Camilla Kemp (born 30 January 1996) is a Portuguese-born German surfer. She became the German champion in 2023. She competed in the 2024 Olympics in Tahiti.
Camilla Kemp | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 January 1996 |
| Nationality | Portuguese and German |
| Education | Deutsche Schule Lissabon |
| Occupation | surfer |
| Known for | first German Olympic surfer |
| Website | German site |
Life
editKemp was born in Cascais in 1996. Her mother was German and her father was Dutch and they sent her for an education to the Deutsche Schule Lissabon.[1] She was brought up near the coast and surf of the west coast of Portugal. It was here that she took up surfing.[2] She had an elder brother and under his influence she found her love for surfing.[3]
She competed initially for Portugal but she did not find much support. The German Surfing Association were very keen to find an athlete with a German passport who had learned to surf from an early age.[2] She found her home among a mix of surfers who shared German nationality. She felt at home and her sex has not an issue as it had been in Portugal.[1] She began a three year wait and in 2020 she changed her sporting allegiance from Portugal to Germany. It was approved by the International Olympic Committee.[4]
In 2021, Kemp and the German American Rachel Presti, became the first German surfers to qualify for the Challenger Series of the World Surf League.[5] In September 2023, she won the German surfing championship title.[1] At the ISA World Surfing Games in Arecibo in Puerto Rico in March 2024, Kemp reached eleventh place and she and Tim Elter qualified as the German representatives for the Olympics.[5]
In 2024 she became the first surfer to compete for Germany at an Olympics.[2] She still lives near and surfs on the Praia do Guincho in Portugal.[3] The surfing for the 2024 Paris Olympics took place in Tahiti[6] and she had to travel 15,000 miles to get there. She surfed on the famed Teahupoʻo waves which were the strongest she had ever experienced. She signed a petition against the construction of a TV tower to allow broadcasters close ups of the Olympic competition. She was in two minds as the tower, which was built, gives the athletes more exposure.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c "CAMILLA – Ein Porträt der deutschen Surfmeisterin Camilla Kemp". Surfers Mag (in German). Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ a b c d deutschlandfunk.de (20 May 2024). "Camilla Kemp - erste deutsche Surferin bei Olympischen Spielen". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ a b Wilkinson, James (2021-11-08). "SurfGirl Meets Camilla Kemp". SurfGirl Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ "IOC Board approves two changes of nationality". olympics.com. 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Camilla Kemp - Als erstes Deutsches Surfergirl bei der Challenger Series der World Surf League". Surfers Mag (in German). Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ Belam, Martin; Howcroft, Jonathan; Unwin, Will; Rendell, Sarah; Murrells, Katy; Belam (now), Martin; Howcroft (earlier), Jonathan; Unwin, with Will; Murrells (later), Katy (2024-07-28). "Paris 2024 Olympics day two:, swimming, gymnastics and basketball as Games continue – live". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-07-28.