The great sail lives in Cagliari, whether Sardinia‘s capital is hosting the Luna Rossa crew in view of America’s Cup or welcoming the stars of the Formula Kite, a discipline warming up to debut at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Sardinia will host the highest Formula Kite World Championships for the second year in a row, moving from Torregrande (Oristano) to Poetto beach (Cagliari): two seaside locations distant only a hundred kilometers and united by the passion for great sailing.
After hosting the queen stage of the KiteFoil World Series last autumn, Cagliari gives encore with the Sardinia Grand Slam (October 8th-16th) assigning the World Championships titles in the Olympic Class. Welcoming 150 athletes (92 men and 58 women) from 44 countries and 6 continents, the event is organized by GLEsport with the financial contribution of the Tourism Department of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Municipality of Cagliari.
The Formula Kite World Championships are held under the aegis of World Sailing (the International Sailing Federation) and IKA (the International Kiteboarding Federation), in addition to the FIV – Italy’s Sailing Federation and CKWI, the Kiteboarding and Wingsport Italia Class and with the collaboration of the Chia Wind Club.
In the traditional press conference on the eve of Monday 10 October, held at the Sardinia Grand Slam Village, at the sixth stop of Poetto, the President of the organizing committee Gian Domenico Nieddu and IKA’a number one Mirco Babini introduces the event, in the presence of Mauro Contini from Department for Sports of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia; Alessandro Guarracino, Councilor for Technological Innovation, Environment and Sea Policies of the Municipality of Cagliari; Fioremma Landucci, Councilor for Sports at the Municipality of Cagliari.
DE RAMECOURT AND MOROZ TO DEFEND THE TITLES
The defending champion Théo de Ramecourt will try to defend the 2021 title in Cagliari from the attack of several rivals, starting from his friends from the strong French team. Second-placed in Oristano’s World Championships and a brilliant protagonist and winner of the Sardinia Grand Slam 2021, Axel Mazella stands among them. Cyprus’ Denis Taradin, leader of the KiteFoil World Series, and Slovenian Tony Vodisek, new European champion, are other two serious prospects for success, as well as the English team and Singapore’s Maximilian Maeder, actually one of the fastest athletes in the World.
2021 Worlds and 2022 European championships bronze medallist Riccardo Pianosi, leader of the World ranking, doesn’t hide his ambitions, as well as German Florian Gruber and Lorenzo Boschetti, second and third respectively.
Five times World champion and star of Sardinia Grand Slam in past editions, US’ Daniela Moroz will try to hold the title among Women. British Ellie Aldridge and French Lauriane Nolot, silver and bronze at the 2021 World Cup, are supposed to be her main rivals. Gisela Pulido Borrell will also fly over the waters of Cagliari: the Spaniard leads the seasonal ranking ahead of Nolot, the new European champion and winner of the Sardinia Grand Slam 2021, and Moroz.
The athletes reached Cagliari with their entourage since the early days of October, for a total of 6,000 estimated presences in two weeks.
LIVE STREAMING FROM FRIDAY TO SUNDAY
The images of the Formula Kite World Championships will be streamed live on the Facebook and Youtube platforms of the event and of IKA, the international kiteboarding association, from Friday, October 14th to Sunday, October 16th. The regattas will start at 12.00 pm CET, except for schedule modifications due to weather conditions. The event will reach over 140 countries around the World, with dedicated services and focuses. Highlights at the end of the day are also scheduled. The event will be broadcasted on Sardinia Grand Slam and IKA Facebook and Youtube platforms.
WEATHER FORECAST: REGATTAS STARTS AT 12.00 PM CET
Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 11th, in Cagliari expected an air temperature of 22°C, whilst the winds will rise in intensity at 12.00 pm CET, the scheduled start time for the regattas.