by Press | Oct 8, 2021 | News Eng
The French champion takes the Overall lead after the day 2 of IKA KiteFoil World Series’ round 3 in Cagliari (Italy). Russian Taradin also did a good job, going up to the second position ahead of yesterday’s leader Bainbridge. Calbucci (8th) is the best Italian, Newland “queen” among Women
After “warming-up” in the opening day, Axel Mazella showed all his pure talent in Golfo degli Angeli‘s waters on Friday, October 8th. The Frenchman dominated the second racing day, going up to take the overall lead at Sardinia Grand Slam, IKA KiteFoil World Series‘ round 3, taking place in Cagliari, Italy (October 6-10).
Winner of Sardinia Grand Slam in 2019, Mazella claimed wins in three out of five regattas. Behind the World Series’ leader, Russian Denis Taradin climbed the ranking after the demanding opening day, whilst Brit Connor Bainbridge went down to third position overall, after topping the Sardinia Grand Slam’s Day 1.
In Golfo degli Angeli’s waters, the wind breeze came up a little bit late, but then the race was spectacular. Third-placed in the opening race, Axel Mazella took advantage of his favorite wind conditions (13-17 nodes) to win seventh and eighth runs with a large advantage on his closest rivals, going up to Overall ranking first position. The KiteFoil World Series’ leader acted then a thrilling head-to-head with Russia’s Denis Taradin in the last two races of the day, ended with a victory each.
“After the first race, I decided to go first on the right side of the course and it paid a lot. Race after race I did the same thing, with great results, and the other guys tried to act the same tactics. The last races were really tight with Taradin” Mazella commented.
Russia’s Denis Taradin gave life to a real crescendo, climbing position race by race, from the fourth one in Race 6 up to his first success in KiteFoil World Series’ round 3, in Race 9. A further runner-up spot put him in Overall ranking’s second position.
Connor Bainbridge’s day 2 started with a ninth position before going back to usual performances, awarded by a runner-up spot and a continuous presence in the Top 5.
Italy’s Lorenzo Boschetti took an astonishing third position in Race 9, ahead of his countryman Riccardo Pianosi. Eight overall, Mario Calbucci is the best-ranked Italian athlete in Sardinia Grand Slam’s ranking after Day 2. “I knew I could be strong in this wind conditions, even if I couldn’t predict to take the third spot. I’ve also taken the provisional lead in Race 10, before making some mistakes. Anyway, I had a good feeling and I’m pretty happy to compete with World’s greatest champions”, commented Boschetti.
French Poema Newland re-affirmed leader among Women after the second racing day, ahead of countrywomen Lauriane Nolot and Jessie Kampman.
“I felt really good today, with 15 nodes it was good racing. For me, it was a tactical, funny and interesting race because the wind was shifting a lot. A message for Poema? We are close and I’m pushing hard” said Lauriane Nolot, overall runner-up but strongest performer among Women in Day 2.
Tomorrow, Saturday, October 9th, the penultimate racing day at the Poetto will start at 12:00 am. A delegation from Team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, runner-up in the latest America’s Cup, will be the special guest of the day. The event will be broadcasted in live streaming on IKA and Sardinia Grand Slam’s Facebook platforms.
by Press | Oct 7, 2021 | News Eng
The British celebrated as best he couldn’t, topping the classification after the Day1 of KiteFoil World Series’ round 3 in Cagliari. Bainbridge preceded French De Ramecourt, Mazella and Gomez. Poema Newland leader of the Women classification
Connor Bainbridge is too strong for French rivals in the Sardinia Grand Slam opener. That’s what the opening day of IKA KiteFoil World Series‘ round 3 in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy) clearly said in the dramatic and highly winded scenery of Golfo degli Angeli. However, the exciting battle will still be long and all the top riders can’t wait for playing their cards again in Day-2.
