roundup how i learned it basics
rider weight 85kg hight 183
riding level
experianced kiter 18 years kiting therefore 8 years strapless up to 180 days in the water every year
equipment
9m drifter 2017 zekko spitfire with the surfboard
conditions
12 to 15 knots sideshore from the left flat warm water save exit (lefkadie greece check www.kitegreece.com)
pre knowledge from friends and internet
ride every course flat on the water first before u try to lift /use a helmet / use your elbow to hold and tilt the board for starting / get your board into the starting position by digging the tail into the water / put your back foot onto the middle pad/ bodydrag by laying flat on the board / timing to get on the board and be fast on it when going strapless /pre training on a balance indo board on land for some time
1 day
all together i had 4 runns downwind abouth 2 houers of trying
first i choose to go strapless in order to keep the injurie posibilitie low
(twisted ankles and geting far from the foil when faling )
walking 300m upwind with kite in the air and foil (very exausting )
i been getting on the board with the 2th try (flat the foil didnt lift) the difficulty is to put the kite and the foil into the right position which is the kite to 1 to 2 o clock (very light wind ) and i found out the board have to point abouth downwind and have to be tilted (it helped me if i put the backfood on the back wing) , put your frontfood first ,use your knee of the backfood on the board , put your backfood onto the board while moving the kite to get on the board , if your food is to far behind u will imideatly shoot upwind , once on the board without lots of wind it feels very sketchy still this foil reacts to every weightdistribusion fast the foil seams to slow the speed a lot .
in the 4th try i did lift for some distance the speed it took on, got me of guard, its like a turbo hits
conclution i was aware that it is difficult and i will feel like a beginner again , and this is exactly the truth no mather how long you kite and experianced you are ! the most exosting was to carry the board with the kite upwind on land so i did it one by one but its still the most exosting and boring part , on the water i needed some wind of min 15 knots in order to hold my self kind of comfortable on the board (flat on the water ), when the wind picked up the hydrofoil picked up speed and lifted itself out of the water in a slow movement !!! so no need to push anything like kiking the back food ect., the distribusion of the weight for the front and backfood on the board is vital and very sensitive, going a bit into your knees helps to stabilise (it brings the body weight balencepint down ) if you are a quite tall guy neccessary at least untill u manage to be good , cuts and bruses i got 2 cuts on my knee and on my ancle by swiming and moving the board into the right possition (long leeg wetsuite and shoes to protect is recomented ) .
The progress was from try to try immense and very rewarding, but 2 hours are enought carrying the board upwind , lets see what brings the 2th day ."
je suis content pour lui!
