PKRA - Day 1 - Extraordinary First Day in Adicora, Venezuela

The first day of the Copa Mundial de Kitesurf Adicora offered up a full morning and afternoon of both freestyle and racing action, complete with local talent, the best riders in the world, and a special variety of South American flavor. With the wind strong, excitement high, and the riding at its peak, the PKRA was able to run freestyle trials and two races in the afternoon.

With a huge amount of South American talent primed for competition, the freestyle trials proved to be one of the most exciting parts of the day, as friends and family as well as local supporters cheered and hollered for their favorite hopefuls and the best riders from all over the globe. Standouts of this portion included Sam Light (UK) and Christophe Tack (BEL) who threw down impressive wake style tricks. Brunaski Carillo (VEN) from El Yaque also shined, as he exhibited amazing power and complete fluidity with noticeably more power and tricks compared to his adversaries. One of the closest heats took place between Johnno Scholte (NED), Andres Salazar (COL), and Diego Badell (VEN) - a heat that Scholte eventually won. Additionally, Mario Rodwald (GER) was strong in his performance upon returning to the PKRA for his first event this year, and commented that he is very excited to be back. Rodwald went on further to explain that this will be his first event competing with the new scoring system and with many competitors in boots, so he expects an interesting competition ahead.

Once 4:30 arrived, the 12 racers were ready for their moment on the water. With winds measuring 18 knots, the stage was set for an exhilarating first day of course racing. Top competitors such as Bryan Lake (USA), Riccardo Leccese (COL), and Alvaro Cadena (COL) stood out as a few racing favorites, while others such as Manuel Abeleyra (ARG) and Cristobal Saubiat (ARG) also looked to hold their own and make it to the front of the pack. With a maximum of five races allowed for any given competition day, two were completed. In nearly every race, Lake, Leccese, and Cadena proved themselves, yet again, to be top competitors, breaking away from the rest of the fleet and leading with substantial distance. Unfortunately for Leccese, a few crashes and different tacks put him slightly behind; however, he still achieved a consistent 2nd place in the first two races. Leccese and Cadena arrived to the beach with huge support and applause from their fellow Columbians, who have traveled all this way to support them and the other South American competitors with much personality and enthusiasm. Bryan Lake clearly brought his A-game as well, seemingly flying through the course and impressing all who watched. The final results of these first five races can be viewed below.

Throughout the day, the onshore wind ranged from 13 to 21 knots. For the week, wind is expected to continue in this trend, with wind measurements in the high teens and twenties. Tomorrow, freestyle competitors will meet at 10am for an 11am first possible start. The forecast for the 14th of June is looking very favorable with slightly stronger winds of 20-25 knots. Both freestyle and racing is expected to take place on every day of competition this week.