Extreme Situations

Why is kiteboarding considered an extreme sport? While it is an exhilarating sport, it may be dangerous if done incorrectly and without training. It is considered extreme because of multiple safety precautions that should be taken and certain sources of danger that need to be avoided. Here are a few things you need to watch for:

• Electrical power lines. A wet kite and lines can conduct electricity, so you’ll want to avoid being in close proximity with them. Also, taking the kite off power lines can be problematic.
• Trees are a natural obstacle: the trunks are dangerous as an obstacle in the event of a collision, and the crown is definitely a hazard to the kite and kite bridal. In the latter case, the kite can be seriously damaged or completely destroyed. Even if it gently falls on the tree branches it is going to be tough to take it down because multiple bridal lines can get tangled.
• Large waves are extremely dangerous to unprepared kite boarders.
• Kite lines themselves also pose a danger. Each thin line stands up to 600lbs and under tension can cut like a knife.
• Riding near people carries a danger to others.
• Hard parts of equipment like board fins, skis and bar handles are dangerous in the case of collisions.
• High speeds. Even with-in the first year of riding, a kite boarder is able to develop a speed of up to 40 miles per hour. Falling down at this speed is not forecasting anything good.
• A strong wind (20knots) can give a lot of surprises.
• Wind blowing in the direction of long steep slopes, mountain ridges, reservoir dams creates dynamic vertical upward flow which can provoke very high and uncontrolled wind gusts and jumps.
• Offshore wind. At the initial stage of learning one of the biggest problems for riders is returning to the starting point. Offshore winds can drag a novice rider far out into the deep water.
• Reduced visibility due to twilight or snowstorm.
• There is another source of danger. Many people underestimate its importance. We specifically focus our attention on it at the end of the list of possible risk. Ignorance or misunderstanding, and even worse – no desire to learn and follow safety rules in emergency situations.