Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour Magazine Issue #01 by GKAKiteWorldTour

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OFFICIAL EVENT MAGAZINE ISSUE #01

TARIFA 2022

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Proud partners of the GKA Kite World Tour We look forward to welcoming international fans to the Qatar Airways GKA Big Air World Championship in Tarifa, Spain, from 20 June until 6 July 2022. Our ever-expanding network of more than 150 destinations will connect fans through Doha, Qatar to the world.

For more information, visit qatarairways.com

OFFICIAL TOURISM PARTNER

OFFICIAL AIRLINE PARTNER

TARIFA 2022

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TARIFA 2022

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Technology may have changed, but the vibes remain from the Tarifa Strapless Pro in 2016! Photo: Toby Bromwich

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ISSUE #01

CONTENTS WELCOME!

Intro by GKA Kite World Tour CEO, Dr. Jörgen Vogt

QATAR AIRWAYS / GKA KITE WORLD TOUR SIGNATURE CEREMONY

Looking back to 31st May in Doha when a new and exciting partnership officially came to life!

TRAIL BLAZERS IN TARIFA

Jaime Herraiz on his highlight moments as a contest organiser in Tarifa

THIS YEAR’S COMPETITORS

The full list of riders hoping to win titles across three disciplines at the Qatar Airways GKA Big Air World Championships

FOLLOW THE QATAR AIRWAYS GKA KITE WORLD TOUR

Come with us for the ride, on location or through your screen!

GOING LARGE ON THE LIVESTREAM?

Find out about our livestream partner, Surfr, who will be delivering the height stats of each trick on screen

HEAD TO THE VISIT QATAR KITE EXPO

Find your way to the expo site, running 21 - 26th June

TESTING EQUIPMENT AT THE EXPO

All you need to know about getting your hands on the gear and into the water!

EXHIBITORS AT THE VISIT QATAR KITE EXPO Study the map and find your favorite brand

QATAR AIRWAYS GKA AWARDS 2022

The final contenders in the running to win at the inaugural awards on Saturday 25th June

TARIFA 2022

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TARIFA 2022

ISSUE #01

WELCOME!

he GKA Kite World Tour was born in Tarifa in 2015 when the Kite-Surf discipline exploded onto the scene at the Tarifa Strapless Pro. In the years that followed, the spectacular disciplines of TwintipFreestyle and finally Hydrofoil-Freestyle were added to the World Tour. This year Tarifa once again marks a milestone for kite sports. The GKA Kite World Tour team is looking forward to welcoming professional riders and guests from all over the world to the first Big Air World Championships that cover all three World Tour disciplines. The winners of these World Championships will make history as the first ever official GKA Big Air World Champions in Twintip, Surfboard and Hydrofoil. The 2.5-week World Championships – the longest event in GKA history so far – were made possible by the new headline World Tour sponsor, Qatar Airways, alongside the event sponsors, Porsche and Samsung. The Big Air World Championships 2022 are the prelude to a new era of professional kite sports. Joining forces with a partner as powerful as Qatar Airways will help the tour gain unmistakable media strength and increase the promotional reach of kiteboarding worldwide. The focus of the GKA is of course not solely on running a successful Kite World Tour. The GKA puts the same energy and dedication into preventing water sports bans, promoting youth access, sustainability projects and, together with its member brands, constantly aims to improve the safety of the sport. All these projects positively affect anyone addicted to this fascinating sport. That’s why I’m particularly pleased that, in addition to crowning Big Air World Champions for the first time, we will also be presenting the first GKA

Awards, the Oscars of kite sports so to speak during the Tarifa event. The vision for the awards is that everyone, not only the world’s top professionals, could be worthy of an award. This year there will be six awards winners crowned during a special ceremony on Saturday 25th June: Male and Female Rider of the Year, Men’s and Women’s Best Move of the Year, Best Social Contribution of the Year and Rookie of the Year. We expect to host the who’s who of the kite scene at the ceremony on the first Saturday night of the Big Air World Championships event window. Look out for the post event content on our channels and you can read all about the final contenders for each award in this very magazine! Since all good things come in threes, the first GKA Kite Expo is also taking place as part of the GKA Tarifa event at Bibo Beach near Valdevaqueros, 21st to 26th June. Anyone interested can view and also test the latest products from most international kite brands while also meeting their teams and designers. The realization of this event was a mammoth act that put the entire GKA team under constant stress for months. I’d like to thank everyone involved in this event from the bottom of my heart. I’m looking forward to a breathtaking kite show by the best riders in the world and to a lavish wrap-up party with you all, too! See you in the skies! Dr. Jørgen Vogt GKA Secretary General CEO Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour n 10

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PHOTO: Louis Arnold Lavasier 11

TARIFA 2022 Giel Vlugt won the Full Power Tarifa event at Balneario in May. Can he also climb to the top of the Qatar Airways GKA Big Air World Championship podium at the same location? He’s having a stellar year and is in the final running for both the Men’s Best Move of the Year and Male Rider of the Year awards, too Winners announced 25th June! Photo: Davide Bertoli - See.You.Kite / Full Power Tarifa

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T A R IEFPAO R 2 T0 2 2

QATAR AIRWAYS / G KITE WORLD TOUR SIGNATURE CEREM

The GKA would like to thank the kiteboarding star ambassadors who came out to represent all athletes at the ceremony in Qatar, including Nick Jacobsen, Hannah Whiteley, Charles Brodel, Reno Romeu, Paula Novotna, Bruna Kajiya, Alina Shalin, Maxime Chabloz, Aaron Hadlow and James Carew 14

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GKA

MONY

THE GKA KITE WORLD TOUR HAS BEGUN AN EXCITING NEW PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL ALLOW THE BEST POSSIBLE WORLD CLASS KITEBOARDING EVENTS TO BECOME A REALITY IN EVEN MORE LOCATIONS, WHILE ALSO HELPING TO ENSURE AN EVEN BRIGHTER AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR KITE SPORTS WORDS: Qatar Airways and GKA Kite World Tour

DOHA, QATAR, 31ST MAY 2022 Surf’s up, blue skies and good vibes! It takes a few elements to form ideal conditions for a perfect kitesurfing afternoon. On Monday, 31 May, these ideal conditions were found at the sunny shores of the Fuwairit Kite Beach resort. In the quest to take watersports to the next level, Qatar Airways are now the Title Partner and Official Airline Partner of the GKA Kite World Tour, whist Qatar Tourism is the Official Tourism Partner through to 2024. Starting this year, the Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour will bring together the sea and the sky to honour

one of the world’s most interesting and rapidly rising sports. The World Tour will feature beautiful destinations across the calendar year including Brazil, Germany, the Maldives, Morocco and Spain. For Qatar Airways, kitesurfing offers a distinguished opportunity to unite people through passion, emotion and adventure on a worldwide scale. Looking beyond the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, this partnership will expand the airline’s diverse sponsorship portfolio and reel in adventure sports travellers to its sunny shores. 15

T A R IEFPAO R 2 T0 2 2

“THE PARTNERSHIP WILL OFFICIALLY KICK-OFF AT THE QATAR AIRWAYS BIG AIR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN TARIFA, SPAIN, LATER THIS MONTH. THE 16-DAY KITE SPORTS EXTRAVAGANZA WILL ALSO COINCIDE WITH THE QATAR TOURISM | GKA KITE EXPO TARIFA WHERE QATAR AIRWAYS AND QATAR TOURISM PROMISE TO SHARE WITH FANS A TASTE OF THE KITESURF EXPERIENCE FROM FUWAIRIT’S KITE BEACH RESORT IN DOHA TO TARIFA, SPAIN.”

