Kite Racing from Suffolk – one of the 40 Humourous British Traditions

Kites have been popular in Suffolk since their introduction into England in the 19^th Century.

In 1873, Oliver Holmes was flying his kite near Aldeburgh when the wind started to blow really hard – Oliver had difficulty holding on to his kite and thought that running with his kite would make it easier to control. This proved to be true. Oliver was seen by his friends and they tried running with their kites too. Soon a race was on, which was only brought to an end by a set of trees near Rendlesham Forest.

Thus the Aldeburgh Kite Racing Festival was born. It’s held in October and lasts for a week, during which racers have to be ready to race at all times. When the judges decide that the wind is strong enough for the longer races to be run to their conclusion, including the 10-mile Kite Marathon, then racers have 10 minutes to prepare.

The courses are over sand dunes, across dykes and through the Forest of Rendlesham. There are four races over 1 mile, 3 miles, 5 miles, and 10 miles. The winner is the person who crosses the finish line with his kite still intact and having not touched his kite during the race. This latter rule was introduced in 1897 after Jerry Payne hauled his kite out of the sky and carried it with him to the finish.

The competitors are limited to 100 feet of line, which is enough to clear the tops of the tallest trees in the forest. Most people believe that the best method for winning a race is to keep the kite on a short line through open country and then let the line out completely when approaching the forest. The runner’s greatest skill is to pick a track through the trees that will keep the line clear of branches. Many a kite has been snared in the forest. Most of the fatalities in the race, apart from the drowning of Arnold Godber in 1932, have come from people falling out of trees when trying to rescue their kites.