The current men’s and women’s title holders, France’s Nico Parlier and the US’s Daniela Moroz, are sitting in pole position to retain their crowns after a scintillating penultimate day of hydrofoil racing at  the 2019 Pascucci Formula Kite Worlds fought out in Italy.    But the pair both stumbled in several races under stiff challenges from ever-faster kitefoil rivals. The slips blotted their previously-perfect records at the world championships being contested on Lago di Garda with its breath-taking mountain backcloth.    In near-perfect foiling conditions, in breezes that built during the afternoon from 6kts to around 11kts, Britain’s returning Olly Bridge picked…

Dreams of capturing coveted Olympic medals when kitefoil racing makes its debut at the 2024 Games in Paris has prompted nations to invest heavily in kiteboarding programmes to unearth and hone top athletes.    The dynamic of kiteboard racing on display at the 2019 Pascucci KiteFoil World Championships being fought out on northern Italy’s Lago di Garda has altered dramatically since the sailing discipline won Olympics inclusion last year.    Now a number of countries with strong sailing backgrounds and big Olympic ambitions have fielded large national squads, often made up of extremely young athletes who will reach their peak by the time…

A special test event to trial the new mixed relay race format that will be used when kiteboarding makes its historic debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games saw the US’s reigning Formula Kite world champion Daniela Moroz and partner Evan Heffernan top the standings.    But the pair edged out France’s Alexia Fancelli and former world champion Maxime Nocher by just one point in a day of thrillingly close race action on northern Italy’s breath-taking Lago di Garda on the sidelines of the 2019 Pascucci Formula Kite World Championships.    With all the world’s fastest kiteboarders gathered to contest the world championships—hosted…

Reigning kitefoil title holders France’s Nico Parlier and the US’s Daniela Moroz got the defence of their crowns off to a perfect start in stellar conditions at the Pascucci Formula Kite World Championships played out on the splendour of northern Italy’s Lake Garda.    Both dominated their respective fleets, with a delighted Parlier taking all four of his races, while Moroz left the other women in the fleet of 30 trailing far in her wake on the trapezoid course in 10kts to 12kts of breeze.    The opening exchanges of the 2019 edition of the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) Formula Kite Worlds…

The lure of Olympic glory has drawn the largest fleet in years—studded with all the world’s fastest kiteboard racers—eager to do battle on northern Italy’s spectacular Lake Garda at the 2019 Formula Kite World Championships.    A full complement of 87 men and a remarkable roster of 30 women, many of them novices in the high-octane discipline of kitefoil racing, will take to the track at Campione del Garda in five days of competition.    Last year’s decision to include mixed kiteboard team racing in the line-up for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris has encouraged many young athletes from a total…