Freestyle

For Freestyle kitesurfing "anything goes". This style also used for competitive events and is free-format and "go anywhere". The kite and board are used to get big air (jumps) so that various tricks can be done while airborne. Big jumps and aerial tricks are impressive to onlookers and can be challenging and great fun to complete.

Freestyle jumps and tricks can have a lower injury risk compared to wakestyle, which tends to involve powered jumps done with less height. Big jumps can be launched off small waves and chop, or launched from flat water using the "edge and release" jumping technique.

You need a kite with good boost and hang time for big jumps.

Reasonable wind strength and the right kite size is required to ensure you have plenty of power.

A smaller board can provide better edging and has less rotational mass to it easier to do some tricks.

Aerial tricks for freestyle include:

• • Board grabs - grabbing the board edge with one hand

  • Rotations - rotating your entire body 360 degrees or more while in the air

  • Foot out - taking one foot out of a strap and replacing it before landing

  • Board off - remove both feet from the board, holding it briefly, then replacing them before landing

  • Inversions - lift your feet and drop your head until you are upside down

You can practice board offs at home sitting on a chair with your feet up.

Good conditions for freesyle include:

• • Flat water - so you can choose exactly where to lift off

  • Gusts - jumping with a gust will get you higher. Feel for them before you send the kite

  • Choppy water - good for training but makes it hard to egde the board hard for higher jumps