At the signature ceremony, left to right: GKA Kite-Surf World Champion Jame Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer, Engr. Badr Al Meer, Qatar Group Chief Executive, and Qatar Tourism Chairman, His Excellency Mr. Akbar GKA Kite World Tour CEO Dr. Jorgen Vogt and 3x World Champion Bruna Kajiy and James also answered questions from the press about their careers as pro athletes, their opinion on the spot and they spoke passionately about their love of

Nick Jacobsen sending it to the skies in the warm waters off the new Fuwairit Kite Beach resort, opening just outside Doha, soon Photo: Ricardo Pinto

But, there’s more! A new state-of-the-art resort, Fuwairit Kite Beach (FKB) is nearing completion. The coastal lagoon, consistent winds and warm waters create the perfect new destination for the kitesurfer lifestyle. This bucket list venue is set to be the destination for the World Tour’s visit to Qatar in 2023 (stay tuned)! FKB, and Qatar Tourism, the official tourism partner of the Kite World Tour, look forward to welcoming fans from around the world next year for the Visit Qatar Freestyle World Cup. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, and Qatar Tourism Chairman, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Kitesurfing is a travel sport where adventure seekers compete in beautiful destinations across many continents around the world. At Qatar Airways, we are proud to

support this growing sport and become the preferred airline for athletes and fans travelling to GKA events all around the globe including Qatar, our home country, to experience something new and exciting.” “There’s no better partner for the Kite World Tour than Qatar Airways, the best airline in the world, who share our passion for travel, sustainability, exploration, creativity and adventure seeking, with a global network of over 150 destinations worldwide,” said Dr. Jörgen Vogt, CEO GKA Kite World Tour. “Qatar is quickly becoming the global heart of sport, and we are excited to bring our World Tour opening and Finals to this epicentre in 2023,” he added. The partnership will officially kick-off at the Qatar Airways Big Air World Championships in Tarifa, Spain, later this month. The 16-day kite sports extravaganza 16

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His excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker and GKA Kite World Tour CEO Dr. Jorgen Vogt

will also coincide with the Qatar Tourism | GKA Kite Expo Tarifa where Qatar Airways and Qatar Tourism promise to share with fans a taste of the experience from Fuwairit’s kite beach resort in Doha to Tarifa, Spain. With gateways to Madrid, Malaga and Barcelona, the airline operates over 29 flights to Spain as per seasonal availability. The city of Malaga is the closest gateway to GKA Kite World Tour destination of Tarifa, with the airline offering three weekly flights to the tropical Andulcian getaway. Additionally, Qatar Airways operates 14 weekly flights to the Spanish capital city of Madrid and 12 weekly flights to the cosmopolitan destination of Barcelona. At the Annual Award ceremony, Qatar Airways’ cabin crew will present the awards branded by the airline, recognising international kitesurfing athletes who’ve achieved top honours throughout the course of the season voted by fans from all around the world. The airline will also have pride of place on the branded awards given to winners at the end of every competition. By making kitesurfing more accessible and bringing worldclass competition to every corner of the globe, GKA and Qatar Airways hope to grow kitesurfing and other kite-related sports worldwide. The creation of world championship competitions in the disciplines of freestyle, kite-surfing, hydrofoil freestyle and big air is part of this effort. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to fly a kite, there are currently three million active kitesurfers in the world. There has never been a better time to join in on the fun with this community and ride the waves of this thrill-seeking sport. n

es Carew, r Airways Al Baker, ya. Bruna ofessional the sport

C A T E G O R Y

B I G

A I R

TARIFA 2022

FEEL THE LIFT

O U R W AY T O M A K E T H E W ORLD A BETTER PLAC E.

D UOTO N ESP O RTS .C O M

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D U O T O N E

DUOTONE

DUOTONE DUOTONE DUOTONE DUOTONE SELECT

SELECT

JAIME

REBEL

JAIME

FOLLOW U S

REBEL

TARIFA 2022

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TRAIL BLAZERS IN TARIFA

AFTER A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL KITEBOARDER IN THE EARLY AND MID-2000S, JAIME HERRAIZ HAS MORE RECENTLY POURED HIS PASSION INTO BRINGING WORLD CLASS COMPETITIONS TO TARIFA, HIS HOME TOWN. THE OWNER OF WET WATERSPORTS SHARES HIS BEST MEMORIES OF RECENT YEARS WORDS: Jaime Herraiz

First rider out, 2019 Photo: Ydwer van der Heide 21

TARIFA 2022

Keahi de Aboitiz, 2017 Photo: Toby Bromwich

ust before the GKA (Global Kitesports Association) came into life in 2016 and started to run this sustainable and credible world tour, I felt that the industry, and particularly the World Championship circuit, was drifting with no apparent direction. At the same time strapless riding was really starting to become something special but there was no dedicated competition format to support the development of those riders. I sat down with my good friends Jose Antonio Ortiz (from OZU) and Dani Jimenez (PKRA Head Judge at the time) and committed to do something about it. That was back in 2014 and we saw a great opportunity to put Tarifa back on the map where it belongs. For me personally, it was also a way of giving back to the sport that has given me so much.

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Jan Marcos Riveras, constant crowd pleaser! 2017

“FROM THE EARLY DAYS I REMEMBER THE COMRADESHIP BETWEEN RIDERS AND ORGANIZERS; NONE OF US HAD VERY MUCH EXPERIENCE, BUT WE ALL SHARED A LOT OF PASSION.”

TARIFA 2022

“WE TRY TO ENHANCE THE ATMOSPHERE AMONG THE SPECTATORS AND THE RIDERS HOWEVER WE CAN. TARIFA HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER AND WE WANT EVERY PERSON THAT ATTENDS AN EVENT TO BECOME AN AMBASSADOR OF OUR TOWN.”

Competing in Tarifa brings out the emotion! Pippa van Iersel and Rita Arnaus after their heat Photo: Samuel Cardenas 24

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The buzz at the beach Photo: Ydwer van der Heide

COMRADES AND KITES

From the early days I remember the comradeship between riders and organizers; none of us had very much experience, but we all shared a lot of passion. Importantly too, the town hall officials picked up on the energy and wanted to be a part of the movement. The first strapless event we ran in 2015 was sick! Solid winds, waves and big crowds of spectators who went wild at the unexpected show. Word soon spread that the strapless crew of riders always turned up to perform with amazing spirit and vibes, which really rubbed off onto the crowd. They really fuelled each other. The harder the riders rode, the more the crowed cheered and vice versa. It was a real job to keep the crowds back from the water’s edge most of the time! This has been a constant at our events and we try to enhance the atmosphere among the spectators and the riders however we can. Tarifa has so much to offer and we want every person that attends an event to become an ambassador of our town.

TARIFA 2022

Mitu Monteiro, strapless pioneer Photo: Ydwer van der Heide

CABO VERDEAN CLASS

Mitu Monteiro and the rest of the Cape Verdians have been a real power house of influence in strapless riding. They command a huge chapter in the history of the sport. Mitu placed the cornerstone of an unbeatable wall of athletes and watermen who also merge effortlessly with the crowd and obviously feel totally at home in Tarifa. Airton is more or less a local nowadays. His drive to constantly pushing the boundaries of strapless riding has seen him expand into the realms of big air riding, earning him even more admiration from our community.

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Airton raising the bar again with unhooked handle-passes! 2017 Photo: Ydwer van der Heide

“MITU PLACED THE CORNERSTONE OF AN UNBEATABLE WALL OF ATHLETES AND WATERMEN WHO ALSO MERGE EFFORTLESSLY WITH THE CROWD AND OBVIOUSLY FEEL TOTALLY AT HOME IN TARIFA.”

TARIFA 2022

“AIRTON IS MORE OR LESS A LOCAL NOWADAYS. HIS DRIVE TO CONSTANTLY PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF STRAPLESS RIDING HAS SEEN HIM EXPAND INTO THE REALMS OF BIG AIR RIDING, EARNING HIM EVEN MORE ADMIRATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY.”

TOTAL TARIFA

Of course Tarifa is home to world class kiteboarders of all disciplines. While my own recent history of competition involvement has largely been focused on the strapless competition discipline, Tarifa’s greater heritage is far more inclusive of all forms of riding. The Full Power Tarifa big air event, which was also a qualifier for the Qatar Airways Big Air World Championships, went off in May as a mouthwatering taste of the riding we could witness in our upcoming event. I cannot wait to see how this next chapter in Tarifa folklore plays out, with the warriors of foil, strapless and twintip taking to the water to do battle! Bring on the Levante once again!

