Kiteboarding: a practice approach

In this article we use practice theory to examine kiteboarding as a routinised type of behaviour; a social practice. By ‘zooming in’ we show how kiteboarding involves the active and performative integration of particular meanings – especially an exhilarating ‘sensation of freedom’ – materials and competences, which have to be learned in order to become a practitioner. New materials, technological innovations and changed behaviours of practitioners have made the sport more safe, popular and accessible. Furthermore, a constant interplay between producers and consumers contributed to a variation in kiteboarding styles: freeriding, hydro-foiling, waving, freestyle and big air. ‘Zooming out’ allowed us to examine the relations between kiteboarding and other practices, such as swimming, lifesaving procedures and nature conservation. Whereas lifesaving procedures to a large extent have been integrated in the practice of kiteboarding, the relation with nature conservation still is rather tense. For this reason, we suggest nature conservationists and kiteboarders learn from each other in order to give each other ‘some space’.