Kitesurfers ride pre-storm waves ahead of tempest making landfall

The impending arrival of Saturday's storm saw kitesurfers head out to catch the wind and the waves ahead of it making landfall.
At Lohusalu harbor west of Tallinn, enthusiasts said the pre-storm conditions were ideal for kitesurfing, also known as kiteboarding.
One of the hobbyists, Andrus, was already out at sea when the "Aktuaalne kaamera" crew arrived, and could be seen making jumps several meters high in the choppy waters.
Another, Tarmo, was still prepping his equipment. He had high hopes for a good session, but much depends on timing.

"Let's put it this way: when that rain cloud [points] gets here, the wind will get gusty. If it picks up enough before the rain cloud arrives and gets nice and strong, then you can definitely have a good session. Windy weather is good weather," Tarmo explained.
The whole season has been great, he said, with good winds since spring, while fall always brings windy weather and similarly suitable conditions, Tarmo went on.
Back out of the sea, Andrus said his pulse had raced a little higher than needed, and that he now needed a rest. "The adrenaline was pumping and it's been really cool," he said.

Andrus said he could have jumped higher, even as the wind had started to lull somewhat. He said he recommends kitesurfing to everyone. "It's a fever you can't get rid of," he noted.
As for safety, and avoiding a "kitemare," Andrus said: "If you can no longer hold onto the kite you see up there and it starts lifting you into the air without you doing anything, then it's dangerous. And usually, if there's sand on the beach and that sand starts flying, that's the first sign that you should be on the alert."
Saturday's storm came with a Level 2 warning and later picked up an intensity which would have kept even the most intrepid of kiteboarders on dry land. Felled branches and trees were seen and thousands of people were left without power.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Aleksander Krjukov
Source: "Aktuaalne kaamera," reporter Martha-Beryl Grauberg











