Aarhus World Championships
Seventy seven IKA Formula kiteboard riders will compete in Aarhus, Denmark from Sunday 5 through to Saturday 11 August at the Hempel Sailing World Championships.
Kiteboarding is making its first appearance at World Sailing’s four-yearly combined World Championships and the leading competitors have made the journey to the Danish city.
In the men’s fleet, all the top dogs are in Aarhus, and racing will not be easy for the 65 kiteboarders, representing 32 nations.
Great Britain’s Oliver Bridge is raring to go. Bridge is currently ranked #1 in the IKA world rankings and won bronze at the 2017 Formula Kite World Championships in Muscat, Oman.
Not far behind him in the world rankings sits, Axel Mazella (FRA). Mazella has always kept his score sheet consistent, taking silver at the 2017 Formula Kite World Championships, and silver at Round 2 of the 2017 Word Cup Series in Hyères, France.
Another Frenchman joining the fleet is Nicolas Parlier. Parlier has ruled the Formula Kite class and was crowned champion of the 2017 Formula Kite Worlds and the Europeans in Turkey. At the 2017 World Cup Series he once again dominated, winning Round 2 in Hyères and at the World Cup Series Final in Santander, Spain. He will be the one to watch in Aarhus.
Recent 2018 Formula Kite European champion, Guy Bridge (GBR) will also be competing.
The women’s fleet features 12 riders, from 9 nations, including the recent 2018 Formula Kite European champion, Daniela Moroz (USA).
Moroz is currently #1 in the IKA world rankings and winning is nothing new for the rider. Moroz snapped gold at the 2017 Formula Kite Worlds, the 2017 Europeans, and Round 2 of the 2017 World Cup Series in Hyères. Not to forget, she’s just arrived in Aarhus fresh after winning bronze TT:R Youth Worlds in Italy.
Elena Kalinina (RUS), who is second in the world rankings will go head to head with Moroz. Kalinina took silver in the 2018 Kite Europeans and Moroz took gold. The rivalry is high.
The French have dominated in the male division and have fully grasped the foiling kite. Flying the flag in the women’s division will be Alexia Fancelli (FRA).
Fancelli gained silver in Round 2 of the 2017 World Cup Series in Hyères and bronze at 2017 Formula Kite Worlds.
The Kiteboarding competition will commence on Sunday 5 August and conclude on Saturday 11 August.
By Aadil Seedat - World Sailing
How to Follow:
ENTRIES
RESULTS
- Results will be available when race commences here - https://aarhus2018.sailing.org/results.
WATCH
- Videos from the Hempel Sailing World Championships are available here - https://aarhus2018.sailing.org/watch
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- Sailing will be shown live on World Sailing’s YouTube and Facebook Channels from 2-12 August.
SAP SAILING ANALYTICS
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SOCIAL MEDIA
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NEWS
- All World Sailing international press releases throughout the duration of the World Championships, including the latest news and reports, are available to read here - https://aarhus2018.sailing.org/news
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ABOUT THE HEMPEL SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AARHUS 2018
Held every four years, the Sailing World Championships is one of the biggest global sailing events in the world and the principal qualification event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Sailing Competition.
Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus Denmark 2018 will include all 10 Olympic boat classes. Kiteboarding will be added to the programme for the first time. The ambition is to make the championships in Aarhus a unique and spectacular event, where sailing is made more popular and accessible than ever before.
The Championships will be held from 30 July to 12 August 2018 and 1,400 sailors from up to 85 nations will race in up to 1,000 boats.
Held simultaneously with the Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, a large festival will provide opportunities visiting families to get out on the water. The event expects to draw 400,000 visitors to Aarhus.