10 Reasons Why Size Doesn’t Matter When You Kite – by Annabel van Westerop

10 Reasons Why Size Doesn’t Matter When You Kite – by Annabel van Westerop

Does the size always matters? Not with kiting! The talented and adorable Annabel van Westerop will give you 10 reasons why size doesn’t matter when you kite.

Ok just to get this out of the way, size does sometime s matter… just not with kiting!

The talented and adorable Annabel van Westerop will give you 10 reasons why not.

1. Throw out the scale

Whether you’re 1.65m (like me) or 2.10m… whether you’re super skinny or have female curves… it doesn’t matter when you’re kiting. That is the beauty of kiteboarding.

These days, anyone can do it. With the different kite and board sizes you can create the perfect set-up for you, depending on the wind that day.

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2. 7 or 13?

Yes, there is a big difference between what a 7m or a 13m feels like. However, in the end, they both give you the same result: you can go out there and have a great session! Personally, I find that if you use all sizes enough, eventually it doesn’t matter anymore. I love my 7 because it’s light to pass and I love my 13 because it stays so stable during tricks. With a few small adjustments of your riding, you can perform just as good with any kite size.

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3. Boostin’ big

“That girl jumps way higher than me”.

As long as you’re not competing in a Big Air competition, that is not so relevant. Are you enjoying the adrenaline that flows through your body once you go up into the air? You can’t get enough from the feeling like your flying and you have all the control? Then that is enough! When I go out for a session, I enjoy every moment when I stomp a trick or simply boost as high as I can and that is all that matters. Sure, do ask that girl what her secret is, because improving and beating your own records is super motivating!

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4. Commitment

Let’s say you want to learn a new trick, but you’re scared. There is no reason to be ashamed of that! You don’t want to know how long it took to learn my first Blind Judge ;)

To learn something new, you have to commit. But everyone learns in their own way and in their own time. Commitment in that sense comes in different sizes as well. It might work for you to just go for it, and throw the trick as big as you can on your first try. By getting the feeling down, you can then go onto the specifics to land it properly. However, you can also start small, and slowly work your way up by thinking a lot about the technical aspects. I am one of those people. I won’t land the trick before I am absolutely sure that I can land it. And sometimes… that takes a while. But it’s all worth it in the end.

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5. Snack away!

You’re kiting! You’re using up all the fuel in your body! So don’t worry when you feel the need for snacking. I mean, we wouldn’t survive without chocolate anyway… but it does taste and feel so much better when you’re done kiting. It’s really not so bad to treat your body sometimes, and if you just had a hard workout or good session, a proper sized snack won’t do anything bad to you. Now… if you find yourself making that excuse a lot (like me), maybe exchange that chocolate bar for two carrots sometimes.

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6. Age

It is really unbelievable how much the sport has grown over the years. When I was 14, they told me that I was too young to start kiting. Luckily they made an exception eventually!

These days however, kids start younger and younger. The gear has gotten much simpler and safer, so that it’s easy to use, even for kids. On the other hand, there are actually many people that you would think to be “too old” to kite, and they are still shredding and having loads of fun with the sport.

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7. Airplane in.. airplane out..

Travelling, don’t we all love that? It’s a big part of the kiteboarding lifestyle as there are so many amazing spots all over the world. And as you know, once you start kiting, every vacation becomes… a kite vacation. As a pro kiteboarder travelling is an even bigger part of your life. I mean.. airports are like my second homes by now! Anyways, the point is that with an airplane ride, long or short, you suddenly arrive in a complete different world, with lots of exciting adventures waiting for you. Whether you fly from England to Spain, or all the way to Hawaii. It’s crazy how small the world has become in this way.

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8. Budget

Many people worry about the budget they have or don’t have. Luckily, the size of your budget doesn’t really matter, as there are still options enough to get on the water. To start with, there are many second hand kites and boards for sale online. Next, you can make a fun kitetrip low budget as well. Take the train, or the car, and stay at a small hotel or a camping. There are already so many fun trips to do within Europe or the US for example. Don’t let a budget hold you back!

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9. Session time

Sometimes you’ll go kiting with a group of friends, sometimes with just your best buddy, and maybe you’ll go by yourself as well.

Every session is completely different, with different people and different things to do and try. However, one thing should always stay the same, which is to have fun on the water. I like training by myself because I can stay super focused, but going out with others can be really fun and helpful too!

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10. Love is always the answer

A lot of things can happen during a kite session, good and bad. But every problem, big or small, can be forgiven or forgotten. You’re kitebuddy didn’t show up and let you down, someone crashed their kite right on top of your lines, your body decided not to work with you today so you keep crashing…

I know that even the smallest things can make a big impact on your day or mood, but on those moments, look around you and think, oh… it’s not really that bad is it? Feel grateful for what you have and for the fact that you have yet another day you get to spend on the water, doing what you love. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really does work!

24oct
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