What is it all About?

by Ryan Riccitelli This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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

RIDE EXTREME