On your last holiday, you saw someone having a blast with a kite and a board. Or your Instagram feed is getting filled with happy people kiting all over the world. So you finally decided to take your first kitesurfing classes. Yes!
Now, you’re asking yourself:
How long does it take to learn how to kitesurf?
It’s not possible to say exactly how many days or lessons you will need to learn the sport. What is certain is that each person learns at a different pace.
A lot of variables come into play when trying to respond to such a question. Wind and spot conditions will definitely influence the number of hours needed. But also, the frequency of your lessons, your learning skills, and your fitness level.
If you take one week to dedicate to the sport, you will progress faster than if you take fewer days in more intervals.
Your previous experience with other sports will also impact your learning curve.
If you’re a snowboarder, chances are that you’ll be up on a kite board faster than someone who never tried it. Furthermore, if you know how to sail or windsurf, you’ll understand how the kite flies, faster.
So, what does a kite course entail?
The feeling of flying a kite is exceptional, and I am willing to bet, different from anything you’ve tried before! We can compare the basic movement only to the kites we were flying as kids.
Step number one, then, is learning how to handle the kite on the beach. By this, we mean learning how to handle it in total safety.
Our instructors will explain to you the 3 main safety systems so that you’ll never forget.
Hello, letting go of the bar!
How many hours to learn how to fly the kite?
As I said, this depends not only on your learning skills, but also on the type of course chosen. What we can tell you for sure, is that you will start enjoying yourself within the first 30 minutes!
What we observed throughout the years is that it takes 2 or 3 hours in a private course to learn the basics on the beach. The hours become 4 in a semi-private course, and between 4 and 6 hours in a group course.
Click here to learn more about the type of classes we offer.
And then?
As soon as you can handle the kite on the beach in safety, we’ll go to the water!
We will teach you a set of exercises called “body drag”. Also approved and mandatory stages according to the International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO).
In these four exercises, you will get dragged across the water surface using only the kite power. You will learn board recovery, an essential part of being an independent kitesurfer.
In a private course, we cover the body drag class between 2 or 3 hours. The former steps are essential to prepare for the third and final step: waterstart!
The waterstart
The most challenging moment of a kitesurfing course, by popular acclaim.
During the waterstart, you will need to group together all the skills of the previous days.
Giving classes since 1998, we have observed that, at this stage, the learning curve starts to flatten out. But don’t fret!
In my experience, I had my first successful waterstart after 5 days (definitely slower than average!) in a semi-private class.
However, my course partner succeeded in only 3 days.
He was a snowboarder and skateboarder, so it was easier for him to stand up at his first tries.
Then, my future kiteboarder. To respond to your initial question: How long does it take to learn to kitesurf?
We created this summary table which explains, depending on the type of course you choose, the number of days needed to learn the sport.
After more than 25 years in the kitesurfing panorama, we have observed the following.
An average student, who chooses a private course, will learn the basics of the sport in 9 hours, 3 days. He/she will begin to be independent with practice after 15 hours (5 days). More or less!
I hope I have clarified your doubts, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions!
Windy greetings,
Giulia
Your kite teacher