Heineken Shares Lead Position After Day 1 Kite Worlds

Cagliari, Sardinia (October 4, 2012) – Three races in light winds kicked off the qualification races for the Kiteboard Racing World Championship in Cagliari where 195 competitors including 42 women are racing for the Championship title. The light Scirocco breeze picked up in the afternoon at Poetto Beach, allowing three races in each of the four fleets the competitors were divided into (three male fleets and one female).

All the favorites were right on top, like World Champion Johnny Heineken (USA) in the Red Fleet and his sister Erika Heineken (USA) in the Women’s Fleet. It was also a great start also for the new European Slalom champion Andrea Riccardo Leccese (a Columbian riding with the Italian team) who won all the races on his fleet and is leading the overall ranking together with Heineken.

Leccese said, “After the three first places today I’ m convinced I can win the title. I can’t wait until Saturday, so I can compete against Heineken in the Gold Race: He is my only concern.”

Qualification rounds continue on Friday to determine the 50 finalists in the men’s Gold Race and 20 in the Women’s Fleet for Saturday medal race. Event website.