Riding upwind is the skill of holding an edge so that you get back to the point you started from instead of drifting downwind.
Also called: staying upwind · going upwind · Höhe laufen
Prerequisites
None — this is a starting point.
Schools teach this differently
Schools teach the kite height differently here. Both MACkite tutorials keep the kite low, around 45 degrees off the water, so it drives you forward in the window; Kitestars teaches keeping the kite at a high angle toward the power zone for maximum power. This guide follows the low-kite line, which two of the three schools teach.
Ideal conditions
Practice in moderate, steady winds of around 12-20 knots and preferably flat water, with full gear: kite, control bar, harness, board and safety leash.
How to do it
1. Setup
- Only start working on upwind riding once you can do a successful board start, ride comfortably in both directions and transition.
- Pick a visible target upwind you can actually reach — a point on the beach, a boat, anything — and read the wind on the water in front of you as you ride.
- Struggling in light wind? Take a larger board or a surfboard rather than a bigger kite — bigger kites have more pull and are harder to edge with against the wind.
2. Build speed
- Straight after your water start, aim slightly downwind first to gain board speed — only then cut the edge and go hard upwind. It's like riding a bike uphill: it's very hard to start pedaling in the middle of the hill.
- Keep the kite relatively low, around 45 degrees off the water: too high and it can pull you downwind, too low and it may not generate enough lift.
- Gently steer the kite up and down in a sine-wave pattern to generate a constant power pull that keeps your speed and progression upwind.
3. Edge upwind
- Lean your shoulders back and put your weight on your back foot — this creates resistance against the water and lets you edge harder.
- Push against the board's edge with your back foot, digging it into the water, and pivot your hips into the direction you want to ride.
- Shift even more pressure than usual onto your back foot, especially the heel, and keep your front leg straight with the toes lifted to steer the board upwind.
- Look upwind at your target — looking somewhere upwind rotates your shoulders, which rotates your hips and turns you into the wind.
- If you can steer the kite comfortably with one hand, take your front hand off the bar — it has a similar rotational effect that helps your body twist upwind.
4. Hold your line
- Keep your hands relaxed and the bar on the 'sweet spot' — do not pull the bar in too much.
- When you catch a slight gust, seize it: edge even more aggressively upwind while letting the bar out slightly.
- In a lull, flatten your kiteboard out to maintain speed, and bend your knees as you go over chop and waves to keep traction and board speed.
- Work with the wind as you go: where you feel the wind is lighter, go slightly less upwind; where you feel higher wind, use it to go harder upwind.
Common mistakes and fixes
Mistake
Edging upwind straight from the start — 90% of beginners who try to go upwind want to start edging and riding upwind right from the start of the ride, before they have any board speed.
Fix
Aim a little downwind first, get the speed, then cut the edge and go hard upwind.
Mistake
Riding too fast, which can cause you to lose control and head downwind.
Fix
Maintain a controlled and consistent speed.
Mistake
Steering the kite too vigorously — overcorrecting can lead to a loss of power and make it hard to hold an upwind course.
Fix
Use gentle, controlled kite movements.
Mistake
Not leaning back or putting your weight on the back foot, which hinders your ability to go upwind.
Fix
Lean your shoulders back and load the back foot.
Mistake
Pulling the bar in too close and choking the kite — a lot of tension in the steering lines is the giveaway.
Fix
Keep the bar somewhere near the middle of its throw; once your speed is up, most of the tension should be in the center lines, easily tested by wiggling the bar lightly.
Learn this with a coach, not from a page
This guide explains what the move is and what riders get wrong, so you arrive at the session knowing what you are trying to do. It cannot watch your kite, read the gust coming, or stop you committing to something you are not ready for — a coach or instructor can.
Find a certified schoolEducational reference, not instruction. Kitesurfing is a risk sport: the steps here describe what named schools, instructors and technique libraries teach, and the page lists exactly which ones, but real conditions involve wind, gusts, water state, traffic and equipment behaviour that no written guide accounts for. Schools also teach justified variations — where our sources disagree, the page says so instead of picking one. Judge your own readiness, use the safety systems on your kite, and do not attempt a move because a page made it sound achievable. KitesurfingOfficial accepts no liability for the use of this information on the water.
Questions riders ask
Why do I keep ending up downwind?+
Going upwind needs board speed plus edging against the wind — once you can ride, edge more and use your board speed, and lean back with your weight on the back foot to resist being dragged downwind.
Is riding upwind hard to learn?+
It is not hard to learn — it only takes practice, though it can cost some energy at first.
Should I take a bigger kite when I can't stay upwind in light wind?+
No — bigger kites have more pull and are harder to edge with against the wind. Going up in board size, or using a surfboard, is the more effective fix.
Keep reading
Sources
Every step on this page traces to the sources below. Where they disagree or stay silent, the page says so instead of guessing.