Freestylers to put on show

The Australian Kiteboarding Freestyle Nationals will be held in Rockingham next month, with competitors from all over the country expected to descend on the area.

After being held in Safety Bay last year, the national event has returned, with the three-day Kite Karnival event set to feature the best of Australian freestyle kiteboarding.

The event will kick off on Friday, February 1 with the Australian Nationals competition, with finals the next day.

The Sunday will feature a range of competitions including Big Air and body-dragging events.

Kiteboarding WA president Drew Norton said about 60 competitors would participate during the weekend from all over the country.

“Even though competing at this level requires a high degree of skill and dedication, some competitors are as young as 11, while the oldest competitor is expected to be about 45,” he said.

“It’s great to have the event back at the pond because it’s another opportunity for Australia’s best freestylers to display their skills at a world-class location.” Norton said people who attended the event would be able to see spins, flips and acrobatic moves while competitors used their kites to jump up to 10m in the air.

“Freestyle kiting is the most dynamic, exciting discipline of the sport and some of the country’s best will be there throwing down,” he said.

“Kiteboarding is one of the fastest-growing wind sports in the world and the numbers in West Australia have steadily grown since its introduction in the late 90s, although having some of the best conditions in the world also helps.”

A significant number of juniors are expected to enter the competition, with some now sponsored after the recent State Titles in December, with an influx of younger people coming into the sport.

The events held on the Sunday will be open to all nationalities.

Spectators wanting to get great views of the event can also head to the Safety Bay Yacht Club, which will be open over the weekend, while the awards will also be held there on the Saturday night.

The free family event will also include demonstrations, a have-a-go section and food trucks, among other things. The Kite Karnival will be held at The Pond in Safety Bay from February 1-3.

PICTURES OF THE 2018 EVENT: