La Franqui-Plage (France) (AFP)

"He watched the wind pass by". Three months to take his pain in patience and Anton Pariente, 13, found the beach of Coussoles in La Franqui (Aude) with all kitesurf enthusiasts.

"What a joy to get back on a board. The confinement was appalling," agrees Alice Fizet, 38. She "couldn't wait to get back on her board" of 1.38 m by 40 cm.

On May 11, the first day of deconfinement, this Toulouse saleswoman had looked at the distance to the beach. Disappointment: "148 kilometers as the crow flies"! More than the 100 km distance authorized by the government.

On June 2, after this limitation was lifted, the wind was not blowing enough.

After an "unbearable" additional wait, all kitesurf enthusiasts were finally able to resume their habits. With to begin with the choice of the sail which will be inflated. "The rule is weak wind, large wing; strong wind, small wing. They range from 4 square meters to 12 square meters. There are 2.5 square meters and up to 16 square meters," explains the monitor Gaspard Belfort.

Blue, yellow, red ... over the course of the day, the sky brightens up with these variegated sails, while the + kiters + pushed by gusts of 20 to 35 knots (37 to 64 km / h) spin. Sometimes fly away. Whoever goes higher.

- Olympic bet -

A "Kitesurf Leucate" association (500 members), three schools (500 to 800 lessons per season), as well as one of the three French hope centers (with Dunkirk and Hyères): a thousand addicts of this board sport share this 1.2 km spot.

Kitesurfing took off in the early 2000s. In 2019, there were some 14,000 licensees and 60,000 practitioners, according to the French Sailing Federation (FFV). He will enter the Olympic Games in Paris-2024 with "foil kitesurfing", a "technical specialty" which does not arouse enthusiasm.

As proof, the call for candidates launched by the FFV to join one of the poles for the Olympics received only three responses, laments the president of the Audoise association Bernard Brigasco.

"In kiting, the will is first of all playful," continues Mr. Brigasco. "I always want to be on the water," confirms Anton, who has been "kiting for two years".

"Confined, he watched the wind go by," laughs his brother Léo, 20, eighth in the 2018 junior worlds in free-style. This student then put his passion on hold to successfully complete his first year of medicine.

Among the Pariente, kitesurfing is a family affair. It was his father one evening who proposed: "Tomorrow, we are trying a new sport", recalls Léo.

- "Addictive sport" -

Martin, 19, the most gifted, had to move away in his turn to also pass in the second year of medicine. He will be back. With another challenge: "get your Olympic sesame", says Leo.

At the entrance to the beach, in the surveillance and reception tower, near the five temporary bungalows for schools and associations, Mr. Brigasco ensures compliance with health measures: posted charter, hydroalcoholic gel, Plexiglas at the cash desk. ..

"We have no problem with social distancing because of the length of the line to the sail" (20 to 24 m), insists Killian Martineau, 20, responsible for the security of the spot, where there is up to "100 interventions per day", including "90%" for neophytes unable to return.

In the eyes of officials, only one measure is problematic: the obligation to wear a mask: "It's torture", complains Mr. Belfort.

"Our sport is addictive," says Alexis Bernier, 30. From the beaches of the Indian Ocean to those of the Mediterranean, this sports coach from Melbourne, who returned to Toulouse at the beginning of April to confine himself, praises an easily accessible discipline: "Nine to twelve lessons are enough to become independent", estimates t -he.

"I'm happy to start again, but a little frustrated. I lowered my level," tempers Antoine Sarda, 18. He will console himself with his high school diploma, which he has just won.

© 2020 AFP