Getting ready for downwinders in Perth
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Kite surfing downwind is an addictive and exhilarating experience. It’s non-stop action, wave after wave. It’s catching every wave without having to spend time tacking. It’s airing over waves heading out and trying to get barrelled riding in. It’s lefts and rights and it’s outrunning the closeouts. It’s a natural high and after a dose, the most common side effect is an ear-to-ear grin. Other side effects include an irrepressible urge to tell everyone about the experience, even if they really couldn’t care less. The best remedy to avoid a come down is planning your next downwinder.
This summer in Perth, riding downwind has never been so easy to organize. Joseph Andrin, a local Perth kiter, ran a community focused transport service for kiters. To make it happen, he bought a trailer, a mini bus and a postie bike. Every day at 4pm, Jo would arrive at a popular beach for wave riding kite surfers, Trigg. He would unload his postie bike from his trailer, then load up anyone who wanted to kite downwind into his van. Then he would drop people off at upwind locations, as far as 20km upwind! After disembarking, passengers could kite back downwind and to the start point, where their cars were waiting for them. Jo would jump on his postie to go and retrieve his van.
He is planning on an even better service this summer. The service is called the Upwinder. If you like the idea, send him a like on FB. The Upwinder is only made possible thanks to donations that kiters anonymously contribute for each ride they jump on. It’s for everyone, for those that can’t convince their mates to get off work, for those that want to shred every windy day, but most importantly, it’s for those that want to share the stoke.
www.facebook.com/upwinderbywaterman
Kitesurfing beginner questions
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