Overview
The 2019 GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Sylt was a historic event, marking the first time a GKA Kite-Surf competition was held on the island of Sylt, Germany, which represents one of the largest kiteboarding markets in Europe.
Location and Conditions
In a stark contrast to typical North Sea weather, the event kicked off with unusually fantastic weather, clear skies, and a promising forecast for swell and wind. Competitors were blessed with good side-onshore winds and swell over three action-packed days.
Format and Competitors
The competition utilized a “mixed format” that combined wave riding with strapless freestyle tricks, where strapless freestyle accounted for 60% of the judging criteria.
The entry list set the stage for an unpredictable contest. In the women’s division, the top three riders at the time—Jalou Langeree, Moona Whyte, and Johanna-Catharina Edin—were notably absent. This created a golden opportunity for competitors like Charlotte Carpentier and Carla Herrera Oria to significantly boost their world rankings. The men’s division also faced a shake-up, as heavy favorite Matchu Lopes was sidelined with a shoulder injury, and world No. 6 Sebastian Ribeiro was also absent, leaving the field wide open.
Highlights and Showdowns
The double elimination rounds were an endurance test, running continuously from the previous day until dark. By the end of the second day, the intense schedule saw the fleet narrowed down to the top eight riders for both divisions.
In the women’s division, Carla Herrera Oria completely dominated the field. Seamlessly blending solid toeside rides with highly technical tricks, she conquered the single elimination, the double elimination, and the super session. In the men’s division, Airton Cozzolino asserted his dominance as the reigning champion, taking victories in both the single and double eliminations.
As soon as the grueling battles in Sylt concluded, the athletes faced an immediate and exhausting logistical challenge, with only one day to travel to the opposite end of Europe for the next event in Tarifa, Spain.
Show Detailed Event Results (Spoiler Alert)
Men’s Kite-Surf (Strapless) Division
- 1st: Airton Cozzolino (Cape Verde)
- 2nd: James Carew (Australia)
- 3rd: Mitu Monteiro (Cape Verde)
- 4th: Simon Joosten (Barbados)
- 5th: Jan Marcos Riveras (Dominican Republic)
Women’s Kite-Surf (Strapless) Division
- 1st: Carla Herrera Oria (Spain)
- 2nd: Charlotte Carpentier (France)
- 3rd: Susanne Schwarztrauber (Germany)
- 4th: Peri Roberts (Australia)
- 5th: Capucine Delannoy (France)
Strapless Freestyle Super Session Men
- 1st: Airton Cozzolino
- 2nd: Simon Joosten
- 3rd: Paulino Pereira
Strapless Freestyle Super Session Women
- 1st: Carla Herrera Oria
- 2nd: Charlotte Carpentier
- 3rd: Susanne Schwarztrauber