Today’s Sport kites are also interchangably known as "Stunt Kites," and for good reason.
Recent developments in multi-line kites allowed forms ofkite flying to develop into a sport. Kite competitions have much in common with figure skating, with competitors being judged on their performance in compulsory figures as well asa "ballet", which involves artistic interpretation of music.
Performances are done as individuals, a pair of pilots,or as a team. Team flying is typically the most spectacular,with up to eight pilots and stacked kites with tails flying within inches of each other and narrowly averting disaster,while performing all manner of figures and formations in the air. Competitions are held nationally and internationally under the auspices of STACK (Sport Team and Competitive Kiting).There is an annual World Championship.
In the United States, the American Kite fliers Association is the umbrella organization for sport kite contests. Competition winners from the various regions are invited to the annual AKA convention for national championships.
In 1996 the AKA, STACK, and AJSKA (All-Japanese Sport Kite Association) formed the International Rule Book Committee (IRBC)to standardize rules and processes.
The most common configuration for a sports kite is a roughly triangular "delta" shape, with two lines for control.These kites are normally constructed from lightweight ripstop nylon, with spars made from carbon fiber tubing.
The strings are made from braided Spectra which is light, doesn’t stretch and stays slippery even when wrapped many times. To control the kite, the pilot pulls on the right hand line to turn right,left line to turn left, and so on.
Using combinations of pulls and pushes (to give slack to the lines), complex tricks and patterns can be flown. These range in difficulty from turns,loops and landings, to maneuvers where the kite is flipped and turned end over end, wrapping the lines or floating onits front or back.
To control the kite, the pilot pulls onthe lower line to turn the kite in that direction. Skilled use of these handles allows a quad-line kite to perform in ways that are difficult or impossible with a dual-line kite.Unique quadline maneuvers include reverse flight, axis spins,hovers, and side to side flight.
Other aspects of sport kiting include power or traction kites,which can be used to tow wheeled buggies (kite buggying) or surfboards (kite surfing).
