Posts Tagged ‘BKSA’

Besides the fact that you look incredibly cool, kitesurfing is gaining in popularity because it combines so many other sports – wakeboarding, windsurfing, paragliding, snowboarding, and power kite flying, all rolled into one exhilarating extreme sport.

Who wouldn’t want to look like Ruben Lenten (ridersmatch)?

Of course it will take a fair amount of practice, perseverance and skill to get to this level of expertise but it ain’t impossible.

And its not only all about tricks. There’s nothing wrong with straight flat out kiting. The Crathorne family have just broken 3 records by being the first family to kitesurf across the English Channel, the busiest shipping lane in the world, from Dungeness to Boulogne in just 3 hours and 40 minutes. And the records they broke?

1. Lucy and Polly are the first Women to kite surf the channel to France
2. Polly is the youngest person at 16 to have kite surfed across and
3. Ralph is the oldest (for the moment) at 51.

And there’s been another landmark crossing. Having had to wait a year for the right weather conditions, 5 friends, Fraser Dooley, Martin Sandwith, Stuart Wood, Nick Elliott and John Flynn, have just successfully crossed the Irish Sea – a 110 mile 9 hour crossing from Cloghy in Northern Island to Silloth in West Cumbria. A massive undertaking. But despite the 9 hours battling the elements they had enough stamina left for a champagne celebration on the beach with family and friends!

Sir Richard Branson intends to kite the channel for his 60th birthday present to himself, accompanied by 5 time world champion Aaron Hadlow and Laird Hamilton of Big Wave surfing fame. “Kitesurfing is one of my favourite sports. I absolutely love the amazing rush you get when going at high speeds, in high winds, with the most beautiful kite acting as your only guide,” he said and added “My wife [Joan] swears I get more barking as I get older. This year I’ve almost crippled myself running 26.2 miles in my first marathon. Now I’m putting my poor 60-year-old bones through an arduous 24.4 miles, over water, hanging on to a giant kite.”

He too is making it a family affair – his daughter, Holly, son, Sam and his nephews will be kiting with him.

“Get the knowledge. Get the training. Get the insurance” says BKSA (British Kitesurfing Association). Good advice to follow if you are thinking of  getting started in this very popular extreme sport…

Having just explored Cornwall’s rock climbing regions I thought I might just duck across into another of our favourite topics – kitesurfing – and see what Cornwall has to offer here…

Needless to say – it looks fantastic. Cornwall has the largest area of coastline in England, nine river estuaries and about 300 beaches… not bad, not bad. Whether you’re a first time flyer or a sponsored pro, there is something to challenge everyone.

As with most beaches in the UK, high tide in Cornwall can be a problem and it is not advisable to kite at least 2 hours either side of it at any of the beaches. And, as with many beaches all around the world now, some  have restrictions so you do need to check this out about before launching. It is this sort of thoughtless error which is resulting in more and more restrictions being put into place…

Watergate Bay,near Newquay.

An indication of the quality of this 2 and a half mile long beach for kitesurfing is that in 2002 it was chosen as the perfect site for the first European Kitesurfing Championships.  It is now used annually for the BKSA tour and it is probably the most famous kitesurfing beach in the UK. There is plenty of room for everyone to fly and, with a variety of winds, something for everyone. The beauty of this beach is its safeness (apart from high tide). There is a prevailing SW, but if it veers W, NW or even N it is still safe to stay out. Big Atlantic swells do come in quite often, so you need to be ready to turn quickly if trying to get out the back. However, it is still safe to stay on the inside and play on the large flat sheets of water where it remains shallow – although you stand the risk of being beached.

The main dangers are a small strip of rocks, just to the right of the beach when looking out to sea, and the high cliffs that effect the wind if you get too close.  There are no restrictions on this beach, but you are expected to walk up the beach to the more quiet areas before setting up.

