Well, perhaps they were not the very first. But in this historic gallery, you can check out at least some of the pioneers of the kitesurfing world.
Here are some last-century photos (back in 1998 – 1999). So you can put some faces to the names of the pioneer kitesurfers mentioned on this website.

This is what Carabete bay looked like “last century”, back in 1998 (no kite on the sky except for those of Hung, Jan and Terry).
Many faces and memories, mostly from Australia 1999.

Hung is holding the kite while Terry is trying to untangle the lines. Dan, the future kitesurfer is between Terry and Hung. Terry’s board is an FOne 230 in the foreground (Carabete Jan 1999).

Dave and his girl friend, Matt (the first kitesurfing distributor in Australia), Ian Young, and Stephanie
Richard at Ocean Rodeo (left) and Ian Young (right) with his WinDesigns boards, in Adelaide, Australia, May 1999.

Kane Hartill with his Peter Lynn board (Adelaide, Australia, May 1999).

Hung, Andre and Cory. The name on Hung’s T-shirt (Magic Surf) is the windsurfing shop in Paris where Hung bought his first Wipika kites (Photo taken in Baja, Mexico, April 1999).