Imagine a picture: dazzling sun, fresh wind, salty sea air, and you are rushing on a board through the water. And at the same time, a giant kite flies above you, which is rapidly pulling you forward. Tempting? Then maybe fun and extreme kitesurfing is what you need?

Kitesurfing is a special type of surfing in which you glide through the water on a board, and at the same time a small parachute is attached to your waist, or, as professionals call it, a kite. The very word "kite" just means "kite". It is with the kite during the ride that you will catch the wind in order to quickly rush along the waves. Advanced surfers are not only easy to fly with this parachute, but they can do real tricks in the air, taking off from the board and performing incredible somersaults and jumps.

You don't have to know how to ride a board or be a windsurf to master the intricacies of kitesurfing. You can learn how to control the kite from scratch, you just have to devote enough time to it.

You can learn the art of kitesurfing where it is warm enough not to freeze in the water during training, as well as in places where an even and strong enough wind blows along the coast. The main Mecca of kitesurfers is traditionally considered the Egyptian resorts of El Gouna and Dahab, but apart from them there are enough places where you can practice riding the waves with a kite. Greek Rhodes, Spanish Andalusia, Vietnam, Hawaii, Venezuela, some resorts in Thailand, lakes in northern Italy (Garda) and southern Germany (Ammersee) are popular among kitesurfers. In the Moscow region, surfers have chosen Lake Pleshcheyevo for kite training, not far from Pereslavl-Zalessky.

To master the technique of kitesurfing, you will have to stock up on a fair amount of patience and courage. Good sports training will not hurt either. The simplest kite surfing courses take place over the weekend, where you will be taught how to choose the right kite for you, how to assemble and disassemble it, and how to control and catch the wind on land and in the water. Provided that you are in good sports uniform and are friendly with water sports, already during such a course you can try to master the technique of getting up on a board from the water with a kite fastened to your belt.

If you are determined, plan your vacation in a place where you can study in a group or individually for a week or two every day.

In other cases, you will have to apply all your perseverance and spend more than one day off to confidently and firmly cut the water surface, standing on the board. That is why, if you are determined, plan a vacation in a place where you can practice for a week or two daily in a group or individually under the guidance of an experienced coach.

Before diving into the delights of kitesurfing, keep in mind that, like any extreme sport, kitesurfing is traumatic enough. Therefore, being fond of this sport, it is especially important to carefully observe safety precautions. That is why, by the way, professionals advise the kitesurfing school and instructor to choose meticulously and with great attention. Teaching in the native language is preferred to avoid misunderstandings that could lead to injury.

When choosing a school, be sure to study its program. After a standard basic kite surfing course, you should gain the following knowledge:

• Kite settings management;
• Acquaintance with the safety system when riding;
• Ability to take into account weather conditions and choose a place to launch the kite;
• Ability to glide on water without a board with a kite;
• The skill of landing and launching the kite, including emergency landing and upwind movement.

The best would be to go to kitesurfing courses with a friend or loved one. After all The basic rule of the kitesurfer is: never ride alone. This is required, among other things, by safety regulations, so the company never hurts here.

Be prepared for the fact that at first you may not succeed, and give yourself enough time to get used to a new sport for yourself and learn its technique. To avoid being in the water, make sure you are wearing a suitably sized neoprene suit. And in order to protect yourself from injury, buy or rent a helmet.

Kitesurfing today is one of the most popular hobbies in Europe, and on the eve of the New Year, such a course, planned for the next vacation, can be an excellent gift for your other half.

If you are unbearable to wait for the onset of summer, and you are not going to tropical countries yet, there is no need to postpone the development of this sport until later. After all, kitesurfing also has a winter variation called snowkiting. So if you're going to ski resort and looking for new experiences, try winter kiting. The kite will give you high speed on the track and feel the excitement and energy of a real race. For such riding, as a rule, long skiing with a large turning radius and, occasionally, snowboarding.

In a word, if in your soul you are extreme and want to start New Year with new ones, then try kite riding in its summer or winter variation. Regardless of whether the kite pulls you along snow-covered tracks or water spaces, the feeling of flight and the thrill of new sensations are guaranteed to you.