Winner of two out of the five scheduled races, Bainbridge – turning 28 today, Friday, October 7th – left behind him the strong French rivals, wrapping a dream-like debut at the Poetto beach in Sardinia’s capital city. Three Frenchmen placed from second to the fourth position: the defending champion Axel Mazella, Theo De Ramecourt and Benoit Gomez, winner of the fifth, fourth and second race respectively.
The racing day at the Poetto was marked by strong wind conditions that made the races really demanding for all the competitors. Bainbridge was particularly able to tame the tough conditions, clinching the victories and placing second, third and fifth in the other three regattas.
“I’m super happy with how I did, with only one mistake in the race fourth. I’ve never particularly been strong in high winds, but actually, I’m pushing hard and all the training I did is paying off. I think in the rest of the week there will be completely different conditions, I’ll do my best and we’ll see where we end up” Bainbridge commented.
Runner-up Mazella didn’t lose his high motivation: “It was hard to find a good wind, because it was shifty and super gusty. It will be a great battle until Sunday and I think me and the other guys are all at the same point to win“.
“It was really tough, the wind was really bumpy and gusty. It was really funny, ’cause everybody is in a good mood, we had a lot of fun with the top guys” third-placed Theo De Ramecourt said.
Russian Denis Taradin was fifth in the opening day, ahead of German Florian Gruber and the best-ranked Italian Marco Calbucci, protagonist of a consistent race. German Maus, Mauritius’ De Falbaire and Croatian Dolenc rounded out the Top 10.
France is the queen also in the Women’s ranking, thanks to one of the most awaited athletes, Poema Newland. winner of Day-1 ahead of her countrywomen Jessie Kampman e Lauriane Nolot.
“I took the first two starts thirty seconds or maybe one minute after everyone. After that, I just tried to finish without crashes because the race was really strong and challenging. Anyway, I love this place and I’m enjoying every race”, Poema Newland stated.
Tomorrow, Friday, October 8th, the second racing day at the Poetto will start at 12:00 am. The event will be broadcasted in live streaming on IKA and Sardinia Grand Slam’s Facebook platforms.
by Press | Oct 6, 2021 | News Eng
The main international kiteboarding event takes up the baton from the Youth Volleyball World Cup, giving Sardinia’s capital another week of great sport, from 6 to 10 October at the 6th Poetto stop and in live streaming on Saturday and Sunday on the Facebook and Youtube channels of the event and IKA. Numerous collateral initiatives for the protection of the sea will be hosted by SGS village
The great wait is over. Two years after the latest edition (2019), Cagliari is ready to host the KiteFoil World Series with the Sardinia Grand Slam, organized by GLESport in collaboration with the Chia Wind Club and with the technical support of the Yacht Club Cagliari, under the aegis of World Sailing and IKA, the International Kiteboarding Association, from October 6th to 10th.
In the traditional eve’s press conference, held at the Sardinia Grand Slam Village at the Poetto beach on Wednesday, October 6th, the OC President Gian Domenico Nieddu and the President of IKA Mirco Babini presented the event, in the presence of the Councilor for Tourism, Crafts and Commerce of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia Giovanni Chessa, the Councilor for Productive activities, Tourism and Promotion of the territory of the Municipality of Cagliari Alessandro Sorgia, the Councilor for Technological Innovation, Environment and Sea Policies of the Cagliari Municipality Alessandro Guarracino, and the regional president of CONI (Italian National Olympic Committe), Bruno Perra.
The Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Municipality of Cagliari are the sponsoring bodies of this renowned international event, picking the baton from the U21 Volleyball World Championships that excited Cagliari’s crowd in the latest weeks, with the icing on the cake of the Italian national team’s triumph. The Kitefoil World Series is the World Cup of sailing discipline made up of speed and tactics, rapidly growing in the world panorama: it has been included among the Olympic disciplines starting from the Paris 2024 OG.
