Sotovento Beach, Fuerteventura will host the Professional kiteboarding Grand Slam

Sotovento Beach, Fuerteventura will host the Professional kiteboarding Grand Slam competition
for the eighth year in a row, the Professional Kiteboard Riders Association (PKRA) – the world’s leading professional kiteboarding organization – is bringing the events back to the popular Canarian Island.

The event dubbed “Fuerteventura PKRA Kiteboarding Grand Slam 2009,” will be a five-day event of extreme kiteboarding action. The highlights will include Freestyle and Kite-Loop Competition to be participated in by professional riders from more than 18 different countries.
Organized by Pro Center René Egli through its owner René Egli, featuring €33,000 in total prize money, the Fuerteventura event is well-known as the most extreme PKRA Kiteboarding World Tour event be cause of guaranteed strong winds.

The games will start on July 17, 2009 with the Inscription & the Welcome Party and will run until July 22. Expect to see some of the best freestyle kiteboarders live in action performing their biggest jumps and difficult tricks, pushing themselves in the extreme conditions. In addition to the freestyle this year will feature a kite-loop competition which guarantee spectacular extremely high jumps as the riders get that extra lift created as they loop their kite while in mid-air.

The venue will be Playa Sotavento, without a doubt the best beach in Fuerteventura and perhaps the Canaries. The area abounds with sunny weather condition and strong winds blowing at an average of 18 to 35 knots, these, conditionsombined with an average water temperature of 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and a general wind direction of side offshore to side shore makes the beaches of Sotavento a perfect and spectacular setting for the PKRA Grand Slam event.

Spectators are welcome and encourage to mingle with the competitors.

Source PKRA

Surfing & Kiteboarding World Cup on Fuerteventura

Windsurfers and kiteboarders think of Fuerteventura as the Hawaii of Europe. As well as white sand beaches, blue skies and all year round summer temperatures, the island also has all the wind a windsurfer or kiteboarder could wish for. The wind-powered acrobats fly distances of up to 70 metres, reaching heights of up to 15 metres.
From 17th July to 1st August 2009, windsurfing and kiteboarding world championship events will be held on Fuerteventura. The windsurfing programme includes slalom and freestyle disciplines. The kiteboarders will compete in the freestyle discipline and there also will be a kiteloop competition.
Slalom is the Formula 1 of windsurfing. The event consists of a high-speed race around a course marked by buoys, with tense tussles for position and spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. Both windsurfers and kiteboarders will compete in freestyle events in which a jury of judges awards points for spectacular leaps and breathtaking manoeuvres.
With no exhaust fumes or engine noise, the competition for world championship points shows just how congenial and in harmony with nature top level sport can be. Once they’re out on the water, the competitors really give it some juice – using the latest equipment, they utilise the wind so effectively that they can accelerate faster than the fastest sports car.
The competitions are held at a spectator and camera-friendly proximity to the beach. Direct contact between competitors and spectators is encouraged. The extreme sportsmen and women are more than happy to have spectators looking over their shoulders whilst preparing for the off.
There is also a wide-ranging programme of events and plenty to help you keep body and soul together. Spectators can chill on the beach with drinks, snacks and music whilst watching the events in the 1,000 m² lounge area. At night, thousands of visitors and locals groove together at the legendary World Cup Parties in the 2,000 m² party tent. At the award ceremony, the competitors will also join the fans in painting the town red.
Organiser information: The world cup on Fuerteventura is sponsored by the town of Pájara (Fuerteventura) and the Spanish Government. The event will, as it has for the last 24 years, once again be organised by René Egli and his team. www.rene-egli.com
Christian Tillmanns

Tuesday, 30th June 2009