Water sport school set to harness wave of popularity
A new company, Vertigo, plans to use one of the county’s top beaches to teach the country’s fastest-growing and most exhilarating new water sport.
Based at Oysterhaven, chief instructor Paddy Buckley will start lessons at Kilbrittain’s Harbour View Beach at Coolmaine, near Kinsale from April 1.
Mr Buckley, who has 10 years’ experience teaching and competing in water sports, said he chose the date because the hour goes back and the weather and water start to get warmer.
The concept of kite-surfing is simple. The kite-surfer stands on a small surfboard, flies a big kite which is strapped to his waist, and harnesses the wind to propel himself across the water.
Kite-surfers can perform huge jumps when wave and weather conditions are right.
“It is very exciting to be based here in Cork at the centre of a growing buzz and demand for kite-surfing,” Mr Buckley said.
“Kite-surfing has seen a meteoric rise in popularity across the world since its inception in the mid-1990s mainly due to its highly dynamic, versatile and visual nature. Ireland is one of the world’s top kite-surfing locations.
With 5,600km of coastline, the beaches are blessed with ‘clean’ and ‘constant’ winds. Mr Buckley can teach a maximum of four at a time and hopes his season will run until October.
vertigokitesurfing.com