AXEL MAZELLA STAR OF THE EVENT
The French Axel Mazella, turning 24 next December, is the current leader of the IKA KiteFoil World Series 2021, thanks to the second position held in Gizzeria (Italy) last July and the success in Traunsee (Austria) on September 19th. The defending champion, multiple winner in Sardinia in the past years, Mazella leads the ranking with 597 points, six more than Denis Taradin (591), athlete coming from Russia, winner of the season’s premiere in Gizzeria and fourt placed in Traunsee. After grazing the podium in the opening race, Frenchman Theo De Ramecourt was runner-up in Austria: actually he’s only 9 points behind Mazella.
Runner-up in Gizzeria and third placed in Traunsee, Poema Newland is the best woman in the ranking with 447 points after two rounds. Winner of Austria’s stage, Lauriane Nolot (378) is ranked second, ahead of Italian Sofia Tomasoni (363) and Tiana Laporte (321). Valeria Garashchenko also stands among the most awaited athletes.
LIVE STREAMING ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9th-10th
The images of the Sardinia Grand Slam 2021 will be broadcasted in live streaming on Facebook and Youtube official channels both of the event and IKA (the international kiteboarding association), on Saturday-Sunday, October 9th-10th. The event will reach over 140 countries around the world, with dedicated services and specials. Highlights at the end of the day are scheduled for Thursday-Friday, October 7th-8th, on Facebook and Youtube official channels of Sardinia Grand Slam and IKA.
GIVE SEA A CHANCE: A CALL FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE SEA
The sea will be the protagonist at 360 degrees at the Sardinia Grand Slam. With the “Give SEA a chance” project, the organizers of the Cagliari sailing event embrace the work of raising awareness on the issue of protecting the sea, a global alarm to which no one can remain indifferent. “Give SEA a chance” emphasizes the emergency of the pollution of the seas and in particular that caused by plastic that is destroying marine ecosystems, killing animals and poisoning the waters. Cagliari will be a pole of interest for activities studied to develop a greater collective awareness of the importance of this theme, in a village divided in thematic areas (info and program www.sardiniagrandslam.com).
Standing out in the Give SEA a chance schedule, there are the social inclusion activities with the guys of the Foundation “House of Peter Pan” and “ASD SaSpo” followed by national federal kitesurf technicians, Luca Marcis and Mirco Babini, to live a unique experience of encounter with the sea that is synonymous of freedom against every barrier. The Give SEA a chance area will also host the exhibition of Dolphins, held in regenerated plastic in collaboration with Nhood – Gallerie Sardegna, curator of the Sardinia’s premiere of Cracking Art travelling exhibition, mixing art and sustainability. The initiative of beach cleaning of the beaches, to be held on October 9th, is organized by MEDSEA and promoted by the athletic champion Sofia Bonicalza, supporting “Plastic Hunt”. the international initiative of Clean Up created to raise awareness of the need to keep the sea clean and healthy.
Cagliari’s WWF local voluteers (with their invite “together possible” to tackle the new environmental challenges) and Legambiente local associated (constantly at the forefront of monitoring the sea and the coasts) will also play a key role in the event, as well as Villiasimus – Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area, the CRAMA (Center for the Recovery of Marine Animals in Asinara), the Punti di vista (Points of view) association, the educator Stefania Melis “Magic Stefy” and the writer Daniele Mocci.
THE SARDINIA GRAND SLAM SCHEDULE
Day 0 – Wednesday, October 6th
11:00 am – Press Conference at the Sardinia Grand Slam Village, entrance Chiosco “Il Nilo”, Poetto Beach, 6th stop – Cagliari
3:00 pm / 6:00 pm – Riders Registrations
06:30 pm – Opening ceremony in Cagliari – 6th stop Poetto Beach
8:00 pm – Welcome buffet for Riders and Officials
Day 1 – Thursday, October 7th
10:00 am – Races
Day 2 – Friday, October 8th
10:00 am – Races
Day 3 – Saturday, October 9th
10:00 am – Races
Day 4 – Sunday, October 10th
10:00 am – Races
4:00 pm – Prize giving and Closing Ceremony
QUOTES:
Giovanni Chessa (Councilor for Tourism and Commerce of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia): “Sardinia is the island of sport, a point at the center of the world where we were able to seize numerous opportunities in spite of the pandemic. Now we are looking for solution to extend tourism before the summer: this year we hosted 20 world events scheduled“.
Alessandro Sorgia (Councilor for Productive Activities, Tourism and Promotion of the territory of the Cagliari Municipality): “The Sardinia Grand Slam makes these athletes testimonials of our region and our city, and that they can return here for the holidays, together with friends and acquaintances. CONI also had a great deal of attention for sport on our island and in our city”.
Alessandro Guarracino (Councilor for Technological Innovation, Environment and Sea Policies of the Cagliari Municipality): “We are excited to give our contribution to the Sardinia Grand Slam, both for the sporting and the collateral aspects, the environmental one above all. Sailing sports can be a promotional vehicle of fundamental importance for the protection of the sea”.
Bruno Perra (President of CONI Sardinia): “Sardinia is hosting international events of the highest level: people from all over the world arrive here to enjoy splendid scenarios like this one. Italian sport is experiencing one of the best moments in its history and we are convinced that the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 will go even better“.
Mirco Babini (President of IKA): “For the tenth year in a row Poetto hosts international regattas: Cagliari has a historical vocation in the world of kite. It was natural to aim for reaching an international dimension: the future is represented by an academy of the discipline. In Cagliari, we scheduled 6 races a day and then the finals on Sunday: the KiteFoil has become a sport with a capital S”.
Gian Domenico Nieddu (President of the Organizing Committee): “Besides being a top-level competition, the Sardinia Grand Slam also wants to focus on the protection and safeguarding of the sea. Thanks to the invaluable help of my collaborator Milena Spada, we were able to field a series of initiatives that aim to develop a greater collective awareness of the importance of this issue”.
by Press | Oct 1, 2021 | News Eng
The 23-year-old French rider is ready to defend his KiteFoil World Series’ leadership at Sardinia Grand Slam (October 6th-10th). The eve’s Press Conference will be held at the Poetto beach in Cagliari on Wednesday, October 6th, at 11.00 am CET
“I can’t wait to be at the Poetto. I know it will be a tight race, but I’m super excited: Cagliari, I’m coming”. Axel Mazella, 23, leader of KiteFoil World Series Men’s Standing, is getting ready to defend his first position from the attack of the rivals at the Sardinia Grand Slam, IKA KiteFoil World Series’ round-3, to be hosted by the Golfo degli Angeli‘s waters and 6th stop of the Poetto, iconic beach of Sardinia’s capital, on October 6th-10th. The international event is organized by GLEsport in collaboration with the Chia Wind Club and the support of the Yacht Club Cagliari, under the aegis of World Sailing and IKA–International Kiteboarding Association.
Runner-up in World Series’ opening round in Gizzeria last July, Mazella is back from great results in September: the European title in Montpellier and the success in World Series’ round-2 in Traunsee. All these results surround Mazella with high expectations in Cagliari. “I’m pretty happy about the success at the European Championships and my leadership in IKA KiteFoil World Series’ ranking. Cagliari is a really nice place for racing: I’ve been there already four times in my life and I’ve always enjoyed this place. I’m super excited about the competition with the other guys and I hope we’re gonna have some good win“.
Apparently, in his full maturity, Mazella looks for further improvements in every race and every training. “You always have something better to do, you can always push the limit more and more. If you stay in this kind of mind, you can go forward and forward. That’s my goal and even if I’m already super high in my maturation, I hope I can go even forward“. Axel, turning 24 next December, showed his talent in several places, but he feels home when he races in Sardinia. This special feeling blossomed at the 2015 Kite Foil Junior World Championships, before strengthening at Sardinia Grand Slam in 2017 and 2019. “I know this place really well about offshore: tricky, windy and super-gusty. I know what we can have over there and I’m preparing myself for this. It’s a special place for me for sure because I’ve been crowned winner of the KiteFoil World Series in 2019 and also in 2017. I can say I’ve good memories over there and I’m pretty sure that I can have further good memories in the next years”.
