Event Overview
From December 12 to 16, 2018, the final stop of the 2018 GKA Kite-Surf World Tour was held at Point Danger in Torquay, Victoria, Australia. The event featured the Kite-Surf discipline, combining wave riding and Strapless Freestyle, and served as the critical title-deciding stage for the 2018 World Champions.
Conditions and Progression
The competition was characterized by the challenging conditions typical of the Great Ocean Road region, including cold water, strong winds, and heavy Southern Ocean swells. As event commentator Jo Ciastula noted, one could truly feel the rich surfing heritage of the country, making Torquay a fitting stage for the finals.
The early stages of the event were plagued by a lack of wind and waves, halting the main event on Day 1. Day 3 saw only light onshore winds, making for difficult technical conditions. However, Day 4 delivered a dramatic shift for the finals. The grueling nature of the day and its cinematic conclusion were perfectly captured by the broadcast:
“We’ve been here since five o’clock in the morning. We’ve gone all the way through the day. We’ve had clouds, we’ve had rain, turning into the sun, ending up with beautiful conditions with a perfect sunset, really nice cross offshore way for the finals.”
— Jo Ciastula
After days of waiting, the relief among the competitors was palpable once the wind finally arrived. One rider expressed his thoughts on getting back into the competition:
“Stoked to finally get on the water, it’s been a lot of waiting the last few days but finally had a little bit of wind, it’s been pretty tough… stoked to have a heat, have a decent heat and get through one.”
— Keahi de Aboitiz
Standout Performances
Numerous local Australian riders joined the event, challenging the international elite. Local rider Bo Pilgrim put on a highly praised show for the spectators. Keahi de Aboitiz delivered a standout performance, scoring an 8.1 in the wave category, the highest score of the event.
Show Event Results (Spoiler Alert)
Men’s Event Results
- 1st Place: Keahi de Aboitiz
- 2nd Place: Airton Cozzolino
Women’s Event Results
- 1st Place: Jalou Langeree
- 2nd Place: Carla Herrera Oria
- 3rd Place: Johanna-Catharina Edin
- 4th Place: Jenny Milton
2018 GKA Kite-Surf World Champions
Based on the accumulated points concluding at this event, the following riders were crowned the 2018 World Champions:
- Men: Airton Cozzolino
- Women: Jalou Langeree