2019 GKA Kite World Tour Champions Crowned

Monday 25th November 2019
Location: Cumbuco, Brazil
Words: Jim Gaunt
Photos: Svetlana Romantsova
Videos: Mintautas Grigas (Kite-Surf) / Oliver Umpierre (Freestyle) 

The Superkite Brazil 2019 finished on Saturday, bringing the curtain down on another incredible GKA Kite World Tour season that has seen riders compete in Freestyle ( twin-tip) and Kite-Surf (wave & strapless freestyle) disciplines across 13 action packed events.

Mikaili Sol had already done enough to seal her third world Freestyle title before the last event, but on Saturday the 15-year-old managed to overcome Bruna Kajiya, Rita Arnaus and Pippa van Iersel in the ultimate final of the season on home soil. Of course who could forget that just a week earlier she had also won her first Kite-Surf strapless freestyle event at the first time of asking in Prea?! A rare talent the Brazilian surely is.

Here’s how the final championship podiums stand at the end of the 2019 season:

2019 GKA KITE WORLD TOUR FINAL STANDINGS

MEN’S KITE-SURF

2 discards from 6 completed events

World Champion: Airton Cozzolino (CV) (Duotone, ION)
2 Mitu Monteiro (CV) (F-One, Manera)
3 James Carew (AUS) (Duotone, ION)

WOMEN’S KITE-SURF

2 discards from 6 completed events

World Champion: Carla Herrera-Oria (ESP) (Ocean Rodeo)
2 Charlotte Carpentier (FRA) (Core)
3 Johanna-Catarina-Edin (SWE) (Duotone, ION)

MEN’S FREESTYLE

3 discards from 7 completed events

World Champion: Valentin Rodriguez (COL) (Duotone, ION)
2 Adeuri Corniel (DR) (RRD)
3 Liam Whaley (ESP) (F-One, Manera)

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

2 discards from 6 completed events

World Champion: Mikaili Sol (BRA) (Duotone, ION)
2 Bruna Kajiya (BRA) (North, Mystic)
3 Pippa van Iersel (NED) (Duotone, ION)

HAILING OUR CHAMPIONS! 

So that wraps up the 2019 season. We’d like to extend our thanks and gratitude to all riders who have performed so admirably and with such a fantastic but fair competitive spirit. Also a mighty thank you to all our season sponsors and individual event hosts; without whom the world tour simply wouldn’t be possible.

Thanks also to all media organisations who have followed the tours and helped us spread the word – your help has been invaluable.

And finally to all the core and extended GKA crew, who are working together to help push kitesports further as a united family. 

The 2020 GKA Kite World Tour calendar is already looking super strong, kicking off once again in Cape Verde in February. Stay locked to the GKA website for all regular updates and more content from the team throughout the off-season.

Have a great Christmas break everyone and we’ll see you on the other side!