5 pro kitesurfing tips to get you started

Mark Moore    kiteboardingholidays     kiteboarding, kiteboarding holidays, Kiteboarding tips, kitesurfing, kitesurfing holidays, kitesurfing tips, Peru

Kitesurfing is arguably the fastest-growing water sport in the world right now. You’ve probably seen the kitesurfers down at the beach on a windy day flying across the surface of the water and boosting impressive jumps high into the air.

How the pro's do it! Photo: Juan Luis De Heeckeren

As if you weren’t already impressed enough, the kiters throw themselves into all sorts of flips, spins and contorted rotations.

Suffice to say, you were probably blown away and very intrigued by this radical sport. Well, if you fancy getting started in kiteboarding, I’ve 5 pro kitesurfing tips that will help you on your way.

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Kiteboarding Gear: Buying Twin Tip Boards

Mark Moore    kiteboardingholidays     kite board, kiteboard, kiteboarding equipment, kiteboarding gear, kiteboarding holidays, kitesurf, kitesurfing, kitesurfing gear

Are you after a new board for the upcoming summer season? Or just on the hunt for your very first stick?

Bas Koole on a twin tip Airush. Photo:Ydwer.com

Buying twin tip boards is almost like looking at new cars: All of the manufacturers claim their boards to be the best performing in various conditions.

I’m often left confused. Are boards really that different? And what’s to know about length, width, flex, rocker and all of the other detailed specs?

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Kitesurfing News: KSP announce 2012 Tour Dates

Mark Moore    kiteboardingholidays     kite, kiteboarding, kiteboarding holidays, kiteboarding news, kitesurfing, kitesurfing holidays, kitesurfing news, KSP Tour, watersports

The KSP (Kite Surf Pro) is a world tour that is designed to feature the world’s best kitesurfers riding the world’s premiere waves. 2011 was the tour’s first year and featured three events held in Mauritius, Peru and Cape Verde. Each event showcased 24 of the world’s best male riders and 12 superstar female kiters.

Sky Solbach on the 2011 KSP Tour/ Image: KSP

Aiming to model itself after professional surfing’s ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals), the KSP pushed the evolution of kitesurfing to new levels and it quickly became clear that this tour was something special.

Something to watch on this year’s tour is the shift from “strapped” riding to “strapless” kitesurfing.

Meaning: no more straps on the board. At the 2011 event in Peru, the entire fleet in the men’s field rode strapless and many girls followed suit.

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Kiteboarding: Top 10 Destinations in the United States

Mark Moore    kiteboardingholidays     kiteboarding, kiteboarding holidays, kiteboarding in the US, kitesurfing, kitesurfing holidays, Mark Moore

One of the best aspects of kiteboarding is that it is highly portable. The United States is jam-packed with tons of world-class kiteboarding destinations. If you cherish your job and/or family, don’t start to travel for kiting – it’s hopelessly addictive!

Kiteboarding in Southern Cali Image: Mark Moore

Secondly, get yourself a kiteboarding travel bag to avoid excess baggage fees. These bags are made by kiteboarding companies but feature the letters “GOLF” on the luggage to take advantage of airline policies that do not charge extra for golf clubs.

One of these bags can hold a few kites, a board and the rest of your gear. When you check in with your flight itinerary, pull out some golf balls and tees with your passport. With a Golf Digest Magazine in your back pocket, you’re golden.

Here’s my ranking of the top 10 kiteboarding destinations in the United States:

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5 reasons why you need travel, not Christmas

Mark Pawlak    ash     camping, kitesurfing, Kitesurfing Egypt, New Zealand, RTW, Spain, Travel, trekking, Walking, Xmas

If you’ve a travelling gene, every holiday is a chance to get away and Christmas is no exception. Now, if you’re living in the UK or northern Europe, it’s likely you’ve been waiting all year for that skiing or snowboarding holiday.

Can you spot Santa?

But, if you’ve needed thawing out since October and are dreaming of feeling the sun on your neck, you’ll be teasing yourself with trekking somewhere warm – or just going ‘random’ and rocking up at departures with half-baked plan and a dream…

So, here are 5 reasons why you need travel, not Christmas.

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Kitesurfing’s best kept secrets

Paul McWilliams    kiteboardingholidays     Egypt, kite, kite boarding, kitesurf, kitesurfing, kitesurfing destinations, Sharm El Sheik, Tarifa, watersports

Kitesurfing is one of the world’s fastest growing sports. If you’re what sales-speak might refer to as an ‘early adopter’ this could be a double edged sword. It’s satisfying in a ‘told-you-so’ kind of way but frustrating as you can barely open your front door without bumping into the newest kitesurf zealot, which leaves you even less room at the beach.

Rest assured there are still kitesurfing destinations where you won’t crash into your Gran. Here’s a quick guide to the best-kept kitesurfing destinations. But get there quick because people gossip, no matter how many times you tell them not to.

Getting too busy?

Exhuma, Bahamas

Ok, the Bahamas is hardly a secret destination and it’s certainly no stranger to tourists but not many of them kitesurf. It’s more of a ‘cocktails by the beach’ kind of place, which means you won’t have to share the crystal blue water and perfect conditions with many others. And it’s not the worst place to relax after a day in the water either.

Isla Sal, Cape Verde

This is the perfect place for the more advanced rider. Cape Verde is exposed to Atlantic winds which means things can get pretty spectacular. Great if you’re up for the challenge but just as good if you want to watch the experts show you how it’s done.

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Crash and Burn or Crash and Learn?

Tala    kiteboardingholidays     kiteboarding, kitesurf, kitesurfing, kitesurfing world tour, learning to kitesurf

A good friend of mine, also a professional kitesurfer, once told me when I was starting out “while one person hesitates because she feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becomes superior”.

I never forget these words when I am out on the water; progression in kitesurfing comes from not being scared to try!

Every crash takes you one step closer to learning that trick you’ve been attempting. It’s true that crashing is not pleasant. Still, I believe that with every crash you spot that little mistake to avoid next time.

When I am out on the water I focus on learning one trick at a time. I will try let’s say ten times, and with every crash I feel like I am one step closer to landing the trick that at first seems impossible.

You have to be willing to push yourself but to also know your own limits. Riders should go out and try the tricks most appropriate for their skill level. You cannot expect to learn one manoeuvre before first having the basics, and getting ahead of yourself is how injuries start happening.

An important phase in learning a new move is understanding it step-by-step, but most of all it’s committing 100%. When I’m training, I’m focused on what the trick looks like before I even attempt to try it, only then do I commit to it.

Tricks and clever moves aside, the most important thing when kitesurfing is to always have fun and to be safe on the water.