team

Adapting

Opposites attract each other

Maria expands what it means to be a waterwoman - she embodies the power of choice, challenge, and change. Hailing from the cold winds of Northern Germany, yet often found training under the sun in warmer waters, she has mastered the rare art of thriving in extremes. But what truly sets her apart? She doesn’t just compete professionally in one water sport—but two.
Her story is one of balance, discipline, and the pursuit of excellence, twice over. Her ability to excel in two distinct sports reminds us that boundaries—be they seasonal, geographical, or mental—are made to be pushed.

ION Tales of the waterwomen Maria Behrens

Get to know Maria Behrens

WATERWOMEN LIFESTYLE

Born and raised in northern Germany with Spanish roots, 21-year-old Maria Behrens grew up with water in her blood and wind on her face. Her parents—both passionate windsurfers—introduced her to the sport when she was just 12. Over time, Maria not only learned the sport but fell in love with the lifestyle that came with it. What began as a hobby soon turned into a passion, and eventually, a professional pursuit.

Then in 2020, wing foiling appeared on the horizon—a brand-new sport on the Baltic Sea. What started as a fun experiment for light-wind days soon turned into the perfect combination: wing foiling when the wind is light, windsurfing when it’s strong. Maria began competing in wing foiling as well—first in Freestyle, and more recently in Big Air.

For the love of waves

Despite sharing her time between different disciplines, Maria’s heart belongs to the waves. Windsurfing is where she pushes her limits—it's intense, physical, and demands full focus. You're in constant contact with the water, and every wave or jump takes serious energy and effort.

Wing foiling offers a softer contrast, especially at the start. With her windsurfing background, Maria picked it up quickly. While it may seem more relaxed, freestyle wing foiling still brings a physical challenge—just with a different rhythm, floating above the water rather than crashing through it.

She trains for both sports in similar ways: explosive workouts for jumping, and balance exercises to stay sharp during wave riding and carving. Mentally, wing foiling feels a bit lighter—progress often comes faster, which is motivating. Windsurfing, on the other hand, requires patience and resilience. Moves like the backloop take time to master, and that pressure to perform consistently in competition can be tough. But Maria thrives on that challenge—it’s what keeps her going.

Balancing Two Sports (and a Lot of Flights)

Switching between two elite disciplines sounds like a logistical nightmare—but Maria embraces it. “Yes, it’s hard. Competitions often overlap, and you have to choose. But I never wanted to choose. I love both.”

That love comes with a price. More gear. More travel. Less rest. “One event can easily mean a month away from home. You arrive early to train, compete for two weeks—it’s intense.” To handle the pressure, Maria sticks to a strict routine: stretching, gym sessions, injury prevention, and mindful recovery. “Discipline is everything when you’re juggling two sports.”

When she hits a wall in one sport, she leans into the other. “If I’m stuck on a windsurf move, I’ll switch to wingfoiling for a few days. That break brings back the joy, and usually, I come back to windsurfing more relaxed, more fluent. It’s a mental reset.”

ION Amaze Tales of the water women Maria Behrens

Knowing when to push and when to let go

Maria’s mindset is part of what sets her apart. She’s intensely ambitious—thanks in part to her background in athletics—and thrives on challenge. But she’s honest about the emotional highs and lows that come with competition. “When I lose a heat, I need time alone. I rewatch the footage, analyze what went wrong, talk to my parents, and then I move on by supporting others. Being there for my friends helps me reconnect with the love for the sport.”

She relies on pre-competition rituals to stay grounded: visualization, calming music, and then a shift to full-send mode with her favorite rock tracks

Balance in motion

Training between northern Germany and tropical spots like the Canary Islands requires constant adaptation. “In winter, you wear a thick wetsuit, hood, gloves—it’s heavy. You feel slower, and your sessions are shorter. But those harsh conditions make you technically sharper.” Warm water, on the other hand, means longer sessions, more freedom of movement, and higher performance potential. “But you need to hydrate all the time. Each climate comes with its own lessons.”

Maria’s gym training stays consistent—mostly explosive power, stability, and balance—but she fine-tunes based on location and season. “Wingfoiling builds a lot of core tension, especially because of the posture. Windsurfing demands more brute force. Both need precision.”

»I feel so free on the water — so strong. It gives me a sense of power that I think women in our society often don't get to feel.«
— Maria Behrens

Creating Space for More Women on the Water

What drives Maria forward isn’t just medals or moves—it’s representation. “I really think we need more women’s strength on the water. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher—and I still want to create a space where I can share what I know. Maybe women's clinics, maybe a community. That’s something I’m really passionate about.”

For Maria, being a Waterwoman is about more than sport—it’s about freedom, autonomy, and power. “It’s such a rare feeling, being completely in control out there. No phone, no expectations. Just you, your gear, and the ocean. That feeling of strength—I think a lot of women are missing that in their daily lives.”