Kite enthusiast shows how to ride the wind

Glen Butcher is a world pioneer in kite sports and says the place he has in Foxton to run his tutoring business is one of the best around.

Originally from Feilding, he moved to England in 1999 and took up kite sports after he kept driving past a little shop with the boards in the window and wanted to know more.

With the recession biting in Britain last year and regulations on beach space tightening up, Butcher packed up his kites and headed for windier pastures in September.

He set up Wind Warrior Kite Sports, which offers tutoring in kitesurfing, landboarding, kite buggying and how to work a power kite.

"I can't understand why nobody wasn't here doing it already," he said.

"It's just the perfect spot."

Before he left England, Butcher had his mother survey wind patterns in New Zealand for a year before he decided Foxton was the place to be.

The 33-year-old, who is working part-time as a tiler until the business gets off the ground, lives near the beach with wife Rochele and their eight-month-old daughter Aroha.

"It's been super-windy here as long as we've been here. Obviously we were looking for a windy place."

He got into kite sports with his brother-in-law, Nathan Hutley. Butcher was the 2005-2006 United Kingdom Landboard Freestyle Champion.

Through his involvement in the sport he has travelled through Asia and Europe to promote kite sports and put on shows.

Butcher has been sponsored to ride for the past nine years and offers lessons and gear hire.

A lot of kite sports competitors are those who wanted a new thrill after the windsurfing boom died down. The sport attracts large numbers of people in places such as Spain, England and Hawaii.

Butcher said the sport was set to boom in New Zealand.

"We are getting a good awareness. People are starting to realise we are here. It'll be huge. It's huge overseas and it will be massive in New Zealand. New Zealand is like a water sport nation."

He didn't rule out the sport finding a spot at the Olympics.

"Most definitely I'd say at some stage it'd get there. It's a pretty spectacular spectator sport.

"Last year it was the fastest-growing water sport in the world."

While a friend, Louis Tapper, kitesurfed across Cook Strait in December 2008, Butcher is big in landboarding. He is planning on travelling down the coast from Wanganui to Paraparaumu, a stretch of about 100km.

Butcher said the beauty of the sport was it was for all ages and skill levels. All you need is some wind, 20 knots (30kmh) being the ideal amount.

He did test the wind at about 40 knots earlier in the week, which isn't advisable unless you're highly experienced.

"You definitely know you're alive when you're out riding in that," he laughed.

ABOUT KITESURFING

Kitesurfing: People jump on a small surfboard-like construction and strap themselves in and let the wind take them through the surf. World championship competitions are held and the best competitors are traditionally under 20.

Top Speed: 90kmh

Kite buggy: Competitors sit in a three wheeled buggy and race across sand with advanced people performing jumps and tricks. Can be used as a mode of transport.

Top speed: 110kmh

Kite landboarding: Athletes jump on a board slightly bigger than a skateboard with four heavy duty wheels and foot straps. Can be done on the beach, or anywhere there is open space. Growing interest for people doing freestyle events or cross-terrain treks.

Top speed: 75kmh

Power kite: A large kite that competitors use to control their movements with board or buggy.

- © Fairfax NZ News