{"id":20419,"date":"2025-10-23T13:29:35","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T11:29:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jaxsunsports.com\/more-than-40-knots-the-wind-has-nothing-to-prove-neither-do-you\/"},"modified":"2025-10-23T14:29:58","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T12:29:58","slug":"more-than-40-knots-the-wind-has-nothing-to-prove-neither-do-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jaxsunsports.com\/en\/more-than-40-knots-the-wind-has-nothing-to-prove-neither-do-you\/","title":{"rendered":"More than 40 knots, the wind has nothing to prove. Neither do you!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kitesurfing is a beautiful sport. It pushes us to get out of our comfort zone, to play with the elements, to feel the power of the wind and the thrill of the ride. But sometimes, this search for intensity takes a wrong direction. <\/p>\n

Today, I want to talk about a crucial subject: sailing in very strong winds, especially above 40 knots<\/strong>, without supervision, without adapted safety, and without any real added value for your progress<\/strong>. This message is addressed to all kitesurfers<\/strong>, young or old, beginners or experienced. <\/p>\n

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The myth of the “stronger than average”<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I completely understand the need for adrenaline. The desire to prove that we are solid, that we know how to manage, that we can do like the pros. Many, especially among the youngest, want to confront the elements as if it were a rite of passage. But we must be clear: nature is and will always remain stronger than us.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Sailing in more than 40 knots without a professional manager<\/strong> is not performance. It’s recklessness.<\/strong>
This is not a proof of level or courage, it is often a demonstration of misplaced ego.<\/p>\n

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The pros have conditions you don’t have<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The riders we see in Big Air competitions, such as the Red Bull King of the Air, are high-level athletes, surrounded by security teams, jetskis, closed areas, weather staff, ultra-specific equipment and physical preparation for competition.<\/p>\n

You don’t have these conditions.<\/strong>
You don’t have those securities.
And neither do I. That’s why, after more than 25 years of kitesurfing<\/strong>, I am very careful not to sail beyond 30-35 knots<\/strong>, unless all the conditions are met. <\/p>\n

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My example: 67 kg, 7 m\u00b2 or 5 m\u00b2 in more than 40 knots… but at what cost?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I’m 67 kilos. Yes, technically, I can sail in more than 40 knots<\/strong> with a 7 m\u00b2<\/strong>, or even a 5 m\u00b2<\/strong>. <\/p>\n


But let’s be clear:
\n Is it pleasant? Not really.<\/strong>
Am I having fun? Let’s say it’s a very limited pleasure.
\n<\/strong>
What I feel in these sessions is more personal pride<\/strong>, the feeling of having held on… But not that fluid, natural, liberating pleasure that we love in kitesurfing. These are tense, noisy, very physical sessions, where you are constantly in “survival” mode.
And above all: it’s not in these kinds of conditions that we progress<\/strong>.
It’s not there that you develop your style, your control, your finesse. <\/p>\n

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It’s not just a risk for you<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When you sail in conditions that are too extreme for your level or without sufficient safety, you are not only putting yourself in danger.<\/strong>
You also endanger:<\/p>\n