Before Kites on Ice was put on hiatus after its seventh annual edition in 2005, one of the more scintillating aspects of the festival could be found on its fringes. Farther out on Lake Mendota, one could catch a glimpse of a person or three engaging in snowkiting. This is a twenty-odd year old boardsport in which a kite is used to pull a snowboarder, typically across a frozen lake, and one that boasts roots in Madison.
Though the festival is no longer running, Madison's snowkiters continue to zip and leap about the lakes, both now frozen for over two weeks. With the winds howling, Stephen Cavill, Joe Miller and Rui Castro recently braved the cold to jump around on Lake Mendota.