Part of the job of a cityB次元官网网址檚 chief administrative officer is to weigh risks and present options to council.

But when Guillermo Ferrero is not sitting behind his desk at White Rock City Hall, he tends to throw caution to the wind.

And the harder that wind is blowing, the better.

Ferrero is one of the new faces to join White RockB次元官网网址檚 growing kiteboarding community. Participants of the extreme sport harness the power of the wind with a kite and a modified board to glide across the water and soar through the air.

When thereB次元官网网址檚 a decent breeze on the waterfront, Semiahmoo Bay is typically dotted with colourful kites and B次元官网网址榢itersB次元官网网址� cruising the shoreline. When thereB次元官网网址檚 a storm, however, beach-goers can be treated to a spectacular show of skilled kiters flying dozens of feet into the air. FerreroB次元官网网址檚 jump record, for example, is 26 feet. The world record is about 114 feet.

Prior to accepting his job with the City of White Rock, Ferrero visited the city to see what was available recreationally. That was his first introduction to the world of kiteboarding.

B次元官网网址淚 went to East Beach and I saw a couple of guys kiting. I asked them about the sport. I didnB次元官网网址檛 know anything about it, but I had an interest in it. Immediately, they said just come down, learn, take a few lessons and weB次元官网网址檒l help you outB次元官网网址�. And thatB次元官网网址檚 exactly what happened after I took my classes,B次元官网网址� Ferrero said.

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Ferrero has since formed a network of friends through the kiting community. He spoke to Peace Arch B次元官网网址 as a way to promote White Rock as not only a destination for kiters, but one that is backed by a strong kiting community.

WhatB次元官网网址檚 unique about kiteboarding in White Rock is that the shallow water makes it a great place to practice.

B次元官网网址淭he fact that itB次元官网网址檚 shallow provided me with a lot of confidence in terms of practicing things. When I was learning to jump, normally you drop the kiteB次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 a lot easier to get the kite back in the air if you can reach the bottom,B次元官网网址� Ferrero said.

B次元官网网址淎nother great advantage of White Rock is the proximity to the businesses,B次元官网网址� Ferrero wrote to PAN, adding that a cold pint is a suitable cap to a day on the water.

At first glance, the sport may seem like a physically exhausting, B次元官网网址榶oung guyB次元官网网址檚B次元官网网址� activity, however, that doesnB次元官网网址檛 appear to be the case.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really easy on your body. People think you need to have a lot of strength for this sport,B次元官网网址� Ferrero said. B次元官网网址淭he bar pressure, we only handle the bar with two fingers on each hand.B次元官网网址�

Women, Ferrero added, might have an easier time getting over the steep learning curve than men, which was the case with his girlfriend Juli Halliwell, who is the CAO for the Village of Anmore.

B次元官网网址淪he has a lot of finesse with the kite. She doesnB次元官网网址檛 fight with the kite. Where men, we try B次元官网网址榥o, weB次元官网网址檙e just going to force it.B次元官网网址� The more you muscle the kite, the worse it behaves. The kite always wins.B次元官网网址�

The three kiters PAN spoke to, a veteran, a beginner and Ferrero, all recommend that people interested in the sport take classes before trying it on their own. Ferrero said it took him several classes before he felt comfortable, while White RockB次元官网网址檚 Carl LaBreche, who is also new to the sport, said it took him three classes to get up on the board. Veteran Chalmers Caldwell, 74, who has been kiting for 12 years, said nobody should try the sport without taking at least one class.

B次元官网网址淭he kite handling, it looks very complicated from the outside. It definitely has a steep learning curve, but once you get it, it becomes super easy,B次元官网网址� Ferrero said.

Aside from lessons, LaBreche recommends that beginners purchase used equipment to save on cost, then upgrade as needed.

When describing the sport, both LaBreche and Caldwell said the adrenaline rush is B次元官网网址渁ddictive.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淵ou know, we shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be allowed to have that much fun out there, but we do,B次元官网网址� LaBreche said.

Caldwell, who lives near the beach, sends a text to fellow kiters whenever the conditions are right. He said a good portion of the local kiting community are B次元官网网址減eople of maturity.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e have some young guys, thereB次元官网网址檚 no question and itB次元官网网址檚 great to see them. But the preponderance of people here in White Rock are kind of older guysB次元官网网址� WeB次元官网网址檝e got a bunch of us that are retired,B次元官网网址� Caldwell said.

Caldwell said while the sport has grown in White Rock, the hobby requires a degree of commitment and patience.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to bad-mouth the situation here, the problem we have in White Rock is wind sports need wind. The reality is, particularly in the summer months, we donB次元官网网址檛 really get a lot of wind in White Rock,B次元官网网址� Caldwell said. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e going to be waiting for, you know, sometimes even a week or two (in the summer) before sessions because thereB次元官网网址檚 no wind.B次元官网网址�

Up the coast in Howe Sound, Squamish tends to have more consistent winds during the summer, while White Rock has more reliable wind in the spring, fall and winter.

Kiting isnB次元官网网址檛 only growing locally, itB次元官网网址檚 also making moves internationally. Kiteboard racing is set to make its Olympic debut in Paris 2024.

The sport is constantly developing, Caldwell said, which is one of the reasons he switched from windsurfing to kiteboarding about 12 years ago.

Safety features of the equipment have also dramatically improved, Ferrero added.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 buy any kites that are older than 2012 or 2013. The safety features on the new kites, designs on the new kites, on the bars, and the boards. It made the sport a lot easier. Safety wasnB次元官网网址檛 great 10 years ago,B次元官网网址� Ferrero said.

But even with the improvements, the sport . Last June, a kiteboarder needed to be rescued about 4 kilometres off-shore after the wind died down.

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B次元官网网址淵ou can hurt yourself and you can even kill yourself and you can hurt other people, of course,B次元官网网址� Caldwell said. B次元官网网址淲e certainly do encourage people to take at least one lesson. Just if only to find out what you donB次元官网网址檛 do. There are guys that have taught themselves, but I think theyB次元官网网址檙e taking a big risk.B次元官网网址�

One other disadvantage White Rock has when it comes to the sport B次元官网网址� the cityB次元官网网址檚 only certified coach recently relocated to Vancouver Island. Squamish, it appears, is currently the closest place to take kiteboarding lessons.

aaron.hinks@peacearchnews.com
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