Otherwise I just want to see a successful event where everyone stays safe, where families and kids can have fun, and where we get wind. “I didn’t get to actually compete in the first couple, so my goal is to compete this year. “We have a blast every year,” said Matt Ewing, a 42-year-old resident of unincorporated Snohomish County who is a kiteboarding instructor. Most competitors get to the island either by kayak or stand-up paddleboard, as the equipment is easy to contain as it consists of just the board (about five feet in length), a backpack with the kite, and a harness. Spectators are welcome to attend the event, but will have to get to Jetty Island by their own means, as the ferry to the island does not begin operation until July. “The site has become quite a popular place in the Northwest for kiteboarding, and we’ve really watched it grow.” “We have a wide-open beach, the water is pretty warm relative to the Puget Sound area, and we get a nice steady breeze in the afternoon,” Sibborn added about Jetty Island. “It’s been a really good time, and it’s a huge community builder for us. “(The first two years) were great,” said Stephen Sibborn, a 55-year-old contractor from Everett who won the Men’s Freestyle competition last year and will be part of the judging panel this year. While wind is always a concern, the first two Jetty Island Light Wind Olympics brought both sunshine and high winds, making for ideal kiteboarding conditions. Kiteboarding is a sport in which athletes tether themselves to large kites, allowing the wind to prop them up on their boards and guide them as they ride across the water. The Jetty Island Light Wind Olympics are the brainchild of Schonger and fellow Kirkland resident Jason Sperling, who began the event in 2017. And on display will be some of the best kiteboarding skills the area has to offer. The third annual Jetty Island Light Wind Olympics, the Puget Sound region’s premier kiteboarding event, is scheduled for this weekend on the man-made island just off Everett’s waterfront. This weekend - weather permitting - Everett’s Jetty Island will be all that and more. It’s not like when you’re wakeboarding behind a boat, it’s just you and the wind and the water, and it feels like complete freedom.” “There’s no noise around you, you’re just powered by the wind, you are the rider and the driver at the same time. “When you’re out there on the water it’s just you and nature,” said the 41-year-old internet program security manager from Kirkland, who’s also the president of the Puget Sound Kitesurfing Association. It's good to kitesurf during winter (October–March) on a low tide.When Philipp Schonger describes kiteboarding, it comes across as almost a religious experience. Use an inflatable boat or a kayak, or a free ferry that runs from July through Labor day.ĭouble Bluff Beach is located on the southern end of Whidbey Island, which can be reached by ferry. To get to the island, you have to cross a 984-ft (300-m) channel. Jetty Island also has steady westerly wind during the summer season (April to September). Flat, shallow water, access to the open bay, and vast beach make it ideal for training. It is called northwest's best beach for learning and riding a kite. Jetty Island is one of the most favorite destinations for Seattle kiters located in just 30 min north of the city, in Everett. It's one of the few spots suitable for winter with a season from October to March. Richmond Beach offers some of the best kiting on the Puget Sound. In Carkeek Park, the season is a bit shorter-May to August. Carkeek is a small beach next to Golden Gardens with high winds. The best time for Golden Gardens is May through September. You have to ride upwind to avoid ending up in the Shilshole Marina downwind. It has several flat sections ideal for freestyle. Located in a public park in Ballard, Golden Gardens Beach is the gate to Puget Sound. Golden Gardens is the most scenic kiting spot in Seattle.
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