Stop in control from full speed: kite up, edge, weight and an exit that does not catapult you into the water. With prerequisites and milestones.
The honest answer first: a controlled stop means deliberately reducing pull and speed instead of letting the next gust stop you. You take power out of the kite, edge against it and let the board run out. In the IKO skill list "controlled stop" sits in Level 3J together with "control of riding speed by edging", before riding upwind [1]. A sensible placement: if you cannot stop, you only have one option on the water, to keep riding.
That this is not cosmetics is shown by the KITE study: 26% of injuries happened while cruising, i.e. normal riding, not tricks [2]. And the authors of a German survey named "own incompetence" as the most common cause among kitesurfers, in 36.7% of cases [3]. A stop you control is part of protecting yourself.
I classify it as intermediate, not beginner: it assumes water start, edge pressure and a calm hand on the kite.
This guide explains the principle and does not replace an instructor.
Pick a long, open lane. You need space to stop and space for residual error. Look downwind and behind you before the stop. Milestone: you explain where you would bail out if the stop fails.
Ride at constant speed with a calm kite. If your speed fluctuates, your stop fluctuates. Milestone: a 100-metre lane without a speed drop (practical benchmark).
You fly the kite higher, towards the zenith, and lower the pull. At the same time you ease the bar slightly so you do not overpower. The IKO handbook names the link between trim and pull explicitly [8]. Milestone: you feel the pull ease without the kite falling into the water.
Then you edge the board harder, lean back slightly and let it run out (practice). It is important not to edge abruptly: a hard edge change can catapult you over the board (practice). Milestone: you come to a stop within 10 seconds (practical benchmark) without the kite reacting.
Once you stand still you exhale, keep the kite at the zenith and wait until the board lies calmly. Then you decide: start again or sit. Milestone: you hold position for 3 seconds without the kite pushing you again.
A stop is only useful if the restart works. Kite back into the power zone, release the edge, ride away. Milestone: you can stop on both sides and restart cleanly.
A stop is a manoeuvre with a risk: a stationary board and a kite that still pulls easily produce a fall towards the kite. In the KITE study about 91% of injuries happened on the water, 49.2% in shallow water [2]. Check depth and bottom before you practise and keep your distance from others.
If something goes wrong: quick release rather than fighting on. The manufacturer recommends the test before every launch [4]. And: skills learned in one set of conditions apply to those conditions [6]. This guide does not replace supervised training.
Practise the stop first with lots of space and little wind, not at your favourite spot at peak. The smaller the pull, the cleaner you learn the sequence. And count aloud "kite, weight, edge". If you say the order aloud you do not forget it when things get hectic. (practical experience)
Because it is the bridge between water start and riding upwind. IKO lists it in Level 3J together with speed control by edging [1]. If you can stop, you do not have to keep riding out of panic.
Partly, but misjudgements are expensive: inexperienced riders get injured more often [3]. If possible, show it once to your instructor or an experienced kiter.
That cannot be put reliably into a number. It depends on water start, edge pressure and wind. Orient yourself on milestones rather than time.
Stay calm, push the bar away, practise quick release and relaunch if needed as you learned in the intermediate course [9].
There is no documented value. Plan generously and keep at least two line lengths of distance downwind to people and obstacles, as the manufacturer requires [4]. The more speed you have, the more run-out you need. So practise the stop slowly and on open water first.
Twin Tip Beach Start: From Knee-Deep Water Straight Onto the Board