Annie Stratton

November 2000

Annie "Ladybug" Stratton proves that you don't have to be male or have big muscles to enjoy kite buggying. She is very much an outdoor person, and is equally at home skiing or on a mountain bike.
On June 10th 2000 Annie and David were married and celebrated their wedding in style with a buggy shaped wedding cake.

Q. How long have you been flying kites ?
A. "Since 1994 when David first introduced me to them. I've been buggying for four and a half years now."

Q. What was your first kite ?
A. "A red one!" she jokes. Her first power kiting experience was with a stack of six foot Flexi's, and then it was "down to Dave Mullins to purchase a Skytiger."

Q. What do you do when you are not flying kites ?
A. "I run my own business for management, training and coaching, creating solutions to make a difference."

Q. What is the attraction of kiting ?
A. "It relieves stress and is very relaxing."

Q. What is your most prized kiting possession ?
A. "The back rest on my Peter Lynn classic buggy which I got from Skybums. The buggy has a Chris Croft crossed seat and Sand Snatcher mudguard, and it has never had to have a new set of tyres!"
"My favourite kite is my ladybird Rokkaku", she says, however David and her still like to fly their twelve foot pink Cody as well as their Area 51.

Q. What are your kiting achievements ?
A. "Winning my first race (ladies novice race at Berrow 2000), and also racing in pro races and being able to keep up with the guys."

Q. Any scary moments ?
A. "The scariest moment was having to swim out to rescue Dave to at Weston Super Mare when he got in to difficulties whilst kite surfing."
"Some of the 360 degree freestyle buggying is a bit scary." "Another scary moment was once when we were flying kites at Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham when a storm suddenly ensued..."

Q. What would you like to do next in kiting that you haven't already done ?
A. "Mountain boarding".

Q. What advice would you give to other women who wanted to try kite buggying ?
A. "My advice to new lady buggiers is to 'have a go'. I recommend not starting off over powered and not to worry about mud and stuff. I've never been hurt, perhaps the odd bruise."
"My first experience of buggying was horrible. It was on the Wirral. The first time I had a go I was pulled out of the side. The second time I rolled out over the back, and the third time I was pulled out of the front. Dave gave me a smaller kite to try and it worked out OK. Then I started enjoying myself."

Her family don't mind her buggying, and Annie has even had her dad, who is seventy, flying a four line kite. "I am whole heartedly into it", she says, "and have made a lot of friends."

Annie is known for her mid-race giggling, but why?.. She tells us, "Going really fast, out of control, makes me laugh!"