Jamie Overbeek tops podium in France with stunning comeback
Germany’s Alessa Mensch makes breakthrough World Cup win
Lords of Tram GKA Big Air Kite World Cup France
28 March—26 April, 2026 | Le Barcarès
The Netherlands’ Jamie Overbeek launched a stunning comeback when he dominated the final at Lords of Tram in France, while Germany’s Alessa Sophia Mensch made her big breakthrough to win her first GKA Big Air World Cup.
Overbeek repeated his 2024 victory when he closed out the final with a perfect 10 sending him a remarkable four points clear of the rest of the field in the deciding heat, fought out in freezing conditions and nuking Tramontana winds in Barcarès.
“I train in the most shitty conditions in the Netherlands: choppy waters and rainy weather— the wind goes up and down from 15 to 30 knots—with gloves and [booties],” said Overbeek, when asked to compare Barcarès to his home spot. “So, it pays off training in not-so-good conditions.”
Mensch started slowly in her first final of the Lords of Tram GKA Big Kite World Cup. But the German piled the pressure on reigning Big Air World Champion, Brazil’s Mikaili Sol, with a huge Contra-loop Frontroll that was enough to take the win.
“I’m blown away, quite literally,” said an overwhelmed Mensch. “I want to thank . . . just everybody. The crowd, you were such a vibe; holding on in the cold weather. It’s been such a pleasure to be here.”
The 2026 edition of Lords of Tram, the fourth successive year it has hosted a stop of the GKA Kite World Tour Big Air World Cup, was packed with drama and shock upsets.
The best 24 and 12 women Big Air athletes from around the world battled over two days of epic Tramontana winds that often hit more than 40 knots blowing over the lagoon at Barcarès. Lords of Tram was the first call of the GKA Big Air World Championship that will conclude in Mykonos, Greece, in June.
But reigning Big Air World Champion, Spain’s Lorenzo Casati, already has a mountain to climb if he is to retain his title after he was sent out in the quarter final in Barcarès.
Yet his exit was neither straightforward, nor free of controversy. At the end of the heat he seemed to have cruised to second place, according to the Surfr app on the watches all the athletes were wearing, which would have seen him advance comfortably to the semi-final.
But after the heat ended the judges conceded they had mis-categorised a trick of Brazil’s Josué San Ferreira, which boosted him to second place afterwards. Casati protested, claiming he had played it safe with his final trick, believing he was home safe.
Before the semi-final on day two, Casati and San Ferreira were given a chance to repeat their final trick to settle the matter. In further drama, San Ferreira was a no-show, but Casati’s effort did not better his score and he was out.
In the semi-final, San Ferreira could not repeat his giant-killing feats and finished fourth. The US’s Zac Adams was on fire and won the heat, five points clear, with Germany’s Finn Flügel squeezing through in second, just ahead of former World Champion Jeremy Burlando, of Spain.
The second semi, dubbed the “heat of death”, was stacked. Amazingly, Italy’s Andrea Principi, last year’s winner and a former World Champion, could not find his groove and finished fourth, just behind the Dutchman, Cohan van Dijk.
The younger Casati brother, Italy’s Leonardo Casati, 16, went trick for trick with Jamie Overbeek. Both booked their places in the final, but Overbeek signalled what was to come when he shut out Casati with a big close.
The final was one for the ages. Zac Adams put up a good fight, but could not repeat the heroics of his semi and finished fourth, a fraction of a point behind Leonardo Casati, who was smooth, powered and bristling with Innovation tricks.
By contrast, Finn Flügel, 16, the GKA Freestyle Kite World Champion, had a shocking start. He flew a 7m2 foil kite for the first time in a final. It did not go well. Early on, it slammed into the water, forcing a kite change. Remarkably, Flügel retained his composure and mounted an incredible comeback, but it was not enough and he finished second.
Overbeek started big, and just got bigger and bigger. He never missed a trick and showed his total mastery of the conditions. It was a stunning riposte to the Red Bull selectors who left him out of last year’s King of the Air line-up. Overbeek finished with an incredible 28.80 from 30 for his three counting tricks.
The women’s competition was just as packed with incident. The biggest early casualty was Sweden’s Nathalie Lambrecht, last year’s Red Bull Kota winner, who was out in Round 2, denting her world title hopes.
The first semi-final saw Alessa Mensch move up in second place, just ahead of Egypt’s Sarah Sadek, who had a strong competition. Slovenia’s Lana Herman eased to the final in first spot.
In the second semi former Kota winner, Britain’s Francesca, could not find her rhythm, and ended fourth, behind the Hungarian debutante, Eszter Nagy, a last-minute call-up, in third. The big guns, the Netherlands’ Zara Hoogenraad and Mikaili Sol, both advanced, separated by only 0.1 of a point.
The final saw Zara Hoogenraad and Lana Herman locked in a battle for the third podium step, but Slovenian came out just ahead. Mikaili Sol seemed to heading for another victory, but she faded just as Alessa Mensch found her feet and the German came out on top by just 0.3 of a point to take an historic win.
words: Ian MacKinnon
images: Hugo Martin
Lords of Tram GKA Big Air Kite World Cup 2026 results
Men
1 Jamie Overbeek (NED)
2 Finn Flügel (GER)
3 Leonardo Casati (ITA)
4 Zac Adams (USA)
Women
1 Alessa Mensch (GER)
2 Mikaili Sol (BRA)
3 Lana Herman (SLO)
4 Zara Hoogenraad (NED)
Spot Info: Barcarès
Wind: The Tramontana blowing northerly, or north-westerly offshore, is best. The spot is non-tidal, with flat waters and temperatures of 10-20C.
The best wind for Big Air is 25-40 knots. (On Windguru the perfect forecast is 25 knots, with gusts of 30-35 knots—with the gusts as a reference point for the true wind.)
The wind is usually 5-10 knots in excess of the forecast, especially if the air temperatures are cold.
The spot: The wind funnels in the corner of the jump zone, with result that riders can often jump three metres to five metres higher than usual.
The jump area has deep water, which makes it safer in the event of a crash.
The best seasons for the Tramontana run from March to June, and September to December. During summer, southern France’s hot weather can disrupt the pattern.
Within 500 metres the spot boasts two cable parks: a full-size Téléski Nautique and the “out and return” Sailor Wakepark. Just a kilometre away there is a full-size indoor and outdoor skatepark—Shakapark.
At the competition spot there is a bar-restaurant, The Spott, and a Duotone branded kiteschool, Surf&Kite.
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