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Learning to kiteboard

written by Aninda Sardar
photographed by Herbert Fernandes

“If you try to fight the kite, you cannot win”

Kiteboarding is an extreme sport that until this year has been practised in Oman only by a select circle of enthusiasts. However, for the first time in the region there is now a place where you can learn the skills and obtain the licence that permits you to kiteboard.

In theory kiteboarding sounds simple enough: hook yourself into a safety harness that fits around your waist, attach it to a giant kite, get into the water and on to the board and let the wind do its job skimming you across the surface of the sea. It started in earnest in the 1980s when brothers Bruno and Dominique Legaignoux designed and patented the first inflatable kite in November 1984. Since then the sport has undergone several stages of evolution but the basic principle remains unchanged. A giant kite harnesses the energy of the wind and pulls the kiteboarder, who uses a board similar to a surfboard to surf the waves.

The teacher
Learning in the sultanate
Although operational since October last year, the Hawaii Dragon Kite Boarding Centre – part of Oman World Tourism – is still in its final phase of setting up. Express any interest in the sport however and centre manager-cum-instructor Alexander Friesl will be happy to teach you the craft of kiteboarding.
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Alexander’s interest in the sport stems from skiing. An avid ski and snowboard enthusiast, he found himself looking for new adventure when the snow around his home in Germany melted away, taking with it his hobby until the next season. Alexander found the perfect alternative in kiteboarding, and went on to acquire a licence and become a kiteboarding instructor at VDWS, the International School Association for Watersports that was founded in 1974 and today has schools in around 30 countries.


The Hawaii Dragon Kite Boarding Centre, which is affiliated to VDWS, is located at Al Sawadi, about 500m from the beach resort. It is marked by a single short water tower that stands sentinel on the dirt track branching off left from the main road to the public beach towards the lone white villa that is the centre.

The requirements
Knowing your limits
Kiteboarding requires extreme awareness of what the forces of wind are capable of and one’s own limitations. Without this understanding the sport can be lethal – an out-of-control kite could potentially develop enough power to drag a hapless kiteboarder at ferocious speeds, or it could stall and land on people at the beach, causing injuries. Would-be kiteboarders are required to get a licence, which is awarded at the end of the course at the centre.

While a basic sense of safety and good swimming abilities would normally be considered a prerequisite for this sport, Alexander feels that the elementary course requires nothing more than a willingness to learn and the desire to have adventure. “The entire basic course is carried out in shallow water where you can stand up. So you can learn even if you are not the best of swimmers,” he says. There’s a word of caution to qualify that statement. “If you are planning to go kiteboarding alone or for any of the advanced courses then swimming would be a necessity, since if you go down in the sea for some reason then you need to be able to swim until the rescue boat gets to you.”


The only other things that a kiteboarder needs are equipment, which is included with the courses at the centre or can be rented to those who have a kiteboarding licence, a fair wind and a suitable location in which to practice.

The lessons
Gaining experience
The basic course in kiteboarding, which lasts for eight hours and is spread over two to three days, can accommodate up to four people at a time. The lessons are divided into theory and practical. At the initial theory classes Alexander hands over a VDWS work and stylebook and teaches his pupils the basics of kiteboarding, including recognising wind and weather conditions, the behaviour of kites and safety practices.


At the water’s edge Alexander then demonstrates how to set up a kite and unfurl the lines, how to hold an inflated kite and check whether the lines are fouled up and so on, showing more than once how the quick-release mechanisms on the harness work. Hooking the kite to his own harness he then demonstrates how to start a kite and control its motions. Oddly enough pupils are taught to let go of the horizontal control bar if they find themselves being pulled along in an uncontrolled fashion; the exact opposite of what the brain says when faced with that situation.

But Alexander’s method is what works. “If you try to fight the kite, you cannot win. There is just too much power involved,” he explains.

After learning how to control the motion of the kite, students are given a first-hand experience of just how much power wind energy can generate in what is called ‘bodydrag’. During this exercise
students are dragged along the surface of the water by the kite. This is followed by ‘waterstarts’, which involves learning how to get on to the board and start surfing.

The final bit
Obtaining the licence
After eight hours of learning how to kiteboard there is just one more step to clear before a person can acquire the basic kiteboarding licence – a theory test. “Since I have already seen them on the water, it isn’t necessary to have a practical test. But it is important to see if they remember the instructions that they have received during the lessons. Hence the theory test,” says Alexander. Theory test cleared, students are given their basic licence, which is affiliated to VDWS, allowing them access to kiteboarding equipment around the world.

To reach Hawaii Dragon Kite Boarding Centre, take the Sohar highway out of Muscat. After passing Barka, drive 18km before turning right towards Al Sawadi. Follow the road for the next 9km; cross the Al Maha petrol station on the right; and turn left on to the dirt road at the water tower. For further details, call 96 323524, or visit www.kite-boarding.org.