Tips for beginner Kitesurfers by Loïc De Coninck

My name is Loïc De Coninck, I’m a certified IKO instructor and decided to dedicate my life to kitesurfing. Most of the times I am traveling around to teach others to kite and train my own skills on the best spots and wind available in the world. That’s one of the big benefits of being a kitesurf instructor.

My first tip I can give is, always have fun! The learning process is different for everybody. Some students will understand the principles of kitesurfing faster than others. I truly advice you to go to a proper kite school, they will learn you all safety basics you need to now before you enter the water. This is necessary for you to be safe, but also for other kiters, people and object around you! Some kite schools promise you to get on the board as fast as possible. I know this sounds very tempting, but can be very dangerous in the long run of your kitesurfing career. In my opinion a kite school is there to make you aware of the possible dangers and show you how to solve the problems when it occurs. Learning how to kite is a process that you will get better at every time you spend time with your kite. As a full-time kiteboarder I’m still learning something new everyday about the sport! So give yourself the time to learn in a proper way. The average kitesurf course is around 15 hours, depending on your skills you’ll need more or less than the average person. After you finish the kitesurf course you are not yet a completed kiter, but you can fly a kite independent in a safe and responsible way for yourself and other around you!!

 

Time to buy your first quiver! Try not to look for the cheapest kite, but buy safe & user friendly material! Kitesurfing can get expensive, but if you go for the cheapest kite you can put yourself in danger. Older material doesn’t have the safety measurements as recent made equipment, or they work very poorly. The kitesurf sport is relatively safe now these days. Just be aware of what you buy, when you buy. Also regularly analyze your own skills and level, as you constantly need to adapt to the conditions and kite spots. The conditions are never the same, so be aware of what you do! ask other kiters how the conditions are and make sure your skill set match.

 

My final tip I can give you is to find a kite buddy! If something happens you can help each other out In times of need and also share the times of fun.

 If you have any further kite related questions, DM me on Instagram! IG: @LoïcDeConinck, I’m happy to answer them all!