As the sport of kiteboarding nears 20 years of life in its modern form, things are changing. Weird and whacky advertising is being printed, new events are popping up all over the place, and the equipment is now just as much about looks, as it is about performance.

So what caused the change, and why has the sport of kiteboarding gone down this road now? Nobody can say for sure, but here’s three reasons why 2015 might be considered a landmark time in a long future of kiteboarding.

Kiteboarding is not a fad.

It’s stuck around for 20 years, so it’s probably going to be around for at least another 20! Not to mention the fact that kiteboarding is still a growing sport, getting cheaper and more accessible every year. Kiteboarding (and kitesurfing of course) has stood the test of time, equipment is highly refined, and there’s a strong supporting network of people behind it who are prepared to work hard to ensure kiting’s future.

Brands are getting bold.

Just take one look at the advertising campaigns run by Cabrinha this year, and imagine if they’d released that kind of stuff 10 years ago. It would not have been accepted by the ex-windsurfer generation, who instead preferred the performance approach to equipment, with proper ads featuring blue water and tanned blokes in board shorts. Rewind to the 20 year mark in the sport of snowboarding, and you’ll find similar out-there ads appearing. Guys running down the street with fireworks in their underpants and a sunflower in their mouth… It takes time for that kind of thing to be accepted. (Yes, a kiting company has already done that.)

The kids aren’t kids anymore.

Those children who grew up kiteboarding, are now adults, with money, and dreams and ideas! The very same kids who have spent their whole life asking stranger for launches, skipping school to spend the day in the ocean and trading their Xbox for a pair of bindings are now the driving force behind the brands. Step aside Mr Naish, Cabrinha and the rest, it’s time for a new wave of kids to take over.

Next time you’re down at the beach, see for yourself how the sport of kiteboarding is at a turning point in its life. 10 years was the first milestone, think bow kites and bridles, just imagine what’s possible with 20 years behind us…

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