| When I was a kid my school P.E. lessons revolved | | | | and I lost over a stone in a couple of months |
| around football, rugby or cricket and I hated them, | | | | without even trying to.I enjoyed this alternative |
| notes to be excused were forged many times. When | | | | sport so much I opened up a shop selling kites and |
| my parents divorced I joined a new school and the | | | | mountain boards. In doing this I found myself looking |
| sports teacher was a bit more unconventional in his | | | | for other alternative or secondary sports to try.Kite |
| approach. He introduced us to Tug of war and P.E. | | | | buggying is my favourite sport, it involves flying a 4 |
| became interesting It got a lot of us hooked so we | | | | line power kite whilst sitting in a 3 wheeled kart which |
| even came back after school and weekends and we | | | | you steer with your feet. If you go for speed you |
| formed a team that took on local pub teams in fetes | | | | can reach 70mph+ but you will need a lot of space. |
| and carnivals.That was a long time ago and work etc | | | | There are organised races all over the world including |
| took over life and sports took a back seat. Several | | | | endurance races for teams of pilots. There is also a |
| years ago I was on holiday in Devon and saw people | | | | freestyle series now which involves strapping |
| flying kites on the beach. The kites they were flying | | | | yourself into the buggy and attaching the kite via a |
| had enough power to pull the flyer along leaving | | | | harness, this enables you to fly much larger kites and |
| furrows in the sand. I knew I had to have a go on | | | | the kite can then pick you and the buggy up to do |
| that. I bought myself a Flexifoil Pro Team 8 which | | | | 360 spins and many more tricks.Kite land boarding is |
| was an 8 foot kite and started having fun. The 8 | | | | similar but you stand on a mountain board while flying |
| footer was changed to a 10 footer and then stacked | | | | the kite, this is more difficult in the initial stages but |
| with 2 more as I craved for more power and fun. I | | | | can be more rewarding as the freestyle is more |
| then discovered the power kite. These 4 line kites | | | | achievable.Stunt kites, trick kites, or sports kites are |
| which are styled on para gliders or parachutes, these | | | | 2 line kites that can be controlled left or right by |
| really opened up the sport side and before long I | | | | pulling the control lines. |
| was kite buggying and kite land boarding. I was fitter | | | | |