It was another early start on the beach of La Franqui, in Leucate as the Rider’s meeting was held at 8am, as the sun was rising and the Tramontana wind already blowing. The objective for the early morning was to complete the Qualifier League Event. Heat 5 for the Women was first in sequence. It was newcomer Mikaili Sol and Maureen Castelle that dominated the heat by landing powerful S-bend to Blinds, Back to Blinds, and Slims. Maureen showed some outstanding control by landing all of her tricks perfectly. The new young talent Mika, of just 12 years of age, showed talent and skill beyond her years and secured a spot in the next round. For the second heat of the day, Annelous Lammerts from the Netherlands showed a great comeback after a disappointing first round. She stomped some impressive tricks such as a Blind Judge, 313, and S-bend to Blind. Rita Arnaus from Spain also put on a good performance, which showed her Elite League experience. Julia Castro also from Spain landed a very powerful 313, though it was not enough to get her through to the next round. After a short pause, Men’s Qualifier Heat 23 was run, …
Qualifier League Event
World Kiteboarding League – Leucate – Day Two
Day Two in La Franqui commenced with strong winds, as predicted. After an early 7.30 am skipper’s meeting for the Qualifier League Event, the heats got underway immediately. The conditions remained tough, with the wind averaging 35 knots. Riders were on 5 to 6 metre kites during the morning and larger sizes during the afternoon. There were many crashes throughout the day as riders were struggling to successfully land their tricks. As the heats progressed the athletes started to take more risks, as they had to work harder to push their way into the top 9 which would guarantee them a spot in the Elite League. Former World Champion Aaron Hadlow from the UK put on a strong performance showing his experience in competing here in La Franqui. His consistent riding has now guaranteed a spot for him in the Elite League. Oswald Smith from South Africa proved that gusty and challenging conditions were not an issue for him and rode exceptionally well, with Leucate showing many similarities with the conditions he trains in at his South African home spots. Luis Alberto Cruz landed the highest scoring trick of the day, a 317 scoring him 7.73 and allowing him one …
