“This is what we wanted to see. This is the stoke. These are the vibes. This is the emotion, the family behind it, the community. This man on my screen with champagne on his head—he is our champion!”
Overview
In September and October 2020, amidst global travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GKA hosted its first-ever fully online competition, the “GKA Distance Battle 2020.” During this unprecedented crisis, riders from all over the world gathered in a digital arena, creating an innovative platform to maintain the bonds of the kiteboarding community.
Location and Unique Format
The event did not have a single physical location. Instead, riders had a two-month window to film a “consecutive 5-minute unedited heat video” at their respective home spots and submit their best take for each round to the GKA. Because every required trick family had to be landed cleanly within a single five-minute continuous run, athletes spent weeks chasing the right conditions, with judges evaluating amplitude, travel, style, and commitment rather than sheer spin count alone.
Format and Participating Riders
The submitted heat videos were scored live by an international judging panel, and results were announced via a live broadcast connecting studio host Jo Ciastula with athletes scattered across the globe. The virtual format produced many memorable behind-the-scenes moments: Mitu Monteiro joined the live broadcast via smartphone from a moving car, Liam Whaley tuned in from his car in Tarifa just before heading out to dinner, Maxime Chabloz connected from Greece and Egypt, and Rita Arnaus joined from a lagoon in Spain.
Highlights and Epic Battles
Strapless Divisions: Champagne Showers in Brazil and a 0.04-Point Nail-Biter
In the Men’s Strapless division, Pedro Matos defeated Camille Delannoy in the final to become the inaugural online champion (while Mitu Monteiro defeated James Carew in the small final for 3rd place). The moment his victory was announced live, Pedro Matos’s family and trainer ran across the screen in Brazil, screaming and showering him with champagne.
“You can’t believe how stoked I am, man. Jesus. I feel amazing. I have no words. I want to first thank God for all the love.”
— Pedro Matos
The Women’s Strapless division featured a clash of teenage titans between 14-year-old Capucine Delannoy and 15-year-old Mikaili Sol, where Capucine Delannoy stunned the judges with a 9.75-point double front roll to claim the title. Meanwhile, France’s Charlotte Carpentier edged out 2019 World Champion Carla Herrera Oria in the small final by a razor-thin 0.04-point margin (12.97 to 12.93) by completing all four trick categories.
“I’m happy because it was like light, it was hard, but we keep trying until the last day to try to film. I was at the beach like every day waiting for the wind to pick up and yeah, it was hard this summer. But super nice, good experience, good thing because it’s pushing us to try some new things, to keep trying to compete. It’s nice.”
— Charlotte Carpentier
Twin-Tip Divisions: A De Facto Semifinal Clash and Two Weeks of Filming
The biggest highlight in the Men’s Twin-Tip division was the semifinal clash between Maxime Chabloz and Liam Whaley—a relentless exchange of extreme power moves that served as a de facto final. After advancing past Liam Whaley, Maxime Chabloz defeated “La Pantera Negra” Adeuri Corniel in the grand final to take the title, while Liam Whaley defeated Colombia’s Juan Rodriguez in the small final to secure 3rd place.
“I mean it was a fun experience, there were some ups and downs, and yeah, I’m super happy to take the win. I mean it’s pretty cool.”
— Maxime Chabloz
In Women’s Twin-Tip, Mikaili Sol—after surviving a tight semifinal against Czech rider Paula Novotná—faced Spain’s Rita Arnaus in the final. Having embarked on a road trip from Cumbuco to Tatajuba just to piece together all her tricks in a single five-minute run, Mikaili Sol stomped a 9.27 Back Mobe and a textbook KGB to claim the crown.
“Yeah, like it actually took like two weeks to do. First week I was here in Cumbuco every day trying to do it. But in the beginning I wasn’t really able to do it that well—like I made some tricks, but it was always that one trick that I wasn’t able to land, you know.”
— Mikaili Sol
Click to reveal detailed competition results (Spoilers)
- Strapless Men
1st: Pedro Matos
2nd: Camille Delannoy
3rd: Mitu Monteiro
4th: James Carew - Strapless Women
1st: Capucine Delannoy
2nd: Mikaili Sol
3rd: Charlotte Carpentier
4th: Carla Herrera Oria - Twin-Tip Men
1st: Maxime Chabloz
2nd: Adeuri Corniel
3rd: Liam Whaley
4th: Juan Rodriguez - Twin-Tip Women
1st: Mikaili Sol
2位: Rita Arnaus
3rd: Paula Novotná
4th: Pippa van Iersel
Search Aliases: 2020 GKA Distance Battle, 2020GKADistanceBattle