Airton Cozzolino, 2019

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Arthur Guillebert, GKA Freestyle World Champion 2021, winning in Tarifa Photo: Samuel Cardenas

TARIFA 2022

Event site, 2017 Photo: Ydwer van der Heide

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

An event organiser’s best memories are often not the headline acts we often get to read about. Here are some of Jaime’s favourite memories from behind the scenes at events in Tarifa over the last seven years:

1. In 2017 Airton forgot his €8k prize money and left it in the hotel room because he’s always so keen to ride, even the day after having competed solidly for five days in a row! 2. The newly elected President of Andalucia coming up to the judge’s tower to scream and cheer for the riders is a very vivid memory. 3. Tarifa town is a big lure at night time, so we designed a road sign to communicate to all bar goers to send all riders home if they saw they were still out at 2AM during the contests 4. The event posters designed by our local artist, Antonio Vela, are a pure part of the story behind our events. They convey such beautiful storytelling and all his posters create this really distinctive identity that we feel really proud of. n

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TARIFA 2022

PASSION •AVAILABLE IN:

PASSION + CRANK

5-7-8-9-10,5-12-13,5-15-17 We built the new PASSION to allow you dominate any spot in the world on any board in your quiver, supporting the true spirit of a pure free-rider. It’s designed to offer fast turning, excellent drift and impressive de-power. The kite is incredibly predictable and stable to fly with excellent power control. The Passion makes it easier to ride underpowered without stalling, while still providing a safe amount of power.

FREERIDE / FREELIFE

CRANK •AVAILABLE IN:

127x36-132x39-135x40 138x41-141x42-142x43 145x45 Lightwind 148x47 Tandem Free-riding is synonymous with fun and the CRANK Y27 is the ideal companion for this! The board gives you a fluid feel on all water surfaces. The 3D top sheet makes this board extra light and will allow you to effortlessly progress with comfort and ease. The moderate width on the tips outline offers a great base for maneuverability; the final result is a blend of extreme upwind control and speed potential. The Crank is the board that will open the door to your kiting career. 32

# R R D W AT E R S P O R T S

Ph: Simon Crowther - Rider: Greta Menardo

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TARIFA 2022

COMPETITOR LIST

THE FULL LIST OF COMPETITORS WHO WILL BATTLE IT OUT FOR THE TITLES ACROSS THREE DISCIPLINES AT THE QATAR AIRWAYS GKA BIG AIR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN’S TWIN-TIP:

Arthur Guillebert (FRA) Jeremy Burlando (ESP) Carlos Mario (BRA) Posito Martinez (DOM) Jesse Richman (USA) Liam Whaley (ESP) Giel Vlugt (NLD) Marc Jacobs (NZL) Kevin Langeree (NLD) Nick Jacobsen (DEN) Aaron Hadlow (GBR) Cohan van Dijk (NLD) Andrea Principi (ITA) Lorenzo Casati (ITA) Luca Ceruti (RSA) Jason van der Spuy (RSA) Evan Klijn (NLD) Jamie Overbeek (NLD) Clement Huot (FRA) Edgar Ulrich (FRA) Stig Hoefnagel (NLD) Stijn Mul (NLD) Simon Bruhn (DEU) Michiel Schipper (NLD)

WOMEN’S TWIN-TIP: Mikaili Sol (BRA) Nathalie Lambrecht (SWE) Bruna Kajiya (BRA) Claudia Leon (ESP) Angely Bouillot (FRA) Hannah Whiteley (GBR) Alice Ruggiu (ITA) Johanna Disdier (FRA) Zara Hoogenraad (NLD) Karlie Thoma (USA) Justine Avril (FRA) Michaela Pikenton (USA)

MEN’S STRAPLESS:

James Carew (AUS) Airton Cozzolino (ITA) Pedro Matos (BRA) Matchu Lopes (ESP) Camille Delannoy (FRA) Kiko Roig Torres (ESP) Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA) Jan Marcos Riveras (DOM) Lorenzo Casati (ITA) Gabriel Benetton (BRA) Keanu Merten (DEU) Anderson Reboucas (BRA)

WOMEN’S STRAPLESS: Capucine Delannoy (FRA) Charlotte Carpentier (FRA) Camille Losserand (SUI) Mikaili Sol (BRA) Kesiane Rodriguez (BRA) Monica Gilardoni (ITA)

MEN’S HYDROFOIL:

Charles Brodel (FRA) Maxime-Luan Desjardins (FRA) Joselito Del Rosario (DOM) Maxime Chabloz (SUI) Jamie Overbeek (NLD) Alex Soto (DOM) Nicolas March Paniza (ESP) Hunter Becker (USA) Finn Flugel (DEU) We will not run a Women’s Hydrofoil Big Air discipline due to insufficient number of entries for an official World Championship by World Sailing rules and GKA KWT Rulebook.

Find the official Tarifa event page that will be updated with all the rider info, event links, livestreams, live scores, highlight videos and more in the build up and throughout the event: www.gkakiteworldtour.com/events/gka-big-air-world-championships-2022

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RIDER : E L IAS O U A H M ID

PHOTO: MITCHELL DOYLE MARKG RAAF F

LIGHT YEARS AHEAD We introduce the new Ultra Team, featuring Ho’okipa.

Developed in partnership with Challenge Sailcloth, this unique Ultra PE leading edge and strut composite material is 25% lighter and 10x stronger than traditional fabrics. This allows for 50% higher pressure, creating increased stiffness combined with a thinner leading edge. The result is supercharged responsiveness coupled with sublime handling, and of course the long-term performance you expect from Airush. The new Ultra Team, light years ahead.

TARIFA 2022

FOLLOW THE QATAR AIRWAYS GKA KITE WORLD TOUR

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• LIVESTREAMS • DAILY HIGHLIGHTS • BEHIND THE SCENES ON SOCIAL MEDIA • DETAILED REPORTING ON HOW HEROES PREVAIL • GALLERIES AND MORE!

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SCAN TO OPEN UP THE EVENT WEB PAGE FOR ALL UPDATES, INCLUDING LIVESTREAM AND STAGE PRESENTATION TIMETABLES AT THE EXPO

Bruna Kajiya Photo: Ricardo Pinto 37

TARIFA 2022

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KING OF THE BIG AIR KITES Zero hesitation, lighter, faster steering and precise response.

Marc Jacobs - winner Red Bull King of The Air 2021

O R B I T | Own the sky 39

TARIFA 2022

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GOING LARGE ON THE LIVESTREAM?

WE CATCH UP WITH HERBERT VUIJK AND FLORIS DIELEN, THE MEN BEHIND THE SURFR APP THAT WILL DELIVER LIVE DATA ON EACH COMPETITOR’S JUMPS DURING THE QATAR AIRWAYS GKA BIG AIR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS LIVESTREAM Interview: Jim Gaunt / Answers: Floris Dielen

Now a GKA Kite World Tour judge, Paul Serin pushes the scales at the 2021 GKA Freestyle World Cup event that took on a big air format in strong Levante conditions Photo: Samuel Cardenas 41

TARIFA 2022

What is the Surfr app? Surfr is the Strava of the kiteboarding world, from tracking your sessions to discovering new places and socialising with other kiteboarders. The app is available for Android and iOS and is currently free, so it’s very easy to get started with the different functionalities. Tracking your jump heights is one of our core features, all done via your phone – even that spare old one you may have lying around. Ride with the phone inside your wetsuit in a waterproof pouch, or look out for Surfr on the Apple Watch and Android Wear in the coming months. Surfr is also about safety because you can track a person or board with the app, and we are determined to contribute towards making kiteboarding safer, too.

