OK….A little motivation to newbies…my kids started kiting at the age of 6. In 2005, average kiteboarder’s age is 38. In 2004, the PKRA Women’s World champ was only 10-years-old. I’ve met several kiters from ages 60 to 70. A tiny Nordic girl set the first kiteboarding speed record. We often go kiting with a mother of two who is in her 50s. Basically, power kiting can be enjoyed by many and has few pre-requisites.

However, with that said, we must first reveal three facts often overlooked by new comers:

1 – Power kiting is a sport and is not for everyone! Many of those that showed up at our door misunderstood kiteboarding as just a ride for an afternoon of fun. The worse thing to do is to just watch someone do it a few times before they even try it. In persuing this sport, there are definitive training steps that you will need to be taught and guided on.

2- If you’re going to crash, safety should always be the number one factor when persuing any sport, including kiteboarding. One should be in a positive mental state as this sport can get you to fall or crash your kites. There is a learning curve, and most must first fall before they can get on their feet. Keep your learning aptitude strong and you’ll do well

3- Girls learn faster We’ve found women and girls have a faster learning curve than most guys. In our studies, we’ve nailed it down to finesse, center of gravity, and study skills. Overall, females have more balance and finesse. Since kiting is more about “Zen” than strength, they do well by not muscling the gear around. The natural lower center of gravity increases their ablity to sustain rides. And when we impart them something….they listen well and absorb what was being taught (sorry guys).

You need to fuse your skills with other sports!
In just a few years, kite flyers, wakeboarders, surfers, skaters, skiers, snowboarders, sailors and paragliders have fused in their skills with kiteboarding. If in your athletic background you possess some of these skills, you’ll soon find out that kiteboarding offers a lot of skill familiarity as well as learning a few tricks. Here’s a few tips for those crossing over from:

wind sports: Windsurfers and sailors will love that they have a big sail on a small boat. The small gear size will have you stoked about transport and rigging. Your key strength is your wind knowledge. You will likely have the need to unlearn riding big boards and holding on to booms.

Boarders: Surfers will love riding more waves in one kiting session than entire season surfing. Wakeboarders will appreciate the hangtime as they control their own boat with an 80-inch pole. Snowboarders / skiers will put their fuel on that they already have their board, can ride up mountains and avoid the crowded lift lines (plus you can ride in summers on ground or water). Skaters will eat up the rails, sliders, and wakeskates, where falling from an ollie won’t tear up any joints. All boarder types will need to really work on the wind basics along with kite control skills and launching.

There is no need to have a background in any of these sports. In fact, we often find students without strong board sport experience have less to unlearn. However, those with pro-riding skills often have stronger learning aptitudes and the desire to push forward. Some of these best kiters never stepped foot on a board or boat. It really comes down to passion, desire and commitment levels.