LAS TERRENAS – WHERE A NEW SPORT WAS BORN
By 1984, the French brothers Bruno and Dominique Legaignoux had patented the first inflatable kite (LEI). That patent is still in use today by all the kiteboarding manufacturers. In 1995, they created and launched the first kite brand WIPIKA (Wind Powered Inflatable Kite Aircraft). Kitesurfing in Dominican Republic was borned as a sport as we know it today. In 1999 Bruno decided to move to the Dominican Republic, and Las Terrenas proved to be the perfect place for his research and development. Having consistent wind of no more than 25 knots, powered each day by the thermal wind, it was just like having a fan! Combined with the side shore wind direction and its many safe bays offering crystal clear shallow water, he was able to ideate for the future of kitesurfing which were far ahead of their time. The Dominican kids from Las Terrenas were the first on the planet to test Bruno’s new kite prototypes, such as the Bow shape and later 4 lines kites. Two of them, who started at 10, were soon ranking in the top 10 of the world’s best kitesurfers and were sponsored by WIPIKA (which later became TAKOON). Las Terrenas is the place in the Dominican Republic where kiteboarding was born, and so is a perfect place for you to start kitesurfing in Dominican Republic.
CABARETE – WHERE KITESURFING LEGENDS WERE BORN
According to legend, Canadian windsurfer Jean Laporte came to Cabarete in the 1980s and was quite literally blown away by the consistent and warm trade winds. Read his article of 1996 about the Cabarete spot. The windsurfing community in Cabarete exploded soon after and began to appear in the most popular windsurfing magazines of the time. Cabarete gained attention as one of the world’s premier spots for windsurfing and eventually kiteboarding.Cabarete has hosted many prestigious kitesurfing competitions. Many famous freestyle kiteboarding names like Luciano Gonzalez, Posito Martinez, Ariel, and Adeuri Corniel started out here. They also were recently in the Olympic games for the first time.Two kite brands were created here in the Dominican Republic, E.H. & Star kites.
“In 2003, when I first discovered kitesurfing, my dream was to go to Cabarete and meet all of these legends of this new sport « kitesurfing ». This changed my life and fuels my passion for teaching and sharing this great sport with all the people I teach kitesurfing in Dominican Republic.”
Vincent, owner at KiteWorld