Of course, Mazella’s rivals won’t be in Cagliari in the guise of spectators. The French talent knows it well and points who are going to be his main opponents: “We just came back from Austria where I fought a lot with a Theo De Ramecourt, a French friend and a big competitor. Benoit Gomez is also super strong, as well as Denis Taradin who won the first stop in Gizzeria, in Italy. We’re gonna have for sure a tight race“. After two rounds, Mazella leads the 2021 KiteFoil World Series Men’s Standing with 597 points, with a 6-point advantage on Russian Denis Taradin (591) and 9 on Theo De Ramecourt (588). Connor Bainbridge (576) and Martin Dolenc (561) round up the Top 5.
Waiting for landing in Sardinia, Axel tell his three words that perfectly describe the Golfo degli Angeli and the Poetto beach: “The first one is ‘wild’, cause it can be super strong, super gusty and wavy, and when the offshore mistral wind is coming it can be really wild. We already race there with small kite with 35-40 nodes and it was really tricky, The second adjective is ‘sunny’: every time I’ve been there, it was always sunny. We always had good temperature and some wind, I don’t remember any day with clouds or rain. When I think about this place, it is always sunny. Finally, ‘happiness’: as I said, I won my first World championships in 2015 when I was eighteen years old, and every time I come there, I performed really well and I keep only good memories”.
Waiting for the champions to ride the waves, the eve’s Press Conference of the Sardinia Grand Slam will be held at Sardinia Grand Slam Village (with entrance from Chiosco Il Nilo), 6th stop of the Poetto beach, on Wednesday, October 6th, at 11:00 am CET.
by Press | Sep 15, 2021 | News Eng
Sardinia landmark of World’s sailing: the Poetto beach will host the IKA KiteFoil World Series again. There are great expectations for the champions of a sports discipline standing in the 2024 Paris OG schedule
Cagliari means “home” for the great sailing. The recent history and the strong working relationship with Luna Rossa say it all, as well as a present and a future full of international events, confirm it.
On October 6th-10th, the Golfo degli Angeli‘s waters and 6th stop of the Poetto, iconic beach of Sardinia‘s capital, will host the Sardinia Grand Slam, IKA KiteFoil World Series‘ round-2, organized by GLEsport in collaboration with Chia Wind Club, under the aegis of World Sailing and IKA, International Kiteboarding Association.
Kiteboarding’s international big guns will head to Sardinia to tackle the season’s main event of a sports discipline that has officially become part of the 2024 Paris OG program. About thirty nations will be represented, with French Axel Mazella and American Daniela Moroz ready to reaffirm their superiority in Cagliari after the victories scored two years ago.
The kitefoil is a constantly evolving sports discipline, one of the most scenic among the sailing disciplines. A byword for action and extreme performance, kite-drawn surfing is made up of short, twists and turns. The Poetto beach will represent a privileged observation point for the crowd as the race’s course will be condensed a few meters from the shoreline, the buoys and “gates” will be positioned near the coast and the finish line will always be facing the beach and the crowd, regardless of the direction of the wind.
“We are happy to be back after the forced stop in 2020. We are motivated to do better and better and give Cagliari a great show”, GLEsport President Gian Domenico Nieddu said. – “Cagliari has shown to believe in sailing and kiteboarding. I wish to thank in advance to our partners, the Tourism Department of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Municipality of Cagliari, our Chia Wind Club collaborators, as well as World Sailing and IKA for renewing their trust”.
Sardinia Grand Slam OC is working for a really special edition, as they decided to contribute to raising awareness of the protection of the sea, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, a village divided by thematic areas will make Cagliari a pole of interest for activities and events to develop a greater awareness of the importance of protecting marine waters through the adoption of sustainability criteria, trying to strengthen the culture of respect and love for the sea.
