Windsport

A windsport is any type of sport which involves wind-power, often involving a non-rigid airfoil such as a sail or a power kite. The activities can be land-based, on snow, on ice or on water. Windsport activity may be regulated in some countries by aviation/maritime authorities if they are likely to interfere with other activities. Local authorities may also regulate activity in certain areas, especially on crowded beaches and parks.

• Ice boating - using a masted sail attached to a vessel with skates
• Kite boating - sailing a boat in displacement or planing mode using a kite
• Kite landboarding - using a power kite with a wheeled board while standing
• Kite buggy - using a wheeled buggy with seats attached to a power kite
• Kite flying - flight of a small airfoil by a standing ground operator using 1-4 flying lines
• Kite skating - as for kite jumping but while using specialized skates
• Kite surfing - using a surfboard attached to a power kite
• Land sailing - a masted sail attached to a land vehicle - see also land yacht
• Sailing - navigating a boat with sail attached to a mast
• Snowkiting - skiing/snowboarding under the power of a kite
• Windsurfing - sailing using a masted sail attached via a gimbal to a surfboard
• Wing foiling or wingsurfing is a surface watersport where a rider uses a lightweight wing on a surf board with a hydrofoil.

Land sailing

Air sports

The following air sports are not classed as windsports because in these the participants actually leave the ground for long periods and many do not use the wind:

• Gliding - use of vertically moving air to keep an aircraft aloft
• Hang gliding - use of vertically moving air to keep aloft an aircraft with a flexible wing
• Microlighting - flying a hang glider with an engine (also see ultralight aircraft)
• Parachuting (skydiving) and base jumping - controlled descent of the operator under a large flexible canopy
• Paragliding - soaring under a parachute canopy
• Parasailing - hanging under a paraglider towed by a vehicle (boat, car, or snowmobile) in order to ascend (usually over water)
• Hot air ballooning - a balloon you ride which uses fire to go up and wind to stay afloat
• Paramotoring - a motor vehicle attached with a parachute which can hang into the air for hours and can also be used as a vehicle to cross countries or jumping to an island. It is self-controllable, and you may need the permission of the local government to fly over an area.