For board sports enthusiasts, finding the perfect session cannot be improvised. Before jumping into the water, windsurfers, bodyboarders or kitesurfers spend a lot of time checking the weather forecast to find out the strength and direction of the wind, the size of the swell or the wave period. “You have to consult them several times a day, it’s really time-consuming”, recognizes Maximilien Meyer. Living in Morlaix, he has been kitesurfing for three years, lugging his board and his kite on the beaches of North Finistère. “We’re lucky to have a lot of nice little spots like Kerrema in Tréflex, Le Dossen in Santec or Les Trois Moutons in Lampaul-Ploudalmézeau”, slips the “intermediate level” kitesurfer. »
Computer developer when he is not in the water, the Breton has just combined his two passions in a project called Kiteplanner. A site put online a few days ago and which promises to make life easier for the 40,000 practitioners of the discipline in France. “No need to constantly check the weather forecast because I do the work for them,” he says.
The site lists 12,600 spots around the world
A sort of digital assistant, the tool allows kitesurfers to plan their sessions. To do this, they must register and fill in their habits such as their favorite spot, the gear they use and the weather conditions in which they like to surf. Thanks to an algorithm that scans several forecast sites, Kiteplanner then offers the user a schedule of sessions that can go up to fifteen days. “It’s really personalized because everyone does not necessarily appreciate the same conditions depending on their level”, underlines Maximilien Meyer, rather used to going out when it’s not too hard.
Listing 12,600 spots around the world and available in four languages, the Kiteplanner site also offers a premium version (2.99 euros per month) allowing you to check an unlimited number of spots and more frequent weather updates. If success is there, the Breton kitesurfer could be tempted to launch the same for windsurfing, surfing and all other board sports.