Poetry in motion. Kite flying during ballet competition.
It was the steady winds that brought the Wright Brothers to the Outer Banks to learn how to fly and it’s those same breezes that bring kite flyers from all over the world to fly kites along these barrier islands.
With all that great wind it just seems natural that Kitty Hawk Kites would host a stunt Kite Competition, which they did this past weekend, September 12 and 13, and have been doing for the past 30 years.
The 30th Annual Outer Banks Stunt Kite Competition was a great example of why the Outer Banks is considered one of the best places in the world to fly a kite. Held at the Outer Banks Event Site in Nags Head, the winds held steady both days between 12-18 mph, which for some of the competitors was a real challenge—those are stronger winds than a lot of flyers are used to.
Nonetheless, the competitors put on a great show with the kite ballet Sunday afternoon an amazing display of how much control a flyer can have over a kite. Moves synchronized to music creates feast for the senses and to watch a kite dip, turn and stop in perfect time to the music is fascinating.
One of the great things about any kite event the Kitty Hawk Kites sponsors is everyone get to participate. Our kite buyer, Rachel Sanchez, was tireless in moving from one group of novices to another, showing everyone how to fly a stunt kite.
Decorating the sky with a giant panda and alligator.
There was also a couple of power kites on the field to try. The HQ Kites Beamer 3 (meter—refers to size), was a blast to fly, but in those winds it was definitely a workout.
The Event Site in Nags Head is a nice wide open field with nothing to stop the wind, so it’s a great location for a competition. A lot of kites were filling the sky—the really big kites—and they were visible at least two miles from away.
Great day, great winds . . . a great time.
