GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup Borkum comes to a thrilling close
by Gemma Hamaini 5 Jun 20:34 BST
3-7 June 2026
Maxime Chabloz and Bruna Kajiya delivered masterclass performances to take victory at the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup Borkum, as the North Sea provided a dramatic backdrop for the second stop of the 2026 season.
Borkum, Germany makes its debut on the GKA Kite World Tour this week, hosting the second freestyle stop of the 2026 season. Fresh off the opening event in Mexico, athletes had just days to adapt from warm Pacific swells to the raw conditions of the North Sea — a very different kind of challenge.
The German stop also marked the return of some major names to the competition arena. Gianmaria Coccoluto, Matteo Dorotini, and Francesca Bagnoli — all absent in Mexico — are back and ready to make their mark on the season standings.
With just three freestyle events on the 2026 calendar — Mexico, Germany, and Brazil — there is no discard in play. Every heat, every score, every point counts. The season is already taking shape, and Borkum is where the title race truly begins to bite.
The early rounds ran on day one in 16 to 20 knots, with ten women registered for competition. All top-ranked athletes advanced through to the semi-finals, setting up a fierce battle across two heats for the top eight women on tour.
Semi-final 1 brought together Naïs Balbinot, Matilda Roux, Kaya Lehmann, and Claudia León, with only two spots up for grabs. Balbinot opened with intent but lost her rhythm mid-heat, ending with three crashes and surrendering her early lead. León held her nerve to post a 19.84 and take the heat win, with Lehmann joining her in the final. Roux had ridden well to reach this stage but was eliminated at the semi-final.
The second women's semi-final was a statement heat. Defending World Champion Bruna Kajiya and former Vice-World Champion Francesca Bagnoli went trick for trick in an electric showdown. Kajiya came out on top with a commanding 24.06, with Bagnoli close behind to claim the second qualifying spot. Sabrina Lutz and Martyna Konkel were eliminated at this round.
The women's final on Friday morning delivered exactly what the crowd had come for. Kajiya was in typically dominant form, but Claudia León matched her almost move for move, executing a clean and composed array of tricks throughout the heat. Kaya Lehmann was equally hungry, posting strong scores to secure third place, while Bagnoli struggled to find her best in the lighter conditions.
It came down to Kajiya and León for the win. With her final trick attempt, Kajiya launched a spectacular Backmobe that sealed it — her second event victory of the season.
Final Results — Women:
1st — Bruna Kajiya (BRA)
2nd — Claudia León (ESP)
3rd — Kaya Lehmann (GER)
4th — Francesca Bagnoli (ITA)
Borkum delivered exactly what the North Sea promised — strong winds, stormy skies, and conditions that sort the field quickly.
Gianmaria Coccoluto arrived in Borkum with clear intent, posting an impressive 28.83 in round 3 to advance to the semi-finals. Arthur Guillebert, riding the confidence of his podium finish in Mexico, also progressed, eliminating Benedek Szente — who rode cleanly but couldn't match the experience level in his heat. Local wildcard Mats Clasen, competing at his first GKA event, was also eliminated at this stage.
Matteo Dorotini, returning from injury and determined to make his mark, advanced alongside Maxime Chabloz, the pair eliminating Antoine Ollivier and Luca Bronzi in round 3.
Young Brazilian Davi Ribeiro and Egypt's Kimo Mahmoud also booked their semi-final spots, with Leo Verrecchia narrowly missing out in a tightly contested quarter-final. Hironobu Nakano was sharp throughout his quarter-final to advance comfortably, joined by Finn Flügel, who ground out his spot despite finding the conditions difficult. Elliot Panet and PierFrancesco Rizzello were eliminated.
The first semi-final was brutal. Flügel, Ribeiro, Coccoluto, and Dorotini — only two would make the final. Flügel came out firing and never looked back, dominating the heat from the opening attempts to book his place. Behind him, the fight for the second spot went down to the wire. It was Ribeiro who came up clutch on his final attempts, edging out the Italian duo of Coccoluto and Dorotini in a heat that fluctuating wind conditions made even harder to read.
The second semi-final was equally intense. Chabloz was on a different level, landing his opening tricks with authority and locking down his final spot before the heat had really found its feet. As the wind dropped, the battle for second place grew tense. Guillebert looked set to advance, but Mahmoud — awarded a final trick attempt following an interference call — made it count, punching his ticket to the final and ending Guillebert's and Nakano's campaigns.
In front of a packed beach, Chabloz took control from the opening exchanges. Ribeiro also came out strong, while Mahmoud and Flügel had slower starts. As the heat reached its closing stages, Chabloz landed a BackMobe 7 for 9 points, and that was that. A total of 33 points — the win was his, and thoroughly deserved. Ribeiro rode brilliantly throughout to finish second, his best result on tour to date. Flügel completed the podium in third, with Mahmoud in fourth.
Final Results — Men:
1st — Maxime Chabloz (SUI)
2nd — Davi Ribeiro (BRA)
3rd — Finn Flügel (GER)
4th — Kimo Mahmoud (EGY)
That's a wrap on the second freestyle stop of the season. The riders now set their sights on Brazil for the final showdown of 2026.