How did the Surfr journey begin? Three-and-a-half years ago Herbert (founder) started working on a jumping-algorithm as part of a hackathon. He knew that most phones already had built -in sensors that could be used to measure jumps. After a year of full time work on the algorithm he finally found the magic ingredients to accurately measure jumps over all the different phone platforms. I got involved as a co-owner two years ago and work on everything other than writing the code! Finally, our colleague Jose helps with the technical development of the app, most notably the Surfr Discover section where the community can contribute, Wikipedia-style, to a rapidly growing database of spot information. We’re a small team, but have a lot of passion! 42

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App-etizing data! The Surfr’s, Floris left and Herbert right

TARIFA 2022 Surfr will provide each competitor with a phone that they will usually place behind the front-zip of the wetsuit. Riders often forget that they are even carrying a phone because it’s easy and comfortable, so Surfr have to keep an eye on them when they come off the water!

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Can you simplify how it all works? When it comes to the jump measurements, the Surfr app relies on the so called 9-axis motion sensor that is commonly available in phones these days. There is no such thing as a ‘height sensor’ in a phone, so the height has to be derived from the other built-in sensors. To do this accurately and consistently across all phone brands, tens of thousands of lines of code have been written to get this to work properly. Over the last 3.5 years the algorithm has constantly evolved to recognise more jumps and to support more scenarios, such as longer hang-time jumps. 12 months ago we were not able to measure jumps accurately on the Apple Watch, but a just over year of development later, Xavier Kain is now recording jumps of over 25 metres on just his watch.

G-force and speed reached during a trick will be shown in the widget within the stream. On a good strong Levante day we might see jumps above 20 metres. What does the future of this technology look like in kiteboarding? When it comes to live data in livestreams we like to look at Formula 1. They collect a lot of data both from the drivers (riders) as from the cars (board, kite). This data is projected in various ways, from widgets in the stream to overlays on the Halo. One day we believe that we will also be able to switch to live helmet views of kiteboarding competitors while also delivering more and more performance insights. Maybe we will also have integrated displays in kiteboards one day, too! n The Surfr app is currently free to use, but look out for Surfr Pro launching soon with more all-new features @the_surfr_app www.thesufr.app

What should viewers be looking out for on the livestream? The metrics of every jump will be instantly shown on the livestream. Jump height, distance, airtime, landing

TARIFA 2022

GETTING THERE: The VISIT QATAR GKA KITE EXPO will be packed with the sport’s biggest kiteboarding, wingfoiling and accessory brands, exposing their gear and providing on-water testing opportunities to the public! The main stage at the Expo also provides an opportunity for you to hear from some of the leading experts in the field who will share their detailed insights into designs, development and the future of the sport! The chosen location for the KITE EXPO is one of the most famous beaches of the south of Spain, Bibo Beach in Tarifa.

DIRECTIONS

• Going from Tarifa, get onto the Carretera nacional 340 heading towards Cadiz. • Follow the street until you pass Valdevaqueros and the camping Torre de la Peña 2. • On the left hand side you’ll pass the restaurant ‘Pizzeria ZERO NUEVO 09’; turn left at the next opportunity. Follow the passage towards the beach and you will see the VISIT QATAR KITE EXPO on your left. • Parking charges depend on the time you spend on site. The cost for a normal car is up to €5 per day. • The beach in front of this area is officially a bathing zone, but during the Expo, clients of the event are allowed to test gear there and kite. Please be aware that there will still be many people bathing there. So, safety first and please be very careful when launching and landing. • You are welcome to test equipment at the Expo – please make sure you are familiar with the procedure by checking out the feature on the next page. Find all the schedule listings for the main stage, the daily event program for the Expo and more:

WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM/LIVE @GKAKITEWORLD on our socials

TESTING AR

SCAN TO OPEN UP THE EVENT WEB PAGE FOR ALL UPDATES, INCLUDING LIVESTREAM AND STAGE PRESENTATION TIMETABLES AT THE EXPO

PHOTO: Ydwer van der Heide 46

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REA

TARIFA 2022

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TESTING EQUIPMENT AT THE EXPO

THE KITE EXPO TEST AREA IS WHERE YOU NEED TO BE IF YOU’D LIKE TO GET ON THE WATER AND TEST THE LATEST KITESURFING, WING FOILING AND WINDSURFING GEAR FROM OVER 20 DIFFERENT BRANDS!

WHERE?

HOW?

• Visit the KITE EXPO and find the brand that you are

The Test Area is located in front of the BIBO restaurant at Valdevaqueros beach / Punta Paloma.

•

WHEN?

The testing hours are: 21 – 25 June: 11am - 7pm 26 June: 11am to 3pm

• •

WHO?

•

Anyone who would like to test gear needs to have an independent and safe kitesurfing level, assured by a licence from a recognised kitesurfing association, such as IKO, VDWS, FAV, BKSA or similar.

• •

interested in. To sign-up for testing you must visit each brand’s booth at the Expo. Inscribe yourself into the database and sign the consent of responsibility. Each exhibitor has their own procedure in terms of leaving your ID card or a deposit. Once done, head to the Test Area and pick up the gear you’d like to test. You will be given a lycra top to wear over your wetsuit so that the rescue boat can recognize you are officially a testing client. Each brand will agree a time that you may test the gear (for example 30 minutes), after which you need to return to the beach and return the equipment and Expo lycra to the same place that you picked it up. It is not possible to get test gear at the beach without having registered with the brand in the expo area.

TAKING CARE!

As the water is very busy during these summer months in Tarifa, it is very important to please take care while you’re on the beach or kitesurfing in the water, to always observe the usual rights of way and to avoid dangerous situations. A rescue boat service is available and free of charge for anyone testing Expo equipment as long as they are wearing the Expo lycra. n

SCAN TO OPEN UP THE EVENT WEB PAGE FOR ALL UPDATES, INCLUDING LIVESTREAM AND STAGE PRESENTATION TIMETABLES AT THE EXPO 49

TARIFA 2022

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TARIFA 2022

MEN’S BEST MOVE OF THE YEAR AWARD THE FINAL CONTENDERS

Ahead of the GKA Awards night ceremony in Tarifa on the 25th June, the following male riders were voted as the leading contenders for the GKA Move of the Year Award (tricks done between January 1st 2021 and April 2022) by a panel of industry professionals, representatives, brand managers, media creators and journalists. View all video clips at

WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM WORDS: Holly Keenan

HOW THE WINNER WILL BE DECIDED

The public voting phase ran from 27th June to 7th July and counts towards 33% of the overall vote, alongside a specialist legends & pioneers committee and GKA Kite World Tour judges, crew and event partners. 52

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MAXIME CHABLOZ BACK MOBE 7

“A mobe 7 always feels special to me because I’m one of just a few riders who can do it in competition and I think I’m pretty much the only one that does it on a daily basis. This clip was shot while training for the GKA Freestyle finals at the Superkite Brazil last year, just before I had to go back to Switzerland for a week of military service, and then I headed back to Brazil for the Superkite!”

Photo: Matt Georges

MAXIME ON THIS HIGHLY TECHNICAL FREESTYLE TRICK:

ANDREA PRINCIPI S-LOOP

ANDREA PRINCIPI ON HIS EXTREME S-LOOP: “When I do this trick the feeling is incredible. I don’t have words to describe how I feel…It is pure adrenaline. The S-Loop is not that technically difficult compared to other tricks but it requires a huge amount of risk which I am willing to take.”

TARIFA 2022

JOSHUA EMANUEL SUPER LOOP

JOSHUA EMANUEL ON THIS RADICAL SHORT-LINE KITELOOP: “This trick is called the SUPERLOOP. It’s something I have been pushing on short lines to see how low you can get the kite below you. I still believe you can get the kite completely below you but I am still awaiting the perfect conditions for this. The feeling of a kite pulling you back down towards the water is indescribable. For a moment you are suspended in time, waiting for the kite to pull you back up to safety.”

