Please select your home edition
Edition
RYA Membership

2025 Formula Kite European Championships in Urla, Türkiye - Day 1

by International Kiteboarding Association 14 May 21:42 BST 11-19 May 2025
Local star Derin Atakan [TUR] shines on home waters - 2025 Formula Kite European Championships in Urla, Türkiye - Day 1 © IKA Media / Robert Hajduk

Brave riders grabbed their opportunities on day one of the 2025 Formula Kite European Championships, in Urla, Turkiye.

Hammering around the course on their smallest kites in 24 knots of wind, rookies and veterans both made their marks at the first senior championship of the year.

Unfazed by new rules

Changes in the men's fleet rules for this Olympic cycle limited the smallest kite to 11 meters, no smaller, making the days racing challenging for the smaller riders. Bronze medalist Max Maeder of Singapore and Italy's Riccardo Pianosi, fourth in Paris and hungry for a win, wasted no time in staking their claim to the championship both winning their respective fleets with straight bullets.

Greek rider Cameron Maramenides had one of his best senior starts ending second in his fleet, despite a high-speed crash, racing Maeder to the finish that left him dazed with a bruised leg.

Maramenides has come back from a heartbreaking 11th at the Paris Games, just out of the medal race, leaving him to rebuild his confidence in the off season.

"Having good people around you, I got an insane team now," said Maramenides who trains as a team rider for Element Kites with Benoit Gomez. "It's a great group of guys working together to get better, that's what the sports all about."

Former European champion Axel Mazela was a leader in the fleet for years and now is coming back from a disappointing Olympics where he finished sixth. After some time off, he said he's feeling the speed coming back while adjusting to the new fitness and physique required today.

"It's the same Axel, just losing a lot of weight during the winter time," said Mazela who is in fourth, only three points from first in his fleet. "We know we have to lose weight to be as fast as possible."

Though not a factor in the high winds, the new rules have also limited the size of the biggest kite to 21m2, leaving a three-kite quiver of 2m2, 15m2, 11m2.

These changes, along with the women's limitation to 15m2 maximum size, were made primarily to stay the rising competitive weights of riders.

"At first I was a bit pissed about the change," said Lorianne Nolot, France's Olympic silver medalist who broke her ankle right after the games and didn't start riding again until January. "We have been training with the men and now we can't go as fast as them. But I've been adjusting my training with CrossFit and it's going better than I thought."

New faces on top of women's fleet

Many riders, like Nolot, have adapted to the smaller maximum kite size rule by losing weight and training with more explosive techniques. But day one was windy with most riders choosing the 9-meter kite.

With the absence of 2024's usual stars, new women riders took advantage of today's conditions. Britain's Lily Young is leading, clear ahead of Catalina Turienzo of Argentina in second and local star Derin Atakan in third. The trio are joined by rising star Izabela Satrjan of Poland in fourth.

Turienzo has been on the rise, winning both U19 and U21 youth worlds last year and qualifying for the Games. Satrjan has been training with and taking races off Nolot all winter.

I was trying to be calm and to manage with the concentration all day," said Satrjan. "It was hard to stay concentrated in these conditions all day, but I managed it. I'm happy." With five more days of racing still left and live action Sunday and Monday, riders are expecting a wild mix of conditions on the turquoise waters of Urla.

Results will be updated as they happen, racing will be tracked, and the final days will be live streamed on FaceBook and YouTube.

Results Men

1. Riccardo Pianosi, ITA
2. Maximilian Maeder, SGP
3. Cameron Maramenides, GRE
4. Lorenzo Boscetti, ITA
5. Vojtech Koska,CZE
6. Bruno Lobo, BRA
7. Axel Mazella, FRA
8. Benoit Gomez, FRA

Results women

1. Lily Young, GBR
2. Catalina Turienzo, ARG
3. Derin Atakan, TUR
4. Izabela Satrjan, POL
5. Lauriane Nolot, FRA
6. Gisela Pulido Borrell, ESP
7. Lysa Caval, FRA
8. Breiana Whitehead, AUS

Full results and more information

Related Articles

Antonia & Georgia Lewin-LaFrance 1pt from podium
In the 49er FX class at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance from Chester, N.S., took the fourth position in 49erFX at the fourth and next-to-last event of the 2025 Sailing Grand Slam Series, the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta. Posted on 21 Jul
Oman Kite Festival kicks off from Barr Al Hikman
With the official opening ceremony and race launch The Oman Kite Festival 2025 launched on the 15th of July on the scenic shores of Barr Al Hikman in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, welcoming more than 90 athletes from Oman and around the world. Posted on 18 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 4
ILCA 6 & 7, Men's & Women's Formula Kite and 470 Mixed Teams Wrap Up The racing for the first 5 classes of the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta wrapped up with a twist in conditions and breeze just to mix it up for the competitors. Posted on 17 Jul
Strong start on LA waters for Australian Sailors
A valuable week of racing at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta Australia's top Olympic class sailors have wrapped up a valuable week of racing at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta in California, gaining firsthand experience at the future venue of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Posted on 17 Jul
Sail Canada Regional Championships Preview
More than 300 young Canadian sailors in action this weekend across the country More than 300 young Canadian sailors will be in action this weekend as Sail Canada will present its three regional championships: Sail East at St. Margaret Sailing Club, Sail Central at Hudson Yacht Club and Sail West at Gimli Yacht Club. Posted on 16 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 3
Mother Nature teases the competitors Mother Nature teased the competitors today and made them wait a bit, but she did not disappoint; the sun came out and a big westerly built to 18-20 knots! Posted on 15 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 2
Classic Long Beach conditions return The weather conditions at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta shifted noticeably today, delivering the classic Long Beach breeze that many expect from this world-class venue. Posted on 14 Jul
2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta kicks off
The first week of the OCR includes five Olympic classes The highly anticipated 2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta officially commenced on Saturday, 12 July, marking the beginning of Olympic campaigns since the venues were announced. Posted on 14 Jul
Australian sailors take to Olympic waters
Regatta serves as an important test, not just for sailors, but also for organisers The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta is set to get begin, marking the first major combined event on the waters of the LA 2028 Olympic Games. Posted on 12 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta 2025 Preview
The fourth stop of the five series Sailing Grand Slam circuit Over 200 elite athletes from 42 nations have converged on Long Beach to test their skills on the same waters that will host sailing events during the LA2028 Olympic Games as they compete in the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta July 12-20 Posted on 12 Jul