Right now, there are four kiteboarders out shredding up the ice at the NFTA Small Boat Harbor. Every winter I get a call from Ward Pinkel (bottom photo), owner of Urban Threads on Elmwood Avenue, letting me know that his tribe has found the perfect wind, sun and snow conditions. Today he was out with his dad and his friends Bill and Matt (top photo) flying back and forth in front of the boardwalk as people cruised by on Fuhrmann Boulevard on their way home from work.
Although the conditions were not perfect, Ward told me that the snow was better closer to shore since the wind had blown some of the snow off the ice further out. Matt was getting some serious air because he had opted to go with a blow up kite - normally used when out on the water. Although Matt's oversized kite is much more difficult to prepare, the results are dramatic. All four boarders were having a blast... the wind was strong and steady while the sun was completely un-obscured by clouds or buildings.
If you're looking to get into this sport, you may want to check out Bill's site. He's got everything you need to get you started on the snow or on the lake. Watching these guys surfing out on the lake was awesome. Last year I tracked them down boarding at Delaware Park... the backdrop of the lake and the grain elevators made today quite a visually intense scene. If you're looking to keep updated on the kiteboarding culture in Buffalo year 'round, tune into Urban's site.