Snowkiting
Snowkiting is a winter sport in which a kite is used to propel forward an athlete riding a snowboard or on skis. While riding on a snowboard it is refferred to as Kite Boarding, and when on snow skis it is Kite Skiing. The sport is similar to that of kiteboarding on water with minor differences in the equipment used. The sport is steadily gaining popularity in countries where snowboarding is popular.
The equipment required for the sport includes:
- Kites - Foil kites were used in the past, but today, inflatable kites and modern foil kites are used.
- Kite Lines - Multiple lines are used to connect the kites to the control bar.
- Control bar - A rider holds on to the control bar which is used to control the kite by pulling its ends.
- Snowboard - A regular snowboard with binding for attaching the shoes.
- Protective Gear - All protective equipment that is used for snowboarding is also used for snowkiting.
Snowkiting raceThe sport currently has activities for participants of all ages like mellow jaunts on a lake, flying off mountains, freestyle jib tricks, and huge cliff jumps. There are also several course racing and endurance racing competitions conducted for snowkiting.
The Red Bull Ragnarok race and the Vake mini-expedition race, both held in Norway, are the two most popular snowkiting races.
Similar Sports
- Kite boarding — a group of sports that use a kite for power and a board for support, such as:
- Kitesurfing — a board and kite are used on the water for different events.
- Kite Foil Racing — kiteboard racing on boards with a hydrofoil that extends below the board into the water.
- Kite Landboarding — using a kite and wind power to manoeuver a huge skateboard-type board over land.
- Snowboarding — involves descending on a slope covered in snow using a single board attached to both feet.
Related Pages
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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