A sport kite, also commonly known as a stunt kite, is a kite that can be maneuvred in the air.
A related kit also controllable and used for recreation, but capable of generating a significant amount of pull and used for providing movement is the Power kite

Power kite

A power kite or traction kite is a large kite designed to provide significant pull to the user.They come in three main forms: foils, leading edge inflatables and supported leading edge. There are also rigid-framed kites and soft single skin kites. There are several different control systems used...

.

Competition

Developments in multi-line kites in recent years has allowed forms of kite flying to develop into a sport

Sport

A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...

. Kite competition

Competition

Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...

s have much in common with figure skating

Figure skating

Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...

, with competitors being judged on their performance in compulsory figures as well as a "ballet

Ballet

Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...

", which involves artistic interpretation of music

Music

Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...

. 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, their kites 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 Sport Team and Competitive Kiting (STACK). There is an annual World Championship which was last held at Berck sur Mer, France on 10-18 April, 2010 and won by a British six man team called 'The Scratch Bunnies'.

In the United States, the American Kitefliers Association (AKA) 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 All-Japanese Sport Kite Association (AJSKA) formed the International Rule Book Committee (IRBC) to standardize rules and processes.

Configuration

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 or ripstop polyester

Ripstop polyester

Ripstop Polyester is similar to ripstop nylon but differs in the chemical composition of the fibres used to weave it....

 with spars made from carbon fiber tubing. The flying lines are made from braided Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, 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. The pitch can sometimes be controlled by walking/running forward or backwards, giving the lines different amounts of tension. Using a combination 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 on its front or back. During diving maneuvers sport kites may reach speeds of 60mph, while in stall type maneuvers they can remain nearly motionless. This type of stall allows for various other acrobatic maneuvers to be performed.

Technology

Sport kites can be designed to fly in a wide range of conditions. Most standard kites fly best in winds from 3-9 miles per hour. High wind kites can be flown in very strong winds of 30mph or more. There are kites made from the lightest materials that can be flown in the slightest breeze or even indoors. Novice or first time fliers may have difficulty flying a dual line kite. For smooth and consistent flying, a steady breeze is required, uninhibited by trees, buildings, hills, or other tall objects which may block the wind.

A dual line stunt kite can range from anywhere from $50 for a beginner kite, to over $300 for specialized competition kites made from high grade materials such as carbon fiber

Carbon fiber

Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...

 and Mylar. Some high performance kites have optional tail weight attachments, which change the flight characteristics of the kite, making some advanced maneuvers easier or more dramatic.

Some pilots also fly four-line (or "quad-line") kites, which are controlled with a pair of handles, each with two lines attached to the top and bottom and attached to the kite at the top and bottom. To control the kite, the pilot pulls on the 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

Power kite

A power kite or traction kite is a large kite designed to provide significant pull to the user.They come in three main forms: foils, leading edge inflatables and supported leading edge. There are also rigid-framed kites and soft single skin kites. There are several different control systems used...

 or traction kites, which can be used to tow wheeled kite buggies

Kite buggy

A kite buggy is a light, purpose-built vehicle powered by a traction kite . It is single-seated and has one steerable front wheel and two fixed rear wheels. The driver sits in the seat located in the middle of the vehicle and accelerates and slows down by applying steering manoeuvres in...

 (kite buggying) or surfboard

Surfboard

A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...

s (kite surfing). Power kites vary in size from "trainers" which often have dual lines and a small sail area, to large full size traction kites with four lines, designed to pull people on kite boards or vehicles.

Accessories

Many sport kite pilots have a variety of line sets, in different lengths and strengths (Measured in Lbs) to suit the wind conditions. Specialized kite bags are designed to tote a collection of kites, along with line sets and repair materials such as tedlar tape (for fixing punctured sails) and spare parts. Kite cases or bags also facilitate traveling with kites, some designed to fit into the overhead compartments

Hand luggage

Hand luggage or cabin baggage is the type of luggage that passengers are allowed to carry along in the passenger compartment of a vehicle instead of moving to the cargo compartment...

 on airplanes. Other accessories include hand-held (digital) anemometers for accurate wind speed information and LED

LEd

LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....

lights that attach to the frame of the kite to allow for night flying. Some manufacturers offer replacement spars or spare components for their kites, for replacing damaged components after a particularly unforgiving crash landing.