Cagliari hosts the second and final stage of the Kitefoil World Series from October 1 to 5. Olympic bronze medalist Maeder and French Kampman stand among the favorites. Back from the Olympics, Pianosi and Pescetto represent Italy as well as Boschetti, Laporte, Marx, Paolillo
From Paris 2024 to Cagliari’s Poetto beach: the big names of kiteboarding return to the waters of the Gulf of Angels for the 8th edition of the Sardinia Grand Slam, the second and decisive stage of the IKA Kitefoil World Series. After kicking off in Traunsee, Max Maeder, Jessie Kampman and their stronghest competitors will battle it out in this autumn classic for the 2024 titles. The event was presented this morning, 1 October, in a press conference at Poetto beach in Cagliari.
Promoted by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia’s Department of Tourism, Crafts, and Commerce, the Sardinia Grand Slam is organized by GLEsport in technical collaboration with Chia Wind Club and under the aegis of the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) and the Italian Sailing Federation, with support and sponsorship from the Municipality of Cagliari, the Departments of Sports and Tourism. Partners of the Sardinia Grand Slam include Playcar and USE.
Sardinia’s Tourism, Crafts, and Commerce Councillor, Franco Cuccureddu, extends his best wishes to the extraordinary athletes who will color Cagliari’s Poetto beach and sky with their kite maneuvers. “Thanks to this event, Sardinia once again confirms itself as the most beloved and welcoming destination for all sailing sports.”
THE FORMAT: MEDAL SERIES ON SUNDAY
After a day dedicated to free practice, athlete registration, and welcoming, the real competition will kick off on Wednesday, October 2nd, with the first of three days of Open Series. The fleet will race through October 4th, with at least five total races. The top competitors in the Gold Fleet after Q3 will qualify directly for the Grand Final, carrying with them 2 and 1 match points, respectively.
On Saturday, October 5th, the day will start with the Golden Ticket Race, where those ranked from 10th to last in the Opening Series will compete for a spot in the Medal Series. The Repechage Race will feature the winners of the Golden Ticket Race and those ranked 7th to 9th in the Opening Series. The top two will advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face those ranked 5th and 6th in the Gold Fleet (Q3). The semi-finals will see the 3rd and 4th place from the Opening Series waiting, and the final will feature the top qualifiers and the two fastest semi-finalists. The awards ceremony will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.
FAVORITE MAEDER TO WATCH OUT FOR MAZELLA AND THE ITALIANS
The standout name on the men’s start list is reigning world champion Maximilian Maeder, winner of the 2023 Sardinia Grand Slam and recent Olympic bronze medalist. He is fresh off victories in the first round of the IKA KiteFoil World Series in Traunsee (Austria) and the Asian KiteFoil Championships in Daishan, China. Among his main rivals are European champion Axel Mazella, who has triumphed twice at the Sardinia Grand Slam, and the Italian athletes. Riccardo Pianosi will be a key contender, having won silver at both the World and European Championships in Formula Kite this year and finishing fourth at the Olympics. Lorenzo Boschetti, who has a special connection to the Gulf of Angels, will also compete. Both Italians live in Cagliari. Other notable competitors include Croatia’s Martin Dolenc and France’s Benoit Gomez, who finished second and third in Austria, as well as Italy’s Flavio Marx and Giuseppe Paolillo.
WOMEN: LENGWILER AND ZUCKERMAN CHALLENGE KAMPMAN
In the Women’s field, all eyes are on 24-year-old Jessie Kampman from France, a regular at the Sardinia Grand Slam. Silver medalist at the 2022 European Championships, Kampman has shone this year, winning the French Olympic Week (ahead of Lauriane Nolot and Elly Aldridge) and securing bronze at the Formula Kite World Championships in Hyères. She also claimed victory in the first round of the IKA KiteFoil World Series in Traunsee. She faces tough competition from Switzerland’s Elena Lengwiler and Israel’s Gal Zuckerman, who both challenged Kampman fiercely in Austria. Representing Italy are Maggie Eillen Pescetto, who competed at Paris 2024, and Tiana Laporte, who are both eager to perform well in this home event.