AIRTON COZZOLINO STRAPLESS 315

AIRTON COZZOLINO ON THE FIRST EVER STRAPLESS 315: “This trick cost me a lot of time and effort. There was one point when I almost quit as it just seemed unattainable, but my girlfriend told me not to quit and to keep trying. So I kept pushing harder in the gym and on the water and finally the day arrived. I’ve dreamed of landing this 315 for a long time, so I was over the moon when I achieved it.”

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CHARLES BRODEL Photo: Matt Georges

BOARD-OFF KITELOOP ON A FOIL

CHARLES ON THIS MINDBLOWING FIRST EVER BOARD-OFF KITELOOP ON A FOIL “This trick was one of the scariest tricks I have ever tried with my foil! I started horizontally, with my feet too close to the foil. On my first try it felt impossible to control the foil during the loop because it was always being pulled away by the wind. I worked out a technique where I use my elbow to be able to hold it into the wind. I was so happy to be the first one to land this trick on a foil! In my mind it seemed impossible to land because of the high speeds on the landing, but somehow I managed it!”

CAMILLE DELANNOY STRAPLESS TRIPLE FRONTROLL

CAMILLE DELANNOY ON HIS FLUID STRAPLESS TRIPLE FRONTROLL “The triple front roll is a tricky one. It’s probably one of the hardest strapless tricks to land and the outcome is always uncertain. Even if you get the timing right you’re never sure that the board is going to stay in place in the last rotation and landing one is always a very special feeling!”

TARIFA 2022

GIEL VLUGT

S-LOOP

GIEL VLUGT ON THIS RADICAL NEW BIG AIR MANOEUVRE

DOUBLE BOOGIE LOOP LATE FRONT ROLL GIEL VLUGT ON THIS REVOLUTIONARY BOOGIE LOOP

“For the Lords of the Tram competition I can remember having the S-Loop in my game-plan and I wanted to make sure it would be extreme but, I definitely didn’t plan for it to be that crazy. I am 100% convinced that, had this been a training session and not a competition, I would have got rid of the board because my heart literally stopped. This track gave me the biggest adrenaline rush I have ever had by a mile! “I started training for this trick two months prior to the Lords of Tram competition but I never knew it would turn out this good.”

“This trick is special to me since I have been dreaming of performing it for more than half a year before I attempted it. I was also the first guy to ever land it and it just feels so crazy because I see the kite make three loops which is absolutely hypnotizing. To top it all off I like to make an extra rotation to go with the downloop just before I land. This trick comes with a lot of risk but the reward is worth it.”

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GIANMARIA COCCOLUTO BACKSIDE 319

COCCOLUTO ON THIS TEXTBOOK BACKSIDE 9 “For me this trick is special because it opened my mind up to how much we can achieve in kitesurfing. That’s why when I landed it I was not that stoked; I want to be the first rider to land a BS10! “I have been thinking about a BS10 for a long time. Lots of riders keep asking me to try it but I never have because I’ve not yet found the right moment. Previous to landing the trick in this clip I had never tried a BS319 before! It was my first attempt. When my mind tells me I am prepared to attempt a trick, then I go for it. “I landed it with no crash at all; it was perfect.”

TOM BRIDGE BLIND BACKSIDE 5

TOM BRIDGE ON THIS INNOVATIVE FREESTYLE MANEUVER “Yeah, it was nice to land. I’ve thought about the trick for a while but never really given it a proper go. I had done blind backside 3s about six months prior to this, so I knew it wouldn’t be too tricky to pop it into blind. It only took a couple tries to get the right pop. It’s a bit of a body twister but for some reason it just works. “I doubt it’s that important in the sphere of kiting but, then again, what really is? I guess it’s all about who you ask personally. I don’t think it’s reinventing the wheel but it was pretty fun to do.”

TARIFA 2022

JANEK GRZEGORZEWSKI

4 X FRONT ROLL CONTRA BOARD-OFF

Photo: Thomas Burblies

THIS WAS THE HIGHEST SCORING TRICK (9.4) EVER LANDED IN THE RED BULL KING OF THE AIR – WHICH JANEK CASUALLY DROPPED AT THE EVENT IN NOVEMBER 2021. NEED WE SAY MORE?!

JESSE RICHMAN KITE-RELEASE WAVE RIDE

LIKELY THE MOST ALL-ROUND KITER ON THE PLANET EXPLAINS THIS ESCAPADE: “Every session at Jaws is an entirely wild experience. So much build-up, pressure and intensity. When you get out there on a good wave it feels surreal; totally like a dream. I’ve been waiting for a setup like I had on this wave for a long time. I knew right away the wind was turning offshore; I held onto my kite as long as I could and then, without even thinking about it, instincts took over and I just popped the release. I held true to my line and when I was inside the barrel I just kept on waiting for it to hit. It was an epic view but I knew it had a price. I just kept on going and going while thinking to myself, ‘No way! I might just make this one....’ “Sure enough, I came popping right out, stoked as could be. I then also got a quick ride over to my kite and relaunched without any issues at all!”

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TARIFA 2022

WOMEN’S BEST MOVE OF THE YEAR AWARD THE FINAL CONTENDERS

WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM WORDS: Holly Keenan

HOW THE WINNER WILL BE DECIDED

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MIKAILI SOL SMOBE 7

MIKAILI SOL ON BEING THE FIRST FEMALE TO LAND AN SMOBE 7 “I have landed this trick several times but I had never caught it on film. I was so stoked to actually get a video of it and be the first ever female to land a Slim 7. I have now not only landed a BS315 and 317 in competition, but now have my Slim 7, too. “It is super exciting to bring the level of female kiting up another notch! I have been practicing my doubles for about a year. Before starting these double passes I really focused on getting my singles to a competent level with height and power; that way when I started my doubles I was prepared and felt less likely to get injured.”

ANGELY BOUILLOT

DOUBLE BACK ROLL MEGALOOP ANGELY BOUILLOT ON THIS HIGHLY EXTREME DOUBLE BACKROLL MEGALOOP “I just tried it and I landed it, that’s all there is to it. A moment of exhalation and freedom; completely letting go of everything. Time stopped, like when riding the carousel when I was around three-years-old.”

TARIFA 2022

CAMILLE LOSSERAND STRAPLESS BACK ROLL TIC TAC

CAMILLE LOSSERAND ON HER IMPRESSIVE STRAPLESS FREESTYLE MANEUVER “This trick is definitely special for me as I landed it for the first time last year in Tarifa, my home town. Landing it gave me such a nice feeling of freedom and I can now see that all my hard work, perseverance and training every day was well worth it. “I was always looking at the boys on the water doing this trick with double and even triple tic-tacs, so that gave me a big motivation.”

CAPUCINE DELANNOY

STRAPLESS DOUBLE FRONTROLL CAPUCINE DELANNOY ON THIS TECHNICAL STRAPLESS FREESTYLE MANEUVER “The double front roll is by far my favorite trick! I landed it for the first time during quarantine in Brazil two years ago. I was training with my brother and he was doing triple rotations while I was only doing one, so I thought I had to go for a second rotation. I’m currently the only girl landing this trick.”

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KAROLINA WINKOWSKA CRAIL GRAB FRONT TO BLIND

KAROLINA WINKOWSKA ON HER INNOVATIVE FREESTYLE TRICK “We filmed this trick on my last day at Taiba lagoon in Brazil. I was only landing this trick every now and again and every time I wanted to film, I just couldn’t seem to land it! Luckily on my last day, there wasn’t really enough wind for the boys so it became a glory session on the lagoon for the ladies. We got an empty left tack, which is rare in Taiba, and I got to land this banger!”

ALICE RUGGIO

MEGALOOP LATE BACKROLL ALICE RUGGIO TALKS ABOUT HER RADICAL MEGALOOP LATE BACKROLL “The Megaloop Late Backroll is special to me because at first it seemed impossible to land. When I finally landed one, it was an indescribable emotion! This trick is very important in my discipline, especially in the women’s category. I was only able to practice the trick a week before the Lords of Tram 2021 in France because in my city in Italy the wind is almost never strong enough to try it.”

