The kitefoiling circuit has set a path for China where two events are set to take place back to back. The Formula Kite Asia & Oceania Championships will be contested from 21 to 26 November in the high-tech city of Shenzhen just across the border from Hong Kong, with 20,000 Euros of prize money available. This event is closely followed by the KiteFoil World Series Final in Zhuhai. With 50,000 Euros prize money on the table, the competition takes place from 29 November to 3 December.
Kiting in one form or another has been a strong part of Chinese culture for more than 2,000 years. One popular Chinese legend tells the story of a Chinese farmer who tied his hat to his head with a piece of string to keep it from blowing away. In a stubborn wind, the hat nevertheless managed to float off for a ways with the farmer trailing behind it holding the string. Thus, the legend says, the kite was born.
Kite technology has developed since the farmer's blowaway hat, first with fighting kites and messaging kites which were used by the Chinese army many centuries ago. And now the world of kitefoiling where riders propel themselves at up to 40 knots across the water's surface using air-inflated kites that range in size from 9 to 23 square metres depending on the strength of the wind.
Max Maeder has been the master of recent events in Austria and Sardinia and now the Singaporean 17-year-old will be keen to show what he can do closer to home on the Asian continent. The reigning Formula Kite World Champion, Maeder also won gold at the Asian Games two months ago in Ningbo, China, where Zhang Haoran of China took silver and Joseph Jonathan Weston of Thailand took bronze. China's Qibin Huang has shown what he can do on the international circuit and will provide some tough competition for some of the other overseas visitors such as Denis Taradin of Cyprus and Martin Dolenc of Croatia.
In the women, Jingle Chen won Asian Games gold for China and will be among the favourites for success at the upcoming events on home waters. Setting the benchmark will be the reigning Formula Kite World Champion Lauriane Nolot who will be looking to complete the Kitefoil World Series with another victory. The French rider already won gold in Austria and Sardinia last month and will be hard to beat in China, although the recent resurgence of Poland's Julia Damasiewicz suggests Nolot won't have it all her own way. Thailand's Benyapa Jantawan and South Korea's Lee Young-eun can also expect to be in the running for a podium finish in Shenzhen and Zuhai.
Mirco Babini, president of the International Kiteboarding Federation (IKA), is looking forward to showcasing the kitefoiling athletes in China. “In the last few years Asian sailors have made waves in the world scene, and China has been developing fast and leading innovations. It is with great admiration that we have seen China securing Olympic spots in both men's and women's kiteboarding at the first qualification opportunity.”
“We know that the beach of the Yuhai Bay Resort, at the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in Guangdong, will do a great job of hosting the Formula Kite and TT:R Asia and Oceania Championships. With a clean and soft sandy beach stretching over 5 kilometres, it is nothing less than an ideal venue. A week later, the fleet will move to the beach of the vibrant Zhuhai City at the Xiangzhou District, another excellent venue. We're really looking forward to two great events in China.”
Text & Photo Credits: International Kiteboarding Association
