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history
Clearly a light wind
day if you're reading this page - thought we'd give you some background
about where this kite thing has come from...
The use of kites for propulsion arguably started around
the 13th Century, when Polynesians were rumoured to have used the power
from flying kites to tow their boats:
1800's
- a British inventor named George Pocock enlarged common
kites and flew them in groups to pull carts along on land and boats on
the water.
1919
- an American inventor called Samuel Cody 'kitesailed' in
a boat across the English Channel.
1970's
- American kite designer Peter Powell from Florida built
a two-line kite, which he used regularly to sail small boats with. These
kites were marketed and sold for use with small boats, and land based
buggies.
1977
- a Dutch inventor named Gijsbertus Adrianus Panhuise receives
the patent for the idea of a single person standing on a board, being
pulled around by a parachute tied to a trapeze harness. So in legal terms
this is the person who invented kitesurfing, although he received no media
attention or commercial interest for his invention.
Early 1980's
- a Swiss watersport enthusiast called Andreas Kuhn, sails
with a wakeboard style board, and uses a paraglider around 25m sq. He's
probably the first person jumping high in light winds. This prompted the
first real television coverage.
1984
- two
French brothers Dominique and Bruno Legaignoux, get a patent for the first
self-relaunching marine wing. In order to promote it they participated
in several international speedsailing events during 1985 and 1986 using
water-skis. Over the following ten years, they improve on their original
wing and test many types of power kites, creating hundreds of kites, boards
and skis, until they sell their first 'Wipika' wing in 1993.
Late 1980's
- Cory
Rosseler, a professional windsurfer from the USA, prepares the 'kiteski',
which he patented and later sold in 1992. His technique was based on a
flat kite with carbon spars linked to a control bar which had a brake
and reel, this allowed re-launching from the water. He sailed with 'trick'
water-skis, and was the first person to be seen sailing upwind on skis.
He was also very influential in producing the first specific 'kiteboards'.
1996
- kiteboarding gets its largest media exposure to date, thanks
to the famous windsurfer's Laird Hamilton and Manu Bertin. They used 'tow
in' surfboards with soft kites, then special kitesurf boards with 'kiteski',
and 'wipika', wings.
1997
- the first mainstream commercially available kitesurf
boards were launched, they were invented by a former professional windsurfer
named Rafael Salles and Laurent Ness the boards were called 'F-One'.
1998
- kitesurfing can be classed as a real sport. Some experienced participants
can now go upwind. A big safety problem in the past. Several schools in
Hawaii, France and England start teaching kitesurfing. The first competition
is held on Maui in the September, and the first champion Marcus 'Flash'
Austin is crowned.
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