Suprising winner at the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt!
- Kiko Roig Torres from Spain Wins World’s Largest Kite-Surf Event
- First Title on the Tour, Beats Three-Time World Champion Airton Cozzolino in the Final
- 18-Year-Old German Keanu Merten Rides Wildcard to Sensational Third Place
(Sylt) First-ever final on the Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour and directly the title at the world’s largest Kite-Surf event! The 22-year-old Kiko Roig Torres from Spain surprisingly secures the victory at the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt. In a high-class final, the Spaniard beats the three-time world champion and top favorite Airton Cozzolino, who is also considered a personal and sporting role model for the young Spaniard from Tarifa. Kiko Roig, as he is briefly called, already showed spectacular tricks and high scores on the water in the previous rounds. “I am overjoyed and it is a dream to be in the final against Airton here on Sylt and to win,” said Kiko Roig Torres after his first title. His opponent wholeheartedly congratulated him on the victory and moved to the top of the world rankings with his second place.
The previous number 1 in the world, Matchu Lopes, dropped out of the competition early, losing in the heat against the German up-and-comer Keanu Merten. The 18-year-old Merten, who slipped into the World Cup via a wildcard from the organizer, showed an absolute world-class performance over the entire competition in front of countless spectators at Brandenburger Beach. The kite-surfer, who was born in Saarbrücken, not only knocked the currently most successful rider of the season, Matchu Lopes, out of the competition, but also offered Cozzolino a high-class duel in the semi-final. After narrowly losing there, he was able to prevail against the Frenchman Theo Demanez in the small final and drive onto the podium for the first time. “I coped well with the difficult conditions from the start and I’m super happy with the third place here in front of a home crowd,” said Keanu Merten.
Read more
In the end, there was no way around the top favorite at the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt. The 17-year-old Frenchwoman Capucine Delannoy defended her title on the North Sea island and won on Brandenburger Strand in Westerland.
Simply unbeatable on Sylt - Capucine Delannoy is and remains the queen of the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt. The 18-year-old Frenchwoman beat Switzerland's Camille Losserand in a high-class final and secured her third title in a row after 2021 and 2023 (the event did not take place in 2022). "It was just perfect, I scored the perfect 10.0. I've been training for months for this event and this moment and I'm so happy," said the overwhelmed winner directly after the final run on Brandenburg Beach.
The biggest kite surfing event in the world is also in full swing - the riders in the supreme discipline of kite surfing got down to business on Thursday. After the first heats were completed on Wednesday afternoon, the women and men have been battling it out in alternating rounds for the coveted places in the quarter and semi-finals since the morning hours.
Exactly one year ago, I had an operation and everyone told me that I wouldn't be here today. Just being here was a win for me. Now I have the World Cup title on Sylt, dreams do come true," said the newly crowned champion James Carew after the grand final.
It's all set for the Defender GKA Kite-SurfWorld Cup on Sylt! For the 3rd time, the Qatar Airways GKA KiteWorld Tour will be stopping off at Brandenburger Strand in Westerland, with the world's best kite surf riders in tow.
The premiere of the Hydrofoil Big Air competition has a beaming winner - Charles Brodel from France, five-time serial world champion, beat his opponents by a clear margin to not only win the World Cup on Sylt, but also secure the European title in this spectacular kite discipline.
The Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt is returning and once again promises exciting competitions and spectacular action on Westerland's Brandenburger Strand. From August 20 to August 25, 2024, the best kite surfers in the world will compete for the coveted title. In addition to the kite surfing discipline (wave and strapless freestyle), hydrofoil champions will also be crowned for the first time - including the European Championship title.
Successful week at the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt. Not only the main competition offered breathtaking action on the water over the past few days, spectators were also able to enjoy another highlight on Brandenburg beach this Sunday. In the hydrofoil competition, which was integrated for the first time, the athletes flew far more than 10 meters above the sea in moderate conditions and performed spectacular jumps and tricks.
The finals of the newly initiated E-Foil Race competition were on the program for the pros on Friday. After the heats had already been held on Thursday, Friday was all about the very first title in the new discipline as part of the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt.
First ever final on the Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour and the title at the biggest kite surfing event in the world! 22-year-old Kiko Roig Torres from Spain surprisingly secures victory at the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt. - 18-year-old German Keanu Merten rides to a sensational third place with a wild card.
50 athletes from 16 nations at the start - Seven German riders compete for the titles - Atmospheric opening ceremony on Brandenburg beach - Varied supporting program and free admission on all days.
Mark your calendar in red: the island of Sylt is finally attracting the world's best windsurfers and kite surfers to Westerland again this year. From August 22nd, the absolute world elite will meet for six days at the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt on Brandenburg Beach.
For the third time after 2019 and 2021, water sports fans can look forward to the biggest kite sports event in the world on Sylt. From August 22 to 27, the Defender GKA Kite-Surf World Cup will take place on Germany's largest North Sea island and the starting field is more than impressive.
Land Rover Kitesurf World Cup Sylt ends with official award ceremonySpectacular competitions, fantastic conditions and great media interest at the only stop of the GKA World Tour in Germany.
At the Land Rover Kitesurf World Cup Sylt, the best kitesurfers in the world had their first break on Friday. The wind was too weak to hold another super session. The athletes were not idle, however, and were busy signing autographs on Brandenburg Beach.
After the spectacular and exciting strapless freestyle and wave competitions, the action at the Land Rover Kitesurf World Cup Sylt continued on Thursday. For the kitesurfing artists, the best trick super session was on the agenda, in which only the best aerial maneuver was counted.
We are very happy about the large starter field at the Land Rover Kitesurf World Cup on Sylt! Today we received the final list from the GKA. 16 women and 30 men from 16 countries are seeded for the World Cup. There is even a waiting list for the men. So we can expect kitesurfing of the highest perfection from the best kitesurfers in the world.
A competition for high-flyers. On the third day of the event, the kiters once again showed what they are capable of in a super session.
The competitions at the Land Rover Kitesurf World Cup have been decided after two exciting days in the best wind and wave conditions.
James Carew won the Land Rover Kitesurf World Cup Sylt on Wednesday. The Australian beat Brazil's Pedro Matos in a high-class final and fulfilled his dream of winning on Sylt after coming second in 2019.
Two and a half meter high waves and up to eight wind forces - at the start of the Land Rover Kitesurf World Cup Sylt on Tuesday, perfect conditions prevailed for the discipline of kite surfing, in which strapless freestyle and wave are held.