Going upwind

Once you can stay upwind you don't have to walk back along the beach at the end of each run (the "walk of shame") so you can keep kitesurfing in one location as long as you like.

Riding upwind in one direction, then turning around and continuing upwind is called tacking. A track log for a very short kiting session might look something like this:

Experienced kitesurfers can ride upwind at angles up to 20 degrees using specialist equipment such as race boards and foil boards.

How to go upwind on a twin tip board

To upwind, you need to combine several techniques and factors:

1. Speed. If the wind is strong enough, speed will not be a problem. In fact, you may need to slow down a little to be able to go upwind better. The faster you go the more "apparent wind" you create, which has the effect of pushing the wind window behind you, which makes it more difficult to go upwind. If the wind is light, it is a little trickier. You will need to work your kite through the window to generate enough speed. You may also need to go slightly downwind to build up speed before starting to go upwind. This will mean that you will take a large curved line to your destination where the star is your starting point

2. Edge. On a twin-tip board you must be riding on an edge - angle and steer the board in the direction you want to go, rather than letting the kite drag you directly downwind. The board will be at a 45 degree angle or greater to the water.

3. Kite position. If you are struggling, consider bringing your kite lower.

• • • The higher the kite is in the sky, the more it will be pulling you vertically up, rather than horizontally upwind.

    • Try your kite at 45 degrees or lower and you will have better ability to go upwind. This is of course dependent on wind strength.

4. Body position and stance. The best stance for going up wind is:

• • • Arms almost outstretched (not too bent)

    • Head and shoulders facing direction of travel (pick a distant marker to aim for and head towards it, or upwind of it). Look where you want to go.

    • Bum and hips in towards the bar (avoid bending your knees too much)

    • Front leg straight or nearly straight

    • Rear leg slightly bent. Use this to steer into the wind.

Failing to do any of these things will result in the "Walk of Shame" - the nemesis of all kiters. This basically means that you haven't been able to stay upwind, have drifted downwind as a result and have to walk back to your starting position where your gear is located.