Kitesurfing is one of the world’s fastest growing extreme water sport. It involves a combination of several sports skills, including surfing, wakeboarding, and kiteflying, making it a complex yet rewarding sport. It is relatively easy to learn, but learning to kitesurf can be exciting, overwhelming and daunting at the same time. Here are some kitesurfing tips for beginners:

Watch Instructional Kitesurfing Videos

Watching instructional kitesurfing videos before kitesurf lessons will definitely help you learn faster. In addition to learning tricks, watching the videos beforehand allows you to get an idea of what kitesurfing is like, what to expect and how to physically and mentally prepare for the challenge.  However, it should be noted that these instructional videos are not intended to be as substitutes for professional kitesurfing lessons. They are merely intended to be supplementary sources in the learning process.

Don’t Go Kitesurfing by Yourself

Kitesurfing can be the most dangerous sport in the world if you don’t know what you’re doing. But it can also be the safest and most fun sport if you get a proper introduction and lessons. Simply put, find someone to teach you because learning kitesurfing requires the supervision of a qualified kitesurfing instructor who can demonstrate proper technique and help you understand all the other factors that relate to the activity. Sure, you can try to teach yourself to kitesurf but learning through an experienced and professional instructor is not only for your own safety but also for the safety of other innocent beachgoers and kitesurfers. Getting lessons from a qualified kitesurf instructor is undoubtedly the best way to progress quickly and safely.

Use Appropriate Equipment

The kite system consists of a kite, flying lines, a control bar, and a kite harness. You also need a wetsuit, aqua shoes, a helmet and a life jacket for added safety. Using the right equipment in kitesurfing is essential to ensure your safety. A kite that is too big can be dangerous, too small can be frustrating and a kite which is too old will not have sufficient or up to date safety systems. However, it is not enough that you use the correct equipment. You should also know how to set up your kite correctly.

Know the Rules

Know the safety rules and regulations on and off the water. Knowing the rules and regulations does not only keep you safe, it also enables you to properly conduct yourself in front of your fellow kitesurfers. Also, learn the universal hand signals because they come in handy when you are in the water.

Practice, Practice, Practice

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. You don’t become a good kitesurfer by simply using the right equipment and knowing the rules and regulations. Your progress depends on the most important factor— you. The more time you spend practicing, the faster you learn. Just remember that failed attempts are indispensable in the development of your skills as a kitesurfer.

Be Patient

It takes time to learn how to kitesurf proficiently. You won’t become a kitesurfer overnight. So, be patient as time is required to learn the sport. Though learning will vary according to the individual, most people pick it up after just a couple days of lessons. Just be patient and don’t give up, and you’ll get there before you even know it.

Be Confident

Kitesurfing is not all about physical fitness. One factor that affects your learning is your confidence. If you are not confident enough that you will progress, you are most likely to fail. Having the confidence that you can accomplish something, even as challenging as kitesurfing, makes a great difference. So, gather all your confidence before you start your kitesurfing lessons in Cape Town.

Have Fun

The last but never the least kitesurfing tip for beginners is to have fun. When you have fun, learning to kitesurf won’t be a very difficult task. When you have fun, you won’t be able to think of quitting even if you will have a hard time progressing at first.

Kite Like a King of the Air!

Five Absolute Must-Kite Hotspots in Cape Town

Between 31 January – 14 February 2015 twenty-four of the world’s best kiteboarders will battle it out in front of thousands of fans, and a panel of six esteemed judges, to find out who will be the new Red Bull King of the Air for 2015.

The battle ground for this world-famous event is chosen by an international panel of experts from the best spots around the world, like Hawaii, California and Brazil.

Big Bay, Cape Town wins every time.

The reason why top international kiteboarders keep choosing our windy waters above their own is simple: our consistent and reliable wind.

So why not kite where the pro’s do?

Here’s the low down on a few of their favourite locations:

Witsands Cape Point

Witsands beach is a firm favourite for pro kiters. This beautiful setting is not for beginners as it offers far more extreme and challenging conditions than other spots around Cape Town.

Riders can catch their highest kicks and swells coming in from the south with the help of wind blowing between 40-50 knots.

Langebaan

Quite a contrast to Witsands with its clean winds, warmer waters and long, flat stretches of ocean, Langebaan is an ideal spot for beginners and pros alike.

Recognised for its excellent wind build-ups, pro riders know that Langebaan is the spot where they can get the height they’re looking for. Also a great spot for kiters to work on their surface technique, Langebaan makes a change from the hectic, sometimes terrifying conditions at other beaches.

Dolphin Beach

Dolphin Beach is known as one of the busiest kiting beaches in Cape Town during season, where anywhere between one hundred and one hundred and fifty kiters can be in the water at once.

This is thanks to consistent kite-friendly conditions, such as ample space to launch from the beach, two to three metres swells on windy days (which is almost every day in season), and of course, the great downwind kiting from the ever-present South Easter.

Haakgat

Located just a few kilometres outside of Big Bay, Haakgat is beloved for its four metres wave swells and excellent wave breaks.

The currents and waves are not suited to amateur kiters, however, and shouldn’t be taken on if you’re not confident and experienced.

Big Bay

Big Bay is acknowledged by the best as a beach with some of the cleanest waves and long flat areas of water, channelling some serious South Easters that allow riders to show off their more complex moves. The wind here is said to be lighter than in other parts of the coastline and creates perfect conditions for tricks and free styling.

“I’ve had some of my best surfs at Big Bay…with smooth nine metre winds and the most ridiculous kickers that curve in through the bay allowing you to pick the angle you want to hit them at.” – Aaron Hadlow, Five Time World Champion and Hadlow Pro by Flexifoil Gear Development. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aside from ideal wind and water, it’s what you can do once you get out of the water that makes Big Bay a favourite for locals and internationals. Eden on the Bay on Big Bay has great restaurants right on the beachfront, plenty of safe underground parking, and shops, like Cabrinha Cape Town. Plus, the Big Bay Lifesaving Club is right at the water’s edge.

Eden on the Bay is also the host of the Red Bull King of the Air event for the third consecutive year.

The 2015 King of the Air competition promises to be bigger and better than ever. As always, we’re anticipating crowds of thousands to gather on the sandy shores of Big Bay beach to witness the crowning of the 2015 Red Bull King of the Air competition. We’ll see you there.

CLEAN C has been running beach cleanups for 3 years. In that time they have helped remove over 8 tons of rubbish.

WHO THEY ARE

Clean C is an NPO that is passionate about South Africa and the people in it. Along with the myriad of projects focused on improving life for all those who live in our beautiful country, they also run monthly beach cleanups all over Cape Town.

WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO

Unfortunately, in South Africa you may find rubbish along the beach and in the water. While it is important  to raise awareness of this, and to teach people about the damage this causes, CLEAN C believes in taking practical steps to cleaning up our beaches and demonstrating the impact one can have on one’s environment.

South Africa is home to a large number of beautiful beaches, which is why we are the perfect destination for Kitesurfing and other watersports holidays! CLEAN C runs cleanups at most of these beaches, with new beaches being added all the time.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

Beach cleanups run on the first Saturday of every month starting at 10am and last around 90 minutes. Families are welcome and this is a great way to teach your kids about taking care of the environment and keeping our beaches beautiful and pollution free.

Bags and gloves are provided, so all you have to bring is a willingness to help out! The venues include Melkbos, Sea Point and everywhere in between. This is an awesome initiative, and you can get involved no matter where you are. For more information click here.