South African and African speed record holder. Slalom champion. The first woman in the world to win an 80 km windsurf race. Based in Langebaan — chasing 40 knot storms across the planet.
Karo was thirteen years old when her father first pushed her onto a windsurf board during a family holiday on the West Coast. Two decades later she is one of the fastest women on the planet — a multi-discipline professional rider who calls Langebaan, South Africa, home.
Between competitions she runs a wedding cake business and holds a degree in Food Science. On the water she races slalom, hunts down speed records, and chases waves — pushing her limits in the 40-knot storms that other riders run from.
Few windsurfers compete seriously across multiple disciplines. Karo does — from flat-water speed runs at over 80 km/h, to head-to-head slalom, to riding the surf back home in Langebaan.
Sub-300m and 500m runs in the gnarliest winds on earth. Personal best of 44.55 knots — a top-five all-time mark for women in the sport.
High-stakes head-to-head racing through downwind courses. IFCA African Slalom Champion and a fixture on the international scene.
Back home in Langebaan and across the Cape coastline, Karo trains in real ocean conditions on a 73L Severne wave board.
Selected results from a career spanning more than a decade of professional racing — from the West Coast of South Africa to Mauritius, France and Lüderitz.
Podium finish on fin at the world's largest windsurf race — a 1,500-rider mass-start spectacle.
Another home-water title at the iconic West Coast downwind classic.
Personal best — making her the 5th fastest female windsurfer of all time over 500 m.
Set, and then re-set, the continental speed record at the Lüderitz Speed Challenge.
The first female windsurfer ever to complete — and win — the gruelling 80 km Mauritius race.
Top of the podium at the IFCA African/Asian Slalom Championship.
National title in a multi-discipline series across South Africa's premier venues.
Four consecutive wins at the home-water classic — the beginning of a championship career.
From the speed channels of Lüderitz to the home swells of Langebaan — the world Karo competes in. Add your favourite shots to the slots below.
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Every record and every podium is built on the trust of the brands that back her. These are the partners who put Karo on the water.
Karo has been on the Severne international team since February 2016, riding the Reflex and Blade Pro race sails and Severne wave gear in every condition the planet throws at her.
Visit SeverneThe board under her feet for racing and free riding. Starboard's slalom and speed shapes have carried Karo to multiple national, African and world results.
Visit StarboardHand-shaped speed and slalom weapons used in record runs at Lüderitz and on the international circuit. Precision engineering for the fastest 500 m on the planet.
Discover AV BoardsVolkswagen Barons keeps Karo on the road — from Langebaan to Cape Town to every regatta on the South African coastline. Boards, sails and rider, all delivered to the start line.
Visit VW BaronsPrecision Swiss timekeeping on a wrist that chases hundredths of a knot. A natural partnership between a brand built on speed and an athlete who lives for it.
Visit TAG HeuerNashua Paarl and West Coast keep the back-office of a professional career running — so Karo can focus on the wind, the wave and the race.
Visit NashuaHand-built South African racing and speed fins — the unseen edge in every podium run. ZuluFins are forged for the brutal demands of slalom and speed sailing.
Discover ZuluFinsSpecialist speed fins for the ditches of Lüderitz and Walvis Bay. Engineered for one job: maximum knots on a 500 m run.
Discover GasoilWetsuits and impact gear built for cold open ocean and big-wind sessions — keeping Karo on the water year-round on the West Coast.
Visit O'SheaOcean-rooted swimwear and lifestyle apparel for the days between sessions. Gypsea backs Karo's mission of inspiring more women into the water.
Discover GypseaSalt, sun and 40 knot wind take their toll. Gary Rom keeps the hair in shape between record runs and photo shoots.
Visit Gary RomMedical-grade skincare from Dermasure and Zone keeps Karo's skin in shape after countless hours of salt, sun and 40 knot wind exposure.
Visit DermasurePerformance eyewear that stays put through high-wind racing and big crashes — protecting Karo's eyes against glare, salt and spray.
Discover GlogglzThe Cape Sport Centre in Langebaan — Karo's home base. The training ground where every record run begins.
Visit Cape SportSouth Africa's specialist surf and windsurf workshop, keeping Karo's gear ride-ready between continents and competitions.
Find Surf'n'CurveThe South African retailer behind the scenes — supplying, supporting and shipping the gear that keeps Karo on the start line.
Visit WindWaterWaves