Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2008/January 2009 | Page 54

life

JAMES KERR

Kitesurfing

The Island is best-known for yachting, but
it provides some of the best conditions for
other watersports in the UK. There’s been
an explosion of interest in kitesurfing,
which is a fusion of surfing, windsurfing,
wakeboarding, paragliding, as well as kite
flying, and the Island has plenty of top
spots for this extreme watersport.
Kitesurfing, also known as kiteboarding,
incorporates massive and incredibly
powerful kites and small wake-style
boards. Riders traverse the waves
generating the speed to attain massive
jumps in which the rider can glide up to
100 metres in the air. Kite sizes range
from 5 to 15 metres while boards are 1–2
metres in length. A starter set-up will cost
around £800, plus wetsuit.
The north of the Island is excellent for
beginners. Ryde and Seaview, with wide
sandy beaches at low tide, offer superb
learning conditions and are patrolled by
lifeguards during summer. Thorness Bay is
another good learner spot; it’s used by the
schools for kitesurfing classes, but watch
out for strong tides.

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The south-eastern side can be more
challenging. Yaverland has a fairly
wide, sandy beach and is a good spot
for learners at low tide, although the
beach is heaving during the summer
months. Spring and Autumn winds and
Atlantic ground swells will challenge the
most experienced riders off the western
beaches; unless you really know what
you’re up to, get your binocs and watch
the local legends from the headland at
Compton and Brook!
Islander Tom Court is one of the
best kitesurfers in the world. The
former British Kitesurfing Association
champion designs his own boards and is
sponsored by North Kiteboarding and
Animal Clothing; he has also appeared
on Channel 4. When he's not competing
around the globe, Tom loves to get out
at Freshwater Bay and says the Island
is a great place to kitesurf because “it
has a wide range of exiting conditions,
from beginner’s beaches to spots that
can challenge even the most experienced
kitesurfer”.

One of the leading extreme sport activity
centres on the Island, X-Isle Sports in
Bembridge, is one of the UK’s largest
kitesurfing schools. It offers 1- and 3-day
beginner’s courses. The 1-day ‘High as a
Kite’ course costs £115.00 mid-week and
£125.00 at weekends; the 3-day course is
£275.00 and courses run from March to
October inclusive. At the end of a course,
participants will know how to set their kit
up and undertake a basic risk assessment
before they set out. This is crucial – it’s
imperative that you are not out in the
briney with downwind hazards. It’s also
crucial to determine wind direction;
direct on-shore winds are no good for kite
surfing because you’ll be dragged straight
back onto the beach (or the Military
Road!) but you should be OK to venture
out in cross-shore or cross-on shore winds.
Always check the conditions before you
go out. The White Air website, at www.
whiteair.co.uk features an excellent beach
guide as well as local weather and wave
reports.

The Island's new funky radio station www.wightfm.com