Why IKO?

The correct and safest way to get started with kiteboarding is to take a course with an instructor certified by IKO (international organization of kiteboarding). In Kiteboarding it is important to follow the safety rules no matter what your technical level may be. This is why it is best to learn in a safe supervised environment with experienced IKO instructors.

Courses

We guarantee after taking our IKO based courses, you will need to be close to the water for the rest of your life! Be it lake, ocean or bay, you will be scouting your next playground.

For all the course have the duration of 8 hours instruction and we supply everything, the kite, harness, life jacket, helmet, board. All you need to bring is a good attitued and your board shorts! After your time with us at Ecuador Kitesurf, you will recieve your own IKO card, that will enable you to rent gear all over the world.

We certify at all IKO Levels, please click on the level you are interested in for the course layout:

• Level 1 - IKO Beginner's Course
• Level 2 - IKO Intermediate Course
• Level 3 - IKO Advanced Course
• IKO Assistant Instructor Course

IKO Leve1 1 - Basic Course

1. Basic knowledge and understanding of the wind
2. Equipment
   • Parts
   • Set-up
3. Security systems
4. Controlling the kite
5. Practice with the foil (training kite)
6. Raising the kite in the correct direction
7. Neutral points, points of power, points of traction, self rescue
8. Body dragging (practicing controlling the kite in the water)
9. Re-launch
10. Self rescue
11. Water start
    
    • Exercises on the sand
    • Practice using the board in the water

IKO Level 2 - Intermediate

1. Theory of wind patterns, currents and tides
2. Practice in the water with kite and board
3. Learning to tread on the edges of the boards and obtaining more precise control of the kite
4. Direction control
5. Basic jibe
6. Board recovery in deep water without leash
7. Adjust a 4 line kite using the power loop

IKO Level 3 - Advanced

1. The right of way rules
2. Ride Point to point (ride away from the shore arrive back to the shore inline with where you started)
3. Constantly ride upwind
4. Change direction
5. Know the theoretical approach to jumping
6. Perform a small jump and land it

IKO Assistant Instructor's Course

This 3 day will provide you with a  qualification to start you off in a career of kitesurfing:

• Day 1 - Assessment of Prior knowledge and Riding level
• Day 2 - Learning how to teach the IKO based program, and the role of an Assisstant
• Day 3 - Assisstant an instructor with a real student

Each day is 4 hours, if your riding or knowledge is not up to standard then you will be asked to take additional days reach the standard required.