USA, Singapore win 2021 Formula Kite Europeans

USA’s Daniela Moroz and Singapore’s Max Maeder overhauled solidly French opposition in dramatic finals to seize the Open titles at the 2021 Formula Kite European Championships held September 8-12 in Montpellier, France.

The IKA Formula Kite Europeans is the biggest event of a year blighted by the pandemic so far, attracting 91 men and 40 women from 29 countries and five continents. It marked the start of the countdown to the Paris 2024 Games, when kiteboarding will make its Olympic debut.

Several windless days in the middle of the action curtailed the qualifying series, but the championships built to a fitting climactic day, with edge-of-the-seat drama in short-sharp semi-finals and finals. The novel format retains the element of suspense to the end, by ensuring the winners are those who cross the line first in the last race.

The format gives weight to the performances of the leaders, but allows any of the racers down the order who qualify for the semi-finals to still win outright. Max Maeder did just that in near-perfect foil racing conditions of 8kts to 10kts of breeze on flat Mediterranean waters under cloudless skies.

Top male from North America was Markus Edegran (USA) in 15th overall.

Formula Kite Open Europeans Men
1. SGP Max Maeder
2. FRA Axel Mazella
3. FRA Benoît Gomez

Formula Kite Open Europeans Women
1. USA Daniela Moroz
2. FRA Poema Newland
3. FRA Lauriane Nolot

Details: https://formulakite.org/component/sppagebuilder/?view=page&id=9