Oman is an ideal kitesurfing destination

Photos by Abhilash Pillai

Instagram: @theimagegrapher

Pioneering the kitesurfing programmes in Oman, Marcelo Antunes believes that the country has all the potential to become an international destination for the said sport and extreme outdoor adventure.

Marcelo has mapped out the seasons perfectly and can distinguish which are the best locations for kitesurfing on a particular map — something he said comes with the territory and is a necessity for kitesurfing lovers.

“I fell in love with the waves and winds of Oman. To my surprise, the country actually has one of the best weather conditions for the sport,” the Brazilian kitesurfing instructor said.

Marcelo founded Beach and Sea Projects, but has been been operating in the country for almost a decade now working with different adventure groups over the years. Marcelo wanted to establish the best kitesurfing training school in Oman, and through his effort, has paved the way for international kitesurfing celebrities to discover the potential of Oman.

“Oman is one of the best places to try and learn kitesurfing amongst the Gulf countries. Oman’s waves and wind provide an opportunity to practice the sport nearly for the entire year. From late April until the beginning of September, the best place to learn is Masirah Island, and from mid-December to mid-March, Muscat is the favourable place,” he shared.

Kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, or snow surface. It combines the aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, and wakeboarding.

The kite is attached to the body by straps, allowing the person to jump high in the air. Understanding the controls of the kite is one of the prerequisites before riding a kitesurfing board. An experienced kiteboarder knows how to utilise the wind using the large kite and smoothly ride the surfing board to propel through the water.

One of the countries where kitesurfing is the most popular is in Brazil where Macelo is from.

“In Brazil, there are coastal places where local Brazilians choose to live to do the sport regularly,” he said.

As a professional trainer, Marcelo shared that one has to go through a basic course consisting of three levels to be able to kitesurf.

The first covers risk awareness, safety procedures, and how to fly the kite on the beach and shallow waters. The second covers sailing the kite with and without a board. On the third level, the student reaches the independent level where she/he can safely cruise around autonomously. Students who learn from him can get certified by the “International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO)” as he is one of the authorised to certify the learners and give them their kitesurfer certification.

Believing and investing in the potential of Oman as a kitesurfing hub, Marcelo has taken it upon himself to spread awareness and the benefits of the sport, enticing a new generation of Omanis and residents to give the sport a try.

Kitesurfing is commonly known as an extreme sport, but Marcelo said that it can be learned by any age group with a moderate fitness level. For him, it’s always safety first, so before anyone hits the board or the wave, he has to be confident in their abilities first.

Most of the students take 12-15 hours to complete the basic course, where you can learn safety points, how to handle the kite, and how to surf with the board.

While some may think that the price of learning is expensive, Marcelo said that they’ve made the equipment easily available for rent.

Marcelo suggested that the best way to learn is by taking the full package, which ensures 5-6 days of continuous training and faster progress. Apart from the fun outdoor activity, this sport teaches you how to keep calm in any adverse situation, something that can also be applied in real life.

Marcelo looks forward to seeing more people on the beach enjoying the sport and he is working hard to make it as a fun, engaging activity that everyone can do.

For his personal record, Marcelo recently created a buzz when he kitesurfed nonstop from Dimaniyat to Al Sawadi Beach, an adventure that covered 40 kilometres and took 1 hour and 35 minutes to complete.

Marcelo shared that its success heavily relied on the support of his team, including a rescue boat on standby, as well as the professional photographers who documented the attempt.

Currently, at this time of the year, kitesurfing lovers are mostly seen at the Quriyat or Ras al Hadd beach due to the favourable wind direction. Marcelo can be contacted through his Instagram account: @ma.br.oman