Overview
“I have no words actually now to explain how I feel. I just want to thank everyone here at the beach, all my sponsors, Duotone, and all the people that are supporting me now. I just have no words, and I just hope to stay in the first place and still sending it.”
These words are the voice of a young rider’s soul, squeezed out immediately after a life-or-death struggle amidst extreme pressure and unexpected accidents. The 2019 GKA Freestyle World Cup held in Cumbuco, Brazil (Superkite Brazil), was a historic event where unbelievable tragedy and miracles intersected, something that could never be fully captured by mere wins, losses, or numerical results.
Location and Conditions
The venue, Cumbuco, is world-renowned as a “mecca of freestyle” and is the home ground of four-time world champion Carlos Mario. However, this event forced the athletes into a fierce battle against nature. On the first day, the wind was extremely light and unstable, prompting an emergency rule change that slashed the interval between heats from four minutes to two minutes to allow riders to catch whatever good wind was available. This relentless, high-speed progression pushed the athletes to their physical limits. Furthermore, on the fourth day, the wind died completely, forcing the women’s semifinals to be halted and postponed to the following day.
During the event, a deeply moving official memorial service was held on the beach for the late Carlos Madsen, a beloved local rider and brother of Carlos Mario, bringing the entire kiteboarding community to tears.
Format and Competitors
The women’s division featured 15-year-old Mikaili Sol, who was on the verge of clinching the world title, alongside veterans Bruna Kajiya, Rita Arnaus, and Pippa van Iersel. In the men’s division, local hero Carlos Mario was heartbreakingly sidelined by a pre-event injury, setting the stage for 17-year-old Valentin Rodríguez, Adeuri Corniel, and Maxime Chabloz to clash for the annual crown.
The biggest surprise of the event was the entry of 11-year-old Davi Ribeiro, a local prodigy who grew up in the Cauipe lagoon. A product of the “Kite Cumbuco Juvenil” project, which donates gear to underprivileged local children to raise future champions, Davi showed no fear against the world’s top adult professionals. He landed a stunning “Hinterberger 5” and advanced to the second round, making a sensational debut.
Highlights and Showdowns
An unbelievable nightmare unfolded during the women’s final. Local surfers invaded the competition area, creating a state of lawlessness despite repeated warnings from the organizers. Just as Bruna Kajiya attempted her final trick, a surfer’s board struck her directly, causing a severe, deep laceration to her knee. Fellow competitor Mikaili Sol rushed to help, but the gruesome sight of the injury caused her to panic; she was severely shaken and retreated to the beach, culminating in a hellish scene.
In the men’s division, an extreme survival battle for the annual title unfolded. Maxime Chabloz, who was in the title race, attempted a massive trick on his last attempt in the semifinals to reach the required 8.15 points or higher but suffered a heartbreaking crash. As a result, the title race became a one-on-one battle between Valentin and Adeuri, with a simple condition: “Whoever is in a higher position out of those two is going to be crowned world champion.” Mid-heat, an unprecedented accident where a jet ski ran over a kite forced a 30-minute pause, chipping away at the riders’ mental endurance. Adeuri perfectly landed a “KGB 7” on his sixth trick attempt, scoring a staggering 9.73 to close the gap, leaving the fate of the championship resting entirely on the seventh and final attempt.
View Detailed Results and Super Final Outcome (Spoilers)
Staking everything on his final attempt, Valentin executed a “Heart Attack 7” with perfect trajectory and overwhelming power. The scoreboard flashed “9.63.” At that moment, with Adeuri’s final trick remaining (comboing out), Valentin secured the event victory and the crown of the 2019 GKA Freestyle World Champion at just 17 years old.
In defeat, Adeuri was the first to tightly embrace his best friend Valentin on the beach, offering his heartfelt congratulations:
“I am really, truly happy for Valentin.”
— Adeuri Corniel
His beautiful sportsmanship moved the entire beach. Fellow finalist Liam Whaley also praised the birth of the young champion.
“I’m so happy for Valentin. World title, 17 years old, that’s fucking amazing. Of course, I would have loved to be on that.”
— Liam Whaley
In the women’s division, 15-year-old Mikaili Sol displayed overwhelming skill to take the win, securing her third annual world championship. Despite her severe injury, Bruna Kajiya miraculously held onto second place and showed incredible tenacity by attending the awards ceremony on crutches.
Men’s Freestyle Final Results
- 1st: Valentin Rodríguez (Colombia) *2019 World Champion
- 2nd: Adeuri Corniel (Dominican Republic)
- 3rd: Liam Whaley (Spain)
- 4th: Luis Alberto Cruz (Dominican Republic)
*The top 4 spots of the event were contested among these four riders.
Women’s Freestyle Final Results
- 1st: Mikaili Sol (Brazil) *Her 3rd World Championship
- 2nd: Bruna Kajiya (Brazil)
- 3rd: Rita Arnaus (Spain)
- 4th: Pippa van Iersel (Netherlands)
Search Aliases: Superkite