Swisskite

Swisskite (Swisskite Club Portalban) is the local association of kitesurfers, wingfoilers and pumpfoilers at the Portalban spot (municipality of Delley-Portalban, canton of Fribourg), on the south shore of Lake Neuchâtel. A non-profit association, it had 141 members at the end of the 2025 season. Its statutes, revised in January 2026, cover kitesurfing and related disciplines (kitefoil, wingfoil, parawing, pumpfoil, supfoil); wingfoiling was formally brought into the club at the January 2026 general assembly.

Its first purpose is to keep the spot open: the club represents riders before the municipality, which officially recognises the spot, publicises the rules (a zone reserved for kite, wing and windsurf, no kiting in the swimming area, no entry into the Grande Cariçaie nature reserve marked by buoys) and supports the Association romande de kitesurf (KA), the umbrella body of French-speaking Swiss clubs. Members can use an 8 hp motorboat that needs no licence, moored in Portalban harbour, for safety and rescue, as well as a pumpfoil platform set up on the lake in 2025, authorised by the canton, funded by the municipality and maintained by the club.

The spot is side-onshore in south-west to north-west winds and suits independent riders. To help members progress, the club offers accompanied sessions offshore with the boat, group sessions with tips, awareness of the navigation rules and a WhatsApp group to follow the sessions. It also runs a welcome evening for new members, a self-launch demonstration (T-Launch), a pumping platform party, kite and wing trips (Sardinia and Crete in 2026) and the King of the Lake competition, whose 2026 edition took place from 18 to 20 September. On site: paid parking, cold showers on the beach and hot showers at the harbour, a beach bar, restaurants and SUP rental.

The club publishes no office hours: members organise themselves in the club's WhatsApp group. Every use of the boat must be announced there in advance, and the boat must be returned with a full tank. Out of season, when the public facilities are closed, members have a key to the toilets and showers.

Spot rules: in summer, because of the crowds, only the kitesurf zone (shared with wingfoil and windsurf) may be used, and a water start is recommended. Launching and landing take place only in the zones marked on the club's map. Kiting is forbidden in the swimming area, and entering the Grande Cariçaie nature reserve, marked by buoys, is forbidden and can be fined. On the water, right of way follows the Swiss federal inland navigation ordinance.

2026 programme: new members' welcome on 23 April at 7 pm, T-Launch on 21 May, pumping platform party on 28 June, trips to Sardinia (May) and Crete (30 August – 6 September), King of the Lake from 18 to 20 September.

Contact by email; no phone number is shown on the website.