Formula Kite Champion Inspires Pupils

A huge thank you to Team GB formula kite surfing champion Maddy Anderson (Cribb’s 2013, Jaguars) who returned to Alleyn’s to inspire our youngest pupils with her journey into the technical, challenging, and high-speed sport of formula kite surfing. 

Maddy, who is one of the top 10 women in the world at formula kite surfing shared her passion for the sport during a Junior School Alumni Assembly. She shared how the sport works, the dedication it takes to train and compete and the importance of working as a team, including her experience as training partner to Ellie Alldridge who claimed gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Formula kite surfing made its Olympic debut in Paris and was the fastest sport in the entire Olympic program. Competitors harness the power of wind using kites to navigate hydrofoil boards, achieving incredible speeds. 

Maddy spoke about her journey from competitive sailing to learning formula kite at university where she studied French and Portuguese. She talked about the power and benefits of languages and the exciting things she’s been able to be involved in because of her linguistic skills. She explained to the pupils: 

“You never quite know where the subjects you learn will take you.” 

The Junior School pupils were incredibly excited by Maddy’s story and asked lots of questions including ‘What House were you in?’ ‘How long is a racecourse?’ ‘What was your favourite subject at school?’ and ‘How hard is it to stay on the board?’ 

Thank you Maddy for returning to Alleyn’s and inspiring our youngest pupils!