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LEARNING TO KITESURF
itesurfing is a challenging and adrenalin filled sport that is growing fast in it's popularity. Better advertising, new technology and massive investment in the sport has brought new opportunities that were never available a few years ago. The gear is better, the jumps are higher, the kit is safer, and the buzz is out of this world. A word of warning though.....Successful kitesurfing requires developing core skills in many areas. This includes developing two and four line powerkite skills, managing to control a lot of power from a kite, competence in balance and boarding, safety awareness for yourself and the public, competence in swimming in the sea and confidence when being pulled under the water. These skills don't come overnight and success requires a high level of fitness. If you are still interested, then you can learn to Kitesurf in a number of ways:
As a progressions to powerkiting. This is by far the most successful and satisfying way to approach kitesurfing. This way, over a period of time, you properly learn the kite and balance skills that are fundamental to kitesurfing, but you do it on the land. You also learn the sport that you will be doing most of the time when you can't get out on the water because the wind or the tides aren't right (and you've got time off). The gear is cheaper, your rate of learning will be faster and you are much more likely to succeed in kitesurfing when you hit the waves the first time. You will also be able to learn a lot from other powerkiters who are following the same progression, if you live here in the North East. The best route is to book in on a PK1 (Powerkite) course and learn everything you can about powerkiting. Then buy a small to medium sized kite four line kite (eg Bullet 3.5 on handles, with kite killers) and fly it until you can loop, brake, scud, manage more power than you thought possible, jump and literally do it all with your eyes closed. Then buy your harness and manage even more power, getting massive slides (scuds) down the beach. Then get landboard training and strap a board to your feet and get pulled by the kite. This will teach you all about manoeuvreing a board - stopping, starting, turning, using balance with heelside, toeside, carving etc. Then ditch the handles and use a bar, the harness and the board all combined. Huge fun, no doubt a few bruises - but after all this you are ready to tackle the water with confidence and better core skills. Now skip to para 3 (Local Training). 2. By buying (or lending) the gear and doing it yourself. Every week we have two or three enquiries from guys wanting to just get out there and do it, buying something off ebay. Basically it's a no-hoper and it is outright dangerous for the flyer, for his helpers and for any public that are around. Not sure yet? Lets say you are on the water and you get an unexpected dunking. (It WILL happen, you WILL get disorientated and your your kite WILL hit the powerzone). In less than a second you could end up airborne, locked into raging bull, facing the wrong way, out of control, rocks, land or harbour wall fast approaching, not knowing the safety systems and at the mercy of God as to whether you or anyone else lives or dies or just suffers multiple injuries. Anyone following this route will quickly join the list of injured kitesurfers. Only they won't really be able to call themselves "kitesurfers", cos they can't. 3. By taking lessons locally. If you are new to the sport, and haven't followed the Powerkite Progression, you will probably need lessons over a considerable period of time to become competent. For a brand new starter, plan on at least a season to become competent if you have your own gear, two seasons or more if you dont. For someone with powerkiting and landboard experience, expect a minimum of three lessons and a couple of months to become competent. We have instructors that will take you through the correct IKO (International Kitesurfing Organisation) certification.. For more information call or email Northern Freestyle.
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