Aaron Hadlow and Gisela Pulido won the Big Air/Best Trick competition while Victor Adamo and Karolina Winkowska were awarded the Most Improved Riders by H2O Audio. Congratulations!
Live Results
The fifth and final day of the KiteXtreme Brazil 2007 kiteboarding competition, the second-to-last stop of the PKRA World Tour this year, was greeted by bright, sunny weather—a perfect setting for the Big Air/Best Trick event. The sun was in full force all day, heating up the event site to a scorching 37°C, but the side-onshore wind from the east, averaging 20-25 knots (4-5 bft), did provide some cooling, especially under the shade.
The contest was held in front of the Aimberê Resort Hotel, the official residence of the PKRA competitors here in LuÃs Correia, PiauÃ, Brazil. Everyone was treated to a fantastic show of extreme kiteboarding competition courtesy of the top PKRA men and women kiteboarders.
In the Big Air/Best Trick competition each kiteboarder is placed according to his or her best trick. Most of the competitors rigged their 9-meter kites and performed extremely well with the strong winds and moderate waves—perfect conditions to boost some amazing aerial tricks. The games started at around 14:00h and ran 12 heats for the men and 3 heats for the women before concluding at 16:30h, followed immediately by an awards ceremony on the beach. The “H2O Audio Most Improved Rider†awards went to Victor Adamo (North, Brazil) and Karolina Winkowska (Naish, Poland).
Big Air / Best Trick Result
Men
1. Aaron Hadlow (Flexifoil, UK) for a sent front mobe 5
2. Kevin Langeree (Naish, Netherlands) for a sent double handle pass
3. Ruben Lenten (Slingshot, Netherlands) for a sent front mobe
4. Alex Soto (Cabrinha, Dominican Republic) for a handle pass
Women
1. Gisela Pulido (Slingshot, Spain) for a sent front mobe
2. Susi Mai (Cabrinha, Germany) for a board off
3. Jalou Langeree (Naish, Netherlands) for big air tail grab
4. Audrey Meyer (EH, France) for kiteloop
Favela do Kite
Some of the PKRA competitors gave three kites and two boards to the local children, ages 7-10 years old, who had helped them launch and land their kites throughout the competition. The group of children belong to a local program, “Favela do Kiteâ€, that helps impoverished children. Until these gifts the group had only one kite and one board that was shared among everyone.
The riders who donated their gear were:
- Rui Meira (Portugal): a Naish board (coincidentally, the board with which he won the PKRA Brazil event last year along with a Naish kite)
- Mallory De La Villemarque (France): a North board
- Alberto Rondina (Italy): a Cabrinha kite
- Kevin Langeree (Netherlands): a Naish kite
Also interesting is that Helio Cabrinha da Silva (Gokite) lives in the village, working as a construction worker and making only $10 a day. He does not own kite equipment, so after work he comes to the beach and borrows various pieces of equipment in order to train. The week before the PKRA event Brazil held its national championships and he placed 4th. Here at the PKRA event he was given a wild card entry, giving him automatic entry and free registration to the main event without having to qualify. He finished an amazing 13th.
The Chilean round, the last stop for this year’s season, will be held from September 29 to October 6, 2007 for the Movistar Kiteboarding World Cup. Be sure to tune in to this exciting event as the World Championship title is at stake between Britain’s Aaron Hadlow and The Netherlands’ Kevin Langeree.
KiteXtreme Brazil 2007 was brought to you by the Gest Group; co-organized by Aventur; and supported by the Piaui local government, Piemtur, Nova Schin, Newland Toyota, Radio Lideranca 95.1, Cobra d’agua and Aimbere Eco Resort.