Most of us after watching extreme mega loop videos, king of the air replays or clips of wave riders going down huge barreling waves might become tempted to search for those extreme conditions and ride in them. These pro athletes featured in these videos make it appear relatively safe and easy. We do occasionally witness those brutal, close call, crash videos that we tend to forget about relatively fast.
Those 40 knots storm conditions or 8m tall swells might excite you though when those once in a lifetime “opportunities” cross your path you must take time to think twice. Going out in the wrong conditions can prove fatal. Becoming number one on the WOO Global Leaderboard must be done in as extremely controlled situations as possible and not simply “winged”. Same goes for larger swells and or a combination of strong wind and huge waves.
Kiteboarding is extreme enough - don’t enter extreme conditions because you might enter a situation that is extremely dangerous. Always check conditions and a good rule of thumb is "IF YOU DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE, DON'T GO. THERE MIGHT BE A GOOD REASON"
Examples of conditions to double think:
- If the wind is offshore
- 35+ knots
- -5m+ Tall Waves
- Waves with very shallow reef
- Gusty and Unstable Stormy winds
You should always check your local wind/tide reports. There are free options available such as IKITESURF or join a local facebook group like we have here Chucktown Wind Report