Russia
Russia's summer kiting does not stop at the Gulf of Finland. On the Black Sea, the Anapa spit gives flat water in thermal wind from May to September. The shallow Azov Sea is a warm-water alternative, and Moscow riders have the big Ivankovo Reservoir at home. St Petersburg, with its own large guide, sits on a separate page.
Summer thermal vs weather wind
On the south coast, May to September is the thermal season: the wind builds after lunch and usually dies in the evening. Inland and around the Gulf of Finland, you ride cyclone fronts instead, so check the forecast the day before.
Flat and shallow
Blagoveshchenskaya and the Azov spits are flat and shallow, which makes them good for learning, freestyle and foil. Neither has real waves.
How reliable are these guides?
These pages are younger than our St Petersburg and Spain guides. Local details such as launch spots, closures and wind direction vary from year to year, so use them as a starting point and ask local schools.
Black Sea, Azov & reservoirs
Conditions, rules and access change. Always check on the beach, ask local schools and ride within your level.