Be the average kiter who just sends it
Kitesurfing’s highlight reels can be misleading. Everyone’s doing megaloops, double kite loops, Jesus walks, foil backflips with a GoPro in their mouth and sunglasses on. Or at least, that’s what your Instagram feed wants you to believe.
But here’s a truth that rarely makes it to TikTok: Most kiters? Solidly average. And that’s not a bad thing.
Why average is underrated
Being “average” in kitesurfing just means you’ve made it past the stage of eating water for lunch and now have a good time 8 out of 10 sessions. You ride upwind. You land some backrolls. You’ve got sand in places you didn’t know could hold sand. Congrats. You’re living the dream.
So why are we so obsessed with progression, style, and “sending it” harder than the guy next to us?
Because kiting has this magical pull: It makes you want to try.
The magic is in the trying
There’s nothing wrong with doing the same jumps every session. But there’s something deeply fun (and wildly humbling) about trying something new, even if it goes sideways. Especially if it goes sideways.
Trying new stuff looks like:
Accidentally unhooking mid-transition and yelling “nope nope nope”.
Misjudging your timing and boosting into orbit with zero landing plan.
Failing the same trick 15 times and then semi-landing it once and screaming like you won the lottery.
Kiting isn’t about looking cool. It’s about feeling alive. That first attempt at a trick? That weird wobbly foil session? That moment you finally switch your stance and don’t immediately crash? That’s the good stuff.
But what if I never land it?
Then you’ve still had more fun than the person sitting on the beach afraid to try. Trying makes you a better kiter, sure, but more importantly, it makes you a braver one.
And here’s what happens when you try:
You get better at falling (both mentally and physically).
You collect hilarious beach stories.
You unlock mini-breakthroughs without even knowing it.
You start caring less about what people think and more about how you feel.
That’s progression in disguise. And it’s delicious.
A quick gear nudge
Sometimes the best way to try something new is with a small gear tweak. Ride shorter lines for snappier tricks. Try a bigger board for light wind flow. Consider switching your stance or even borrowing a foil setup if you're ready for next-level wobble fun. (Foiling: walking on water or flailing above it? Both.)
Don’t overthink it. Just try it. You might crash. You might also laugh your ass off.
Common excuses from average kiters
“I’m not good enough to try that.”
Wrong. You’re already good enough to try. The trick doesn’t care if you’re average. It just wants airtime.
“People will watch me fail.”
And they’ll forget about it 5 minutes later. Or cheer. Or crash right after you.
“I’ll try it when I’m ready.”
You’ll never feel ready. That’s the point. Just go for it.
Your new kite mantra
You don’t need to be the best. You just need to be the one who shows up, rigs up, and messes up, with style.
So next time you're out there, be the kiter who:
Sends a new trick every third session.
Mixes in “just for fun” rides.
Laughs when you crash, cheers when others do better.
Progresses in a way that actually feels fun.
Because being “the best” is overrated. Being the one who tries? That’s where the stoke lives.
Wanna keep the fun alive?
Check out this one too: Is kitesurfing hard? Yes and no. It’s a love letter to the kiting chaos, plateaus, breakthroughs, and bruised pride. A must-read if you’ve ever questioned your kite life.
Or if you want to actually get better at falling forward: How to stay motivated when learning new tricks.
Keep sending, average legend
You don’t need to be the gnarliest rider at the beach. Just be the one who smiles, tries something weird, and tells the best crash stories later. Try that downloop transition. Switch stance even if it feels like writing with your non-dominant hand. Ride switch, loop switch, be switch.
Average is the new epic. Embrace it. Then go crash spectacularly in front of your friends. We would.
xox Berito