Overview
A professional kiteboarder from Ilhabela, São Paulo, Brazil. She is a living legend and the absolute queen of women’s freestyle, reigning at the top of the scene for years as a 6-time World Champion. She is also a Red Bull athlete.
Career
She competed as a swimmer from an early age, earning the nickname “Little Fish.” While studying in Maui, a surfing accident prompted her to look for a new sport, leading her to discover kiteboarding.
Armed with powerful and stylish riding, she won her first world title in 2009. In 2016, she made history by becoming the first woman to land a “Backside 315” (a highly technical trick combining a 540-degree rotation with a double handle-pass), significantly elevating the standard of women’s freestyle.
Her true greatness lies in her legendary longevity and relentless drive. Never stopping her evolution amidst the rise of a fierce new generation of teenage riders, she won the final GKA stop in Taíba, Brazil, in 2025, claiming her 6th Freestyle World Championship title. She was also crowned “Female Rider of the Year” at the 2025 GKA Awards.
Sponsors & Brands
She has been the face of Mystic for many years, helping to launch the brand’s first-ever women’s collection in 2010 and building a deep relationship of trust.
Regarding her kite sponsors, after a long and highly successful era with AIRUSH, she made headlines by moving to the newly reformed North Kiteboarding team around 2019. During her North era, she made a dramatic comeback to win her 5th World Title in 2023, proving her enduring dominance. Recently, she returned to her roots at AIRUSH, armed with the legendary C-kite “Razor,” to secure her 6th World Title in 2025.
Personality & Friendships
Known for her positive and passionate character. She is in a relationship with James Carew, the absolute king of GKA Wave & Big Air. In her YouTube vlog “BRUNA in BRAZIL,” there is a hilarious and endearing moment captured on the beach. After landing a great trick, Bruna asks him, “Did it look good?” and James, lounging in the back of a truck, replies with an unimpressed “Yeah.” The video editor brilliantly added the subtitle “*DOESN’T UNDERSTAND FREESTYLE AND TOESIDE TRICKS,” proving that even if your partner is a wave world champion, asking him for feedback on highly technical freestyle tricks is completely useless.
Quotes & Anecdotes
“With me, it’s usually a storm of thoughts up until the moment that buzzer goes off, then I go into such a deep focus that everything else disappears. I’m in the present moment, and that kind of presence is what I live for.”
— Bruna Kajiya
Competition Results
- First woman to land a Backside 315 (2016)
- 6-Time Freestyle World Champion (2009, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023, 2025)
- 2025: Female Rider of the Year (GKA Awards)
- 2025: Women’s Freestyle Move of the Year (Slim to Back Mobe)