On April 2, Access Adventures partnered with British Kitesports & Easyriders to host a kitebuggy course in Poole. The weather was kind - a beautiful sunny day, with perfect wind conditions for beginners.
6 disabled riders in a field with some big kites. What could possibly go wrong?
The instructors began by explaining the technical side of kiting. Something about wind windows and respecting the kite. Always RESPECT the kite!
It was great for everyone to get a basic understanding before attempting to control the kite.
We had the use of two adapted kitebuggies, enabling the rider to steer with their hands. Also, some spare wheelchairs with a freewheel attached.
To begin with, training kites were used from a stationary position. This allows you to learn kite skills in relative safety. Depending on someone's disability and any balance issues, there are a variety of ways to provide more stability. We played around with equipment to try and accommodate each individual. Despite being training kites, when stacked they can still generate an lot of lift!
Once the basics were mastered, the bigger kites were brought out which are generally faster and create more power. We did have a few people blasting around the field by the end of the day, scattering dog walkers as they went!
We're now keen to get a full Access Adventures weekend camp scheduled, which would allow plenty of time to progress kite skills. We also want to develop the adaptive equipment further. A big thanks to British Kitesports & Easyriders for their amazing support, we couldn't have done it without them.
So, watch this space for more kiting adventures! In the meantime, check out the rest of our camps to see if there's anything you fancy.
