To help identify learner kitesurfers, the Brisbane Kite Club has introduced a great new concept (slightly stolen from hang gliding) - a ribbon above your depower strap. It's cheap, safe, and easy to see from a mile off. From now, you'll see them start to pop up around Brisbane, and hopefully this will spread around Australia.

Brighton & Sandgate (QLD) gets up to 90 kitersurfers riding on a busy weekend, which means things get hectic!Learners need a little room for un-planned landings - Competent kiters need to give them that room! Adding an optional visual indicator gives no excuses, see a ribbon? Give a wide berth - it's a simple idea, and so far - it's been working wonders.

The idea of 'L plates' is often a topic of casual discussion during lessons, and between kiters on beaches all over Australia. So why hasn't it been done before? Who knows, but the answer is as simple as builders tape.

Here's the details:
This is optional - if you don't want to be known as a learner, you don't have to.
Kitesurfing schools will be using the ribbons, and making sure lessons know about it.
This is not a free pass to barge through the main pack of kiters like an out of control freight train.
Want a ribbon? Ask any kiter to point out the roll of tape in the hut at Brighton, or on the tree at Sandgate.

So next time you see something flapping around above someones depower strap, turn a little earlier, flatten out and ride downwind a little, or give them a few tips on the beach next time you see 'em!

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