The North Kiteboarding Academy has a great series of videos that walk you through different tricks and techniques to help you improve your kiteboarding.

This video shows you a crucial skill: how to ride upwind on your strapless board. Here’s how to do it in writing from NKA:

“When you ride upwind, your kite will travel towards the edge of the wind window which means that it will generate less power. This will cause you to lose board speed which is normal when edging upwind.

To keep your board planing the right weight distribution is important: stepping your back foot forward will bring your bodyweight to the center of your board. This will improve the planning abilities when going upwind. The second benefit of stepping forward is that you can use the whole edge of your board to resist against the force of your kite.

It is also important to find a balance when edging . Too much weight on your heels will slow you down. So just try to edge as much as you need to keep your board on the desired upwind course. Remember you also have your fins which assist you when going upwind.

It is also important when kiting upwind to have the right amount of power in your kite. Try to pull the bar just as much as you need, as too much power in your kite will generate extra downwind drag. Flying the kite at around 45 ° will also help you when going upwind.

And finally look where you want to go – look at a fixed object in the distance and try to reach it.”