KSP Releases 2013 World Championship Tour Schedule // Strapless Kitesurfing

 

Maui, Hawaii — February 1, 2013: Following it’s second consecutive season, which saw competitive kite surfing being pushed to epic new heights, the KSP is pleased to announce the schedule for it’s highly anticipated 2013 Tour.

 

The 2013 KSP World Championship Tour is set to kick off at Guincho Beach, Portugal, winner of KSP’s recent Facebook poll, and will again feature the birthplace of kite surfing, Maui, Hawaii. Two exciting new venues will also be included in the 2013 Kite Surf Pro World Championship Tour – Gran Canaria and Puerto Rico. With these exciting destinations on the map, the 2013 KSP season once again promises nothing short of phenomenal surf conditions for the world’s kite surfing elite to battle it out for the coveted IKA-sanctioned World Championship title.

 

Just as last year, the 2013 KSP Tour will kick off at Europe’s premier kitesurfing beach break, Guincho Beach in Cascais, Portugal, from June 27 to July 6. The powerful right-hand beach break and strong side-onshore winds at Guincho are ideal to elevate the level of exciting and progressive aerial surfing to the forefront of competition.

 

Next up will be another perfect playground for progressive above-the-lip kitesurfing, offering strong side-onshore winds from the left and punchy surf – Jinamar Beach on Gran Canaria. The Canary Island will welcome the KSP to its windy and wave-rich shores for the first time when riders battle it out for the event title from July 25 to August 2, 2013.

 

Stop three takes the KSP to another new and exciting venue – the beautiful Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. From October 31 to November 9, 2013 Shacks Beach will become the epicenter of the kite surfing world and show why Puerto Rico is widely considered the secret kite surfing jewel of the Caribbean.

 

Bringing the Kite Surf Pro World Championship tour to a close for the second year in a row, Maui’s legendary North Shore will host the 2013 KSP World Tour finals from November 22 to December 1. With near-perfect down-the-line surfing conditions, Ho’okipa will once again offer an ideal stage for the culmination of the dramatic KSP World Title race.

 

“It’s shaping up to be an awesome year,” says Tour Manager Terry McKenna. “It’s going to be a well-rounded tour with a good variety of venues that will cater to the diversity of styles. Guincho and Gran Canaria will showcase the progressive aerial aspect of the sport whilst Ho’okipa and Puerto Rico will offer the purists a chance to illustrate a more power-based style of on-rail surfing. I’m really looking forward to meeting and working closely with local organizers and to make this a memorable year for the KSP,” Mckenna added.

 

As reigning World Champions Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS/Cabrinha) and Jalou Langeree (NED/Naish) look to defend their titles amidst a field of the top 24 men and 12 women umpired by an International Surfing Association-accredited panel of judges, each KSP event will once again feature live webcast with live scoring, broadcasting the heat-by-heat action in real time.

 

To receive all updates about the KSP World Championship Tour please sign up for the KSP newsletter at www.kspworldtour.com. Follow the KSP on Facebook at facebook.com/KSPworldtour or on Twitter at twitter.com/KSPworldtour.

 

For high quality media pictures or any other media related requests please contact media@kspworldtour.com.

 

2013 KSP World Championship Tour Schedule:

  • June 27 to July 6, 2013  —  Guincho, Cascais/Portugal
  • July 25 to August 2, 2013 — Jinamar, Gran Canaria/Spain
  • October 31 to November 9, 2013 — Shacks/Puerto Rico
  • November 22 to December 1, 2013 — Ho’okipa, Maui/USA

 

2013 KSP Qualification System Released

Berlin, Germany — February 2, 2013: Long awaited by riders and industry alike, a press releases announcing the application process and further details on the qualification system for the 2013 KSP world tour season was released by the IKA (International Kiteboarding Association) today.

As the governing body of kiteboarding that sanctions the KSP, the IKA continually strives to develop rules and regulations that help further the sport. At the IKA Annual General Meeting on January 20, the KSP qualification and application as well as future pathways for young and upcoming riders were discussed in detail and agreed on by all parties.

Following the release of the 2013 KSP World Championship Tour schedule the IKA published the following release earlier today:


International Kiteboarding Association, February 2, 2013: Striving to create lower level qualifying events on a national and continental level leading up to the KSP World Championship Tour in the future, this years KSP qualification system will be based on applications and include the IKA member national associations, national championship results (where existing) and the IKA wave world ranking once again.

Slots for the 24 riders male fleet are allocated as follows (for the womens fleet, 50 % of the quota each)

  • Top 10 ranked riders from the 2012 KSP ranking
  • 1 wild cards for KSP tour
  • 1 wild card for IKA
  • 2 local wild cards per event (as agreed on with the events Industry Sponsors)

Remaining slots will focus on globalization/the inclusion of more nations – this means except from the slots above, only riders from nations that are not yet represented are accepted. If there are more nations applying then slots are available, places are given in the order of regional strengths until all slots are filled (in the order South America, Europe, North America, Africa, Oceania, Asia, then from the beginning again). The IKA executive committee may deviate from the order of regions and nations in order to ensure highest quality of the selected riders, e.g. require a minimum of competition experience, results and/or performance to be expected.

If there are less nations applying then slots are available, then additional places are given to nations in the order of regional and nation strength.

If more than one rider applies from a nation eligible for a slot, then the national association nominates the rider. If no national association exists, then the IKA executive committee after consultation with the KSP will decide.

If any of the pre-allocated slots are not taken by the riders, these slots go to the pool for the nations.

If slots are not taken shortly before the event, they may be filled with local wild cards or, if possible, alternate riders from the waiting list on a first come-first serve basis.

All applications need to be made through the online application forms until March 1st to be considered.

Online application form for tour riders: http://kspworldtour.com/index.php/riders/2013-ksp-tour-riders-application.html

Online application form for individual events and local wildcards:  http://kspworldtour.com/index.php/riders/2013-one-event-and-lwc-application.html

 

 

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