Even if you’re not a sports fan or followed the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, kitefoiling would have turned up on your radar.
Obviously, the interest surrounding the new sport is primarily down to Singaporean kitefoiler Max Maeder – a 17 year-old who won a bronze medal in the sport at the Olympics. This was also Singapore’s only podium finish in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Combining windsurfing with a kite, kitefoiling uses wind power from a kite above to propel the rider (who typically sits/crouches on a board) along the waves below.
While Singapore is an island, water sports isn’t as prominent in the city state’s sporting history as other more popular games, perhaps like badminton or table tennis. As expected though, the interest in learning kitefoiling has risen with Max Maeder’s Olympic medal.
Here’s a guide for Singaporeans who want to try their hand at kitefoiling, including where they can do it and how much it will cost.
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Singapore Kiteboarding
While the name might be confusing, “kiteboarding” is an interchangeable name for exactly the same thing: kitefoiling.
The owners and instructors at Singapore Kiteboarding have over 15 years of experience teaching kiteboarding to beginners. They also have over 20 years of kitesurfing experience.
It started its first kite school back in 2005 and they are certified as a Kitesurf Instructor Level 2 by the International Kiteboarding Organisation (IKO).
Lessons are carried out at East Coast Park and there are several pricing options available. If you want a 1-on-1 private instructor, it costs $150 an hour on an ad-hoc basis or you can go for a package of 5 hours for $600.
If you want to learn with friends or family then it makes more sense to do group classes, which end up being cheaper:
2 students = $700 for 5 hours ($350 per person)
3 students = $750 for 5 hours ($250 per person)
4 students = $800 for 5 hours ($200 per person)
JC Kitesurf
JC Kitesurf is led by Jackson Chua, an instructor who has been kitesurfing since 2013 and kitefoiling since 2017. He’s a certified Level 1 Kitefoiling coach.
While he seemingly focuses more on kitesurfing lessons, he does have specific packages for those wishing to learn kitefoiling.
JC Kitesurf also organises trips around the region for those interested in kitesurfing or kitefoiling in other regional destinations.
While there are no prices listed on their public-facing website, you can contact JC Kitesurfing via WhatsApp or e-mail to inquire about both kitesurfing and kitefoiling lessons.
Kitesurfing Association of Singapore
The Kitesurfing Association (KAS) was formed in 2013 to help kitesurfers organise better, as to participate in the sport in Singapore official approval and permits were required.
The KAS has a main objective of making kitesurfing more accessible to the public and to teach those interested in Singapore waters as opposed to them going overseas to learn.
Based at Tanah Merah Coast Road, its membership base has increased over the years. Given kitesurfing is the umbrella sport for kitefoiling, the KAS is focused on engaging young people who are interested in taking up either one.
Engaging with various clubs, associations, schools, and government agencies, the KAS has talks, road shows and also offers trials or package lessons for those interested in taking up kitesurfing or kitefoiling.
You can also join the KAS to be an official member, with members sporting KAS member tags allowed to kitesurf/kitefoil at three locations across Singapore; Changi Beach, East Coast Park, and Tanah Merah Coast Road.
Learning Kitefoiling: A Young But Growing Sport In Singapore
While Max Maeder’s Olympic bronze medal has certainly shone a spotlight on kitefoiling, it’s still in its infancy in Singapore as both a leisure sport and competitive sport.
That could explain the limited options for those of us interested to learn but with official organisations like the KSA helping drum up more interest with younger people, kitefoiling is certainly one sport that is accessible for Singaporeans.
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