A Family That Rides Together, Stays Together.

© rumbum.com, Ted Pacelli

Guiterrez at Board up Miami

The shore unites the sea world to land, the rope unites the rider to the boat and the wakeboard unites a family to a sport they love. Families are constantly looking for ways to spend time together and bond. Many have family nights, some go out to dinner while others vacation together. For the Gutierrez family, wakeboarding has become their way to bond and become a closer family.

The Colombian native, Angela Gutierrez, started skiing in Bogota, Colombia at a very young age. “My entire family skis, my brother Camilo Gutierrez is the number two wakeboarder in the world.” Angela practiced trick skiing for about 14 years and started wakeboarding two years ago but she had taken a break of almost 20 years. During the break, she dedicated time to building a career but quickly realized that wasn’t for her.

Angela started out as a lawyer, “Law is what I wanted to do the most with my life.” but she quit the “law thing” cause she thought it was too boring. She then went into television and radio. She had a radio show in Colombia for ten years, working for a program called “Buscando la Noche” Spanish for finding the night. She also worked in T.V for about five years on a show called “Stars” where she interviewed international celebrities. Even though she loved working in T.V, her husband wasn’t so fond of her public life. So, she gave it up and started dedicating time to the things in her life that truly mattered.

“I started wakeboarding with my brother two years ago. He convinced me and said even though I was 40 I wasn’t too old. I guess he was right you’re never too old to have fun.” The now 42 year old describes wakeboarding as a way of “freeing” herself. There seemed to be some kind of liberty by giving up the daily routines of getting up early to go to a sedentary boring job, Angela always wanted something more. “I’m a free spirit person, wakeboarding makes you feel free and alive and gives you a world of your own.” she continues to say, “I’m married and my husband has a life, he has a job and he has his sport, and this (wakeboarding) has given me my own space and liberty” but most importantly it has given her a well needed space with her family. “My son is 13 years old and he wakeboards and we enjoy that time together and that for me is the most important part of my sport that I get to share this with my son and my whole family. My whole family wakeboards. The Colombian team in Board Up this year was my brother, my two nephews and me.” Angela says the best thing about the sport is that, “It’s a family sport, it’s full of music, and it’s full of friends, its just fun.” and her brother Camilo agrees saying. “It’s the reason we do it, it keeps the family together. We’re a water family.”

For the Gutierrez family the most important part about the sport is that it allows them time with their children. Camilo says, “My biggest accomplishment is how proud my kids feel about me.” and for Angela it’s something she can share with her son, “For us it’s family time. It’s the point where we bond, completely bond and it’s been great to have him around me.”

At the end of the day she’s not a lawyer, she’s not a T.V personality she says, “I’m a mom and a wakeboarder.”