Mark Kingshott

October 2000

Even if you don't take your kite buggying very seriously you are bound to come across the name of Mark Kingshott at some point.
Mark, 33, has worked for Predator Kites for over a year now and dominates the UK kite buggying scene. He holds the official land speed record for a kite buggy ( 52 mph set at Berrow in 1998 ) and became UK Champion in 1999.

During the Berrow 2000 kite buggy festival we had the opportunity to speak to Mark.

 

Q. How long have you been flying kites ?
A. "I first had a go at the June 1995 Blackheath festival and bought my first kite two weeks before the first Berrow in 1995."

Q. What was your first kite ?
A. "A Club Spectre delta made by High Flyers, although my original traction kite was a Sandpiper and a plastic sledge !"

Q. At what point did you realise that kiting was becoming more than just a hobby ?
A. "The second time I went into a kite shop within two weeks and spent £70."

Q. What is the attraction of kiting ?
A. "Escape. You can lose yourself for a couple of hours. Nowadays I don't fly anything other than Predators."

Q. What is your most prized kiting possession ?
A. "My new Libre full race XS buggy with the weights fitted on. It is a scaled down version of the full race buggy and is better than the original."

Q. Any unusual kiting claims ?
A. "Buggied with a Psycho on a four wheeled buggy."

Q. What are the highlights of your kite flying life so far ?
A. "Becoming UK Champion last year, and the land speed record."

	Recording Breaking 2.5m Predator

Q. What goes through your mind when you are hurtling down a beach at 52 mph ?
A. "Keeping in control, where you're going and how you're going to get there. I'm not worried about the speed because you don't know what speed you're going - I don't have a speedo on my buggy."

Q. What are the 'K' series of numbers ?
A. "They are PKA numbers. Kite buggies are class 8 land yachts. The 'K' initial is for Great Britain and is used for international racing. The number is the ranking, up to twenty, for the previous year."

Q. What would you like to do next in kiting that you haven't already done ?
A. "Do better in European racing. I feel disadvantaged because of my size, I need to be two stone heavier. The ideal weight is 12 -13 stone."
"I haven't won the Last Gasp. I'm not an endurance person, I'm not strong."
"I've not tried kite surfing, although I was going to go out this summer. I'm not really a water sports person but I'll give it a try to see what its like."

Q. Where is kite buggying going ?
A. "Buggying will still be a minority sport otherwise it will get banned everywhere. New people will come in and old will fade out, provided the technology keeps improving. Sponsorship will probably not be as much as it is with kite surfing."
"The standard of buggying in the last two years has increased dramatically. It would be nice to see more regional events rather than national events."

Mark admitted that competition buggying can be quite stressful, and that he might take a year out after next year. "I'll go to events but not really take part", he added.

The future of competition buggying is by no means certain.