What is snowkiting?Written by Jakob Jelling
As if snowboarding and kitesurfing actually meshed into one single sport it would be Snowkiting. Imagine taking a lift high atop a beautiful mountain, you set your kite in motion and get your feet firmly planted you start your run down a long white hill. As you snowboard down mountain your kite helps you gain speed and with a good gust of wind you too can be 10 – 15 feet in air. With this much gravity you too can be implementing same moves as kitesurfer does including jibing and crossing over. Snowkiting is another example of popular extreme sport series as there are many hazards that circle this sport as well as kitesurfing. Snowkiters take their board to mountain and ride winds down fast and furious. Moguls and ramps can help you gain more air than you bargained for if you are a beginner. Starting slow and learning how to keep your kite in air is basic fundamental. Once you have mastered techniques you will be flying in no time at all. It doesn’t matter if its natural snow or powder, you too can get up to 50 – 70 mph with aid of your kite. Although premise is still same between two sports, it takes a lot less wind to move you across snow then it does across water. Jumps and flips are easier and depending on how you land softer. Once your kite is launched and you begin your descent it is far easier to keep yourself on snowboard.
| | Skatesailing – The Ice AgeWritten by Jakob Jelling
As with any extreme sport, some people enjoy warmth of surfing and others prefer cold weather and would rather skate instead of surf. With this, another popular extreme sport has been created Skatesailing. Skatesailors like to take to ice and zip around lake on their two skates. The cost of this sport is relatively low and very seasonal.Most people who enjoy skatesailing do so with simple pair of skates and a sail that is held and steered by skater. As wind velocity increases skater moves into wind and picks up speed across ice. The skater can reach speeds up to 40 mph and above. The downside to this sport is that you are landing on a hard surface should you fall. Extreme skaters love this sport; they live for challenge to tame high winds. As with most skating sports they take place on a lake. Most of time, lakes can create great wind gusts that can help increase speed of skater. It can be dangerous to be skatesailing on thin ice, so you should always practice caution and heed signs about ice conditions. Since skater needs a basic pair of skates they can also purchase their sail. A setup can cost up to $500 depending on which type of sail they have purchased. Some sails are held like a boom while other sails drape across shoulder bladed.
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