More information about kitesurfing
I've read the short version, hit me with the juicy bits
Want to know a bit more about the sport and what is involved? Well this should answer some of your questions.
A bit of kite surfing history
Kitesurfing as a sport has existed for about 6-7 years – since the late 1990’s we’ve had international competitions and tours as well as more than one equipment manufacturer. It is these things that change a specialist activity from a few people into the beginnings of a global sport.
Whilst kite surfing has been popularised in the last five years due to better safety systems, more recognition and global standards, there are some documented [videoed even] cases of people using para-glider wings as well as early traction kites to kite surf on a surf board even back in the 1970s.
Whilst the idea of using foil based traction kites to kite surf with appealed to many as a “fun thing to do” – once or twice – it wasn’t until two Frenchmen, the Legaignoux brothers [Bruno and Dominique] invented the re-launchable inflatable kite that things really took off [Click here for the original 1987 patent].
The leading edge inflatable kite [or LEI as it is abbreviated] really pushed the fledgling sport of kite surfing along. Now if you dropped your kite in the water [which happens a lot] you could [with some practice] re-launch it and carry on sailing. The modern sport of Kite surfing was now born.
Since then, many manufacturers have come on board, Kitesurfing equipment prices have dropped from their initially “re-mortgage-the-house” prices and have stabilised at quite a reasonable sub £1000 mark for your initial equipment [less if you go second hand]. The safety element of the sport continues to improve with manufacturers coming up with new innovations for safety every week it seems.
Kitesurfing boards have seen rapid development as well with a quick departure from Surfboard style “directionals” and wakeboards into dedicated Kitesurfing boards which are now made from such materials as Carbon Fibre and Formica and are only neutrally buoyant.
Kite surfing in the UK
Whilst not generally acknowledged as being a great water sports nation, the UK has been at the forefront of Kitesurfing globally more or less from its inception. The ready availability of different water forms – from lakes, flat water on shallow beaches to traditional beach surf as well as being pretty consistently windy for much of the year makes the UK a top location to kite surf in the world.
Kitesurfing within the UK has continued to go from strength to strength. We have had 2 kite surfing world champions [PKRA] in the last 4 years as well as a full domestic competition circuit that supports pro-riders [BKSA] . We also have one of the largest [and oldest] power kite manufacturers within the UK [being Flexifoil] who continue to innovate for all kite sports, not just kite surfing.
Safety matters.
Whilst all of this is great news, it isn’t without its dark side. Kitesurfing has claimed the lives of numerous people worldwide and the UK was unfortunate enough to have it’s first fatality in 2003 [news story is here].
Whilst Kitesurfing in all it’s acrobatic glory looks easy and is just “flying a kite” unfortunately if a kite is powerful enough to lift you 40 feet in the air when it is under control – think what it can do when it is out of control.
As such, and unsurprising really considering we are a training organisation but we recommend that if you are thinking of learning to kite surf then you seek appropriate tuition from a reputable school.