Windsport

A windsport is any type of sport which involves wind power, usually including any sporting use of a nonrigid airfoil, such as a power kite or parafoil.

The activities can be...

... landborne:

• Kite flying - flight of a small airfoil by a standing ground operator using 1-4 strings
• Kite jumping - what happens when a larger kite is used
• Kite skating - now try it with a pair of specialized skates on (up to 60 mph!)
• Kite buggy and Kiteboarding - a medium power kite over a wheeled seated or standing (respectively) land vehicle
• Landsailing - a masted sail attached to a land vehicle
• Ice boat - a masted sail attached to a vessel with skates

...snowborne:

• Snowkiting - skiing/snowboarding under the power of a kite

...waterborne:

• Sailing - climb aboard a boat with large masted sail attached
• Kite boating - navigate the boat in displacement or planing mode powered by an extremely large kite
• Windsurfing - a smaller masted sail attached via gymbal to a surfboard
• Kitesurfing - use of a large (and frequently inflated) power kite with surfboard underneath (Kitesurfing)

...or airborne:

• Paragliding - soaring under a very large flexible canopy
• Hang gliding - soaring under a rigid frame, fabric covered aircraft
• Parachuting (skydiving) and base jumping - controlled descent of the operator under a large flexible canopy

Similar sports that exploit aerodynamics less dependent on wind are frequently included in the category:

• Soaring - use of vertically moving air to keep an aircraft aloft
• microlight - a hang glider with a powered prop (also see ultralight aircraft)
• Parasailing - hang under a paraglider towed by a vehicle (boat, car, or snowmobile) in order to ascend (usually over water)

This list very roughly correlates to increasing skill level and extremety (in terms of extreme sporting), and decreasing crash forgiveness (although parasailing requires little or no rider skill and generally ends in a splash). Windsport activity may be regulated in some countries by aviation/maritime authority. Local authority may regulate activity in certain areas, especially crowded beaches and parks.

External links

• WindSports