Experts Only: Kiteboarders Jump Over a Pier During a Gale!
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Kiteboarding is an incredibly fun and absurdly addicting sport. The first time you try to fly a power kite -- even a small trainer kite -- it's hard to avoid getting hooked.
When you first start out, it can be a little scary. But as you build knowledge and confidence, you get increasingly bold. But some people can take this to the extreme!
In perhaps the best example going EXTREME, two guys in England went out in
gale force winds of over 40 mph and jumped over Worthing Pier. Yes, they both jumped completely over a full-sized, commercial pier -- not a dock but a full pier!
WOW! They flew over 70 feet above the water and cleared the pier rather easily. What a roller coaster ride!
Pier Jumping Caught on Video
A news team and some others were standing by with video cameras. Check out the insane videos that caught them on tape. Unbelievable!
It should be noted that the two kiteboarders -- Lewis Crathern and Jake Scrace -- did attempt at least some level of safety. They made sure no one was on the pier and they had a lifeguard friend standing by in case something went wrong. And between them, they claim to have 16 years of kiteboarding experience. That’s actually a little hard to believe since modern kiteboarding has only been around since the late 1990’s and that would make these youngsters rather cutting edge pioneers.
But that isn’t to say they don’t have talent. They certainly know how to kiteboard and they clearly have great skills. And their skills don’t need any vetting, as they certainly pulled off this crazy stunt and made jumping a pier look easy and fun.
Jumping a pier on a kiteboard is really insane. Although I must admit that as a (novice) kiteboarder myself, it does look pretty darn cool. I doubt I would every try something quite like that, but as my confidence grows I might indeed be tempted.
Lewis and Jake mention that their next temptation is to kite across the English channel from Worthing to France. Now that seems much more reasonable. If you can swim it, you can certainly kite it. Now that's something that I'd be very interested in trying!
Caution: You Can't Teach Yourself to Kiteboard
Does this sound like fun? Well you must tread carefully. You can't try this at home! Kiteboarding is not a sport that you can casually pick up on your own. It takes a lot of study and dedication and most importantly it takes lessons from a certified instructor!
While modern kiteboarding equipment now makes kiting relatively safe for experienced riders, it is still a very dangerous sport. It's especially dangerous for novice kiters who haven't yet built up the knowledge and reflexes needed to recover from a potentially dangerous or even life-threatening situation.
Kitemare Video: Lofted 50 Meters in the Air!
Want some proof that you can't teach yourself to kiteboard? Check out this video. This guy gets lofted over 50 meters above land. When things go very wrong in kiteboarding, it's called a kitemare. This is an extreme kitemare.
The clip description says that this guy walked away unharmed. If that’s true, it makes this a somewhat amusing video and it makes that guy INCREDIBLY lucky. A kitemare with a happy ending that makes for a great story. But most anyone who gets pulled over land like this by a kite ends up seriously hurt or -- more than likely -- dead.
How to Learn to Kiteboard -- Safely!
If you do want to learn to kiteboard safely, there are a few things you can do quickly and relatively inexpensively to get started on your own. You will still absolutely need kiteboarding lessons, but you can start out by getting a trainer kite and a good beginner kiteboarding video. This will enable you to learn the basics of power kiting.
In fact, it's actually a good idea to study a video and play with the trainer kite before your first lesson. Lessons are expensive, and safely learning the basics on your own first will make your lessons much more productive. You'll find that you progress way more quickly if you arrive at your first lesson with some basic knowledge and understanding of power kites. Having some real experience flying a trainer will also be a huge advantage. To borrow a phrase from the Real Kiteboarding training center in North Carolina's Outer Banks, you'll find that you progress from zero to hero much faster!
Find Out More About About Power Kite Sports
Want to find out more about power kites and power kite sports like kiteboarding? Check out these Hubs:
