea of Expedition: Lofoten?
I was chatting with a friend from my time in Banff – Seb. He has worked in Lofoten and was impressed that Christine and I had bought a sailboat, and pitched the idea that we should sail to Lofoten. We began to dream a little bit about the idea of combining sailing and snowboarding, and suddenly we had received grants from the Swedish Sailing Federation and the idea was rolling.
What will be your biggest challenge on this journey?
There are many challenges, there are a lot we’ll get through before we can sail away. During the trip, I think what’s most challenging for me will be to overcome the discomfort I sometimes feel. Nature is so powerful – avalanches and stormy seas can be very frightening.
What do you think is your best feature?
That I’m driven. When I’m passionate about something, I put my whole soul into it.
Name one good and one bad quality with Christine. How’s she to work together with?
Christine also has a large drive, she’s very tough and can take on any challenge. She is a team leader, which makes it easy to work with her because I myself don’t like to take command. The bad thing is that she can be so stubborn sometimes it is difficult to discuss with her, haha.
When did you start to sail and snowboard?
We both grew up at sea in our father’s Safir SY19. We went on sailing camps a for few years and today we have our own Safir SY82. I skied not long after I learned to walk. Around the age of 14, I think it was, I switched to snowboarding. The feeling of surfing in powder could be the best feeling ever!
Why is the environment such an important issue for you?
It’s scary to think about what is happening to the world today, but we can no longer ignore it. I love to be at the open countryside, among mountains and in the archipelago, and I want to fight for nature to continue to be as beautiful as it is.
What is your best sailing – / snowboard memory?
There are so many! I have very strong memories of when the whole family were sailing in the Caribbean in a catamaran for a week. I was very moved by the locals who were so exotic and friendly, and the dolphins followed us in the sea. Another great memory is when we were in Revelstoke, it was the best snowboarding experience I’ve had so far.
What do you do to improve the world we live in?
I think of recycling and buy a lot of things on second hand, especially household items and furniture. I’m also a navy ambassador at WWF and I try to think of eating environmental friendly.
Why do you think it is important to highlight women in male-dominated sports?
Us girls may not always have the same conditions in certain sports as guys, but that doesn’t mean we are worse because of that. We also need to be seen and recognized to work towards an equal society. Girls and boys have different characteristics, I think that we will reach the furthest in a collaboration between us. Girls often have properties of impact-thinking and maternal instincts that are good to take advantage of in action sports. It can be a disadvantage if you are too reckless when you are in avalanche terrain or at large seas, among other things.
Favourite travel destination?
I always dream about the places where I haven’t been yet. So far I’ve visited new countries instead of returning to places where I have already been. But I also appreciate being able to visit friends that you acquire when you are traveling, there are not many opportunities to meet even those that you’re closest because of the distance.
What do you hope to achieve with this project?
I hope we can reach out to as many people as possible to start thinking about paying attention to girls for equal sports. I also hope to inspire others who are hampered because they do not think they’re able to realize their dreams. If we can – anyone can! Oceans and mountains are our game fields, therefore, I hope that we can create understanding of how nature is affected by how we live today, hoping to be able to make a difference!
