Merle Mönster
Program: Kite
Title: Head Coach
Courses Taught: AP Statistics, Environmental Science, Media Productions, P.E., and The College Experience
Resume:
M.Sc. in Sports Science at the University of Innsbruck
I grew up in Hamburg, Germany, where I got passionate about windsurfing and kitesurfing at an early age thanks to my family. Six years ago, I joined the Duotone Kiteboarding & ION team. Since then, I have won freestyle championships in Austria and the Dominican Republic as well as big-air competitions in Germany. In the GKA freestyle world cup in Taiba I finished 7th. Working as a qualified kitesurf and SUP instructor in Australia and exploring various other countries all over the world, has fostered my personal growth and thirst for adventures. I enjoyed kitesurfing during midnight sun in the stunning scenery of Lofoten Islands or jumping off the White Dune in Dakhla, Morocco. I have been happy to call Innsbruck my home since 2018. I completed my master’s degree there in Sport Science with a specialization in coaching programs in elite sports. My thesis project was a ‘training concept for performance-oriented kitesurfers in the disciplines of hydrofoil racing and freestyle’. To gain coaching experience, I assisted at a boarding school for Austria’s best junior freestyle snowboarders. I love traveling in the van and spending time outdoors! Especially when I can share it with family and friends and have a board underneath my feet – whether it is a kiteboard, snowboard, skateboard, or surfboard.