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Sailingfast 2018 2 728x90

GKA Kite World Cup Tarifa: A new record for GKA as 84 riders register!

by Jim Gaunt 4 Jul 2019 06:53 BST
Top Swedish Kite-Surf competitor Johanna Catarina Edin... as you can tell! © Ydwer van der Heide

Wednesday morning was the turn of the Kite-Surf riders to register for this double-discipline event here in Tarifa. After we saw 44 Freestyle riders (34 men / 10 women) sign up yesterday, a further 41 Kite-Surf competitors (31 men / 10 women) joined today, giving an impressive set of heat ladders across the two disciplines, filled with of 85 riders hoping to compete for the GKA Kite World Cup Tarifa titles! A new GKA record.

Mitu Monteiro - one of many to answer the call of Tarifa. - photo © Ydwer van der Heide
Mitu Monteiro - one of many to answer the call of Tarifa. - photo © Ydwer van der Heide

The forecast this week is for Poniente wind, but the forecast is light for the weekdays with lots of promise for a big pick up in thermal wind activity for the weekend afternoons. Tarifa has never let us down, and it's not going to start now. Valdevaqueros beach delivers a football stadium atmosphere down here when the weekend crowds fill in and kiteboarding action fills the air.

The talent runs deep across both discipline fields that have amassed here in Tarifa, including Freestyle World Champion Carlos Mario who, like many, took advantage of the ever-present light wind and shredded his hydrofoil - photo © Ydwer van der Heide
The talent runs deep across both discipline fields that have amassed here in Tarifa, including Freestyle World Champion Carlos Mario who, like many, took advantage of the ever-present light wind and shredded his hydrofoil - photo © Ydwer van der Heide

The livestream came to life today to deliver timely updates and some really interesting interviews, including sporting legend and Tarifa event organiser Jaime Herraiz, who spoke to Jo Ciastula and put into perspective the development we've seen in the sport, since he - amongst others - paved the way as an early professional who brought competition kiteboarding to new and powerful levels. Still oozing so much passion, his is a really interesting opinion to hear.

Live legend - Jaime Herraiz interviewed by Jo Ciastula on the stream - photo © Ydwer van der Heide
Live legend - Jaime Herraiz interviewed by Jo Ciastula on the stream - photo © Ydwer van der Heide

Click here to head to the website and find two of the short interview streams from today. Scroll through the timeline to find interviews with the unmistakeable South African Oswald Smith who is fresh from a podium finish at the Red Bull Mega Loop Challenge, women's Kite-Surf tour leader Charlotte Carpentier from France and the stream kicked off with everyone's favourite ambassador, Mitu Monteiro and his F-One team mate, the total charger Camille Delannoy.

Thursday is a new day, and in truth we need the sun to beat down harder and get these temperatures up a bit more and then the thermals can really pick up. Otherwise we're still looking good for Friday through Sunday.

Enjoy your evening! We certainly will!

First possible start Thursday: 10.45am

For more information visit:

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