I can't imagine life without sports. I really like extreme views. Especially surfing. I live far from the waves of the sea, but surfing is in my blood, because on our lake I do wakesurfing. Tell me, dear editorial staff of the women's magazine Lady’s Giornale, what other types of surfing are there? Thank you in advance. (Valera Syrykh, Orenburg region)

Surfing is currently one of the most spectacular and popular types sports. Gliding on the waves with the help of a special board enthralls millions of people on all continents of the world. The art of the surfer lies in the ability to maneuver on a board among large waves or to rapidly climb to the top of a wave and on great speed from there, slide down the wave, and repeat this extreme path with the next wave.

At the moment, several types of boarding on the water surface have been fixed, which have become independent sports.

• Classic surfing remains the most spectacular and dangerous species... The main process here is that the athlete catches the wave on his own, and having caught it, he slides along the wave, while standing on the board.
• Classic Hawaiian surfing differs from the previous type in that the athlete does not stand here, but lies on the board.
• Body surfing is also an independent sport and it consists in the ability to slide along the wave, without using a board, but using only your own own body, fins and a special glove in the form of a soft short board, which makes it possible to lean on the water.
• Windsurfing- this is riding on a water surface on a board, which is equipped with a sail attached to it. This sport is attractive because the pirouettes that athletes perform on their own sports equipment are quite spectacular and amazing. In addition, this type of surfing has an advantage over the others in that it is available to them at any wind speed.
• Kitesurfing- this is the movement of an athlete on the water due to a board and a huge kite. This is a very bright and dynamic sport, which, as a rule, attracts crowds of thousands of spectators during the competition.
• Wakesurfing Is a type of surfing that is very popular in those countries where there are no ocean waves. Here the desired wave is created by a boat that passes and forms waves 1 meter high, which are quite suitable for riding and surfing. The whole process goes something like this: the surfer is attached to the boat with a rope, which after a while he throws and then only follows the boat, maneuvering in the waves left by the boat.

Any kind of surfing is considered one of the most extreme and dangerous sports activities... But, despite this, millions of people strive to communicate with the water element in this way.

☞ Video clips

Let's talk about other types of wave surfing that are different from regular surfing, but with which you can start your introduction to the exciting World of wave riding.

Windsurfing

Windsurfing - one of the types sailing: it is necessary to stand on the board and sail, catch the wind, controlling the entire structure. Windsurfing is taught individually or in groups of 2-3 people. Basic knowledge can be obtained already in the first lesson, and having mastered standard skills, you can begin to improve. The theory takes place onshore: familiarity with the windsurfing device, water safety, basic controls and other useful things. Then go to " water treatments»: The same elements of the exercise, only in practice.

Paddleboarding, or SUP

SUP (short for Stand Up Paddling) is rowing on the board. This hobby is new for Russia, so there are not so many places where paddleboarding is taught. They say SUP was invented in Hawaii as an alternative to surfing, so that in the absence of good waves, there was something to do and not lose your skill.

This is perhaps the simplest water sport, you can learn it in a day, and it is not necessary to have an excellent physical fitness... True, the price of the equipment is quite high: 70 thousand rubles for a board and from 10 thousand rubles for an oar. A SUP board is larger than a surfboard, since this sport is still mostly for beginners, and they need maximum stability.

Kitesurfing

"Kite" from English - "kite" that pulls you, standing on the board, through the water (kitesurfing) or snow (snowkiting). Kitesurfers say it is universal look sports, because on the one hand and the same equipment you can ride both in summer and in winter. With the help of a kite instructor, you can learn to ride in a few days. The price of classes starts approximately from 1300 rubles per hour. In a group (when one instructor works with 2-3 people at the same time) it is cheaper.

Kiting is not enough extreme view sports. In the initial course, they study on the shore and on the water. First, on the shore, they explain what kites are, how they are arranged, and most importantly, they force them to learn safety techniques. On the water, they first introduce the movement with a kite without a board, walking in the wind, turns.

The kite is selected depending on the strength of the wind: if the wind is strong, then the "kite" is less. It is dangerous to use large kites in high winds, especially if you are still new to kitesurfing.

5 closest relatives of the surfboard you can use to hunt the waves

Water boards

5 closest relatives of the surfboard,
with which you can go
to hunt the waves

It is believed that at the origins of all "board" directions was the surfboard, whose influence spread to the streets of cities, ski slopes and other amazing places. But do not forget that even in its native element, in the process of evolution, the surf has several close relatives, which today are not inferior in popularity to their older brother.

