In technical terms, kiteboarding and kitesurfing are relatively new but increasingly popular ways to combine sport and recreation, using the wind to ride across water, snow or land. You can simply enjoy the ride or throw in a variety of acrobatic tricks.
Latvia has an estimated 2,000 kiters who get along well — partly because kiting alone isn’t recommended, and launching and landing your kite is much easier with a friend’s help. Kiteboarding and chasing the wind have been known to become addictive, so the day starts with a fresh check of the wind forecast. Try:
Windguru
Windfinder
or similar phone apps.
Latvia’s wind is relatively unpredictable and can blow from any direction, regardless of the season. The west coast, from Kolka to Liepāja, gets wind more often than the Gulf of Riga.
Kiteboarding in Latvia is all about chasing the wind and finding the right conditions. Good conditions come and go, and each wind direction and forecast has its own go-to beaches.
Kiteable winds range from 6–20 m/s, though beginners should stick to a maximum of around 10 m/s. A pro, meanwhile, can give conspiracy theories a whole new meaning by heading out when the media tells everyone to stay indoors and the ports are closed.
Kiteboarding has grown alongside the digital age, so you can find practically everything about the sport online. Wide beaches are ideal, as are open fields if the urge to kite doesn’t disappear in winter. With Latvia’s long coastline, there are opportunities all along the shore, provided the wind is blowing from the sea towards land.
Some beaches, including those in Ventspils, Liepāja and Jūrmala, have restrictions and designated kiteboarding areas. Popular spots include Vitrupe, Salacgrīva, Zvejniekciems, Saulkrasti, Lilaste, Bolderāja, Pumpuri, Ragaciems, Bērzciems, Roja, Ventspils, Akmeņrags, Liepāja and Lūžņa. The cherry on top is undoubtedly Latvia’s kite school Vējā based in Engure but operating along all the costline.
Getting into kiteboarding means making new friends, accepting sand in your home, car and phone buttons, compulsively watching the treetops even on seemingly hopeless days, and hiding your latest gear purchase from your non-kiting other half. Expect a “farmer’s tan” in summer too, as riding without a wetsuit is rarely an option in Latvia. You may also find yourself losing interest in ice hockey and sports cars with no room for gear.
A few perks to expect: Weekends and holidays will take on a whole new meaning. Monday mornings will come with that satisfying tiredness after an active weekend. You’ll know the weather more accurately than the TV forecast. People will envy your sun-kissed face — we won’t mention our pale bellies, will we? ;) And you’ll have an incredible passion to brighten up the everyday routine.
The most common beginner question is: “How long does it take to learn to kite?” There’s no single answer. It depends not only on your coordination and experience in other sports, but also on whether you can make time when the wind blows — which won’t always be at weekends.
Those who take readily to the challenge might ride their first few metres after just a couple of hours of instruction, while others may need 12–15 hours, depending on their fitness. Previous windsurfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding or similar experience helps, but isn’t essential. Even flying a toy kite could give your future kiting career a promising start.
Learning with an instructor is certainly a safer, faster and more effective way to master kiteboarding basics and safety procedures than teaching yourself. It also builds confidence. Kiteboarding is much like driving a car: following the basic rules helps you stay safe and in control.
Kiteboarding is easier than it looks, and almost anyone can learn — from ten-year-olds to people in their sixties and beyond. Flying a kite is straightforward and doesn’t require exceptional fitness. Once you’re up and riding, you’re rewarded with a wonderful feeling of lightness and freedom.
P.S. There are no sea monsters in Latvia’s coastal waters to get in the way of your irresistible urge to kite.
Beyond summer lessons, winter deserves a mention too. One particular advantage is the chance to take your first steps in lighter winds with a smaller kite, as sliding on snow offers less resistance than riding through water. You can also stand comfortably, step to either side when needed and deal with a fallen kite while on your feet — something that isn’t always possible in summer.
You can learn to snowkite on downhill skis or a snowboard. If you get the chance, we definitely recommend giving it a go to learn the basics of kite control. Winter can also be the quickest route to riding your first few metres with a kite.
At the heart of the setup is the kite, controlled by a bar connected to it by lines around 23 metres long. A harness worn around your waist connects you to the bar, making the kite easier to handle and taking the strain off your arms.
You can ride a traditional twin-tip board in either direction, but the options don’t stop there: a surfboard, a mountainboard for sand and grass, a snowboard, skis, a buggy, a canoe or even ice skates. Kiting is a year-round sport that embraces every season. You just need the right clothing — a wetsuit for the water or a snowsuit in winter. Drysuits are also available for riding on water in particularly cold conditions.
The equipment has several safety systems designed to let you release the kite’s power or detach from it in an emergency in a fraction of a second. These make kiteboarding safer, though certainly not foolproof. If your kite lands in the water — a frequent occurrence while learning — it can usually be relaunched fairly easily.
A little kiting glossary:
Wipeout — a crash or a trick that ends in an unsuccessful landing.
Chicken loop — the loop that connects the kite’s control system to the rider’s harness.
Donkey dick — the retaining finger that keeps the chicken loop from slipping out of the harness hook.
Teabag — a kiter dangling beneath a kite overhead.
Downwinder — a longer ride downwind along the coast. At the time of writing, the longest completed route in Latvia runs from Liepāja to Ventspils.
Lines — the cords connecting the kite to the rider’s control bar.
Offshore wind — wind blowing from the shore out to sea.
Overpowered — when the wind is too strong for the kite size you’re using.
Footstraps — straps that keep your feet on the board and help you control it.
Hindenburg — when a kite flying overhead loses support and falls out of the sky due to a lull or a handling mistake.
Walk of shame — the walk back along the beach when you can’t ride back to your starting point.
Freezing — seriously cold weather.
Chop — a rough, uneven water surface stirred up by the wind.
Whitecaps — small, white-tipped waves out at sea. They start appearing at around 6 m/s and are one indication that there may be enough wind to kite.
Ultimately, kiteboarding is a passion that transcends the birth year in your passport or your outlook on life. A feeling of absolute freedom, in harmony with the water and the wind.
Information compiled by Linda Ģermane.
Article prepared by public relations specialist Guna Miļusa.
