Formula Kite World Championship: the Singaporean kicks off with four wins in Quartu S. Elena, while Italy’s Pianosi shines. Among the women, the Dutch rider edges Nolot and Moroz
Maeder reminds everyone he is the defending champion, while Stragiotti and Pianosi battle for the role of top challenger, with Olympic silver medalist Vodisek right in the mix. Meanwhile, among the women, Jessie Kampman confirms her special connection with the Gulf of Angels, ahead of two other Poetto “VIPs,” Lauriane Nolot and Daniela Moroz. This is the essence of the opening day of racing at the Sardinia Grand Slam, the Formula Kite World Championship, which kicked off on Tuesday, September 30 in Quartu Sant’Elena (Cagliari) with the Qualifying Series.
MAEDER: “I HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE, BUT WITH THESE RIVALS IT WILL BE TOUGH”
Defending champion Maximilian Maeder wasted no time putting his stamp on the Worlds, winning all four races of the Yellow Fleet and topping the Day-1 Overall leaderboard with a net score of 3.0. In race one, Karl Maeder completed the family double. In the other heats, Olympic silver medalist Toni Vodisek took two runner-up spots, while Jan Marciniak claimed second in race 3: the Slovenian sits fourth overall (7.0), the Pole sixth (10.0). Between them is Britain’s Sam Dickinson (9.0).
“It was a really nice day!” exclaimed Maximilian Maeder, the Olympic bronze medalist who returns to Sardinia every year. “I finished first, but the races were really tight. For me it was exhilarating because my last competition was back in June, so I couldn’t wait to get back on the water. I changed some race settings compared to my last event, I trained, improved, and today I felt really good on the water. I’m full of confidence.”
Still, Maeder knows his rivals are dangerous: “Riccardo Pianosi is an incredibly strong rider – and in great form this year: it won’t be easy. Then there’s Gian Stragiotti, my training partner, who did very well today: definitely another tough competitor. And of course Toni (Vodisek), who was in my same fleet today, always chasing me and closing the gap. These are tough opponents, but not the only ones: it’s going to be fun.”
STRAGIOTTI: “GREAT CONDITIONS, WHAT A DUEL WITH PIANOSI!”
On the Overall podium after the first day of the Formula Kite Worlds in Quartu Sant’Elena, Maeder is joined by Switzerland’s Gian Stragiotti and Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi, who battled hard in the Blue Fleet. Both the European Champion (Pianosi) and the 18-year-old U21 World Champion (Stragiotti) secured two wins and a third place (4.0).
“We had a beautiful sea breeze today,” said Stragiotti, “with four races in light wind. The conditions were fantastic: warm water, bright sunshine. A really great day. I won the first two races, then in the last two I still stayed within the top five. It’s really fun to duel with the home favorite, Riccardo Pianosi: I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
The young Swiss from Zug also highlighted the weather features of the racing area in Quartu Sant’Elena: “We’re right in the middle of the Gulf and the wind seems to fill in better here, especially the mistral. Plus, we have plenty of space to set up our big kites.”
Other Italians: Flavio Marx is 22nd, Giuseppe Paolillo 25th, further back Julio and Luis Houze.
WOMEN: KAMPMAN LEADS NOLOT AND MOROZ
In the women’s fleet, Olympic Champion Ellie Aldridge opened with a win, but closed Day-1 in fourth place (14.0), behind Jessie Kampman, Lauriane Nolot, and Daniela Moroz – the last three winners of the Sardinia Grand Slam, in reverse order (2024 to 2022).
From Cagliari to Quartu Sant’Elena, the bond with the Gulf of Angels is unchanged for Kampman, despite a fall in the fourth race: “I was trying to catch up,” explained Kampman, “after crashing in a tack upwind. While recovering I crashed again and at that point I was just too far behind to come back.”
No big deal for Jessie, who ended the day with two wins and a second place (4.0), reviving the great vibes of her 2024 Sardinia Grand Slam victory. “It’s nice to come to a warm, sunny place with a big beach – it’s really a beautiful venue for racing.”
Behind Kampman is defending champion Nolot (9.0), with three third places, and a fast-improving Moroz (11.0): no coincidence, the American won her world title right here three years ago.
ORGANIZATION
Organized by GLEsport with the technical-sporting collaboration of Chia Wind Club, the Sardinia Grand Slam is held under the aegis of World Sailing (the International Sailing Federation) and IKA (the International Kiteboarding Association), as well as FIV – the Italian Sailing Federation. The event is promoted by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Department of Tourism, Crafts, and Commerce, with the contribution and patronage of the Municipality of Quartu Sant’Elena. The Sardinia Grand Slam partners are Playcar and USE.
SPORT AND ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION
In the morning, Poetto beach welcomed the students of Porcu Satta Institute of Quartu Sant’Elena, the only comprehensive school in Sardinia with a sports curriculum. “Our kids can experience the Kite Foil Worlds up close, see the athletes who are writing the history of this sport and who already made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics. We believe this is a great opportunity for them,” commented Ignazio Mulas, retired teacher and president of ASD Movimento e Salute, which collaborates with the Porcu-Satta school. “We gladly accepted the invitation from the Municipality of Quartu, and we thank the Sports Councillor Cinzia Carta and the Sardinia Grand Slam organizer, Gian Domenico Nieddu.”
The students also took part in a beach clean-up activity together with the civic environmental association Oikos. “Today we are here with the Porcu-Satta students of Quartu and we are happy to take part in this major sporting event,” said Michele Randaccio, president of Oikos. “Why are we here? Because all surfers love the sea – it’s their gym – and it should always be kept clean,” added vice president Zaira Pitzalis.
TOMORROW’S PROGRAM
On Wednesday, October 1st, the mistral breeze is expected to arrive. Though light, it promises great spectacle, with the Olympic-class kites coloring the waters off Quartu Sant’Elena. Based on tomorrow’s weather forecast, the exact start time will be decided in the coming hours, but not before 12 noon.