Marazion, south coast and near the island St. Michael’s Mount

The sand on Marazion is coarse so it would probably be a good idea to wear protective booties. There is a small concrete wall separating the road from the beach and although this is useful – it can be a hazard for a kite surfer! Swells are smaller on the south side, but the S, SW or SE winds can still generate messy breaks for you to contend with. There is an outlet pipe further up the beach towards Penzance and also Longrock beach. Some kitesurfers will head over there for flatter conditions but there is the odd small rock and thick kelp so it is adviseable to seek local knowledge.

The main hazard here is getting the tide right because when the waves hit the steeper bank they create a lovely shore break that totally destroys kites! Restrictions are coming into place to stop people kiting above Red River near the town end of Marazion and to prevent any kiting activity near to the road and sea wall.

Sennen and Gwenver

Sennen Cove – also great for climbing, is NW facing. It is just 2 miles round the corner from Lands End and is suitable for all levels of kiteboarding. It has excellent access from the car park. Even at high tide there is usually a sand bank in the top corner where you can rig, launch and land in safety. The waves here are frequently monsters, making Sennen a favourite beach in anything from SW to N winds. Beginners should not attempt this beach at high tide, or in heavy surf. Also be careful of the rip currents outside the lifeguarded zones. These can be ferocious. If you are not confident in rip currents, don’t go out.

But when the lemmings have gone at the end of the day, then Sennen comes into its own – surfers and kiteboarders do battle in style.

Hayle Towans on the north coast in the bay of St. Ives

Hayle, otherwise known as The Bluff, is regarded by some to be the best place to kitesurf in Cornwall, but you can only go there when the wind is N, NW or NE. It is a river estuary providing flat shallow water as well as some swell where the water deepens. It is a great place for working on new tricks. However, as with all river mouths, there are strong currents so keep in the shallows where you can stand up to launch your kite and retrieve your board. Boards are often lost here, so a retractable leash is advisable.

No kitesurfing is allowed in the river when the water is above knee depth or boats are present. Fishermen are making complaints about kitesurfers and this is jeopardising the future of kitesurfing at Hayle. Enjoy it while it lasts…

Gwithian Bay in St. Ives

This is the longest continuous piece of sand in Cornwall but it is named differently depending upon where you park. It is NW facing and is an excellent wave riding spot with N, NW, W, and SW winds. There is easy access from the cliff top carpark and there is generally plenty of space. The beach sand is hard which makes it perfect for buggies and mountain boarding too. There are a couple of big rocks that you need to pinpoint before the water covers them and the water tends to come right up to the cliffs on big tides so watch out.

This beach can get busy with holidaymakers and surfers. There are no restrictions on this beach as yet so make sure you stay in the clear area and then with a bit of luck there will never be restrictions…

That should keep you busy for a bit… there are a lot more beaches down there – 300 didn’t I say? but we have picked out a few on both the north and south coast. Once you start exploring Cornwall you will no doubt be bewitched by a beach I have neglected to mention…

Just one more thing.

It is adviseable to have valid insurance of at least £5m.The BKSA (British Kite Surfing Association) offers worldwide cover which covers all kite activities, even snow-kiting. It costs £30 and can be bought online from the BKSA.

Action from last year’s X-fest

Event organiser Jade Corssen said: “There really will be something for everyone. “It’s a little glimpse of what Skegness could be and the opportunities available through our academy for all young people in the area with a dream to aim higher to be part of a world class event.”

One of the main attractions this year will be the return of the horse stunt riders of Independent Horse who will launch the UK’s first horse-surfing competition. This has only been done in France previously and the riders hope to make this the beginning of a European tour for the contest.

The event will once again host the first round of the British Kitesurfing Association (BKSA) competitions, and BKSA members will offer people the chance to have a go at powerkiting. There will be a lantern beach chill out session, a music festival at Whisky A Go Go with local bands and singers, and lots of fun for all ages.

