Former University of Hawai‘i sailor headed to Olympics to compete in kiteboarding

A former University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa sailor is headed to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris to compete in kiteboarding, which is making its Olympics debut.

Daniela Moroz, 23, is a six-time Formula Kite World Champion and four-time U.S. Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, but she is looking to add Olympic medalist to her résumé in August.

Moroz, who grew up in the Bay Area in California, sailed at UH Mānoa in 2020–21 and competed in several competitions for the Rainbows.

“The sailing team was so much fun,” Moroz said. “It was just one of those things where you start school in a new place and you immediately have 15 best friends because you just bond over sailing and that was so cool.

“The people were just incredible and having that circle of friends to be able to go and hang out with was so much fun. Also for me, I didn’t have that much experience with actual boat sailing because my background was just kiting so I really appreciated how patient everyone was with me when I was still learning, and it was just a great opportunity to upskill myself and to improve in a new discipline of my sport.”

UH Sailing Coach Andy Johnson said Moroz is a happy, likable person who was a positive influence on the sailing team during her time at UH.

“She is driven to succeed and we are all extremely excited to watch her bring home a medal for all of us and our country,” Johnson said.

Moroz is excited for the Olympics.

“Growing up I always dreamed about going to the [Olympic] Games as any young athlete does,” When the possibility came around I was ‘yeah, I just gotta go for it.’ …Feeling nervous and every day I wake up and I see the countdown on my phone and we’re like ‘one day closer,’ and you’re just trying to figure out how to maximize every minute.”

The inaugural Olympic kiteboarding competition will take place at Marseille Marina, the official Olympics sailing venue, in the Mediterranean Sea. Moroz is one of 20 women competing for gold.

Kiteboarding will be one of 10 sailing events in France and kicks off on Aug. 4. Competitors are propelled across the water’s surface while holding a kite to harness the power of the wind.

Athletes require the balance of a surfer, while traveling at a similar speed seen in windsurfing. If the wind is strong enough riders can reach speeds of up to 46 miles per hour and have been seen jumping 20 feet in the air. Riders navigate a buoy-marked course through different winds, making tactical decisions and optimizing their equipment to maximize speed and efficiency.

After the Olympics, Moroz plans to return to UH Mānoa in spring 2025 to finish the remaining semester in her marketing degree.

Moroz expressed gratitude for the support she’s received from UH especially as someone who didn’t grow up in islands.

“When I would go to my professors and tell them I was missing class for a regatta, they were always like ‘oh yeah that’s awesome, go have fun.’ Everyone was always so supportive, always wanted to help and was interested in what I was doing which was so cool to feel that support,” Moroz said. “I’m really excited to come back and finish my degree.”