Check here the report from the first day of competition in Cape Verde. MONDAY MADNESS: PONTA PRETA PACKS A PUNCH ON DAY ONE! Words: Matt Pearce / Photos: Ydwer van der Heide 52 competitors, 39 men and 13 women, registered for the GKA Kite-Surf Cabo Verde yesterday in front of the legendary wave at Ponta Preta. They couldn’t have asked for a better opening day to the season. Ponta Preta had been firing almost non-stop throughout February and the run of epic conditions has carried over into this week with clean sets building up to double overhead and beyond. Presented with sizeable sets at yesterday morning’s registration, the riders were amped and day one would see them progress deep into round three in the men’s single eliminations. Head to the event’s live page here for all updates and heat ladders! From the hometown heroes like Mitu, Airton and Matchu to local up-and-comers like Titik Lopes and Riccado Bettencourt, their ability to launch vertical assaults on the lip and navigate the changing faces of Ponta Preta set them apart. The fact that they could do that in largely offshore winds is even crazier, but that’s what happens when you grow up …