Matt Nuzzo’s 5 Quick Tips
Real Kiteboarding’s Matt Nuzzo has been teaching a lot of kiters how to foilboard over the past year. He has come up with some key tips to make for fun and rewarding first sessions.
1. Lower Your Expectations: It takes most experienced kiteboarders three sessions before they start to have success. Real has been able to speed the learning curve into a day with personalized instruction and pointers.
2. Ride the Board Flat: Learn to ride the board flat with the foil completely in the water. Work on maintaining a vertical stance with neutral foot pressure. Everything you have learned about board control in other sports doesn’t apply here. Stay calm, steady and balanced.
3. Getting Foiled: The board will naturally bounce onto a foil off of small pieces of chop. Use front foot pressure to keep the board flat. When you start to foil, the sensation is similar to hanging ten on a surfboard.
4. Wipeouts: It’s best to fall forward, out, and away with the kite. Fighting a fall can cause you to land on the board or foil.
5. Front Hand Off: Riders often feel more balanced and comfortable with their front hand off the bar. If you have good kite control skills, give it a try.