“There’s no doubt that Cagliari is the ideal stage for such an important challenge of this importance” – President of IKA Mirco Babini commented -. “The sailing vocation of the city is a fact and the regatta conditions at Golfo degli Angeli are perfect for practicing kitefoil, a specialty in great growth also regarding the practitioners”.
The Sardinia Grand Slam has all the makings for a new great edition. The event promises to attract media and fans’ attention, boosting the tourist flows, in view of that seasonal adjustment promoted by the Sardinia Region. “Today an effective territorial promotion is strictly linked to a wide and diversified offer, capable of arousing interest and satisfying the needs of an ever-growing public, by implementing the audience of potential visitors. We must focus more and more on major sporting events, a byword for most authentic values and a vehicle for tourism promotion“, Sardinia’s Tourism Assessor Giovanni Chessa explained.
After the difficult months of the pandemic, Cagliari and the whole island are eager to restart: the Sardinia Grand Slam and the great kiteboarding will be a springboard for their desire to fly.
by Sardinia Grand Slam | Oct 7, 2019 | News Eng, News Eng 2019
The Sardinia Grand Slam has returned its verdict. Axel Mazella is the new Kite Foil World Champion. After 4 days of racing, the Frenchman only needed to firmly keep his fourth place to overcome the former world leader, Toni Vodisek, in the general classification.
Nothing could have been done even by the compatriots fighting at the Poetto in Cagliari. First of all Theo De Ramecourt, who returns home with the most deserved victory of the Sardinia Grand Slam. To Nico Parlier, winner of the Sardinian stage in 2018 and world champion in 2017, second place was not enough. After losing the title last year in the direct battle with Maxime Nocher, this year he had to settle again for the silver medal (both at the Sardinia Grand Slam and in the World ranking).
Nocher, Kite Foil World Champion in 2018, failed to replicate last year’s great performance. He finished fifth in his test in Sardinia and closed the Kite Foil World Series on the third step of the podium.
Going back to the new world champion, Axel Mazella, it must be reminded that only a week ago in Torregrande (Oristano) he also won the title of absolute European Champion of Formula Kite, beating precisely on the final Toni Vodisek. In short, 10 days were particularly fortunate for the French kiter who will hardly forget the emotions experienced this year in Sardinia.
In the female category finally the formality: Daniela Moroz is the new world champion of Kite Foil. A season to be framed that of the young American athlete, marked by four victories (in the female category) on four stages of the World Cup. Second is the Russian Elena Kalinina, third Kirstyn Obrien, winner of the world title in 2018.
The Sardinia Grand Slam World Championship is organized by Good Looking Entertainment and Yacht Club Cagliari, which deals with technical sports coordination, under the aegis of the IKA (International Kiteboarding Association), the support of the Kiteboarding Class Italy CKI, the Italian Sailing Federation and with the contribution of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia – Tourism Department and the Municipality of Cagliari Sport and Tourism, and some private companies.
Sardinia Grand Slam
Top five men after twenty races (three discard)
1 Théo de Ramecourt (FRA) – 37pts
2 Nico Parlier (FRA) – 43pts
3 Connor Bainbridge (GBR) – 44pts
4 Axel Mazella (FRA) – 55pts
5 Maxime Nocher (FRA) – 87pts
Top five women after twenty races (three discard)
1 Daniela Moroz (USA) – 306pts
2 Julia Damasiewicz (POL) – 412pts
3 Breiana Whitehead (AUS) – 428pts
4 Elena Kalinina (RUS) – 449pts
5 Leonie Meyer (GER) – 502pts
Kite Foil World Series 2019
Top three men
1 Axel Mazella (FRA) – 392pts
2 Nico Parlier (FRA) – 389pts
3 Maxime Nocher (FRA) – 386pts
Top three women:
1 Daniela Moroz (USA) – 344pts
2 Elena Kalinina (RUS) – 303pts
3 Kirstyn Obrien (USA) – 282pts
