It's ALL about the timing. Try the following link, it has a couple of good video's...

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/Newbies-Tips-Tricks/Jumping-4/

Good luck and have fun!

One tip I found was you don't have to do a "load and pop" all the time, although it does help. If you yank the kite hard enough behind you, it will lift you no matter what, and you can get a lot of air. What I do once air-borne is quickly look at the kite to see where it is, look back down, and direct kite and board positioning to your landing spot. Don't over dive the kite or you'll get yanked mid air (or even mega loop by accident, but hey - you could pull that off too!).

Agree with the above re progression dvds and talking to better riders at your location or even go in and talk to you local shop, they were the ones who probably sold you your kite and hopefully know more about it to help you.

There really isnt too much to just plain boosting (without load and pop) when its all said and done. make sure your reasonably powered up, edge hard, flick your kite from 10/2 to 12 and as the kite comes to 12 you will feel it pull you up then all you have to do is jump and you go up, also try and time it of the lip of a wave and you'll go higher again. I always have way more fun boosting on my 8m (never a bad session when i can get the 8 out) compared to my 12m and love it when i catch a gust and i go even higher then just direct you kite and land, im assuming that because you didnt ask about the landing you have this sorted from your smaller jumps?

just be warned you first really big jump you will look down and go 'Wow thats a long long long way down' and may leave some brown stains on the inside of your boardies

Trapped said..

Haha I'll just pack a spare undies then.
So from what I can tell, load and pop, while bringing kite to about 12 and then hold on.
From what I've read it's all in the timing.
I'm a snow and wake boarder so I know just how to break my knees haha

That sounds broadly right... then there are the refinements which come in with experience... sometimes you'll want to do a little load and pop to send you up rather than 'along'.

Sometimes, you'll want to bring the kite back through 12 to 2.

But there are lots of other variables like the position you start the kite from, speed in which you send the kite through to 12 (or beyond) and if and when you pull on the old power bar.

It's a fun process! As you're learning, you're probably spending 100% concentration on the boosting. But always take time to check behind you before you jump. If (when) it doesn't work 100% okay, you'll likely crash and become a static object with your kite at 12 and your board 3km behind you. Make sure there's on one too close upwind over your kite, or travelling on the same tack.

Oh and make sure you're not jumping too close to the beach, rocks, people, helicopters, etc.

SaltySinus said...


Oh and make sure you're not jumping too close to the beach, rocks, people, helicopters, etc.

Damn. I was hoping to do some heli jumps

I'll just make sure there is no one within a 600 metre radius.

Greggor said.. While your up there try for a grab as well, its actually not as hard as you think.

Very well said.

When I first started jumping, I just "froze" in the air, and only looked back down to where I was going to land. When I started to relax more and look around is when the real fun in jumps start to kick in. Grab a rail, take off the board and put it back on, do a turn even, or just mega loop the kite (!!). The key is to relax. Don't be scared.