From the first kites on Essaouira’s beach to Kite Maroc today
Kite Maroc Founder Majid is a pioneer in Essaouira, Morocco, the Kite Community worldwide, and among the first generation of kite instructors in Africa. He is one the very first Kite instructors in Africa. A Moroccan Kitesurf Champion in 2005 & 2007. Majid was part of the small community that helped establish Essaouira as one of Morocco’s most recognized wind and water-sports destinations. Alongside Nasser at Explora, he helped develop one of the early and largest surf and kite schools in Essaouira. And long before Kite Maroc became the school it is today, the name was already taking shape.
In the early days, Kite Maroc was more of a side project — a small collection of T-shirts and hats that Majid gave to friends and students. In one of the early episodes of CNN’s African Voices, filmed during this period, Majid can even be seen wearing a Kite Maroc hat on the beach. It may have started simply, but the vision was already there.
Take a look at this short video from CNN, while it is dated, it only confirms Majid’s patient quiet nature as a person and instructor. It also illustrates the dramatic change and growth in Essaouira’s surf & kite industry and tourism to Essaouira. A once sleepy town is now a booming & popular destination, why not learn and experience Essaouira who knows it inside and out from its early days to now.
Watch full cnn African voice video here.
A Champion in the Early Moroccan Kite Scene
Majid’s story is also part of the history of competitive kitesurfing in Morocco. He won the first Moroccan national kitesurf championship, held in Essaouira, establishing himself among the country’s leading riders at a time when the sport was still in its early stages.
Contemporary coverage from Yabiladi and Aujourd’hui le Maroc, citing MAP, describes the championship as bringing together around twenty Moroccan riders. Essaouira’s conditions were already being recognised as an important asset for the development of the sport and for attracting international visitors to the city.
The event followed Essaouira’s earlier role in hosting two World Cup stages in 1999 and 2000, further highlighting the city’s long connection with international watersports.
Read original publication below.
From a Sleepy Coastal Town to a Global Watersports Destination
Looking back at those early images, it is difficult not to notice how much Essaouira has changed.
What was once a relatively sleepy fishing town with a small community of surfers, windsurfers and kiteboarders has grown into an international destination for watersports, travel and adventure. The beach is busier, the community is bigger and new generations of riders arrive every season to discover the same wind that first attracted pioneers like Majid.
But some things remain unchanged: the patience, local knowledge and quiet passion that have always been at the heart of the sport here.
History in the Making
Today, Kite Maroc carries that history forward.
What began with a hat, a few T-shirts and a vision has grown into a dedicated kite, wingfoil and surf school sharing Essaouira with riders from around the world. The next chapter is already underway, welcoming complete beginners to helping experienced riders progress, teaching the fundamentals of kitesurfing, sharing the places, conditions and local knowledge that only come from years spent on this coast.
There is something special about learning to kite in a place with this much history. You are not simply arriving at a popular watersports destination, you are stepping onto the same beach where Morocco’s early kite community helped shape the sport.
The story of Kite Maroc started more than twenty years ago. And it is still being written.
Come discover Essaouira, learn to kite, and experience the coast with people who have been part of its story from the beginning.
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Watch the original CNN African Voices feature to see Majid and Essaouira during the early years of kitesurfing here.
Majid El Werrat remporte le premier championnat national de kite-surf
Source: https://www.yabiladi.com/article-sport-144.html
Le jeune kite-surfer souiri Majid El Warrat a remporté le premier championnat national de kite-surf, disputé dimanche à Essaouira.
Cette compétition, qui a connu la participation d’une vingtaine de pratiquants de cette discipline sportive associant une aile de traction (cerf-volant) avec une planche légère sous les pieds, a été organisée conjointement par l’Association marocaine et l’Association Mogador de Kite-surf, en partenariat avec la base nautique “Océan Vagabond” et ce, à l’occasion de la 5ème session de l’Université conviviale d’Essaouira (18-20 février).
A l’issue de cette compétition, Youness El Baquioui (Essaouira) a occupé la deuxième place, alors que la troisième position est revenue au kite-surfer Akram El Hmamsi.
Le coup d’envoi de ce premier championnat a été donné en présence du Conseiller de SM le Roi, président-fondateur de l’Association “Esaouira-Mogador”, M. André Azoulay, du gouverneur de la province d’Essaouira, M. Abdeslem Bekrat, de la présidente du conseil municipal, Mme Asmae Chaâbi et des autorités locales.
Dans une déclaration à la MAP, M. Jean Sébastien Deflandre, dirigeant d’Océan Vagabond, a indiqué que ce premier événement sportif au niveau national constitue une opportunité pour, d’une part, regrouper les jeunes pratiquants, les motiver et les encourager à profiter des conditions propices à la pratique de cette discipline que présentent les plages de la ville, et d’autre part, contribuer à la promotion de la ville au niveau international.
Après avoir rappelé l’organisation à Essaouira de deux manches de la Coupe du Monde, en 1999 et 2000, M. Deflandre a souligné que “faute de moyens et de sponsoring, on était contraint d’arrêter ce genre de compétitions”.
Par contre, a-t-il dit, “nous comptons organiser trois ou quatre événements par an au niveau national. Avec deux manches à Essaouira et autant à Dakhla, nous ferons un championnat équilibré”.
Source : MAP
Aujourd’hui le Maroc
