Event Overview
The 2018 World Kiteboarding Championships (WKC) Dakhla was a premier professional freestyle kiteboarding competition held from November 3 to 6, 2018, in Dakhla, Morocco. Hosted at the Dakhla Spirit Camp lagoon where the yellow sands of the Sahara Desert meet crystal-clear waters, the event utilized Dakhla’s renowned consistent wind and flat water conditions. The competition saw challenging conditions with strong winds and tidal shifts from the first day, but it served as an ideal venue for elite riders who favor strong winds.
Men’s Freestyle
In the Men’s Freestyle division, Brazilian rider Carlos Mario demonstrated overwhelming riding skills despite a nagging arm injury, captivating the audience by landing a Backside 319 late in a fiercely contested heat. Adeuri Corniel of the Dominican Republic and Brazil’s Set Teixeira, who was also battling arm pain, executed highly polished tricks to create an intense battle for the top spots. Additionally, Switzerland’s Maxime Chabloz made a strong impression by scoring a high 9.43 with a Slim 7 in the semi-finals. Former world champion Alex Pastor was unfortunately forced to withdraw from the competition after sustaining a knee injury from a hard landing.
Women’s Freestyle
In the Women’s Freestyle division, 14-year-old Mikaili Sol of Brazil delivered an exceptional performance, making kiteboarding history by scoring the first-ever perfect 10.00 in the women’s division. Competitors like Italy’s Francesca Bagnoli and the Czech Republic’s Paula Novotná responded with extremely high-level riding, resulting in a historic and thrilling contest. The Dakhla tour stop was a critical event for the 2018 WKC season, heavily influencing the final world championship rankings.
Notable Incidents
Former world champion Youri Zoon arrived in Dakhla after a 48-hour journey following an event in Japan. While waiting for his heat, he brought great energy to the event by participating as a guest commentator and interviewer on the live stream during wind holds. Local rider Jerome Cloethen, who thrives in strong wind conditions, enjoyed riding in the challenging environment and praised Dakhla as undoubtedly one of the best spots in the world.
“At the moment we are in Dakhla and it’s amazing that we just need a lagoon, flat water and wind and we are all happy. I really love traveling with the World Kiteboarding Championships because we think we are one family…”
— Francesca Bagnoli
“I actually like it when the wind is strong. So for me these conditions are one of my favorite kind of conditions… I really love this spot. It’s one of the best spots in the world by far.”
— Jerome Cloethen
“I don’t know, I wasn’t riding my best today and the conditions and the other girls did such a good job like amazing it was truly amazing.”
— Mikaili Sol
Event Results
Show Competition Results (Spoilers)
Men’s Freestyle
- 1st: Carlos Mario (Brazil)
- 2nd: Adeuri Corniel (Dominican Republic)
- 3rd: Set Teixeira (Brazil)
Women’s Freestyle
- 1st: Mikaili Sol (Brazil)
- 2nd: Francesca Bagnoli (Italy)
- 3rd: Paula Novotná (Czech Republic)