However, the question of who appeared earlier remains open, but this is not at all the main thing. Today we are not talking about history and the search for an alternative to classic surfing, but about the variety of types of rich and multifaceted surf culture. Each of the boards presented below is not at all a competitor to each other, but rather an interesting addition. And for some, the only available option is to get closer to the water element.

Skimboard

Skimboarding is the very case when even the absence of salty waves and the inability to swim will not prevent you from feeling closer to the ocean and surf culture. Yes, very small. Yes, no fins. But don't forget why this thing exists at all. A skimboard is a “melee weapon” for which both small coastal waves of the seas and the smooth surface of sandbanks, streams and even artificial pools are suitable. You don't have to row to the lineup here. The principle of operation is clear from the name (from the English skim - slippery). He threw the board in front of him, jumped up and began to slide. However, no one says that the world of big waves is not available for this board.

Bodyboard

Many people mistakenly believe that this gizmo was created for those who have not yet fully learned how to swim or just decided to frolic in the foam. Yes, all of this can be done on a short board named after the human body, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Riding on this apparatus is reclining, but you can meet people who manage to ride on their knees and even while standing. Bodyboard, supplemented with short fins for speed dial speed, allows its owner to make unimaginable departures with rotations, which in their amplitude and entertainment are not inferior to the classic surf.

Handplane

No, this is not a piece of a wooden oar, and certainly not a cutting board that was accidentally washed ashore. Handplain is a recognized anthem of surf minimalism, which is periodically referred to even by world surfers. Except for the Polynesian Indians, who in ancient times used similar shells from pieces of boards to play on waves, the first modern handplanes began to appear in the 70s. Etz uses the baby in a discipline called body surfing. The body itself here glides along the waves, and its direction is set by the arm extended forward, on which, in fact, the handplein is put on. Nobody considers such an activity to be a serious sport. However, this kind of fun is attracting more and more serious surfers who have a few quirky hand-cut microsurfs hanging above their door. For example, Keith Malloy loves body surfing, promoting it in every possible way on his Instagram (@thetorpedopeople).

Paddleboard

Today this giant can be found in the list of activities of any holiday and festival by the water. As a matter of fact, an open body of water is the only necessary condition for riding a massive paddle surf. The wide and long board is equally stable both on the waves of the surf spots of the southern oceans, and in complete calm in the northern waters of seas, rivers and lakes. As we have already said, a paddleboard is not even a means of transportation, but a whole piece of land, a personal space where you can wander along the coast, do yoga, catch waves, or use it as a field for photo hunting.

Wakesurf

"A surfer catches an" endless "wave and planes on it until he loses consciousness or stops the boat"

This type of board was born somewhere between classic surfing and vecboarding. From the first, he got a similar board shape without small bindings, from the second - a machine that produces waves and accelerates the rider (or just a boat). Actually, thanks to the boat, it became possible to create a wave even in closed reservoirs. The towing halyard, as a rule, is used only at the start, after which the surfer catches the “endless” wave and glides on it until he loses consciousness or stops the boat. By the way, in order to create the correct wave of a size suitable for riding, there are not enough photo models with champagne on board, which is why ballast is installed in special compartments on the deck - giant containers filled with water.

It doesn't matter who and what, it is important that it brings pleasure and gives a feeling of harmony with oneself and environment... All good waves, soft sand and no crush on the lineup.

This year, a fairly young sport with a board - sup-boarding - has already spread on the resort coasts of Russia. In this material, we understand in detail what it is, when it appeared and how to start doing it, if you really want to.

Sapboarding is a relatively young sports discipline, but its history goes back to the distant past. The abbreviation "SUP" stands for Stand Up Paddle (from the English "rowing"), and paddleboarding is a type of surfing. Modern "standing surfing" is developing very rapidly, and this happens for several reasons at once. Even a child can usually cope with the task of mastering a surfboard with a paddle. With the versatility of SUP boarding, you don't have to have a bungalow in Hawaii or fly every week to the California coast for constant training. All you need is any reservoir, pad and desire.

