Kite ice skating

Kite ice skating, sometimes referred to as para-skating or para ice skating, is an ice-based sport using a large controllable kite to propel ice skaters across frozen rivers, frozen lakes and other frozen surfaces. With a traditional diamond-shaped kite it's quite possible to go much faster than the wind speed by angling the kite much as a sailboat can trim its course and sails for greater speed. In fact, it's possible to exceed safe speeds quite easily, leaving one's legs exhausted from absorbing the shock of bumpy ice and becoming susceptible to spectacular crashes. On a gusty winter day one spends considerable time raising the kite in the air parallel to the ice to slow down somewhat.