Spring Break
Kiteboarding takes off as new extreme sport in Alaska
Clint Helander
Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: Sports
A new sport has moved in and is making a name for itself in a small, but growing community here in south-central Alaska. It doesn't require gasoline, waiting in annoying lift lines or contemplating avalanche danger. With a little wind, some desire, and a steady flow of adrenaline, kiteboarding has blown its way into Alaska.
Kiteboarding is similar in style to snowboarding or wakeboarding, where carving and aerial tricks are a big part of the game. Unlike snowboarding, however, kiteboarding harnesses the wind, not gravity, to provide the ride. Using kites that somewhat resemble small parachutes, riders glide over snow while being pulled from the wind collected in their sails.
As they ride, boarders or skiers use their edge to cut away from the pull of the kite while building potential energy which can send them flying through the sky when let off. Riders can reach astonishing heights of 30 to 40 feet while performing spins, flips and grabs before touching down again. They wear a harness that is connected to the kite through a steer bar and rigging cables. Boarders are able to steer the kite and use the steer bar to create the energy necessary to launch into the air. For the most part though, kiteboarders ride on the flats while focusing on lateral movement, rather than vertical maneuvers.
"Most (kiteboarders) are riding on flat land, but as they gain more experience, you'll see more aerials like in freestyle riding," said local rider John Tompkins, who owns and operates KiteAlaska.com. "I'd say there are more than 100 riders that I know of in Anchorage and Homer and it's growing every week."
Tompkins also said most people who kiteboard transition from riding in the backcountry.
"I'd say for the backcountry folk, for the skiers and the people who are already doing the outdoor activities, it's going to fit in with what they're already doing," he said.
The sport has taken off in the lower 48 states, with growing kiteboarding communities in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. Alaska is coming to the forefront as one of the top places to kiteboard, and Anchorage is becoming one of the main hubs.
Kiteboarding is similar in style to snowboarding or wakeboarding, where carving and aerial tricks are a big part of the game. Unlike snowboarding, however, kiteboarding harnesses the wind, not gravity, to provide the ride. Using kites that somewhat resemble small parachutes, riders glide over snow while being pulled from the wind collected in their sails.
As they ride, boarders or skiers use their edge to cut away from the pull of the kite while building potential energy which can send them flying through the sky when let off. Riders can reach astonishing heights of 30 to 40 feet while performing spins, flips and grabs before touching down again. They wear a harness that is connected to the kite through a steer bar and rigging cables. Boarders are able to steer the kite and use the steer bar to create the energy necessary to launch into the air. For the most part though, kiteboarders ride on the flats while focusing on lateral movement, rather than vertical maneuvers.
"Most (kiteboarders) are riding on flat land, but as they gain more experience, you'll see more aerials like in freestyle riding," said local rider John Tompkins, who owns and operates KiteAlaska.com. "I'd say there are more than 100 riders that I know of in Anchorage and Homer and it's growing every week."
Tompkins also said most people who kiteboard transition from riding in the backcountry.
"I'd say for the backcountry folk, for the skiers and the people who are already doing the outdoor activities, it's going to fit in with what they're already doing," he said.
The sport has taken off in the lower 48 states, with growing kiteboarding communities in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. Alaska is coming to the forefront as one of the top places to kiteboard, and Anchorage is becoming one of the main hubs.
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Sean Wisner
posted 4/22/08 @ 5:14 PM AKST
Great article. Kiteboarding and snow kiting are really taking off down here in Valdez as well. Thompson Pass is quickly becoming a world-class snow kiting destination, and the consistent sea breezes in the summer months make for some epic ocean kiting conditions. (Continued…)
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