RIDE EXTREME

What is it all About?

KITESURFING - Kitesurfing

by Ryan Riccitelli Е-мейл адреса e защитен от спам ботове. I was at the beach the other day and this older guy was talking to his friend and commented on how out of place “grinders” are in the sport. His vocabulary alone showed me his age, yet it made me start to think. Do kickers and rails really have a place in kiteboarding? Realistically, 99% of kiteboarders will never hit a rail or a kicker.What does this mean? It doesn’t mean anything. Kiteboarding is whatever you want it to be. As long as you are having fun and getting on the water, no one can tell you what or how to ride. I have a friend who pounds nails all day for a living. He rushes to the beach at 5 pm to ride back and forth until the sun goes down. He doesn’t care how light the wind is. He doesn’t even like to jump. Another guy I know has been getting his fix for the last five years on a battered old XXL Quadrifoil and a 7’0” swallow tail Jimmy Lewis directional. I have been ragging on him to upgrade for years. He won’t do it, and he still rides better than most kiters on the latest chromed out gear. To these kiteboarders, it doesn’t matter what you ride. They just love to be on the water! I know we can all relate to that. The bottom line is that you can ride the oldest gear strapped to a 2x4—I don’t recommend it. As long you are having fun and are respectful and safe on the water everything is cool. Everyone likes a little something different in this sport. It’s time that we enjoy and appreciate the diversity of Kiteboarding. Let’s not try to put it in a box. The older kiteboarder who inspired this editorial needs to learn that “grinders” are something you eat and rails are something you slide. Let’s focus our energies on keeping our beaches safe and stand together to support the growth and sustainability of this sport. At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun. -Enjoy