Kitesurfing made its way to Estonia around the turn of the century, and it was likely the people of Saaremaa who first inflated the kites on the beach. One of the first to start kitesurfing on the island’s beaches was Kaur.
With no one to learn from, he spent the first summer constantly patching up his broken kite. But it turned out to be a valuable skill. Even today, Kaur is the go-to person if you need help fixing damaged kites. A few years later, Kaur’s wife Rita grew tired of constantly waiting for her husband who was always gliding across the sea. That is when the first women took to the water.
In addition to building speed (Kaur’s personal record is 88 km/h and Rita’s is 70 km/h) and mastering high jumps (Kaur’s best is 19 m and Rita’s is 8 m), kitesurfers also perform spectacular tricks. Kaur is certainly one of the best kitesurfers on Saaremaa in this area. But dangerous tricks have never been the goal for either of them. For both Kaur and Rita, kitesurfing is primarily about the sense of freedom that comes with a trip to the sea. The sea, the waves, beach conversations during calm moments and the wind in their hair while surfing – all of this has kept them hooked on kitesurfing for years. They both consider Tehumardi to be their favourite surfing spot on Saaremaa.
Mayor of Saaremaa enjoys catching waves on a surfboard in his free time
Kitesurfing is also a great passion of the Mayor of Saaremaa, Mikk Tuisk. About ten years ago, when he was looking for a new hobby, he considered both motocross and kitesurfing. Given his love for extreme sports and the risks involved in both activities, he decided that kitesurfing was the more sensible choice. Back then, there were not many surfers on Saaremaa, so Mikk had to teach himself how to kite. And he did not just want to kite – his goal from the start was to go faster, higher and stronger. His first jumps came quickly, and today, spectacular tricks are his specialty. He considers the ‘board-off’ one of the most technically challenging tricks he has ever mastered. One day, he promises to master the ‘Jesus walk’, a trick that has so far remained just out of reach. Mikk considers Pidula beach his favourite spot to kitesurf. As a rural municipality mayor with such an important and time-consuming job, is there even time to get out to sea? With enough determination, anything is possible – and Mikk has plenty of it, both on his surfboard and in running the rural municipality.
How to become a kitesurfer?
Would you like to head out to sea with a kite? While kitesurfing offers an excellent workout and serves as therapy for many, physical fitness is not the top priority when starting out. Although having a sports background can help, co-ordination is the key to mastering kitesurfing. Your hands, feet, eyes and brain all need to work in sync. There is no perfect age to learn kitesurfing – you can start as a schoolkid or even as a pre-retiree. What truly matters is your determination and the understanding that this is an extreme sport, requiring you to be ready for the occasional mishap. Some particularly gifted learners manage to get up and ride within six hours. However, that is more of an exception. For most, it takes a bit longer.
How much does it cost? Training in Estonia typically costs between 60–75 euros per hour. Additionally, you will need to consider the cost of equipment. New gear from a surf shop can cost several thousand euros. However, for beginners, second-hand equipment can be a great option and, with proper preparatory work, it can be just as good as brand new gear. In this case, you can get by with a thousand euros or even less. Miniloots offers kitesurfing lessons on Saaremaa.
A suitable beach within 30 minutes
Today, Saaremaa is home to a thriving kitesurfing community, with around twenty to thirty active surfers. But who are they? At the beach, you can find a teacher, a journalist, a businessman, a doctor, a sailor, a physicist, a dental technician and more. Whether you are a surgeon or a cosmonaut, once you are on the beach, you are just a surfer – one of the crew. Beach friendships are often long-lasting and strong, and the diverse group of people helps broaden one’s worldview. Those who come from afar are also welcomed with open arms. While there are many surfers, Saaremaa’s beaches still offer plenty of space for everyone. Unlike in Tallinn or Pärnu, where there is one kite after another on a ‘good day’, Saaremaa beaches offer ample room for all. When there are 25 kites on the water at the same time, it is already considered quite busy.
Unlike many other sports, you cannot kitesurf whenever the mood strikes. Surfing requires wind. Not only does the wind need to be strong enough, but it also has to blow from the right direction. The beauty of Saaremaa is that you can always find a beach with the ideal wind direction within a half-hour drive, making it one of the top surfing spots in Estonia. If you have the right size kite, you can surf on about a third of the days. Surfing is not limited to summer – autumn storms bring the best conditions, offering the ‘sweetest’ surfing weather of the year. To quote the surf classics: ‘On Saaremaa, it does not matter which way the wind blows. What matters is that your car’s tank is full.’
Saaremaa’s surfing spots are waiting for you!
