GKA Kite World Tour lands in Abu Dhabi for back-to-back world cups

Abu Dhabi to host first-ever GWA Wingfoil World Cup finale at Fahid Island © Svetlana Romantsova

Abu Dhabi will host the GKA Kite World Tour for the very first time, bringing back-to-back World Cups in Hydrofoil Big Air and Freestyle to Fahid Island, Abu Dhabi's newest coastal wellness destination and the world's first Fitwel-certified island, offering 11km of coastline.

From 25 to 30 October, the world's top kiteboarders will take to Fahid Island's pristine waters in a six-day spectacle of high-flying action, part of the Fahid Island Watersports Festival - a nine-day celebration that will also feature the season finale of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour and the championship deciders of the SFT Surf Foil World Tour.

This milestone marks the first time the Kitesurfing World Cup is being hosted in the UAE, delivered through a landmark partnership between Aldar, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and AD Ports Group. The event reinforces Abu Dhabi's position as a world-class hub for sport, adventure, and lifestyle tourism. As master developer of Fahid Island, Aldar is advancing the capital's ambition by activating stretches of its pristine coastline and introducing destinations that combine wellness, sport, and culture.

The Hydrofoil Big Air season will reach its dramatic conclusion in Abu Dhabi, with the world champion set to be crowned. Hugo Wigglesworth (NZL), just 18 years old, leads the rankings after a dominant start in Sylt, Germany, but Germany's Finn Flügel, currently second, has vowed to strike back in Abu Dhabi's steady Gulf breezes. The Casati brothers-Lorenzo, reigning GKA Big Air Twin-tip World Champion, and Leonardo-are both ranked inside the top four and could disrupt the title race. Six-time world champion Charles Brodel (FRA) remains an uncertainty as he battles to recover from injury in time for the event.

Running alongside the Big Air finale, the GKA Freestyle World Cup Abu Dhabi will mark the opening of the new Freestyle season. Defending champions Maxime Chabloz (SUI) and Bruna Kajiya (BRA)-the latter chasing a record sixth title-will begin their campaigns against a stacked field. Chabloz will face pressure from the rising star Finn Flügel, who claimed his first World Cup win last season in similar light-wind conditions. In the women's division, Spain's Claudia León will be looking to unseat Kajiya, while Germany's Kaya Lehmann continues her impressive rise.

With €60,000 in prize money on the line for kiteboarders (part of a total €110,000 across all disciplines) and the entire event live-streamed worldwide, the Abu Dhabi debut promises to deliver a spectacular showcase of elite-level competition.