SOTAVENTO MEMENTO:
SIX DAYS FOREVER MARKED IN THE MEMORY BANKS
Wednesday 25th July 2018, Sotavento, Fuerteventura
Report: Jim Gaunt / Photos: Tom Brendt / Tillmanns Team
The 2018 GKA Kite-Surf World Tour 2018 round 5 at Sotavento in Fuerteventura has been truly memorable. Big winds every day have thrown up some mind blowing action, including a new hang-time world record for Airton Cozzolino yesterday, on top of his hat-trick of wins here in Sotavento and a fourth event victory of the season. New moves have also been stomped and 19 year-old James Carew from Australia fulfilled his growing potential by claiming his first victory in the second discipline, the Big Air contest.
So as the Kite-Surf World Tour leaves, the windsurfers arrive for another 11 days at the Fuerteventura Windsurfing & Kitesurfing World Cup – which has now been run by Rene Egli for 33 consecutive years. The forecast for them looks equally epic for their slalom and freestyle events!
GKA KITE-SURF WORLD TOUR ROUND 5 HIGHLIGHTS:
The contest kicked-off on Saturday with a dingle format. Read the picture report here and check the video below.
Airton put an a freak show of talent to win the main event. Read the picture report here and check the video below.
Aussie James Carew snagged his first win in the big air comp on Monday, but Airton stole the headlines with a new strapless hang-time World Record of 14.5 seconds (and almost nailed a 20 second boost!) Read the picture report here and check the videos below.
And if you’ve not seen enough video of Airton yet – click here to find out what his opponents and judges think of him and hear more from the man himself.
So we congratulate all the riders for a fantastic week of performance and brave action and look forward to seeing them again at round six of the Kite-Surf World Tour at Prea in Brazil in November, before the World Championship climax in December in Australia. Find the 2018 season rankings here.
Up next for the GKA it’s the Kiteboarding World Tour Air Games at Fehmarn in Germany, from 24 – 28th August.
Below is one more gallery from the final Expression Session today where the riders let loose after an intense week of competition!
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