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Kitesurf trick

Water Start

Basic
  • Fundamental

Using the kite's pull to rise from the water onto the board and ride away. It is the first real riding skill, and everything else in kitesurfing starts from it.

How to

  1. Get into position

    Float on your back with the board on your feet across the wind, knees bent to your chest and the kite parked at 12 o'clock.

  2. Point the board

    Angle the board slightly downwind, toward where you want to go, with your front leg a little straighter than your back leg.

  3. Dive the kite

    Steer the kite smoothly from 12 to about 1 or 11 o'clock, toward your direction of travel, to build steady pull.

  4. Stand up on the pull

    Let the kite lift you, keep your knees bent and your weight forward, and let the board run flat until it planes.

  5. Settle and ride

    Bring the kite back to about 11 or 1 o'clock, shift a little weight to your back foot and edge lightly to control your speed.

Common mistakes

  • Pulling too hard

    Dive the kite in one smooth move and let it do the lifting, rather than yanking the bar.

  • Edging too early

    Keep the board flat until it planes, then lean back and edge once you are riding.

  • Board pointed upwind

    Aim the board slightly downwind on the start so it can plane before you edge.

Builds on

Unlocks

Track your progress on the Water Start

Log every session on the Water Start in TrickTrack, rate how it went, add photos and videos, and watch it climb:

  1. 1/5Learning & practicing
  2. 2/5Progressing
  3. 3/5Landed at least once
  4. 4/5Consistent landings
  5. 5/5Landed every time
  6. Mastered

Then mark it mastered when it's yours.

Available sooniPhone and Android

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