New youth champions crowned at GKA Youth Kite World Championships Tarifa
by Gemma Hamaini 5 Sep 2025 20:59 BST
1-5 September 2025
Tarifa once again proved to be the perfect stage for the 2025 GKA Youth Kite World Championships, uniting the world's most promising young riders in both Kite-Surf and Freestyle disciplines.
This year, more than 60 talented athletes registered to compete, many traveling with their families from across the globe. For these young riders, the event is about more than chasing titles—it's also about connecting with like-minded athletes and becoming part of the vibrant international youth kiteboarding community.
Each morning, the championships began with workshops covering topics such as sustainability and environmental awareness. Riders also had the chance to meet World Cup athletes, ask questions, and gain valuable insight into life as a professional kiteboarder.
Kite-Surf Discipline
The competition opened with the Kite-Surf discipline. Boys competed across three categories—U14, U16, and U19—while the girls were grouped in the U19 division. Judging criteria focused on the height and distance of jumps, the power and technical difficulty of tricks, the overall risk factor, and the smoothness of landings.
In the U14 category, Italy's rising star Tommaso Lazzari, just 12 years old, took the win. Spain's Santiago Monteroclaimed victory in U16, while the U19 crown went to Leonard Casati, who added yet another youth world title to his collection and continues to impress with podium finishes on the GKA World Tour. In the girls' U19 division, Aya Kasabova shone brightest, showcasing her versatility with victories across multiple disciplines this season.
Kite-Surf final results
U19 WOMEN
- 1st Aya Kasabova (BUL)
- 2nd Zara Jones (GBR)
- 3rd Charlotte Losserand (CHE)
- 4th Andrea Ivanov Ivanova (ESP)
MEN U14
- 1st Tommaso Lazzari (ITA)
- 2nd Carlos Montans Quirce (ESP)
- 3rd Teo Sarquella (ESP)
- 4th Sam Sarquella (ESP)
MEN U16
- 1st Santiago Montero Basterra (ESP)
- 2nd Pedro Alexandre (BRA)
- 3rd Juan Moreno (ESP)
- 4th Joaquin Montans Quirce (ESP)
MEN U19
- 1st Leonardo Casati (ITA)
- 2nd Javier Lopez Martín (ESP)
- 3rd Johannes Sarny (AUT)
- 4th Domi Moreno (ESP)
Freestyle Discipline
Once Kite-Surf wrapped up, the spotlight shifted to the Freestyle competition. Judges were looking for clean, unhooked tricks, explosive amplitude, powerful execution, and smooth landings.
The U19 boys' final was one of the highlights of the week, with Ben Szente taking the win in a thrilling showdown against Germany's Finn Flügel. In U16, Pedro Morais from Brazil impressed with his consistency and style to secure the title.
The U14 boys' division was another showcase of emerging talent, as 12-year-old Gonzalo Capela claimed the World Championship title.
The final title of the event went to Spanish athlete Vera Vazquez, who captured the U19 girls' Freestyle crown.
That brought the 2025 GKA Youth Kite World Championships in Tarifa to an exciting close—a perfect blend of action, community, family, and progression. With the level of talent on display this year, the future of kiteboarding looks brighter than ever. We look forward to welcoming even more young riders for the 2026 edition!
Final Results Freestyle Kite:
U19 women
- 1st Vera Vazquez (ESP)
- 2nd Aya Kasabova (BUL)
- 3rd Elena Kyngdon (AUS)
- 4th Charlotte Losserand (CHE)
MEN U14
- 1st Gonzalo Capela (ESP)
- 2nd Henry Gerhardt (AUS)
- 3rd Carlos Montans Alonso (ESP)
- 4th Alejandro Sanchez (ESP)
MEN U16
- 1st Pedro Alexandre (BRA)
- 2nd Léo Schlichter (FRA)
- 3rd Pierfrancesco Rizzello (ITA)
- 4th Ben Gerhardt (AUS)
MEN U19
- 1st Benedek Szente (HUN)
- 2nd Finn Flügel (GER)
- 3rd Rafael Montero (ESP)
- 4th Oscar Jalon (FRA)