Hayling Island will have the first official kitesurfing beach. The Havant Borough Council has approved a specially designated area for wind riders after a successful eight-month pilot.
The future kiter's beach zone starts from East of the funfair, at the bottom of Chichester Avenue, and will be a place where all wind enthusiasts can safely launch their kites and train their tricks.
Initially, local citizens were not enthusiastic about the idea, but as the pilot went on, everybody agreed it would be good for local tourism. Kitesurfing has been very popular for more than 10 years.
Shallow waters, good wind speed and direction, and flat regatta fields provide the best conditions possible for kitesurfing on Hayling Island.
"People were unhappy because they felt it might have got in the way of swimmers and people sunbathing. But as the months have gone by, people have accepted it," explained Councillor Victor Pierce-Jones.
The reason is that kite surfers can’t go out in all weather, only when it’s a sharp wind. And that’s exactly when swimmers don’t want to go out."
Hayling Island is one of the best kitesurfing spots in England.