Kingscup in Phuket

I just had a very good time at Kings Cup Regatta in Thailand and in its 25th Anniversary year the event has invited the KTA to bring kiteboarding to the Kings Cup. I was very excited to get the invitation to join the largest sailingregatta in Asia and one of the most respected in the world.

We were 20 riders from 12 Nationalities and our goal was to demonstrate kiteboarding race with race management from the KTA and IKA under the watchful eye of the Kings Cup Regatta Race Director Simon James. 'ISAF is promoting kiteboarding and it could be an Olympic demonstration event as soon as 2016 in Brazil, so the Committee decided that it is likely to become an Olympic class at some point and the discipline is attracting a younger generation of sailors. Kevin Whitcraft, President of the Regatta Organising Committee explained.

The first two days were a bit frustrating as there was wind, but too far outside with the offshore winds, so even when we tried we couldn’t make it from the beach of Centara Grand Beach Resort out to the wind, while the yachts outside were racing, while all of us needed rescues cause our kites just didn’t relaunch anymore. Patience was worth is and day three held difficult conditions for us, with winds in gusts up to 25 knots and inside close to the beach 6 knots only. We still managed to do 2 nice races, which got finished first by Olivier Dansin followed by Yo from Thailand and the 2 Cabrinha riders Ken Nacors from the Philippines and Turkey tying for third place. The sailors, who were watching us either live or at night on the screen got amazed and fascinated by the kiteboarding and this is all we wanted. We wanted to show, how fast the kiteboarders can go and how exciting the kiteboardraces can be.

The next 2 days the forecast showed no wind again and it happened- but everybody was hoping for the last day with forecasted 20 knots. And the wind was there, but so gusty and on the beach again nothing! Some of the riders used one gust and made it outside and some riders were just swimming and the couldn’t make it to the start for the first race. All in all we finished another 3 races under difficult circumstances, but everybody was happy to have more results. Same battles on the water as before with Olivier winning in front of Jo and Salih.

We were only 2 girls so we didn’t count as an own class, which proves one more time, that we definitely need to motivate more girls. But I got still a price for first girl and I was happy about my 8 place in the overall ranking together with the guys.

Am back on Boracay now and hoping for the wind to start soon.