What is Happening in the Strapless Female Kitesurfing World?

Women Division Results

1: Jalou Langeree (NL)
2: Moona Whyte (USA)
3: Ines Correia (PT)
4: Carla Herrera Oria (ESP)

First ever competition for rider Olivia Jenkins

Olivia Jenkins made her GKA KSWT debut at this event. In fact, it was her first ever competition! However, she managed to unseat two strong competitors – Marie Gautron and Kirsty Jones – and continued her push up the elimination ladder until finally being knocked out of the running by Carla Herrera Oria. If she’d beaten her then she’d have been in for a podium finish. How epic a result would that have been in her first ever comp?

Ines Correia still fighting

At this event, Ines Correia took on all comers who might have challenged her for her third place position on this year’s tour. She took third in the single eliminations on day one and she might have taken Moona’s spot in the doubles final too had Moona not nabbed a solid wave in the dying minutes to keep her ahead on points. One thing’s clear though, Ines isn’t stopping for anyone this year and, when asked about her goals for the 2018 she replied simply – to beat Moona and Jalou!

Carla sets the standard in strapless freestyle

Carla is leading the way in women’s strapless freestyle and has been ever since she burst onto the 2017 GKA Kite-Surf World Tour with a powerful display at the Tarifa Strapless Pro. At that event, she competed against the men and was a top qualifier in the trials and then she even gave Paulino Pereira a run for his money when they met in the main event.

 

While some of the other women who’ve now joined the tour were slow to adopt the strapless freestyle discipline, Carla has been pushing it for a couple of years now and is by far and away the most accomplished in her division. At this event, it became clear to her fellow competitors that they’re going to need to step their game up in this area if they want to be competitive on the 2018 KSWT and Carla, whose wave riding is also strong, is currently leading the pack!

A brand new spot on the GKA Kite-Surf World Tour.

Next stop will be in Viana do Castelo, Portugal on the very North of Portugal.

A beautiful spot with clean flat water in the shelter of the port, with good wave and surf conditions when there’s swell.

Stay tuned and don’t forget to follow the Global Kitesports Association on Instagram and Facebook to be updated of the upcoming events and fresh news.

Published on: 10th May 2018