GIRLS ON TOUR WITH PAULINE KATZGIRLS ON TOUR WITH PAULINE KATZThe day after the Pozo World Cup, while most competitors are winding down, Pauline Katz is just getting started. The Swiss wave sailor and founder of Girls on Tour has made it her mission to introduce more women to wave sailing, connecting aspiring sailors with the worlds best female professionals. Now in its fifth year, the initiative has already helped several young sailors make the leap onto the PWA World Tourand its continuing to grow. Windsurf caught up with Katz during this years Pozo camp to find out how Girls on Tour is helping shape the future of womens windsurfing.Photos: Inna Bru and John CarterWINDSURF: Tell us whats happening here today.PAULINE KATZ: This is Girls on Tour. Were here the day after the Pozo World Cup for our annual Sail with the Pros session. This is now the fifth edition of the camp. The whole idea is to bring more women onto the water and help raise the level together.We invite all the women around Pozo to sail alongside the professional riders. Before we go out we give some coaching on jumping and wave riding, then everyone heads onto the water together. Last year we had around 50 participants, which was amazing.WINDSURF: Was Girls on Tour your idea?PAULINE KATZ: Yes, it started as my idea, but from the very beginning I had incredible support from all the professional women. Theyve been involved since the first year and today we have more than 15 coaches. Almost every woman who competed in the World Cup is here helping with the camp. Well have around 20 to 25 participants this year, and its fantastic to see everyone working together.WINDSURF: Have you seen the project making a real difference?PAULINE KATZ: Definitely. Every year weve introduced one or two new girls to sailing at Pozo. Many of them come from flat-water backgrounds, so the conditions here can be intimidating. We pair each newcomer with a coach who helps them get in and out of the water and build confidence. One great example is Alina. The first time she came to Pozo was through Girls on Tour. She met all the professional sailors, trained alongside them, and now, just three years later, shes competing on the World Tour herself. Thats exactly what we hoped would happen.WINDSURF: Does meeting the pros make competing seem more achievable?PAULINE KATZ: Absolutely. The girls realise the professionals are approachable. They can ask questions, sail together and learn directly from them. It makes competing feel accessible rather than something thats out of reach. Thats really important because a few years later many of them are sailing alongside the same women who coached them.WINDSURF: Youre now expanding beyond Pozo?PAULINE KATZ: YesThis year were also launching Girls on Tour in Fuerteventura. The organisers there have often struggled to reach the minimum number of women needed for competition, so were working alongside the World Cup events to help grow participation. The hope is that in a few years we wont have that problem anymore because there will simply be more women competing.WINDSURF: You originally came here from Switzerland. How did that happen?PAULINE KATZ: Im Swiss and I moved here six years ago. Originally I came with my partner and I never planned to stay or compete. But I started sailing every day, learned my front loops and really improved. It completely changed my life. Now Pozo feels like home, although I still travel a lot.WINDSURF: What makes Pozo such a special place?PAULINE KATZ: Its the village atmosphere and the people. The local community is incredibly welcoming. And of course, you can sail almost every day. If you want to improve your wave sailing, its the perfect training ground. For me it was ideal because I could go to the gym in the morning and sail every afternoon. The consistency means you improve so quickly.WINDSURF: What do you do when youre not organising Girls on Tour?PAULINE KATZ: My background is actually in engineering. I worked as a transport mobility planner in Switzerland. When I moved here I couldnt continue that job remotely, so I repaired sails for a while, taught maths online and later became a journalist, writing for Swiss sailing magazines.This year Girls on Tour has grown to around eight events, so Ive stopped the journalism and now Im concentrating on coaching and developing the project full-time.WINDSURF: So Girls on Tour is becoming much bigger?PAULINE KATZ: The vision isnt for it to be only my project. Ive built the structure, but now professional sailors can come to me and say, Id like to organise a camp at my home spot. Then we work together to make it happen. Thats how we want the project to keep growing.WINDSURF: What keeps you passionate about windsurfing?PAULINE KATZ: Being outdoors is a big part of it. But its also a sport where youre never finished learning. Every session is different because the conditions change all the time. Right now Im working on my taka, and once you learn one move, you immediately want to learn the next one. You never get bored.WINDSURF: Do the professional sailors learn from each other as well?PAULINE KATZ: Of course. Ive learned so much from sailors like Sarah-Quita Offringa and Daida Moreno over the years. Thats one of the nicest things about this community. Even the worlds best riders are constantly sharing ideas and helping each other improve.WINDSURF: What would make this years camp a success for you?PAULINE KATZ: If just one more participant decides to compete on the World Tour next year, Ill be happy. Thats always my goalto bring new girls to Pozo, help them believe they belong here and then see them return as competitors. When they spend time with us they realise were approachable, were friendly, and that makes a huge difference.Hopefully its the first step towards the next generation of womens wave sailors.Find out more here:Girls on Tour We ride. Stronger together.UPCOMING FREESTYLE GIRLS ON TOUR FUERTEVENTURASail with the pros: Special freestyleRegister here:Girls on Tour / Fuerteventura Sotavento / 22 July 2026 / Sail with the Pros Special FreestyleFuerteventura, SotaventoReady to sail with the most stylish freestyle sailors? Join an exclusive freestyle session with pro female windsurfers from the World Cup.This is all about freestyle energy, creative riding, and trying new moves with some of the best female freestylers in the world. Set in the legendary conditions of Sotavento, at the Ren Egli Center, its made for independent riders (offshore wind conditions!) who want to push, play, and progress with the pros right next to them.Expect a fun, creative and high-energy session, plenty of time on the water, and that feeling of just going for it with a crew of like-minded women.Price 501 coaching sessionGoT t-shirtPhotos & videosThe post GIRLS ON TOUR WITH PAULINE KATZ appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.