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Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

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markchatwin
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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby markchatwin » Mon Sep 02, 2013 2:34 pm

I'm 51 and prone to back issues, knee issues but I make it work with other forms of fitness to compliment kiting. I find the best non kite thing to do is swimming. Plus it helps where we kite - with certain wind directions we are in deep water and may have to swim a bit. Other than that it's core strengthening exercises and cardio. As far as kiting goes strapless is best for me on my knees. When anything goes wrong no knees to jar.

For me it isn't all feather landings when I jump with a Twin Tip. I'm getting better at it and recommend a kite that lands the jump smoothly. From what I read the Edge, NRG, foils have more hang time...

The worst injury I ever got kiting was throwing my back out when I was bending over rolling up the kite after a cold water session. Now I bend my knees :wink:

The 2nd worse was getting thrown around backwards after hitting a wave face on the way out in 7m conditions. Flew up pretty high but twisted somehow. The kite got out of control, I must have pulled down on one end of the bar and I looped the kite. Before I knew it I flew backwards towards the beach and took the brunt of the crash with my head and neck. Luckily I was in 3 feet of water. I think I had a concussion plus I had whiplash for a few days. I should have released :wink:

Now I never end up in that situation. I will always remember that crash! I always do my fun stuff in deep water. You will not find me skimming along in 6 inches of water.

Oh yeh get good quality safe gear. Most beginners I see getting hurt are either on crappy gear or in shallow water...

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby oldkiter » Mon Sep 02, 2013 5:50 pm

NCWater - no worries. You have everything left to enjoy in the sport. Do not hesitate, just use common sense with your progression. You should get almost unlimited sessions where you live - based on what I have read about NC/OBX winds.

If you are already in good shape you'll have no particular problems - even the young can get hurt!

This is the greatest sport - I've played hockey way back when, snow and water skied, windsurfed from the beginning, and then started kiting 9-10 years ago. As many suggest do other exercises as well. Kiting is limitless fun, with so much to learn. In your area all aspects should be available.

Would you adopt me so I can live in your area???? I'm 75 next month!

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby Peter_Frank » Mon Sep 02, 2013 6:46 pm

oldkiter wrote:Snip...
Would you adopt me so I can live in your area???? I'm 75 next month!
:thumb:

8) Peter

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby overboard » Mon Sep 02, 2013 7:31 pm

Learnt to windsurf at 50 then went onto kitesurfing at 60 and am now 72. The two biggest problems I find are putting on a wetsuit, especially a winter one and walking to and from the water. One knee is completely shot and the other is not brilliant so walking can be painful. Once I am on a board and hitched to a kite no problem.

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby plummet » Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:31 pm

This is a inspiring thread!.. At 41 I feel like a spring chicken!... Looking forward to kiting in my 70's

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby DrLightWind » Mon Sep 02, 2013 10:13 pm

Bille wrote: You're a Youngster at age 50 .
I'll be 61 this coming Halloween ; & Love this sport !!
Don't do a bunch of tricks ; maybe an occasional back-roll and an 8ft jump.

Bille
Than, it seems like we can not be bitching we're Limited or Old :lol:

There is a real motivational article of the poster worthwhile to read itHERE!
to give you a boost you could do it better in that age than anybody else :dance:

DrLW

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby pj sofine » Mon Sep 02, 2013 10:23 pm

Wow, I'm in my mid fifties and I kite like a 20yr old! You don't have to hold back at all. Just go out and hit it as hard as possible! You're not going to break! Yikes, I've got to stop reading this stuff or you'll have me thinking i'm getting old! :nono: Now let me get back to my rocking chair!

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby NCWater » Mon Sep 02, 2013 11:26 pm

pj sofine wrote:Wow, I'm in my mid fifties and I kite like a 20yr old! You don't have to hold back at all. Just go out and hit it as hard as possible! You're not going to break! Yikes, I've got to stop reading this stuff or you'll have me thinking i'm getting old! :nono: Now let me get back to my rocking chair!
Guys. I am the original poster - I have always been very fit and youthful - and much more so than most all of my contemporaries. I mentioned when I started the post that I was not the sort to sit around (never have been). I wasn't trying to focus so much on age (or bring anybody down) but get a better sense of guys that were kiting in my age range. I live on the coast of North Carolina and haven't seen a lot of guys out there. Of course, I am early in my riding experience.

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby Krazedkiter » Tue Sep 03, 2013 1:37 am

Just remember. OGs run the kite business. OGs pay full price for gear and usually buy the new gear the second it comes out. OGs are usually more financially established and can afford all the gadgets.

So....don't be ashamed to be an OG. Just don't try and hang with the young guns and try to be in "their" crowd. Instead, go out on the water and show them who runs the show.... :naughty:

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Re: Roll Call - Older Kooks & Seasoned Age Kiteboarders

Postby longwhitecloud » Tue Sep 03, 2013 1:48 am

plenty of older kiters around - pace yourself - tiny steps... being fit and having (or developing/building up) good muscles really goes a long way to keeping yourself in one piece. the muscles hold your joints together

Have watched a 56 year old pull into huge heavy cloudbreak surfing - i n s a n e, a 50 year old throw down some seriously violent kiteloops (i do not advise this - one way to end it all with one acl rupture!) and Eddie Elguera - 50 and still ripping skating- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrju-uOeNIo

an interesting thing about the old skaters is they have had the longest careers of probably all the action sports riders in other sports and yet do some of the riskiest things! - kind of helps having ridden for 40 years tho.....

just do it, but take it slow and steady so less likely for slam that a 15 year old would laugh at but a 50 year old would have trouble getting up from lol!

There are many influential older board riders today that are still progressing and at the top of their game. what about KS - 41 yo - buckets of style and cat like technique still


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