2019 Kiteboard Pan American Trials to be held at San Diego Yacht Club

Kiteboard Pan American Trials © San Diego Yacht Club

American kiteboarders will have the opportunity to represent their country at the 2019 Pan American Games by winning the Kiteboard Pan American Trials in Formula Kites hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club on March 29-31, 2019.

An expected 12-15 kiteboarders will compete in a series of races off beautiful Crown Cove on Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado, California.

The Crown Cove venue is ideal for kiteboarding, allowing the riders to launch right from the beach into the flat waters of South San Diego Bay. Last November, kiteboarders from all over the world came to compete at the same venue for the Kiteboarding North Americans where six riders, including Will Cyr of the USA, qualified their countries for the 2019 Pan American Games.

World Sailing has confirmed kiteboarding as one of the ten events for the sport of sailing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. A key first step for every aspiring Olympian will be to represent their country at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru this summer.

American Kiteboarding Association (AKA) Secretary Robbie Dean says "Athletes that represent the USA in the Pan American Games get an opportunity to learn how to compete in a large scale multi-sport event before their ultimate journey to the Olympic Games. It's something that these sailors will be working hard to achieve."

The races will be sailed in a single series format, all kiteboarders starting at the same time. Ideally, each day will see six races with breaks on the shore after every two. An opening day ceremony will be held at 1200 on Thursday, March 28. After racing on Saturday, March 30, kiteboarders can enjoy a post-race social, and on Sunday, awards will be given on the beach at Crown Cove around 1600.

• Register for the event here
• US Sailing's Pan Am Games Eligibility Requirements and PAG Selection Procedures
• Pan Am Games Eligibility Requirements