LIVE STREAMING
On Friday, October 4th, and Saturday, October 5th, the final stage of the IKA KiteFoil World Series will be broadcast live via streaming on the event’s Facebook and YouTube platforms, as well as IKA’s. The races will start at 11:00 a.m., barring any weather delays. The event will reach over 150 countries worldwide, with dedicated reports and special features. Daily highlights will also be shared on the event’s Facebook and YouTube platforms.
QUOTES FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE
Giandomenico Nieddu (Organizer)
“We are ready and excited for this eighth edition of the Sardinia Grand Slam, the seventh consecutive one here in Cagliari. I would like to thank the Sardinia Region and the Department of Tourism for supporting this event, the IKA for allowing us to host a stage of the World Championship, the Italian Sailing Federation and the Municipality of Cagliari for supporting the event and providing us with the recycling platforms. We hope to continue for many more years, and we can already confirm the 2025 edition.”
Marzia Cilloccu (Department of Tourism, Commerce, and Handicrafts of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia)
“We were very eager to be here and bring greetings from the assessor Franco Cuccureddu. We stand alongside sailing sports and this is confirmed by very busy calendar. We thank all the organizers for their commitment. The sea is our main source of tourism, and we are keen to support everyone who works every day to promote events like the Sardinia Grand Slam. For the past ten years, Cagliari has hosted Luna Rossa, as well as other professionals in this field, being the city with the highest number of windy days. Sports-related tourism brings extraordinary visitor numbers and significant economic impact, which has been certified.”
Luisa Giua Marassi (Municipal Councillor for the Environment of Cagliari)
“I bring greetings from the mayor and other members of the municipal council. My greetings also come as a citizen who loves and practices sports in many forms. The Poetto beach falls under the jurisdiction of my department, so hosting the Sardinia Grand Slam fills us with particular pride as administrators, athletes and as a city. Cagliari is the epicenter of international sporting events like this, thanks to the Gulf of Angels and its long beach. For us, the connection with sport is crucial, both to enhance the environmental ecosystem and to amplify the potential of our territory. We are working to make the beach increasingly attractive and functional for events of this magnitude.”
Mirco Babini (President of the International Kiteboarding Association)
“First of all, I bring greetings from the presidents of the Italian Sailing Federation’s area president, Corrado Fara, and the Italian Sailing Federation national president, Francesco Ettorre, as a demonstration of how close the federation is to the Sardinia Grand Slam, both at the regional and national level. This year, kiteboarding made its Olympic debut, and Cagliari played a key role in the journey that brought us to Marseille. In the Kitefoil World Series, athletes compete with a different format than Formula Kite. Athletes come here to test, but with the freedom to choose their own equipment: these are materials that will be developed for future Olympics. Furthermore, on Sunday, we will crown the male and female world champions from here”.
Lorenzo Boschetti (Gruppo Sportivo Marina Militare)
“I officially moved to Cagliari after spending five winters here. Last year I finished second here, after a long and exciting year. I aim to repeat and do even better — we are all here to win. We’ve started from scratch, with new materials and new formats, but there’s only one world champion”.
Giovanni Pilia (Associazione Sarda Paratetraplegici)
“At the Sardinia Grand Slam, we will have the pleasure of promoting the ‘sit’n’kite’ activity. On Friday and Saturday, there will be a station for those who want to try it, hoping that Cagliari will soon be able to host a nationally significant event”.
SARDINIA GRAND SLAM 2024 – SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 1st
- 4:00-6:00 p.m. Athlete registrations
- 6:30 p.m. Opening ceremony at Poetto Beach, Cagliari
- 7:30 p.m. Pasta party for athletes and guests
Wednesday, October 2nd
- 11:00 a.m. Races
- Village activities
Thursday, October 3rd
- 11:00 a.m. Races
- Village activities: Setup and positioning of Demo boards for SUP, testing by reservation / lessons with Istedda
Friday, October 4
- 09:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Village activities with Istedda
Games / mini tour / courses. Activities will continue in the afternoon after the kite races. - 11:00 AM: Races
Saturday, October 5
- 09:00 AM: Village activities (SUP/SAILING) with Istedda
- 09:45 AM: Long distance preparation
An approximately 8 km long distance race with 3 buoys, which will be positioned based on wind/weather conditions.
After the kite race: Event medal ceremony on the World Championship stage, with thanks to participants. - 10:00 AM: Races
- 5:00 PM: Awards and closing ceremony
