KITEBOARDING IN MALTA

MALTA’S CRYSTAL-CLEAR WATERS ATTRACT THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO OUR ISLANDS EVERY YEAR. A PERFECT NATURAL ELEMENT, THE WIND, OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES TO ENJOY THE SEA IN A VARIETY OF WAYS

Being an island in the middle of the mid-latitude depressions path, in a band of pressure difference means that wind in the Maltese Islands is very common. On average, 92% of all days experience winds of at least Force 2. The predominant wind direction is the Northwest, whilst the windiest months of the year are between early October and late February, when gale force winds are quite common.

One of the few wind water sports practiced in Malta are kiteboarding, and kite-surfing. Also known as kiting, this exciting sport is a blend of wakeboarding, surfing, windsurfing, snowboarding, paragliding, and skateboarding.

Seasoned local kiteboarder and adrenaline junkie, Kenneth Galea, explains. Harnessed to a large hand-controlled kite and powered by the wind, the kiteboarder uses a surf or twin-tip board (similar to a snowboard, wakeboard, or skateboard) to ride and glide across the water. The basic kite gear used is a board, a kite, a harness, and a bar with lines. The kite is inflatable and is connected to the rider via a set of power and steering lines attached to ‘the bar’. The bar is, in turn, hooked onto a harness worn across the rider’s waist. Most of the kite’s power is handled by the harness, with the arms only controlling power and steering.

Kiting conditions in Malta are not the easiest. Ideally the sport is practiced with a side-shore blowing wind, but this requires wide open beaches, where the wind blows cleanly and unobstructed across the bay. Our beaches are all located in semi-enclosed bays, which means that kiting is always practiced with an on-shore wind. This means that should something go wrong, the rider is blown towards the shore. Kite boarders get to practice their adrenalinepumping sport in a number of beaches across Malta and Gozo. The beach used is always determined by the wind direction.

Ġnejna Bay, Golden Bay, MellieħaBay, Little Armier, White Tower Bay, St Thomas Bay, and Ir-Ramla l-Ħamra in Gozo are all frequented by kiters during the winter months. All the spots with favourable conditions are closed off as swimming zones in the warmer months, so unfortunately, there is not really anywhere close to shore where one can set-up, launch, and land the kite safely during the Summer season. Colder water temperatures and windchill factor during the winter months means that a wetsuit needs to be worn. Kites vary in size, and different sizes are used for different wind conditions. A smaller kite is used in stronger wind conditions, while a larger kite will provide more pull in the lighter winds. Rider weight, rider ability, and board size also determine what size kite would be ideal for the conditions presented. As opposed to kite boarding, kite surfing is more of a wave riding style. The largest waves are usually formed across Riviera Bay, Golden Bay, and Ramla l-Ħamra in Gozo.

The kite boarding community in Malta is quite small. Many take on the challenge of learning this exciting extreme sport. Gearing up requires quite an investment. Safety gear, such as helmets, impact vests, and gloves, are highly recommended, especially in rougher conditions. Some riders prefer wild conditions created by strong force 6-7 winds. Laun ching and landing the kites usually requires the assistance of an acquaintance, as it is not safe to selflaunch and self-land.

As yet, no official kite boarding association has been formed, and the small community of locals usually know where and when to go to kite. Kite equipment is not locally available for rent, but there are a few local suppliers that sell the equipment. There are also few certified instructors that teach the art of kite boarding. The best months to practice the sport would be between October and May, but visiting tourists would need to bring their own equipment due to the absence of gear rental spots.

All in all, although it is quite a demanding sport in its early learning stages, kite boarding is extremely pleasurable. The adrenaline rush of gliding across the waves in such extreme conditions, hearing nothing but the wind and the gliding of the board on the water is a feeling hard to describe!

WORDS JOHN DE GIORGIO