What is Kiteboarding - Chasing the Dream: Ep 02

In this episode we're going to be talking about what kiteboarding is, how you can get started, and how learning to kiteboard will impact your life and your travels. 

What is kiteboarding 

Kiting brings together a lot of different sports. From board sports, to watersports, to knowledge of wind. So if you're a snowboarder, a wakeboarder, a sailer, a para sailer, a surfer or even a skateboarder, you absolutely have what it takes to become a kite boarder. Even if you are none of those things, you can still learn! 

When I started kiteboarding I had no board sports experience. I was very un-athletic and scared by the open ocean and having a board attached to my feet. What excited me about kiteboarding is that if you have the capacity to learn and you are excited, there is no limit. There is no age limit, gender limit or size limit. Anyone can learn how to kite. From your 75 year old grandmother to your 9 year old nephew. Not only is kiteboarding open to anyone but you can do it anywhere there is wind. You can do it on land, the water or even in the snow! It truly is an all season, all terrain sport.

There are a lot of similarities to wakeboarding

Getting started 

Alright, so you're excited, you're stoked, and you're ready to learn how to kiteboard. What's next? The best way to kick off your kiteboarding lifestyle is to contact your local kiteboarding school and take a lesson. Learning to kite takes an average of three days. You will start by learning how to fly a small trainer kite first. I recommend doing this before you take your lesson. Trainer kites are fun, safe and best of all you will progress through your lesson exponentially faster. It really pays having some kite skills under your belt. After all, learning to kiteboard is 90% kite skill. 

Your instructor will walk you though the safety systems, weather basics and what to do in emergencies. From there, you will move on flying the big kite and eventually they will get you on a board in the water! Once you've mastered the basics, you can move on to learning how to jump and do tricks. Everything that I love about kiteboarding. You really do learn how to fly! 

You can learn a lot with a good trainer kite

Kiteboarding will change everything

The beauty of kiteboarding is that it has a huge impact on your life and how you travel. Once I started learning how to kite, it changed my whole trajectory. I started booking trips to places that I never would have heard of before, met people I never would have met, and learned things about myself and the world around me. Best of all, your trips have purpose! You're not just siting on the beach or doing a one time excursion that maybe fun but lacks meaning. You are working on a skill! A skill set no less that you can take anywhere! 

As you continue to travel and build up your skills and abilities, it's the most rewarding thing. You are connecting with the most wonderful people all around the world who are just like you! People that found something they love and are passionate about. Something that has cause them to chase the wind around the world. There truly is a strong sense of community in the sport of kiteboarding that is unmatched anywhere else. 

Kiteboarding has taken me and many others all around the globe. You might just be surprised where it will take you! I hope you have learned something valuable in this episode and feel inspired to start your own journey today. 

Living the good life in the Dominican Republic

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask in the comment section of my video! 

If you want to learn more about getting started, give the crew at MACkiteboaring a call and they can help you along the way. 800 622 4655

Crystal Veness

Originally from Canada, she now calls the entire world her playground and simultaneously her workplace. Whether that's an impromptu office in the back of a rental car on top of a mountain or a hut on kite beach Cabarete, she is a true embodiment of the work-life balance movement.

Website: CrystalVeness.com

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