Overview
“Little did we know the Cape Verde event was going to be the last event for a while due to the worldwide pandemic.”
From February 29 to March 6, 2020, the season opener of the GKA Kite-Surf World Cup was held on Sal Island, Cape Verde. Initially kicking off as a regular 2020 season opener, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic struck immediately afterward, making this the only live Kite-Surf competition held for a year and a half—and a pivotal event whose points were later carried over into the 2021 World Championship standings.
Location and Conditions
The event was originally scheduled to take place at Ponta Preta, known for its world-class right-handers. However, due to a lack of swell energy leaving the point flat, the venue was moved to Kite Beach on the eastern side of the island. Kite Beach is primarily a freestyle spot characterized by Cross Onshore winds and mushy, crumbling waves. The conditions were so tricky that commentators described the water as a “washing machine,” demanding extreme adaptability from the riders.
Format and Participating Riders
Despite the move to a freestyle-oriented beach break, organizers maintained the original event format and strictly applied a “100% Waves” judging criteria. Aerial tricks were not scored; only pure wave-riding technique counted. Riders could catch up to 15 waves per heat, with only their top two wave scores deciding the outcome.
The Men’s division featured top athletes like James Carew, Matchu Lopes, Airton Cozzolino, and Pedro Matos. They were joined by a diverse lineup including Reunion Island talent Charly Martin (who celebrated his 15th birthday during the event), Bulgarian rider Nicola Abadjiev, and Italian waterman Francesco Cappuzzo, who had previously secured fourth place at Ponta Preta.
Highlights and Epic Battles
Despite the grueling conditions, the world’s best riders delivered unforgettable performances. Early on, Brazil’s Pedro Matos unleashed his pure surf style, thrilling spectators by consistently dropping vertical turns in the power sections to score in the 7-point range. Airton Cozzolino also stamped his authority on the event by pulling off one of the biggest 360 maneuvers in the waves.
After Reece Myerscough was forced to withdraw from the quarterfinals due to illness—handing James Carew a walkover into the final four—the first semifinal saw James Carew defeat Duotone teammate Pedro Matos. The second semifinal delivered a dream local rivalry between Cape Verdeans Matchu Lopes and Airton Cozzolino. Returning from injury and eager to prove his full power, Matchu Lopes went head-to-head with reigning champion Airton Cozzolino in a fiercely contested heat, taking the win to the delight of the local crowd.
Click to reveal detailed competition results (Spoilers)
In the men’s small final, Airton Cozzolino linked critical turns from the outside sets to edge out Pedro Matos for 3rd place.
The Men’s Grand Final brought together James Carew—hunting for his maiden tour win—and Matchu Lopes in front of his home crowd. While Matchu Lopes used his intimate local knowledge and smooth flow to take the early lead, James Carew came alive on his fifth and sixth waves, dropping back-to-back 7-point rides to overtake Matchu Lopes and claim the first GKA World Cup victory of his career.
In the women’s division, 2019 World Champion Carla Herrera Oria defeated 14-year-old Mikaili Sol in the small final for 3rd place, while Portugal’s Ines Correia—who calls Sal her second home—overpowered Australia’s Peri Roberts in the final to defend her crown as the Queen of Cape Verde.
- Men’s Division
1st: James Carew
2nd: Matchu Lopes
3rd: Airton Cozzolino
4th: Pedro Matos - Women’s Division
1st: Ines Correia
2nd: Peri Roberts
3rd: Carla Herrera Oria
4th: Mikaili Sol
Search Aliases: 2020 GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Cape Verde, 2020GKAKite-SurfWorldCupCapeVerde