Downwinding the Baltic coast. Part I
I have been kitesurfing since ~2018 year. And I have spent those 8 years kitesurfing quite intensely: I spent all past 8 summers in kiting spots and some winters as well. I have extensively tried my jumping, looping limits and bought a waveboard to try favesurfing.
But only this year (2026) I have started to try downwinding. I must confes that to me full-scale downwinding is a new sport compared to “normal” kitesurfing in one single spot.
For comparison imagine skiing all day in one slope versus ski-traveling all day on different resorts, starting in onpe place and finishing some 60-80 km away from your starting point. Whole new experience!
I am publishing this post out of my pure joy of “revealing” this new unexplored kind of kitesurfing.
If you are alredy an amateur kitesurfer that more or less found his/her limits and are looking for new “branch” of kitesurfing – I want you to try downwinding.
Downwinding is also something new because:
a) you need quite different skills than those you gained while jumping and polishing tricks. Different wind direction requires different technique.
b) you need a directional strapless waveboard or a strapless foil board (hydrofoil).
To sum up, downwinding is so much fun, compared to kitesurfing in one spot.
It only has one drawback. Realisticly you cannot do it alone. You must organise a person to take you back home or a vehicle waiting in advance in a finishing spot (not to mention your recovery from mid way if you happen to finish earlier than planned).
I have just started the downwinding in 2026 and already found out many technological challenges. I will be glad to share their solutions in this blog if I find any 🙂
Up to this day I had done 3 downwind trips:
1. From Klaipeda (Lithuania) beach to Jurmalciems beach (Latvia). It was fiercest I ever had 70 km ride. Onshore wind with aggressive onshore 2 m. waves constantly trying to throw me down. I have lost my go pro gear and sunglasses but managed to make the distance allright 🙂
2. 80 km distance from Jurmalciems to Pavilosta (Latvia) and 60 km from Pavilosta to Venstpils (Latvia).
My conclusions to this day:
Each distance takes about 5 hrs to make and 60 km distance is most comfortable (so far).
