The pandemic forced sporting organisations around the world to be imaginative with their athletes and teams this year, and the GKA is no different. International travel and attending sporting events may have been on hold but the competing doesn’t have to stop.
Here at the GKA we wanted to bring the community together, and show that although there may be miles between us all right now, we’re as close as ever. The GKA Distance Battle was the perfect competition to demonstrate just that.
The Distance Battle is an online competition, where riders pre-film their heats and submit them to the GKA. The heats were then judged and scored live by the official GKA judges in a live streamed event, hosted by our in house commentator Jo Ciastula, the first of its kind in kiteboarding.
Last night athletes were battling for a place on the podium in the Freestyle division in the mini finals and the finals. The women’s mini finals was up first, Duotone team mates Pippa Van Iersel and Paula Novotna were both competing from Greece and had great Freestyle conditions for their heats. Paula was rewarded by the judges with a score of 9.07 early in her heat with a powered Heart Attack, followed closely by a KGB. Paula took the win with 30.87 and a 20 point lead over Pippa.
In the men’s mini finals F-One team rider Liam Whaley faced the Airush rider Juan Rodriguez, competing from Cabarete. Liam opened the heat with a score 9.67 for a huge Heart Attack 7 right off the buzzer, but Juan answered back, receiving 7.63 for a powered Heart Attack. Liam who was tweaking, adding solid grabs and riding with power throughout the heat took the win with a 5 point lead and a score of 31.70.
Congratulations to both Liam Whaley and Paula Novotna for their 3rd place wins in the GKA Distance Battle. Both athletes rode hard, with power and precision throughout the event, narrowly missing out placing higher.
In the women’s final Slingshot’s Rita Arnaus struggled with poor conditions and lightwind as she faced GKA Freestyle World Champion and Duotone rider Mikaili Sol. Rita managed to pull out an overall score of 14.33 despite the conditions but Mikaili made the strong winds of Prea look easy throughout her heat. Stomping an impressive 9.27 score for an almost perfect Back Mobe. Mika was riding with the consistency the young woman is now known for and took the win with almost a 20 point lead and a score of 33.87.
Adeuri Corniel faced F- One rider Maxime Chabloz in the men’s finals. Maxime opened with an 8.53 score for a fast and powered Heart Attack 7 followed closely by 7.70 for an equally powered Kite Loop Front Blind Mobe. Adeuri put on a solid performance, but the Go2Kite athlete didn’t quite get the results he was hoping for, and the Swiss man took the first place with a 10 point lead and a score of 30.70.
Here’s what Adeuri had to say about the event:
I am so happy this virtual competition has finally taken place. It’s been almost a year without competing and I am very excited to be back in the game both virtually and physically! Filming was very fun and challenging at the same time. I remember we had to repeat the moves many times before we could get the perfect heat. It was a very different experience for me but I am glad I took part of it. It was very weird seeing myself compete without any kind of pressure. I am so happy to have made it all the way to the finals
The results for the GKA Distance Battle Freestyle Finals are:
Women’s Division
1st Mikaili Sol
2nd Rita Arnaus
2rd Paula Novotna
