My kitesurfing journey began by total chance the summer of 2018 during a road trip to Andalusia in Spain, where I was wwoofing/couchsurfing for one month in an amazing biodynamic vineyard. Right afterwards, I began to make my way towards the coast to explore more of the region: first to Cadiz, a brightly colored port city in the southwest of Spain with its fortresses on the seafront; then to Playa El Palmar for some surfing; and finally, I made it to Tarifa, a previously unknown to me kitesurfing mecca in Europe.
Europe’s kitesurfing capital
Upon arrival to Tarifa, I was met with the spectacular scene of hundreds of kitesurfers riding on the waters of Playa Los Lances. After over an hour of observing the jumps and tricks of the riders and contemplating the aerodynamic forces of the kite, my decision was made: I want to learn to kitesurf!
Tarifa, Europe’s kitesurfing mecca
I immediately headed over to the kitesurfing schools on the beach to inquire about the prices for the classes and what was included. My heart sank a little as they listed their rates: one on one classes for €600 and group lessons at €380. I came to the realization that kitesurfing is clearly a sport that requires some investment. The equipment itself is expensive and there are several components: the kite, the bar with lines, the harness, the board, the safety equipment (helmet, buoyancy aid) and wetsuit.
Given the steep cost, I opted for the 10-hour group class. While it was the most budget friendly option, it was certainly not the best in terms of learning progression and efficiency and each student got less time handling the kite than during a private lesson. After the second day of class i.e. after 6 hours of group lessons, I had handled the kite for less than 3 hours. At this point, my knowledge was limited to flying the kite on land, water relaunch and body drag with two hands.
No luck with the wind for the next two days. But when I returned, I was the only student remaining so my next four hours of group classes turned into two one on one classes, allowing me to fully benefit from the knowledge and assistance of my instructor. At the end of these classes, I managed my first waterstart, gliding along the water for several meters on my board. “That’s it, I’m an independent rider” I thought to myself.
Steep learning curve in France
Upon my return to France, I purchased my first second hand kite (a 9-meter Cabrinha Radar) and the corresponding bar. The school lent me a board and I dug out an old family harness once used for windsurfing. My first destination: Beauduc, an awesome beginner friendly spot on the Mediterranean, in the Camargue region in southern France. With a wind forecast of 18-22 knots, I felt my equipment corresponded to the conditions. I thought I was an independent kiter ready to head out onto the water without supervision. Big error in judgement considering the extreme nature of kitesurfing!
Off to a first chaotic launch: my kite scraped across the beach and then dragged me with it across the sand for several meters. After finally getting the kite in the air, this was only the beginning of my problems. Several waterstarts later in superman mode, I lose my board and crash the kite in the water several times. Time to end the session.
After some contemplation, I came to realize that I wasn’t aware of all of the essential safety elements and hadn’t had enough practice during my classes in order to be able to kite as an independent rider in complete safety. For one year, all of my kitesurfing outings ended in failure, with a riding time of less than 2 minutes over a 2-hour session in the water.
While I thankfully could count on the help of many kitesurfers to bring back my board and assist me in launching and landing my kite safely, I did wish I had the opportunity to invest in more classes and learn all of the essential elements to kitesurf safely.
An IKO certification provides the best practices to teach kitesurfing safely
After many sessions in France, I gradually progressed to become an advanced rider, managing the same jumps and tricks I once observed back in Tarifa. Finally, my plans were all coming together and I departed for my kitesurfing road trip around Central America, testing out the best kitespots in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Progreso, Mexico
Altogether, I spent over one year on an off kitesurfing in Progreso in the Yucatan region of Mexico, where I also got my IKO teaching certification. Combining classes on aerodynamic forces, weather conditions, equipment etc with practical teaching techniques and safety protocols, the IKO certification offers instructors all the tools needed to teach this exhilarating sport.
Suffering many difficulties and setbacks in my own kitesurfing adventure inspired me to get qualified and be able to teach future kite addicts to learn and enjoy this extreme spot in safe conditions, taking the most advantage of everything it has to offer.
Kitesurfing on Ometepe island, Nicaragua
During my kitesurfing travels I came across Ometepe Island, a magical place on Lake Nicaragua defined by its two volcanoes, lush vegetation and laidback vibes. With volcanic sand beaches and steady wind from December to April, I knew this was the spot I wanted to start my first kitesurfing school. And so here we are: in December 2022, I officially opened Kitesurf Ometepe on Santa Cruz Beach, offering kitesurfing classes to beginners and intermediate riders, as well as rental equipment and supervision for advanced riders.
With amazing views of both of the island’s volcanoes, Ometepe is the most amazing spot to learn to kitesurf in Nicaragua! Book now and join our IKO certified team on your kitesurfing adventure on this little piece of paradise.