Surfing historians claim that glanders as a discipline originated, like surfing itself, in the Hawaiian Islands. Sapboarding is designated a native Hawaiian sport. The origin of the discipline is rooted in ancient history local peoples. A probable prototype of a paddle board is a canoe, on which representatives of many South American peoples have traveled since ancient times. Driving a light boat while standing with the help of one oar, directing it with the current and without attracting unnecessary noise, it was possible to quietly penetrate into enemy territory. In addition, the paddle can be used immediately as a spear. Historians consider canoeing not only as a prototype of paddleboarding, but surfing in general.

Due to its specificity, the board for this type of surfing is usually longer and wider than the board of an ordinary surfer, and therefore it is difficult to go out into the open sea and catch a wave on it, just raking with your hands. This is what the paddle is used for. Hawaiians used to build paddleboards out of wood, and some of the boards were up to six meters in length. As a rule, the largest and most impressive boards belonged to members royal family who did not miss the opportunity to show off in the management technique of such a giant on the waves.

The Kahanamoku board is classic for boards of this time - it is made of wood and differs from the usual surfboard only in size. Duke Kahanamoku has inspired many wave-catching fans to sup-board. Mostly local athletes moved on the board while sitting, entering the wave with the help of an oar, but many, like Duke, fly while standing.

Paddle boarding entered a new round of popularity at the beginning of the 21st century, and Rick Thomas is considered the popularizer of modern paddle boarding in the United States. Hawaiian surfers Brian Keaulana, Archie Kalepa, Rick Thomas, as well as world surfing legend Laird Hamilton, used sup-boarding to solve the problem of training on the water in complete calm. Alternative way the fight against the calm was picked up by local surfers, many even decided not to part with the paddle at all. Surfing enthusiast Deborah Thomas is considered the first woman to paddle on a board and take up paddleboarding seriously.

In 2005, the first supboard company appeared. In 2007, the discipline was presented with its own edition. In the summer of 2007, enthusiasts came up with a name - Standup Journal - and decided to do it seriously, and in March next year their first issue came out.

First major competition took place on August 8, 2007 on the shores of Lake Tahoe in California. It was a seven-mile race between 34 participants that kicked off the Ta-Ho-Nalu Paddle Festival. This is how supboarding gained its modern popularity.

There is a 1939 footage of the legendary Hawaiian American surfer Duke Kahanamoku storming the waves with a paddle in hand. Australian historian Nick Carroll confirms that in this video we see exactly Duke Kahanamoku, who controls the "grandfather" of the modern paddle board.

How to choose a pad

The width of a standing surfboard starts at 65 centimeters and can go up to 1 meter. Thanks to the pad's surface, which is wider than the surface of a regular surfboard, even beginners can resist on the board. The length of the board ranges from 3.2 to 4 meters. Supplier equipment is mainly produced by the same companies that supply surfboards and equipment to the market. Surfing and SUP boarding boards and gear are different, however.

The main materials for the production of a pad are the lightest materials: epoxy resin, fiberglass, wood, carbon and others. The latter makes the lightest supboards, but they are the most expensive ones on the market. There are even inflatable boards that are very compact and thus save their owner from transportation problems.

Supboards come in two main categories, each of which can be divided into subcategories: surfboards and rowing boards. Sapboards of the first category are compact (if this word generally applies to three-meter giants), have a length of about 2.9 meters, they are more maneuverable and fast. Rowing boards are less fast, but easier to stand on. As a rule, there are two length standards for such padboards - 3.8 meters and 4.3 meters.

Fierce controversy among fans of this unusual sports discipline arises when the question is, which pad is better - rigid or inflatable? By rigid we mean all types of boards, which cannot be let out and put in a bag or in the trunk of a car. There is an opinion that rigid supboards are usually chosen by craftsmen, for the same reason rigid fiberglass boards are an order of magnitude more expensive than any premium inflatable board. However, there is a counterargument that a true professional should be able to handle any board. Nevertheless, inflatable paddles are easier to store, they are unpretentious in terms of maintenance and care compared to rigid ones, and, of course, they are cheaper. In general, there are a huge number of SUPboards on the market for every taste and budget. In our country, a new glanders can be purchased for 20-30 thousand rubles. Some advanced models cost 100-150 thousand rubles. You can also bring a subboard from abroad, if, of course, you are not afraid of difficulties with transporting or shipping the board.

Supporters and just experienced surfers recommend not to rush to part with your money, but to get started, take a SUP board for rent and do a few heats. It is quite possible that someone will immediately dislike the new idea and buying a pad will not bring much joy.

