Hundreds enjoy fun and health in kite festival / 石門風箏節 各國高手雲集.競技兼強身　　　　　　　　　　

Every year, Taiwan's Shimen International Kite Festival attracts hundreds of professional kite fliers from different countries. One of the participants this year has been flying kites for 80 years. Many believe that running with the kite helps them stay in good health. Along Taiwan's north coast, popular characters, such as superheroes, Pikachu and SpongeBob SquarePants, took to the skies. Kite lovers from around the world gathered at Shimen International Kite Festival to enjoy the windy weather and show off their skills. However, for Frank Lorusso, flying kites is more than a hobby. He visited the festival for the first time with a four string, quad-line kite. He claimed the kite has improved his physical ability after an accident in 2002, because flying it requires more strength and dexterity. ==FRANK LORUSSO, 42 years old, participant from Australia== It's helping me recover from the injuries I had from my accident, the hidden disabilities. I have been flying four years, like I said. And in four years flying Revolution, I think I've made more progress than in 10 years of doing conventional therapy. Many of the participants believe kite flying is a healthy sport, so does Yang Yong-yi, an 80-year-old retired researcher. ==YANG YONG-YI, participant from Taiwan == You have sunshine, and the air is fresh. Your body is upright, and you're looking upward. Your head is up, your chest is in a good position, and you're looking into infinity. This is definitely much healthier than lowering your head and playing with a smartphone, which kids now always do. Yang used recycled plastic and polyester materials to build his Harry Potter kite, hoping to encourage people to care about the environment. Among all the visitors, 88-year-old Robert Yen was known to be the oldest. He has been flying kites for 80 years. Inspired by the invasion of Normandy, he designed the kites by himself, which featured parachutists with unusual body moves. ==ROBERT YEN, participant from the US== The sky is like a painting with all sorts of kites on it. It feels like you're painting a painting in the skies. It is so beautiful. I hope this festival could keep on for the coming years. The Shimen International Kite Festival is held annually at Baisha Bay in late September. TRANSLATED BY：SASHA CHIU