Kite surfers (Final Edition)
History: KiteSurfing is by far the latest craze in extreme sports. The idea of using a kite to enhance speed and gravity for the surfer seems like a new and exhilarating challenge, yet the art of KiteSurfing dates back to the 13th Century Chinese when it was used as a simple mode of transportation. KiteSailing, as it was known, was a medium that used the wind as an aid to harness its momentum and energy to mobilize their canoes across water. The earliest recorded history of KiteSailing dates back to the early 12th Century.
In the 1800’s George Pocock took the basic kite design to a whole new level by increasing the size of the overall kite and used them as a sail to glide carts on land and ships on the water. The designs of the kites were engineered with 4 lines, the same setup being deployed today. Both carts and boats were able to turn and sail upwind. The wind would generate enough lift underneath the kite to raise it off of the ground and powerful enough to sustain it for a period of time.
These kites have been able to propel a man-made vehicle across the ground, snow, ice and water. These kites are codependent on the wind and its necessary to get off of the ground or water to get them to fly. However, once the kite is in the air it manufactures its own wind, which is proportionately faster and creates a higher rate of speed for the vehicle.
Yet one issue still remains most of the earlier kites were deployed from the land and off of the flat ground. Not on the water where KiteSurfing takes place. In the 1980’s Wipika, Kiteski, fOne, Concept Air, C-Quad, and Naish Kites marketed water launch kites. These kites could be sailed again after falling short of wind into the water.
In the late 1990’s off of the Hawaiian coast of Maui, Laird Hamilton and Manu displayed the extreme sport opportunities to radical surfers and wake boarders. Its popularity has since skyrocketed as one of the fastest growing water sports in the past two years.
Today there are organizations, competitions, videos and magazines worldwide dedicated to this increasingly popular sport and the thrills associated with it.
(Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jakob_Jelling )
The idea is very simple – A kite surfer stands on a board with foot straps or bindings and uses the power of a large controllable kite to propel him/her and the board across the water.
This simplicity also makes kite surfing challenging. Your body is the only connection between the kite and the board and you have to control them both at the same time: piloting the kite in the sky and steering the board on the water.
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.
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.
It’s doable, tried it myself. 😉 It’s always hard to find the balance at the begining! But once balanced,
You’ll feel the Adrenaline Rush! 😀
Awesome! Not sure when I’ll ever have a go at that…
Couple of those shots would make fine submissions for this week’s Sunday Stills 😉
Thanks man! 🙂
Yea! I know! But I usually post fresh ones for the sunday stills!! 😉
I’m trying to imagine.
While I can see it may take a bit more co-ordination than water skiing, is it physically harder? I’m thinking it would be a sport for burly men.
You’ve some great shots here: well have you captured the excitement of the day. : )
You are right!! Its all about coordination. No its not that physically hard, but its challenging(physical fitness & flexibility) for sure.
But I met some women who surfs as good as any other men. 😀 So its not just for men! Its great fun!
Now you’re just showing off – putting two Sunday Stills challenges together in one photograph (silhouettes AND power lines) 😉 Actually three – black and white, too.
That first shot is incredible. Love the clarity of the water.
I went to the World kitesurfing championships in Essouira in 2006…unbeleivable!
I have yet to try it myself but am planning to have some lesson sover the summer. I am really lucky because I get to try all these amazing things for my job. I work for an experience sharing website where I get filmed trying different experiences. I will be sure to post my kitesurfing experience on here once I have done it, but in the meanwhile, check out the clips of what I have done so far….
http://www.tellallmyfriends.com
If you guys have any videos of similar stuff, upload them and you could win £500!!!
Awesome! I’ve always wanted to learn, but I’ve heard it’s really difficult. I think I’ll be safe and live vicariously through your incredible ‘winks’!
Thanks Sara! Lol! You got great eyes! 😉 I never realised it actually!
Hey Carrie! Its doable! I think you should try. Its fun! 😀
Cool shots, thay look a bit pale for the middle east, are there alot of european tourists there?
Later..Ed
Amazing shots! Talk about a total body workout.
Ed, Most of them in this series are from Germany! There are alot of europen tourists in here.
Thanks Annette, It is indeed!
These photos are just wonderful, so full of energy and life. Perfect for inspiring people to come and try kitesurfing. The tourist office should be glad to have them, I think.
looks like fun, but i think i’ll pass and if i tried these photos i’m certain that i would have one big blur. these are GREAT!!
BTW, have you heard about the oldes kitesurfer, Poul from Denmark, he is 85 years!!
hey niv!! how are you, hope your trip is going well..looking forward to your email update 🙂
my favourite photographs here are the B&W’s, i think there’s an added dimension to those..stunning! very moving
i want to try this x
Now this is something I might try. I draw the line at sky-diving.