I have tried many different types of sports activities, including extreme sports: I’ve swum, jumped, gone on different rides, but I’ve never flown. When I found about flyboarding, I knew that it was exactly what I was looking for.

I first heard of flyboarding a couple of years ago when I came across pictures of people hovering in mid air. I became really fascinated. And not so long ago my dream came true: I found a group called Flyboard Limassol, who taught me how to fly.

I’ve never met any flyboard riders or seen their equipment in person, which made my experience completely eye-opening and refreshing. The flyboard comes with a pair of boots. It is is connected to your personal watercraft (PWC) with a long hose and is powered by its thrust.

Before going flyboarding for the first time, I watched a video of an 11-year old rider. Yes, it turns out you can start flyboarding when you are 10-11 years old. In addition to that, flyboarding is suitable for any body type and skill level: you can be a total novice with no equipment. However, I don’t recommend wearing a bikini when you go flyboarding; instead go for a pair of shorts :) There is one restriction, however: if you have problems with your back or legs, this sport is not for you.

When it was my turn to go flyboarding, I received the following instructions: always stay far away from the watercraft, buoys, rocks and other boats. When you stand up, keep your back straight, don’t bend and try to keep your balance. Keeping my legs straight was my biggest challenge. I kept wanting to bend them in order to feel steadier, which is not allowed in flyboarding, because you risk dropping your board. You can bend one knee at a time if you want to turn, but first you must learn to stand up straight. Another important piece of advice: don’t look down! You’ll think you are really high up, (when in fact you aren’t) and may lose your balance and fall. This happened to me.

I really liked the feeling of flying. It took me some time to master the art of standing up straight. My instructors were helpful by pointing out my mistakes and I was able to finally figure it out and even flew for a little while around the watercraft.

It surprised me that my body didn’t feel tired at the end. I felt no tension during the ride either, though I did make a lot of effort to control my body and keep it straight. Because of the many times that I fell — I was quite out of breath and swallowed some water in the process. This was the only thing that I found uncomfortable about my ride.

But the moment I was finally able to keep my balance and not fall — was true pleasure!

Experienced flyboard riders are able to perform impressive stunts: rising up to 10 meters high, then coming back down, spinning, diving, etc. I would now love to visit a flyboarding show and see these stunts with my own eyes!

Written by Alexandra Malysheva: sparkling-photo.livejournal.com