TARIFA 2022

MOONA WHYTE WAVE RIDE

BARRELL

MOONA WHYTE ON HER POWERFUL FRONTSIDE PERFORMANCE WAVE RIDING

MOONA WHYTE ON THIS IMPRESSIVE PULL-IN

“This session was one of my all time favorites at home in Hawaii. There were steep sections in the wave which allowed for a surf-style approach which is always my goal when kiting.”

“Getting barrelled is something I’ve been working on for the last few years and has been a huge challenge. This is a shorter, smaller one but still is the best feeling in wave riding no matter the size!”

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TARIFA 2022

PIPPA VAN IERSEL DOUBLE BACK ROLL MEGALOOP PIPPA VAN IERSEL ON THIS RADICAL DOUBLE BACK ROLL MEGALOOP “On this day I had my first kite session where I was allowed to do tricks after I injured both knees four months earlier. The same day we had a green light for Lords of the Tram. I promised my physio and myself that I would only compete if I could see this as a training session. So I did. I went out and had a lot of fun during this competition and felt super confident with my riding after being out for a while. I had the biggest smile. “Just being on the water again with everyone was such a great feeling. The backroll kiteloop lateroll is my favorite trick. I didn’t expect to do it so fast after my injury but I felt good and thought, why not? So I went for the double and the feeling of it is just insane!”

THERESE TAABBEL HEART ATTACK

THERESE TAABBEL ON THIS POWERFUL WAKESTYLE TRICK “Since coming back from my ACL injury I was slowly building back the confidence in my tricks. I had not done a Heart Attack since before my injury and this day everything felt right. Sometimes that’s all you can ask for!”

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Ticket to the Moon

Raptor Extreme HIGH PERFORMANCE FREERIDE/BIG AIR.

CRAZYFLYKITES.COM 67

TARIFA 2022

MALE RIDER OF THE YEAR AWARD THE FINAL CONTENDERS

WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM WORDS: Holly Keenan

HOW THE WINNER WILL BE DECIDED

Photo: Svetlana Romantsova / GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Morocco 2021

Photo: Lukas Stiller / GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Germany 2021

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AIRTON COZZOLINO (ITA)

Airton Cozzolino is a true pioneer of strapless kitesurfing. The 4x World Champion made history when he was the first ever person to compete in the RedBull King Of The Air in 2020 on a strapless board. Airton discovered kite-surfing when he was just 12 years old. He lived in Ilha Do Sal, a small island in the Cabo Verde archipelago in northwest Africa, where the conditions for kite-surfing are prime! His breakout year was in 2011 when he won his first Kite-Surf World Championship title. He then proceeded to win another three world titles in 2016, 2017 and 2019 in the Kite-Surf discipline. Alongside his many competition wins, Airton was also the first rider to land a frontside 315 on a strapless board. This is an extremely technical trick that many twin-tip riders struggle to land themselves in straps or bindings. His natural ability is off the scale, matched only by his intense training regime on and off the water. Incredibly laid back on land, Airton’s like an animal unleashed whenever he rides! 69

TARIFA 2022

MARC JACOBS (NZL)

Jacobs competed on the PKRA World Freestyle Tour for over ten years and was crowned Vice World Champion in 2013. Nevertheless, Marc’s biggest achievement in his kitesurfing career was when he won the 2021 Red Bull King of the Air.

Photo: Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool

After the 2019 event Jacobs made it his ultimate goal to win KOTA, even though the event in Cape Town doesn’t favour goofy footed riders given the port tack approach to the big kickers on the way out. His hard work and devotion clearly paid off when he returned almost like a new rider, blowing the competition away with all the latest moves on what had been his weaker port tack. Proudly crowned King, his achievement in November 2021 was a truly massive achievement.

Photo: Tyrone Bradley / Red Bull Content Pool

Marc Jacobs first started kiting in 2005 when he was just 13-years-old. Fast forward to today and he has 12 New Zealand Kiteboarding Freestyle Championship titles under his belt.

Photo: Samuel Cardenas / Ocean Rodeo

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Photo: Kyle Cabano

GIEL VLUGT (NLD)

Giel Vlugt began his pro kitesurfing career just two years ago, transitioning from instructing the sport and, even in his first year as a professional rider, Giel achieved first place at the Big Air Kitefest event in Egypt and second in the BAKL Full Power Tarifa Big Air contest. At the end of 2021 Giel competed in the Red Bull King of the Air for the first time and placed fourth overall after a highly impressive debut. Giel’s most memorable moment in his kitesurfing career so far came when he won the Full Power Tarifa big air contest in May 2022, defeating established legends like Liam Whaley. His now signature moves (quickly developed this year that he now seems able to do on command) are the breathtaking S-loop and the double boogie loop with a late front roll – huge steps forward when it comes to upping the technical consistency in big air kiteboarding. It seems that every time Giel takes to the water these days he’s able to keep progressing what’s possible. 71

Photo: Matt Georges / F-One

TARIFA 2022

Photo: Matt Georges / F-One

CHARLES BRODEL (FRA)

Charles Brodel is at the forefront of the newly evolving discipline of big air hydrofoil freestyle. His competitive journey in kitesurfing commenced in land kite racing and freestyle when he found kite flying to be simply very exhilarating. He is 2 x Landkite Junior French Champion and was the Landkite Race Champion 2017. In 2019 Brodel also won the Champion du Monde Speed Crossing on a twintip. His highlight moment was being crowned the KiteFoil Freestyle World Championship in 2021. During that event Brodel posted several world firsts in competition, such as the Brodel Flip and the one foot fuselage grab. He has more or less owned the extreme big air foiling space and will aim to claim the Qatar Airways GKA Big Air World Championship title in Tarifa in June.

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MUCH MORE THAN A WING

SQUARE METERS

@fone.wing WWW.F-ONE.WORLD

WATCH ME HERE

Rider: Hugo Marin Spot: Cabo Verde

TARIFA 2022

JAMES CAREW Carew’s explosive style of wave riding and fierce determination saw his strapless freestyle skills match his prowess in the surf and in 2021 he was crowned the GKA Kite-Surf World Champion, beating some of the most prestigious riders on the tour, including friend and rival, Airton Cozzolino. Besides competition James also enjoys surfing/ kite-surfing in big waves and recently released a video of his kite-surfing at the big wave spot, Nazaré in Portugal.

Photo: @fningasurfkultura / Duotone

One rider who took 2021 by storm is the Australian kitesurfer, James Carew. James started competing on the GKA Kite World Tour in 2018 and quickly moved up the Kite-Surf discipline rankings to great acclaim; easily rookie of the year. By 2019 Carew was ranked third overall and from then on James only had one goal in his mind: to be World Champion.

Photo: Svetlana Romantsova / GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Morocco 2021

(AUS)

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TARIFA 2022

MAXIME CHABLOZ (CHE)

Maxime Chabloz is arguably the most versatile athlete on the GKA Freestyle World Tour. Maxime grew up in the Swiss Alps with the mountains and the lakes on his doorstep. These idyllic conditions provided him with the perfect playground to work on freestyle kitesurfing and freestyle skiing.

Photo: Lukas Stiller / GKA Freestyle World Cup Colombia 2022

Photo: Matt Georges / F-One

2021/2022 have been Maxime’s most successful years as an athlete as he placed second overall on the GKA Freestyle World Tour. Remarkably he also won an immensely impressive Ski Freeride World Championship earlier this year. Compounding his unique all-round riding skills and competitive ability, he won the GKA Freestyle Distance Battle in 2020 and placed third at the GWA Wingfoil World Tour event in Tarifa 2020.

Photo: Harry Winnington

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JANEK GRZEGORZEWSKI Janek Grzegorzewski has been described by many as the future of kiteboarding, having refreshed the big air scene with his endless spins, megaloop prowess and big smile. At the age of 18 Janek won the Junior World Kitesurfing Championships and received an invitation to the prestigious Red Bull King of the Air competition in 2020 and 2021. Although he didn’t make it to the podium, Janek did receive the highest trick score in competition history with a whopping 9.4 point score at the most recent event in November.

