GIRKE Nikola

General
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE COACHING
She works as an emotional intelligence coach at her company, Own Your Podium. "I'm a certified executive coach and four-time Olympian motivated to help progressive professionals define and overcome the obstacles that are holding them back from maximising their performance and owning their podium. As an Olympic athlete, I understand the struggles that come with reaching for the podium. The endless parallels between sport and business allow me to easily relate to my client's struggles. At Own Your Podium, we help our clients uncover their strengths and define their values, providing perspective and clarity amidst the inevitable setbacks and confusion." (Facebook profile, 11 Mar 2020; ownyourpodium.com 01 Sep 2019; bccampingconference.ca, 01 Feb 2020)

RETIREMENT U-TURN
She had planned to retire after competing in the Nacra 17 at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, which was the fourth time she had represented Canada at the event, but she decided to return to compete at a fifth Olympic Games in Tokyo in the RS:X. "It's my first time back on the RS:X after a couple of years, so I'm trying to get my racing legs back. The real reason why I came back is to have fun." (sail-world.com, 22 Jan 2020; olympic.ca, 25 May 2015)

CHANGING DISCIPLINES
She competed in the 470 class for Canada at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens after being asked by Jennifer Provan to be part of her crew. The adrenaline rush and freedom of windsurfing had hooked her, and following Athens she decided to switch to the RS:X discipline. She competed in windsurfing at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and switched to the new mixed Nacra 17 class when windsurfing was taken out of the programme ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games. "Switching sport from crewing on a 470 to Olympic windsurfing was a very daunting and humbling experience. I lost most of my support from my federation and sponsors and got the feeling that nobody believed in me and my abilities, which really only made my challenge even harder. I had to believe in myself more than ever." (olympic.ca, 25 May 2015; windsurfingtour.com, 24 Sep 2011; northshoreoutlook.com, 27 Jul 2011)

THE COST OF TRAINING FOR TOKYO
In 2020 she talked about the high cost of preparing for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. "To be in top form, I must train both on and off the water. Training with a group and with a coach is imperative, and thus I have created an extensive training schedule for myself. The cost of coaching alone is 300-500 Canadian dollars per day, not including coach boat rental and fuel. Then add the coach's expenses as well as my personal expenses. This easily adds up to 800-1000 dollars per day inclusive of flights, accommodation, food, rental car if needed, and of course there is the expense of equipment itself and entry fees. It all adds up. I may be solo on my board, but going to the Olympics is a huge team effort." (windathletes.ca, 01 Feb 2020)

CHARITY WORK
She volunteers with charities such as the Fast and Female, KidSport and 60 Minutes Kids Club, where she advocates for more children's sport and for the empowerment of girls through sport. (olympic.ca, 25 May 2015; Facebook profile, 11 Mar 2020; kin.educ.ubc.ca, 20 Feb 2020)