Also known as turns, sliding turns, basic turns or most commonly known as transitions. Its basically a change of direction.
The best way to think of a turn is a controlled stop and then a board start in the opposite direction without sitting down.
Over the last 15 years of teaching kiteboarding I have helped hundreds of students to learn this in just one lesson. The most common reason why people struggle with this is because they are simply going too fast, haven’t come to a stop and then throw the kite in the opposite direction and sink. It is not a fluid turn. You have to come to a stop first.
The steps are as follows...
- Slowly bring your kite to 12 and push your bar out so you come to a stop
- Keep leaning back putting pressure on your heels
- With your kite at 12 and when you have come to a stop, pull your bar in (this will stop you sinking)
- Keep low with your legs bent
- Dive your kite in the new direction and ride off
- As you pick up speed, edge harder, lean back and ride upwind.
Common transition mistakes
- Problem – Sinking. No power. This means you are going too fast, not diving the kite hard enough or trying to go back in exactly the opposite direction.
- Solution – Go slow, pull your bar in at 12 and ride a little downwind in the new direction before trying to ride upwind.
- Problem – Sending the kite through the power zone resulting in getting pulled over your front
- Solution – Move your kite slowly above your head through 12.
- Problem – Sending the kite too quickly to the other side of the wind window and getting pulled into the air
- Solution – Move your kite slowly back to 12 and then into the new direction when you have slowed your riding speed down to almost completely stopping
Changing direction made simple
- Practice sliding turns by coming to a controlled stop and then board starting in the opposite direction as soon as you stop.
- Bring your kite slowly back to 12 and slow right down to a stop.
- Board start in the new direction just before you sink and ride off slightly downwind before leaning back, edging and riding back in the same direction