World titles to be decided at tour’s closing stop in Taíba lagoon’s idyllic Freestyle conditions
GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup Taíba 2025
12-15 November, 2025 | Taíba
The second and final call of the GKA Freestyle season is set to play out in the sumptuous conditions of Brazil’s Taíba lagoon, where the 2025 world champions will be crowned.
The world championship titles are in the balance after the opening stop in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, several weeks ago, ended inconclusively when the wind declined to play ball for the freestylers.
That effectively makes the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup Taíba 2025 a one-stop world championship for the 2025 titles, leaving no margin for slip-ups from leading contenders, who are all in Brazil.
The women’s ranking in Brazil is dictated by the fact that in Abu Dhabi they managed to complete only one round, the semi-finals, before the wind went absent for the close of the competition.
The four finalists, Brazil’s Bruna Kajiya, Spain’s Claudia León, Italy’s Francesca Bagnoli and Poland’s Martyna Konkel, were awarded joint first places and sit equal in the rankings as result.
Reigning world champion Kajiya looked at the top of her game, even in the difficult conditions, and will be tough to beat on home waters. But León, fully-fit after her ACL injury, won the heat with the Brazilian and is hungry for the win and the title.
Bagnoli also looked strong and fluent in her brief outing in Abu Dhabi, with Konkel also ready for the fight after she, too, returned from in injury sustained in a Big Air event 18 months ago.
With the men unable to get on the water in Abu Dhabi, it all comes down to Brazil. Current world champion, Switzerland’s Maxime Chabloz, is eager to retain his crown.
But the final event winner of last year, Germany’s Finn Flügel, is still only 16 and has been training hard, dreaming of his first world title. Former world champion, Arthur Guillebert, finished last season second on the podium and is still a potent force.
It would be foolish to rule out a clutch of other athletes—Karim Mahmoud (EGY), Val Garat (FRA), Matteo Dorotini (ITA), Leo Verrecchia (AUS), Gainmaria Coccoluto (ITA)—as all are capable of getting the win on their day. The up-and-coming Davi Ribeiro is another big threat.
words: Ian MacKinnon
images: Svetlana Romantsova
Event information
- Location: Taíba, Brazil
- Dates: 12-15 November
- All event information here.
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