The X-Site skate park will be holding demos and showing off its new outdoor plaza, and there will be a fashion show, beach aerobics, breakdance workshops, climbing, a bungee run, wrestling and so much more. The events will take place on the beach near the X-Site skate park, at X-Site and the car park, and other venues where specified.

CLICK HERE to go to the X-site website.

You wouldn’t believe it but summer has started in the UK and with that in mind those who are thinking of trying out kite surfing should read the following.

According to the British Kite Surfing Association (BKSA), the best way to get started is to take a 2-3 day kite surfing course at a BKSA approved school. The BKSA recommends that you be able to swim 200m in open water and a good level of physical fitness is required. The good news here is that you don’t have to have super human powers of strength because it’s all about technique.

Experience

Like all sports, there are risks involved but if you receive proper tuition to become aware of the hazards and talk to experienced kite surfers then the risks are minimised.

If you do take risks and go out in conditions that you can’t handle (too much wind) then obviously you are increasing the risk level.

It’s important to remain in full control of your kite at all times, and watch your lines, especially if there are other kite surfers out at the same location.

Learning to fly a two-line power kite before you take a course will help you learn significantly faster, though most people are standing by the end of the first day of a three day course.

Within three months you can be a competent kite surfer and within six months to a year you may well be pulling off jumps of 10 – 15 foot.

Equipment

You are looking at between £500 – 1000 for your start up costs, though it’s nearer to the £500 mark if you buy some of your kit second hand.
You will need:

· An Inflatable kite. You need a kite between 9 – 14m depending on your body weight, but an instructor will be able to tell you which is most suited to you. Expect to pay between £200 – 400 for a used kite, with 5 line types costing the most. A top of the range current model can cost up to £850 but this expenditure is not required until you have convinced yourself that this sport is for you. Initially you will be able to use a kite provided by your instructor.

· A kiteboard and leash. Board-wise you are looking for one between 130 – 150cm in length. The twin tip wakeboard style is ideal as you can ride it in either direction.
For those with a windsurfing or surfing background directional boards are great for speed and light wind conditions, however, the fact that they can only be ridden one way may well hamper your learning curve. Expect to pay around £250 for a second hand board and between £300 – 500 for a new one.
A leash is also a pretty essential piece of kit enabling you to keep the board attached to you when you wipe out- you must use a helmet if you use a leash. Approx £40.

· Lines and control bar. Modern kites normally come complete with lines and bar so you don’t have to worry much about the lines. The line length is dependant on the size of the kite and wind conditions, though most kite surfers use 25m – 30m lines to give the most versatile range for starting, pointing (going upwind) and for jumping. Whichever control device you use, make sure that it has a dependable safety release system, and a depower device. This system should be able to disable the kite completely even in the event that you become unconscious. Expect to pay between £100 – 250 for a control bar.

· A harness. This performs the basic function of attaching you to your kite. There are two types of harness – the seat harness and the waist harness.
As a beginner, the best harness for you is the seat harness as this is less likely to ride up when the kite is in the zenith position (directly above your head) where the kite will probably spend most of its time as you learn. Around £70-£90.

· A helmet. Pretty straight forward, useful for protecting your noggin while racing across the water at speed. Expect to pay between £30 – 50.

· A Wetsuit. This is the UK not Hawaii, you will need one. Your best bet is a winter suit (3/5mm) if you plan to kite surf all year round, though the summer suits are cheaper, thinner and are guaranteed to give you hyperthermia if you wear one in the winter.
A winter wetsuit will cost you between £120 – 220, where as a summer suit will set you back between £80 – 180.

Finally I would like to reiterate that any BKSA accredited instructor will provide all the equipment you need and so the initial expenditure is limited to the cost of the lessons. If you do decide to continue with the sport you will then, after 3 to 5 lessons, have a much better idea of what to buy when you go shopping. My advice is that you should be prepared for this expenditure as ‘once bitten you are forever smitten!’