KITESURFING: OVERVIEW

Kitesurfing – Aah! The very word evokes the adrenaline rush itself. What started up as a leisure sport in the 1980s, kitesurfing has seen a massive surge in its popularity at the turn of this millennium, with massive recognition and even more fan following. Kitesurfing is certainly THE latest rage in extreme sports.

The scheme of using a kite to augment speed and gravity for the surfer may seem to be a novel and invigorating challenge, yet the art of Kitesurfing may be traced back to the 13th Century Chinese when it was used mainly as a dangerous form of transportation. 

However the most amazing truth related to earlier use of kitesurfing was that, rather than deploying kites from suitable water-laden locations, it was used on land, off flat ground, thus incrementing the risk factors associated to it exponentially. It was only in the 1980s that water launched kites were widely marketed.

But how did kitesurfing really become an extreme sport attraction?

Well, it was only in the late 1990s, when Hamilton and Manu displayed the opportunities to promote kitesurfing to radical surfing and extreme sports community, off the Hawaiian coast. Since then the growth of kitesurfing as one of the most popular extreme water sport has skyrocketed.

In 2006, the figure related to recognized kite surfers touched the 1, 20,000 mark, an amazing boost from less than 1,000 before the turn of the millennium. Some European countries also recognize kitesurfing as kiteboarding.

The basic principle of kitesurfing is straightforward: by using a big, powerful kite as a means of propulsion, and sitting or standing in some form of transport, the kitesurfer can reach extreme speeds and perform acrobatic stunts. Commonly, kitesurfing is done using a surfboard on water.

Kites that are usually used in kitesurfing are significant in dimension and are termed as power kites. The three major forms of power kites are:

1. Airfoil kite - which comes with no core structure as a result of which, the kite’s shape and outline is dependant on the wind acting upon it. Its chief benefit is that it can be launched quickly and though it may seem to be difficult to grasp initially, the handling gets easier once understood properly.
2. Inflatable kite –These kites have an inflatable periphery that helps to form and maintaining the kite’s curved shape. In complimentary wind conditions, they can be launched with considerable ease. However, a difficult wind conditions can make launching really tricky to control
3. Framed kite - They have unyielding and stiff edges of either fiberglass or graphite which helps to keep its form and shape. Due to its rigid aerodynamic structure, low wind conditions can formulate a difficult launching situation.
   Kitesurfing is usually classified as a dangerous sport, and people dreaming to at venture into the world of kitesurfing should proceed with adequate lessons and proper training in order to avoid treacherous life-threatening circumstances.