Ariana Eimer, Year 7, from the Australian International School Malaysia, participated in two back-to-back international championships in Europe, one of which is the IWWF German National Championships in Cologne, Germany, where she successfully won third placing in the Women’s Open Category. She then flew to Italy for the IWWF European and African Wakeboard Boat Championships and clinched second place in the Under-14 girls category.
Ariana started wakeboarding as a hobby at the age of 5, while watching her parents indulge in the sport during the weekends. She trains regularly with her coaches in two locations, The Mines Lake in Seri Kembangan and the Putrajaya Lake, Selangor, which makes excellent training sites for their calm and steady waters.
While away on competition, Ariana manages to find time to study and complete assignments, as all lessons are available via Google Classroom. ‘As long as I have internet connection, I am able to see all my lessons online as well as get tips from my teachers’.
When asked if young people should try wakeboarding, Ariana says, ‘Definitely! Most people in Malaysia don’t choose wakeboarding as their preferred sport, as it may look like a dangerous sport. However, the feeling of gliding and flipping on the water gives you a sense of freedom, which is an amazing feeling.’
At AISM, students strive to excel not just in the classroom, but also beyond the learning environment. The Australian curriculum enables students to have a holistic education where opportunities to shine are present both in and out of the classroom setting.
