Team

Katrien

Founder and owner

I am a mom of 2 little boys with a passion for surfing and the ocean. I started surfing 18 years ago at the age of 25 in Portugal and fell in love with the sport.  Since then I was totally hooked, trying to surf whenever and where ever I could.  When I started Chicks On Waves 14  years ago,  I wanted to get more girls in the water. Because everyone can learn to surf!  Living in Portugal is just great: the sun is out 300 days per year, almost always a wave to surf and Portugese people are lovely.

Anina

Chef 

Anina is our lovely chef and will serve you delicious and healthy food with fresh and local products carefully chosen from the market every day. She is also a passionate surfer. She’s originally from Switzerland.

Aude

Massage therapist

Hello and welcome! I am Aude, a licenced massage therapist with 13 years of experience.I have always had a passion for natural healing and massage has always been one of the most natural and instinctive ways to relieve pain and discomfort.
Massage is also one of the best preventive medicines there is. My approach to massage is very holistic and to an extent spiritual and emotional as well.I believe that as a therapist , i am here to help people feel good inside and out. My mission is to bring the highest quality of care and healing to each massage session.I give ayurvedic massage, dynamic thai massage or a combination of both.

Marilina

Yoga teacher

I have always been a traveler and a seeker, my life adventure brought me to this beautiful corner of Portugal 5 years ago and I never left since. I see life as a never-ending cycle and yoga helps me find the connection with myself, my body, and my mind again and again. Passionate about continuously learning, creativity is what fuels me. The more I explore and learn, the more I am able to share. My goal is to bring the ancient wisdom of Yoga into a modern tangible language that everyone can access and embody within their lives to gain a better state of mind & body well-being. I teach Hatha Yoga Flow and Restorative and I also surf, so rest assured I will get you ready to jump on the board and catch those waves! My classes are carefully sequenced and alignment-based. Gently challenging and deeply nourishing. I invite you to listen to your body and move with the breath to flow with ease and grace through the different postures and the challenges life throws at us.

Isabelle

Surf coach

I’m Isabelle, I’m from the Netherlands. I’ve been coming to Portugal since I was young to visit my grandma who lives in the Algarve. Here is also where I took my first surf lesson many years ago and I was hooked from day one. After I finished school I went to Indonesia to become a surf coach and after I worked in Spain, Panama and Portugal teaching people how to ride waves. My favourite thing about surf coaching is the smile it puts on people their faces when they catch their first wave. Since surfing is still a very male dominated sport and I often find myself being the only girl in the water. I love the concept and working for Chicks on Waves, motivating and teaching other women how to have fun in the waves with me.

Roza

Surf coach

Roza is our new addition to the Chicks on Waves team this year. She is Dutch, 21 years old and always bringing the good vibes with her sunny smile !