Header image via Ewan Jaspan on YouTube.

The Pacific Northwest is a beacon for action sports enthusiasts, and there is no sport more extreme than kiteboarding. Combining elements of snowboarding, wakeboarding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding and paragliding, kiteboarding is basically all the X Games events rolled into one wind-propelled, aquatic masterpiece.

The challenge of being highly technical and having a steep learning curve—with the payoff of gliding gracefully through the air—has made the local kiteboarding community a thriving one, with Everett’s Jetty Island playing host to the sport’s largest regional event, the Light Wind Olympics.

“Jetty Island is the perfect setting for this event,” said Jeffro Rothenberg, 14-year kiteboard instructor for Seattle’s Urban Surf Kiteboarding shop. “It’s accessible to people and a bit of a challenge to get to, but it’s reliable. The afternoon sea breeze allows for boarding all day.”

Now in its third year, the Light Wind Olympics—which takes place this coming Saturday and Sunday—is expected to have a competition field of more than 30 men and women from around Washington, Oregon and British Columbia facing off in four events—Freestyle, Big Air and Strapless Freestyle and Foil—that test speed and skill.

Rothenberg, who has kiteboarded in places such as Australia, Hawaii, Thailand and Mexico, is excited for this weekend’s event, which promises to be bigger and better than ever.

“We’ve gotten more sponsorship from local businesses in the city of Everett,” said Rothenberg. “And the hydrofoil event is becoming popular.”

Of the Light Wind Olympics’ featured events, the Foil is the most unique, as it uses a device to lift boarders out of the water and allows them to circle Jetty Island at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour like an aerial velodrome. Last month, the Foil event was approved to become an official Olympic sport for the 2024 Paris Games.

Kiteboarding seems to be gaining momentum worldwide, and veterans like Rothenberg are pleased to see the next generation of boarders continuing the sport’s tradition by helping it evolve into something that stirs up excitement—especially in Everett.

“It’s always fun to see people coming together for the sport,” said Rothenberg, who tentatively plans to compete in Sunday’s Light Wind Olympics Freestyle event. “The event has grown so much, and more people are getting involved. It’s also fun to see the next generation taking the reins.”

The Light Wind Olympics takes place on Jetty Island this Saturday and Sunday, June 15-16. Spectators are invited to attend the event, though transportation is limited as ferries are not running to Jetty Island until July. Suggested modes of transportation include jet skis, paddleboards, canoes and kayaks.

Nick has a professional background rich in digital marketing and media. His work has appeared in The Seattle Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The New York Post, and on MSN.com, among others. He has a graduate degree in journalism from Syracuse University, as well as creative writing and philosophy degrees from Seattle University. He grew up in Woodinville and spends his free time playing and coaching baseball, running half marathons, and seeing as much live music as possible.