There are no particularly strict requirements for paddle boards. Generally, the best paddle length is the rider's height plus 20 centimeters. Due to the simplicity in the manufacture of oars, buy sports equipment you can customize it in almost any sports store. As a rule, their cost varies from 3 to 20-25 thousand rubles. The most expensive paddles are made of carbon fiber, the cheapest options are made of aluminum.

Leash (a safety leash, which is attached to the athlete's ankle with one side and the other to the board) should be approximately 30 cm longer than the pad. Its purchase is everyone's decision, but it is worth remembering that if the leash falls, it will not allow the board to go free floating. The fin of a paddle board, according to established norms, should be 13-15 inches for rowing and 7-10 inches for surfing.

If you do not take into account additional accessories (suits, bags, fasteners for the car, etc.), which are happily and in large quantities presented on the market, then the question of equipment can be considered closed.

“To swim for the first time, a beginner simply needs to get on the board, get instructed, and in five minutes he can set off on his own. The board can be rented or purchased. If we talk about St. Petersburg, then the easiest way to do this is on the Lakhtinsky spill, and then go anywhere on your own. Many beginners just take a board, listen in words what and how to do, and go to their dacha or to the beach on the bay, no one has any problems. "

Evgeny Rezontov, supboarder, multiple champion SUPsurf competitions, founder of SUPsurf.ru

Where to begin

Sapboarding is also great because you don't need to rush to the Hawaiian coast and catch a big wave to practice "standing surfing". A subboarder will be happy even with a calm sea bay, a quiet river backwater, a leisurely river flow or an absolutely smooth lake surface. You can just stand and paddle, contemplating the water surface and admiring the landscape. And most of the supporters learned to stand more or less confidently on the board on the first day of training. That is why this discipline is so popular among ordinary amateurs. aquatic species sports.

Ideally, it is best to master new sport with an instructor or friend who already has experience in SUP boarding. If there are none, then a faithful friend of the Internet will come to the rescue. Go to specialized forums, thematic sites and watch the video. This is usually enough to learn the basics of boarding. For the first experience, you need to choose a calm place; the best option would be a quiet river or lake. You shouldn't try to ride a big wave on the first day of training. Perhaps, it will not be superfluous and leash. It's even better if you have a life jacket.

First you need to put the board on the water, lie on it and swim a little from the shore. Then you need to kneel down. Once you feel confident and balanced, you can try to get to your feet. Hands rest on the front of the board, then the first leg rises, after it the second. Standing on all fours, you can try to get to your feet. For the first time, you need to stand strictly in the middle of the board. With a little getting used to, you can try to move around the board, again maintaining balance and trying not to fall into the water. Now you can start swimming.

There are three main stands on a SUP board: right leg forward, left leg forward and both feet on the same line. In order not to get tired, standing in one position, the poses can be changed. Get into a pose, pick up the paddle (which should have been on the surface of the board all this time) and try rowing. The arms should be bent at the elbows at an angle of 90 degrees, when the paddle is immersed in the water, you need to swing the paddle underwater. It is recommended to change your posture and arms, take turns rowing from different sides. As you know, the shortest path is straight, so try not to make unnecessary turns.

Important. When you fall from the board, which will happen with enviable consistency, especially at first, the main thing is not to panic. The first step is to climb onto the board, and only then, in a prone position, swim behind the oar.

Sapboarding in Russia

As already noted, even a small ripple is not a reason for a real supboarder to cancel a training session. But it is obvious that all supporters, like surfers, dream of getting into M the surfing ekku is in Hawaii, where every native has his own board. Also great options will be the California coast and the island of Bali. In Russia, supboarding has so far received the greatest recognition in St. Petersburg and the Krasnodar Territory, where the most famous domestic fans of the discipline live, and here you can comfortably rent a supboard. For example, one of the rentals of a paddle board operates on the shores of Lake Lakhtinskoye, where, by the way, you can run it in right there.

The main Russian competitions among supboarders are held in the city on the Neva. In general, the first supboarding competition in Russia with the support of Russian Federation surfing took place in 2011. The Baltic Stand-Up Paddle Cup is held annually in June, the Autumn Marathon is held in September near the Choice.

Thanks to the SUPsurf.ru team for their help in preparing the material.