Photo: Juli Pereyra / Core

(POL)

In 2021 Janek won both the Big Air Kite League in Tarifa and the BAKL in Brazil, beating infamous talents, like Liam Whaley. Unfortunately Janek had a brutal fall before the BAKL event 2022 in Tarifa and is now on the road to recovery, ready to come back stronger than ever for the end of the 2022 season.

Photo: Brian Solano / North Kiteboarding

TARIFA 2022

Photo: Tyrone Bradley / Red Bull Content Pool

JESSE RICHMAN (USA)

Jesse Richman is a renowned big air kitesurfer and a big wave kiteboarder. He is arguably one of the most decorated kitesurfers in the world as he holds seven world titles, two Red Bull King of the Air titles and has been crowned ‘AWSI Kiteboarder of the Year’ four times. Jesse began competing on the world tour when he was just 14 and spent nearly eight years on various tours. However, after winning several world titles Jesse decided to turn his attention to big wave surfing. He has surfed and kite-surfed Jaws countless times and currently holds the world record for kitesurfing the biggest wave ever in Nazaré Portugal 2017. Plus, he set a hangtime world record of 22 seconds in 2007 in Germany! Jesse’s razor sharp focus and unwavering perseverance has helped him come back from several serious injuries. He continues to ride Jaws and compete in the Red Bull KOTA. Stronger, fitter and more focussed than ever, it seems nothing ever keeps Jesse down. A true gentleman, but a fiercely determined competitor. 78

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TARIFA 2022

FEMALE RIDER OF THE YEAR AWARD THE FINAL CONTENDERS

WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM WORDS: Holly Keenan

HOW THE WINNER WILL BE DECIDED

Photo: Lukas Stiller / GKA Freestyle World Cup Colombia 2022

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MIKAILI SOL (BRA)

Mikaili Sol is widely considered one of the best female freestyle kiteboarders of all time, showcasing an array of technical tricks that no other female riders have landed. By the age of 14 Mika was already 4 x Youth World Champion and in 2018 the young Brazilian concreted her reputation in the kiting world by becoming the GKA Freestyle World Champion. Since then Mika has dominated the women’s freestyle competition and recently took home her fourth consecutive world title. Her biggest achievement to date was being the first female to land a double handle-pass in competition at the GKA Superkite in Brazil 2021. This single maneuver pushed women’s freestyle to the next level. Mika’s goals for the future are to continue to elevate the level of womens’ kiteboarding and to show the world what she is capable of.

TARIFA 2022

CAPUCINE DELANNOY (FRA)

Photos: Lukas Stiller / GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt 2021

Capucine Delannoy first discovered her drive for competition when she began slalom ski racing. However, when her parents decided to relocate to the beautiful northeastern Brazilian coastline of Preá she discovered her love for kitesurfing. Alongside her brother Camille, Capucine began competing in the Kite-Surf discipline of the GKA Kite World Tour in 2019. At just 15 years-of-age Capucine secured her first competition win in the GKA Distance Battles against the reigning world champion, Mikaili Sol.

Photos: North Kiteboarding

In 2021 Capucine won two of the GKA Kite World Tour stops showcasing exceptional kite-surf maneuvers that no other female riders had ever landed. Capucine was crowned Vice World Champion and Junior World Champion in 2021.

Photo: Svetlana Romantsova

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PIPPA VAN IERSEL (NLD)

Pippa Van Iersel is one of the most progressive and dynamic riders on the GKA World Tour. The talented Dutch rider competes in both freestyle and big air and has had podium finishes in both disciplines. It was clear from the start that Pippa would be a tough competitor to beat. At her first international competition Pippa made it all the way to the podium, throwing down some huge maneuvers. She has continued to place in the top three on the GKA Freestyle World Tour and finished third overall at the end of 2021. A super dynamic competitor, Pippa has also been at the foreground of the women’s big air scene and in 2021 she won both the BAKL events in France and Brazil, while her online video presence also continues to go from strengthto-strength.

Photo: Danulis

TARIFA 2022

Photo: Thomas Burblies

ANGELY BOUILLOT (FRA)

Angely Bouillot will go down in history as one of the pioneering females in women’s big air. The talented French kiter started her sports career in ski racing and would occasionally go kitesurfing on her summer holidays. However, after receiving some comments about her natural ability in the water, at the prime age of 25 Angely decided to turn all her attention to kitesurfing. Admitting that this was one of the best decisions she’s made, Angely quickly began to gain attention within the big air riding community. After training all the big air maneuvers at home in Leucate, Angely decided to submit a wildcard entry video into the Red Bull King Of The Air. After being turned down for three years running, in 2020 Angely’s wildcard entry was finally accepted and she became the first female ever to compete in the KOTA... against the men! Amongst her other achievements Angely won the Queen is Born in 2019, one of the first ever all female big air events. 84

ELEMENTS

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THE NEW DEFINITION OF COMFORT ZONE INTRODUCING THE NEW INDIVIDUAL

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I O N - P R O D U CTS .C O M

M O R E WAT E R T I M E

TARIFA 2022

BRUNA KAJIYA (BRA)

Bruna began kitesurfing in 2004, inspired after seeing the kites flying through her classroom window. She’s gone on to arguably become one of the greatest female freestyle riders of all time; now 3 x Freestyle World Champion and 6 x Vice Freestyle World Champion. Relentlessly pushing the women’s freestyle discipline, Bruna was the first woman ever to land a double handle pass (also known as a BS315.)

Photos: Lukas Stiller / GKA Freestyle World Cup Colombia 2022

After competing on the world tour for over a decade, Bruna is still currently ranked second in Freestyle on the GKA Freestyle World Tour. As well as her three world titles, Bruna is also 5 x Brazilian Champion, 2 x Triple S Champion, and 1 x Latin American Champion.

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TARIFA 2022

RITA ARNAUS (ESP)

The highlight of an excellent year for Rita Arnaus was being crowned Vice World Champion 2021 and also landing a new sponsorship deal with Porsche and Duotone. Rita’s determination, passion for the sport and strict training regime have helped bring her to the top of her discipline. Rita began kiting when she was just 16 years old at her home spot in Sant Pere Pescador. She soon fell in love with freestyle kiteboarding and competed in her first international competition just two years after learning the sport. As well as being one of the world’s top three female freestyle riders, Rita has also been crowned Spanish Freestyle Champion on multiple occasions.

WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM

Photo: Samuel Cardenas / Mystic

TARIFA 2022

JALOU LANGEREE (NLD)

Jalou Langeree is a household name in the world of kitesurfing. She won her first world Championship in 2012 and proceeded to win again in 2015 and 2018. Jalou has been a true pioneer for women in the surf, pushing the aggression and clinical prowess of wave-riding performance to another level.

Photo: Vincent Schaap / Mystic

After competing on the world tour for over 15 years Jalou has taken a step back from competition and instead focuses her attention on sharing 20 years of kitesurf knowledge with other women in the sport through her training camps and clinics.

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WAVE FREESTYLE FREERIDE —

BUILT FOR EVERYTHING, TUNED FOR EVERYWHERE 91

Photo: Ydwer van der Heide / F-One

TARIFA 2022

Photo: Matt Georges / F-One

MARCELA WITT (BRA)

Marcela Witt is a kitesurfer from the beautiful north shores of Brazil. She began kitesurfing at a young age in Rio de Janeiro after her father and grandfather had taken up the sport. From then on Marcela has dedicated her life to chasing the wind with a kite. She is the Brazilian Kitesurf Champion and she recently won the GKA Kite-Surf World Cup in Morocco 2021. Beyond aiming to win world cup events, Marcela has also set world records. She was recently the first woman ever to kitesurf Nazaré in Portugal in 2021 and she was also the first woman to kitesurf in Antarctica. Not only does Marcela compete on the GKA Kite World Tour, she is also an avid wingfoiler and was crowned South American Wingfoil World Champion in 2021.

