Fly a kite and touch the sky

Jbjsaturday

WHETHER they are made from paper, an old umbrella or imported from the US – kites are fun to fly.

Next weekend is Africa’s biggest kite festival and two young kiteflyers are looking forward to dazzling the crowd with their skills.

Nine-year-old Xavier Binsbergen from Port Elizabeth has been kiting for a few years.

By the age of 3 he was flying single-line diamond and sled kites.

These days Xavier is so skilled he can fly a kite indoors. “We have a Revolution specially designed for inside flying.”

The Revolution, which isXavier’s favourite type of kite, is a four-line designed to be extremely manoeuvrable. “My dad taught me at first, but now I fly Revs on my own. They don’t pull like a power kite and I can control it well – flying upside down, sideways, wherever I want.”

Xavier flies “wherever the wind blows”, at the local park or beach. He mainly kites in PE but has been to festivals in Cape Town, George and Jeffrey’s Bay. “I really like seeing people flying different kites and meeting kiters from all over the world. That’s the best thing of all.”

Eleven-year-old Orion Brophy from Parkwood Estate, Cape Town is a skilled kite-maker who won a prize at last year’s Cape Town International Kite Festival for his handmade heart kite.

Orion has been making and flying kites since he was about 5. “My first was an orange diamond-shape made out of plastic which I helped my grandad make.” Since then Orion has improved his skills. “A diamond kite is the easiest to make. I can also make a swallow if I get some help with the tails. I’ve also made one box kite. It did fly, but not that well.”

Orion’s favourite kite is a Spider-man swallow ‘swaeltjie’ kite, made by his grandfather, Gerald Gelderbloem. “It can fly so high it touches the clouds.”

Orion flies at the weekends at a soccer field near his home, often with his friend Luqman.

“The best thing about kites is when you get that feeling, that pull. It makes you feel like you are with the kite, right up in the sky.”

Xavier and Orion will both be flying at the 21st Cape Town International Kite Festival in Muizenberg on Saturday and Sunday, proudly supporting Cape Mental Health, along with kiters from Germany, Netherlands, UK and all over South Africa.

If you don’t already have a kite you can make one at the free kite-making workshops at the festival. There are lots of fun things to do. Entry is R30 or R10 for children 12 years and younger. For tickets and info see www. capemental health.co.za.

WINNER: Orion Brophy with his winning kite at the Cape Town International Kite Festival last year. Orion enjoys the moment with his grandad, Gerald Gelderbloem.