Safety Release Systems for Kiteboarding

Dr. Nathan Gunn, a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley who holds an MD from the University of California at Davis, is a health care executive with experience as the president of Valence Health. In addition to his professional work at Valence Health and other health care firms, Dr. Nathan Gunn has become an experienced kiteboarder after learning the sport in Costa Rica. 

Kiteboarding is a water sport that makes use of an airborne kite to pull an individual along the water’s surface. Since kiteboarding can pull a rider into the air, safety equipment such as a helmet and a safety release system are required when participating in the sport. 

A safety release system includes a leash, which is also known as a bypass or handlepass leash, to keep a kiteboarder safely connected to the kite. In addition, the equipment features two releases. The first is the chicken loop release which decreases the kite’s power. If that release fails, the safety lease quick release can be employed which jettisons the kite from the kiteboarder.

Kiteboarding 101 - Riding Upwind

A health care executive based in Chicago, Nathan Gunn most recently served as president of the Population Health Division of Valence Health. Outside of work, both before and after his tenure with Valence Health, Nathan Gunn has enjoyed kiteboarding in his free time. 

If you are a beginning kiteboarder, learning to ride upwind is one of the most difficult skills to master. Riding upwind enables you to track back toward where you started, eliminating the need to go ashore and walk back upwind. 

At the most basic level, riding upwind requires you to generate enough power in the kite to keep it in one position as you move upwind. Start by keeping your front leg straight while slightly bending the back leg, and use your heels to lean backward and fight against the pull of the kite. Position the kite slightly outside of your front foot, which will allow you to slowly “edge” around and face the wind. The key to riding upwind is maintaining a balance between board speed and the edging of the board against the pull of the kite.