Raúl Arellano has been kitesurfing for over 10 years and currently oversees everything related to this sport in Spain, serving as the National Secretary of Kiteboarding for the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation and President of the Spanish Kite Association. He explained the features of "Kite Race" boards, which can triple your sailing days per year.
Even though summer is ending and we’re already thinking about the winter season, there are still plenty of good-weather days ahead. Soon, we’ll have to put away the 10-12 metre kites due to the thermal winds common in the Valencian Community, and from October onwards, we’ll see storms accompanied by easterly, gregal, tramontana, westerly, and mistral winds.
Unsurprisingly, winter winds aren’t as frequent as summer winds, when you can practically sail daily. In winter, if you’re lucky, you might sail once every 15 days or so, depending on the month. So what’s the solution? Wait until summer again?
Until now, the most common setup was a twin-tip bidirectional freestyle board or even a directional surfboard paired with a maximum 12-metre kite, requiring a minimum wind strength of around 12 knots—depending on other factors like sea conditions or the rider’s weight.
But in the last couple of years, everything has changed with the arrival of a new type of directional board—similar in shape to a windsurf board—featuring a wide stern, longer and straighter fins, and a pointed bow. These boards are considerably larger, and the reason is simple: they allow planing and upwind sailing even in light winds, as they always stay afloat.
Among the types of kitesurf boards available, "Free Race" or "Course Racing" boards, the former are more recommended. While they may not match the performance of a competition board, they’re far more manageable, making them ideal for learning and refining skills. You can sail with just 8 knots if you weigh over 75 kg or 6 knots if under 70 kg, using a 16 or 18-metre kite with a broad wind range—handy if the wind suddenly picks up and you need to keep sailing or return to shore.
In the Valencian Community, sailing is perfectly feasible, as there are many days with 8-knot winds. Get yourself a "Kite Race" board and enjoy this sport all year round. For more information, click here.
