The Seattle Kiteboarding Center was founded by Jason Clack in the summer of 2001. Soon after, the Seattle Kitesurfing Association (SKA) created a kiteboarding community aimed at promoting the safety of the sport. Jason found his niche in instruction, which he believed was necessary for the sport to thrive and grow in a positive direction.

It all began on a summer trip to the Gorge in 1988, when windsurfing was in its heyday and Hood River was the “it” destination for wind-junkies from around the world. The sight of someone harnessing the power of the wind to propel them at 30+ miles an hour and hucking a double back flip over 8 foot rollers immediately sparked Jason’s interest in wind-powered sports. His first calling was the arid deserts of Las Vegas, where he tried his hand at kite buggying and land sailing, often traveling up to speeds of 55 miles and hour. The Seattle-native often passed through Peach Beach at Maryhill State Park on his way to the dry lake beds of the Alvord desert and knew the potential of the Columbia River. Rumors had circulated about kiteboarding’s pioneers hitting the Gorge waters with water skis and delta kites, and Jason was stoked to try out the up and coming sport. The vision of transitioning from land to water became a reality when he saw a French man kiting with a surfboard in the waters of Tarifa, Spain in a European magazine. Jason immediately purchased the cheapest surf board he could find, bolted down some foot straps and headed out to the Oregon coast. After a long day of kite-buggying along the shoreline, he decided to hit the water with his new board. He slipped the board on his feet, sent the kite, and rode 100 yards downwind on his first attempt. He was hooked. Not a month later, Wipika released the first Leading Edge Inflatable kite on the market and Jason was the first in line to pick one up. After swallowing gallons of Lake Washington water, and hitching many rides back to shore from the Coast Guard and friendly boaters, he and his good friend Doug Russell were finally able to tack back and forth across the lake.

As to date, Seattle Kiteboarding Center has taught over 400 students with a perfect safety record in locations such as Jetty Island, Lake Washington, the Oregon coast and the Columbia River Gorge. SKBC is centered on Jetty Island, Everett which is the premier location for introducing the sport to beginners with proper instruction. In 2005, Jason opened up a storefront less than a block away from the island in Everett, Washington in order to expand from teaching to the retail side of kiteboarding. As of recently, he has been exploring the northwest and Canada in search of the best snowkiting destinations to introduce the sport to snowboarders, alpinists, and kiteboarders alike. Jason feels very fortunate for the opportunity to combine his passion with a career and is happy to spend his time providing adequate instruction and giving people an avenue to a new sport.