Kitesoul Magazine #21 International Edition

FUTURISTIC FINS TO MANAGE THE LIFT
Basically, in kitefoiling the rider uses a board equipped with special hydrodynamic
appendages called hydrofoils with an inverted "T" shape, which allow the gliding
board to completely rise out of the water, greatly reduce friction and ride at incredible
speeds. As for the kites, regular inflatable kites or foil kites can both be used. The
advantage of kitefoiling, apart from the amazing feeling of planing at half metre off
the water, is that you can already ride with 5-6 knots of wind and also with chopped
conditions as the board glides above the breakers and lastly it allows upwind angles
up to 40 degrees.
Actually, experienced riders do anything with kitefoil: breathtaking carvings, gigantic
jumps and freestyle manoeuvres. What is certain is that this sport will continue
to spread like wildfire, especially now that the World Sailing looks at kitefoiling as a
potential candidate to Tokyo Olympics 2020.
KITEFOILING: WITH A SHORT MAST EVERYONE CAN LEARN
Meanwhile, the number of riders increases worldwide, new materials are tested, the
number of dedicated competitions increase and of course, as when a sport becomes a
trend, new enthusiasts approach this discipline. Kitefoiling though is far from being
an easy apprenticeship, even for an experienced kiter. It takes time, dedication and
patience. But also, qualified instructors and perhaps tailor-made lessons.
With the aim to make the discovery of this new discipline as easy as possible, reduce
learning time and practice it safely, recently all major brands in the market, from
North Kiteboarding to Cabrinha, from RRD to Slingshot and F-One, developed progressive
length masts starting from 45 cm, and some of them have released specific
video tutorials that teach the basics making everything easier.
ONLINE TUTORIAL: FROM ZERO TO HERO
Online classes in addition to explaining what kitefoil is and what it can do, are conceived
as real beginner courses which include the basics on equipment, assembly of
the appendages, safety procedures, body drag, water start, riding, changes of direction
and jumps. Particular attention is dedicated to the lift control of the board on the
water, to the body posture and the correct weight balance.
Like it or not, kitefoiling is here to stay and it's fantastic because it's one of the most
entertaining and innovative trends in kitesurfing. In other words, it's foiling mania.
David Ingiosi