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TARIFA 2022

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD THE FINAL CONTENDERS

The GKA Kite World Tour has seen some exciting debut performances from some young rising stars who surely have bright futures ahead of them since early 2021.

A panel of GKA Kite World Tour judges and crew will cast their vote to decide the winners, from riders including: Finn Flugel Davide Ribeiro Keanu Mertens Pierfrancesco Rizzelo Maxime-Luan Desjardin Robin Stewart Guilherme Costa

WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM Maxmime Luan Desjardins / Photos: Svetlana Romantsova

Keanu Merten

TARIFA 2022

BEST SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE YEAR AWARD THE FINAL CONTENDERS

WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM WORDS: Holly Keenan

HOW THE WINNER WILL BE DECIDED

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All smiles, always!

WILLOW-RIVER TONKIN

Willow-River Tonkin is a phenomenon in the waves and has built a career around his powerful turns, legendary tube rides and smooth style. Growing up in Mauritius he has always been connected to the ocean. Just months after learning to kitesurf, Willow was sponsored by Core Kiteboarding and has been sharing his passion for the sport ever since, traveling around the world as an excellent ambassador for the spirit of kitesurfing. More impressively, however, is Willow’s attitude – he has an air of positivity and optimism that influences everyone around him and is almost certainly what secured his position as a GKA Social Award nominee. Just 22 years old, Willow is the youngest nominee for the award but he’s practiced altruism from an early age. Among several ongoing projects, he has raised thousand of euros for Ekuthuleni, an Early Childhood Development Centre, and he has plans in the works to establish a non-profit. Willow was also a frontline responder in not only helping to clean up the oil that spilled into the waters off the coast of Mauritius in 2020 when a container ship ran aground, but also when it came to raising awareness of the situation. Willow’s motto is “The act of giving, continues giving”.

Willow has now run several races to raise sponsorships funds for causes he cares about

PHOTO: Ydwer van der Heide

TARIFA 2022

GRAHAM HOWES

The creator and mastermind behind Dirty Habits – a lifestyle and content brand that pushes life to the limits – Graham is a professional kiteboarder known for his stunt tricks, mega-loops and relentless riding style. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Graham is committed to introducing others to the sport that’s given him so much. His focus has always been on inspiring and motivating the next generation of kiteboarders and he has served as a mentor for young and talented riders and provided a path for them to become professional kitesurfers. Recently Graham has opened up about his personal lifelong struggle with ADHD and epilepsy and a 2019 diagnosis of depression. He is passionate about strengthening the community of support for extreme athletes dealing with mental health issues. His current goals are to become a role model and advocate for mental health awareness and has just completed work on a 30-minute documentary on mental health in extreme sports. Graham is also in the process of launching the Dirty Habits Foundation to provide a platform to support athletes and projects that can make a difference and inspire social change. Graham says, “My goal has always been to inspire people to live their best lives, and to become the person that they are capable of being.”

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Rider: Giel Vlugt - Photo: Kyle Cabano

TARIFA 2022

MITU MONTEIRO

Wave Master World Champion, Mitu Monteiro is a true waterman. Raised by a single mother, living in a small fishing village in Cabo Verde, Mitu grew up by the ocean but had no access to gear and very little money. His passion for kitesurfing developed over years of playing in the waves and discovering different crafts to do so, first with plastic water bottles stuffed in a bag, then with a discarded windsurf board, and finally with a kite. His status as an icon of strapless riding was originally born out of a lack of gear – he wanted to ride waves at Punta Prea but didn’t have a kiteboard, so he took his surfboard. That fateful decision led to a decade-long career as a professional athlete and waterman. Mitu is acknowledged as a pioneer of the discipline of strapless kitesurfing but has had an even more incredible impact on the sport through his leadership and ability to give back. Today Mitu’s primary focus is on giving back to his community by empowering the local kids of Cabo Verde to get on the water through his kite centre on the island of Sal. He requires that they maintain a certain level in their academics and pushes his students to maintain good grades. In return he trains them in kiteboarding, gives them time on his equipment and some manage to enjoy careers as instructors.

PHOTO: Matt Georges

He’s also an advocate for the ocean and has recently launched a petition to protect Punta Preta. His influence on the younger generation and drive to protect the environment make him a well-deserved nominee for the GKA Social Award of the Year.

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RIDER: ZARA HOOGENRAAD PHOTOGRAPHER: PABLO AMORES

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CARBON ELITE HARNESS THE UNRIVALED BENCHMARK IN CARBON-FIBER HARD-SHELL HARNESSES, THE ELITE CARBON CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY THANKS TO ITS DATA-BASED DESIGN AND ERGONOMIC SHAPE FOR SUPERIOR SUPPORT AND COMFORT. BUILT WITH THE LATEST IN MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING 12K MOLDED CARBON FIBER, LIMESTONE-BASED NEOPRENE AND FUSION CLOSED-CELL MEMORY FOAM FOR MAXIMUM DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE.

BORN IN SANTA CRUZ, CA | RIDEENGINE.COM

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TARIFA 2022

LEWIS CRATHERN

Four time British Kitesurfing champion, Lewis Crathern is an inspiration and legend in the sport. Known for his big air dominance and style, Lewis has competed in 10 straight Red Bull King of the Air events. He is also an 8 x Kitesurfing Armada Ambassador and is currently ranked fifth overall at the Cape Town King of the Air. His mega jump over the Brighton Pier in 2010 was a career-defining moment for Lewis and solidified his status as a major player in extreme kiteboarding. Perhaps more important than his athletic achievements is Lewis’ determination to give back to the sport and to inspire others to learn to kiteboard. Through his Wonderful Wind Tour, he visits schools across the UK and engages students in topics related to the wind –from kiteboarding to the environment to staying healthy. Lewis also uses kiteboarding as a powerful tool to raise awareness for climate change and works in partnership with the Global Wind Energy Council to spread awareness and sustainability messaging.

Lewis presents a fun assembly at a primary school in the UK Photo: Sam Clark

Finally, Lewis works as a speaker and commentator and lends his voice to inspire others to better themselves. Through interactive talks and seminars, he inspires his audiences to think optimistically and unlock their potential.

Lewis’ partnership with the Global Wind Energy Council gives him the chance to inspire so many about the awesome potential of wind 102

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PHOTO: Matt Georges

TARIFA 2022

MARCELA WITT

The winners of the Qatar Airways GKA Awards 2022 will be announced at a special ceremony in Tarifa on the evening of Saturday 25th June.

Brazilian GKA Kite-Surf World Tour competitor, Marcela Witt has a huge following in her homeland as she’s also a well known TV personality. As well as being passionate competitor, Marcela also uses her profile to raise awareness about environmental pressures on the ocean and land that are particular to Brazil.

Stay locked to the GKA socials for all the updates!

@GKAKITEWORLDTOUR WWW.GKAKITEWORLDTOUR.COM

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Boost big, experience pure hangtime and enjoy super smooth landings with the new F-ONE TRIGGER. Designed for top Big Air performances, this 5-strut kite will blow your mind. Not only will it allow you to send big loops, but its awesome freeride abilities will also send you back upwind effortlessly.

Using our original 5-points connection setup and two pulleys bridles, the TRIGGER is incredibly precise and reactive and will perform in both the high and low end, never letting you down or forcing you to stop your session.

P ULL T HE T RIGG ER !

AVAI L ABLE FO R TESTING AT GK A KITE EXP O.

WWW.F-ONE.WORLD 105

TARIFA 2022

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Editor: Jim Gaunt > media@global-kitesports.org Design: Ian Roxburgh > ian@design147.co.uk Advertising: Tanja Rosenkranz > advertising@global-kitesports.org Published by: GKA Event GMBH Gärtnerstrasse 89, 20253 Hamburg, Germany info@global-kitesports.org

Louka Pitot, riding off Bibo Beach, Tarifa in 2021 Photo: Samuel Cardenas / GKA Kite World Tour 106