GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Dakhla 2025 - Wrap-up
by GKA Kite World Tour 11 Oct 17:18 BST
8-12 October 2025
GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Dakhla 2025 © Lukas K Stiller
As golden light fell over Dakhla's desert coastline, Airton Cozzolino sealed victory after a day of thrilling battles and upsets — marking a spectacular start to the GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Dakhla 2025.
Men's Division wrap-up
Dakhla welcomed a full lineup of 24 athletes in the men's division and 13 in the women's, including 4 Moroccan riders. A long-standing favourite among kite-surfers, Dakhla once again delivered world-class conditions to kick off the 15th edition of the event. With steady winds and a powerful swell, competition began without delay — the organizers eager to make the most of the promising forecast. Riders faced waves of around 1.5 metres and consistent winds ranging from 20 to 25 knots.
Each heat ran for 17 minutes, with athletes given 10 wave attempts and their top two scores counting. Judges applied a pure wave-riding format, focusing on wave selection, powerful bottom turns, committed hits in the critical section, flow, speed, power, and innovative manoeuvres.
Rounds 1 and 2 wrapped up smoothly, with all top-ranked riders advancing to Round 3. But that's when things started to heat up. French rider Clément Roseyro was eliminated by Switzerland's Hendrick Witschi in a tight matchup. Soon after, Sylt event winner Théo Demanez was knocked out by Airton Cozzolino in Round 3 Heat 2. Spain's Matchu Lopes was then edged out by Bulgaria's Nicola Abadjiev, and the biggest upset of the day came when reigning World Champion Gabriel Benetton was eliminated by James Carew, who unleashed an incredible 9.13 on his fifth wave of the heat. Benetton started strong, but it was Carew's hunger and determination that proved decisive.
As the competition moved into the semifinals, tensions were high. The first heat saw Airton Cozzolino face James Carew, followed by an all-Brazilian showdown between Pedro Matos and Sebastian Ribeiro in the second.
Cozzolino came out firing, opening with a stunning 9-point ride. Carew pushed hard but couldn't replicate the magic of his previous round. Airton maintained momentum with another solid wave scoring 8.13, giving him a commanding total of 17.13 points. Carew's 14.06 wasn't enough, and as the buzzer sounded, Cozzolino secured his place in the final.
The Matos-Ribeiro semifinal was incredibly close, with both riders trading scores throughout. In the final minutes, Matos edged ahead by a fraction, leaving Ribeiro to settle for a spot in the mini-final. Matos advanced to face Cozzolino in what promised to be a thrilling final showdown.
As the sun began to set over Dakhla, the men's final got under way. Both athletes came into the heat after an intense day of nonstop action. They remained neck and neck until Cozzolino's final wave — a 7.30 that pushed him into the lead. Matos couldn't find the wave he needed to respond, leaving Cozzolino to ride back to shore in celebration. His exceptional performance secured victory on just the first day of the Dakhla event window.
With the men's division now complete, all eyes turn to the women's competition. Four days remain in the event window, ensuring plenty of time to score the best possible conditions for the world's top female kite-surfers.
Final results:
1st Airton Cozzolino (ITA)
2nd Pedro Matos (BRA)
3rd Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA)
4th James Carew (AUS)
More information here
Women's Division wrap-up
Day two in Dakhla, Morocco was all about the women's division. The riders' briefing wrapped up early, and the first heats kicked off at dawn. Thirteen female athletes were ready to go all in at this penultimate kite-surf event of the season, with high tension in the air as Capucine Delannoy had the opportunity to secure the 2025 World Championship title thanks to her commanding lead in the overall rankings.
Once again, Dakhla delivered excellent conditions for the women's elimination rounds. With steady wind and clean waves, rounds one to three were completed smoothly throughout the morning. The winners of round three — Kesiane Rodrigues, Sonja Bunte, Clémence Derrien, and Capucine Delannoy — all advanced directly to round five.
As round four began, the competition intensified. Charlotte Carpentier, Serena Luz, and Astrid Cheylus each took convincing wins to secure their spots in round five. The final heat of the round saw Johanna-Catharina Edin, making a strong return to competition after several years away, go head-to-head with Camille Losserand of Switzerland. It was a tightly contested battle, but an interference call cost Losserand crucial points when her kite crashed, and with Losserand's elimination, the door was officially open for Capucine Delannoy to claim the world title right here in Dakhla.
Round five brought more standout performances. Kesiane Rodrigues of Brazil continued her impressive form, delivering a confident heat against Charlotte Carpentier to secure a place in the semifinals. Fellow Brazilian Serena Luz advanced past Germany's Sonja Bunte, who had started the day strong but couldn't replicate her earlier rhythm. Meanwhile, Astrid Cheylus progressed after defeating Clémence Derrien of France.
Then came the decisive heat: Capucine Delannoy versus Johanna-Catharina Edin. If Delannoy could win, she would officially be crowned the 2025 GKA Kite-Surf World Champion. Focused and composed from the very first wave, Delannoy attacked with precision and power, racking up an impressive 17.93 points. Edin delivered a solid performance in her comeback event, but it wasn't enough to challenge the reigning champion. Delannoy returned to shore victorious — her world title secured, with events still left in the season.
The semifinals followed, starting with an all-Brazilian showdown between Kesiane Rodrigues and Serena Luz. Both riders came out firing, but Rodrigues maintained her momentum, landing two solid scoring waves for a 13.73 overall total. Luz pushed hard but couldn't find the conditions she needed to overcome her compatriot, sending Rodrigues into the final.
In the second semifinal, Astrid Cheylus, a talented crossover athlete who also competes in freeride skiing, faced the newly crowned World Champion, Capucine Delannoy. Delannoy continued to demonstrate her dominance, scoring consistently throughout the heat to secure a 14.03 total, while Cheylus put up a commendable effort but fell short of advancing.
The stage was then set for the final: Capucine Delannoy vs. Kesiane Rodrigues. Rodrigues had a slow start, with four low-scoring waves, but rallied toward the end to post 13.84 points overall. Delannoy, however, was unstoppable — her two top waves both scored in the 8-point range, bringing her total to 16.37 points.
With that, Capucine Delannoy not only claimed victory at the GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Dakhla but also secured the 2025 GKA Kite-Surf World Championship title — an achievement that cements her position at the very top of women's kite-surfing.
Final results:
1st Capucine Delannoy (FRA)
2nd Kesiane Rodriguez (BRA)
3rd Serena Luz (BRA)
4th Astrid Cheylus (FRA)