The art of surfing on snow

After five years as a mountain guide, Simon Jaktlund discovered a passion that would change his life. The year was 2005, and snowkiting—skiing or snowboarding on snow while being pulled by a kite—had just been discovered by a group of enthusiastic skiers looking to maximize their time in the mountains. For Simon, snowkiting became the missing piece that made life in the mountains complete.

Working as a mountain guide meant intense periods of work, and his time off was spent on personal adventures. The only thing that could disrupt his plans was a gale warning that might prevent a planned summit tour. When Simon discovered snowkiting, it became the perfect complement—allowing him to enjoy being outdoors every day, regardless of the weather.

“It became the final piece of the puzzle that made me want to be in the mountains all the time. On sunny, calm days, you left the kite behind and went ski touring. On stormy days, you played around with the kite, and on those in-between days, when the wind was maybe 3 meters per second, you’d glide over to other mountain stations to visit. Snowkiting became an upgrade times ten to what I was already doing.”

Simon trained as a snowkite instructor and began teaching courses. After another four years working at mountain stations, he decided to pursue his dream of starting his own business focused on snowkiting. He moved from the mountain stations of western Jämtland to one of Sweden’s windiest cities, Östersund, where he founded the company Misterkite—a name that also became his nickname within the kiting community.

“21:59:59—it’s a full stop if you’re still flying the kite. Then it’s all about getting the tent up, taking care of yourself, sorting and preparing your gear for the next day, and eating before getting a few hours of sleep.”

Long nights are rare, as teams are ready to start again at 06:00 after packing up the tent and having breakfast. After a few days, energy levels tend to drop, making it crucial to be teamed up with someone you get along well with. That, Simon believes, has been key to Team Sweden’s success. In four out of five competitions, he competed with the same partner, Richard Wernersson from Uppsala, and once with Ulrik Larsson Götzmann from Östersund. The first time Simon and Richard competed, they placed sixth—but after that, Simon, together with Richard and Ulrik, has won one gold, two silver, and one bronze medal.

“We’ve had an incredibly good dynamic, and we love that not everything can be predicted. Our motto is: ‘Shit happens—it’s how you deal with it that matters.’ Something always happens that you couldn’t prepare for, and what matters is how you handle it in the moment.”

It’s far from an easy competition. Of the 43 teams that typically start, only between eight and fifteen make it to the finish. Simply completing the course is often considered a major achievement—but not necessarily because the route itself is too difficult. Much of it comes down to catching the wind to maintain speed and covering the 300 kilometers in time, as well as the requirement that teams must travel together. This means it’s important that both participants are equally skilled in snowkiting. Simon notes that in many teams, one person is stronger in kiting while the other is better at mountain skills and navigation, which can make the team less effective overall—since both skills are equally important.

“We complement each other very well and support one another. If I feel strong and my partner is tired, I take on more of the load—or vice versa. In the evenings, we divide tasks—one handles navigation and plans the next day, while the other prepares food. We’ve always had open and good communication. Despite low energy and sore spots, we’ve never had any real conflicts.”

It’s essential to know yourself, your teammate, and your equipment during a winter competition. During the day, the sun can be intense enough to cause sun chills, while at night temperatures can drop well below freezing. For Simon, this means carefully calculating what to wear and what to pack.

Even when temperatures drop to -15°C or lower, Simon often gets warm and sweaty while riding. Having wool closest to the body is crucial for wicking moisture away and keeping warm and dry. Simon almost exclusively uses the cooler Woolpower LITE as a base layer and complements it with mid-layers of varying thickness. On top, he wears a shell jacket and shell pants that provide good wind protection, with a hood that can be pulled over his helmet. He also alternates between a balaclava and a neck tube to protect his neck and face from the wind. And last but not least, good gloves are essential—allowing him to handle and adjust the kite while staying warm.

“I try to have everything I need during the day easily accessible on me. Once you’ve launched the kite, it’s not the time to be fiddling with gear. I want everything within reach in my pockets while I’m moving.”

After five World Championships with Team Sweden, Simon feels it’s time to look for a new challenge—but he doesn’t rule out the possibility of a reunion in the future.

“It’s been incredibly fun to be part of this, and I’ve met so many amazing people. But now it’s time to put these five years away and preserve them as a memory.”