Fun is Trying All Kiteboarding Disciplines – By Karolina Winkowska

Freestyle/kitepark

My main disciplines today are freestyle and kite park. The first one is the most recognised discipline in kiteboarding but also one of the most challenging ones. The tricks should be executed with the kite 45’- 60’ above the water, which gives the rider little airtime to complete the rotation.

The second one, kite park, it is a discipline that is new for many people, but actually has been around since always. Man made features are set up in the water like kicker, slider, or a pipe and a rider has to do a rotation when accessing or exiting the obstacle. I would say kite park should be obligatory for a freestyle rider, but it is still hard to find places with obstacles to practice.

Big Air/ Oldschool

Another worth mentioning discipline is Big Air/Oldschool. It is a discipline where you send your kite to pull you as high as possible. It is probably a first thing you learn after finishing kiteboarding course. Being able to fly and control it, is so surreal which makes so many people fall in love with this sport.

Snowkite

It is definitely worth trying when you have snow in your back yard or going to the mountains for a winter trip. Snowkiteboarding is so fun, because all you need is your current kiteboarding gear and a snowboard. You don’t need that much wind for it, 10/12 knots are enough to pull you. I was lucky this winter to be able to ride on a frozen lake close to my home as well as in the Polish mountains. Both options were so much fun, because there was so many things I needed to learn again :P In the mountains it’s definitely better because you go up and down the hill, so you don’t have to take the lifts. Riding the flat lake, is very different because it is flat and wind is very stable there. because you can build a little kicker or a slider, and is as much fun as in the water !

Waveriding

Waveriding is probably the most difficult discipline for me because I spend so much time in the flat water locations. Nevertheless, encountering a big wave is probably the most exciting thing you can experience. Especially because it is so surreal to be able to ride it and survive it, hahaha. I’ve been into the waves since the beginning but I chose the freestyle because it was more accessible for me. In Poland we don’t have proper waves and it was always my dream to be able to surf. Thus when I discovered that I can catch a wave with my kite, it was so amazing because it is so much easier. The kite is pulling you, so it is easy to catch and exit the wave whenever you feel like. When you are on a little surf board, and have to paddle out into the powerful waves it is much harder.

Foiling

Foiling is awesome because it feels the gap when the wind is too light for all the other disciplines. All you need is to fly your kite, and you will glide above the water like Aladdin on a magic carpet. Foiling looks difficult, but is not as hard, especially when you are learning on a shorter mast. It took me literally 3 sessions to be able to go back and forward without crashing. I am still a beginner but I am looking forward for light wind days to master my skills and do smooth turns.

Wakeskate

I probably should be the least credible person to write about wakeskate, because I tried it only few times and I don’t skate. Nevertheless, i rode it and learned few tricks and thought it was something so different to what I normally experience when my board is strapped to my feet. Here you don’t have bindings, and you do tricks with your legs. It sounds really hard, and it is really hard to learn, which is why not many people do it I guess.

Written by Karolina Winkowska

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Published on: 28th July 2017