With over 40 knots of wind for the third day of the Fuerteventura Grand Slam, slalom racers pushed the boundaries of the racing discipline yesterday. Julien Kerneur took the lead after eight races and Gisela Pulido solidified first place. Five races were run, three in the morning with 25 to 30 knots, and two in the afternoon when gusts were hitting over 40 knots. The racing was absolutely amazing, with riders consistently reaching speeds over 30 knots. The wind became so strong that slalom boards were uncontrollable and most competitors switched to twin tips.
The format remained the same with two semifinals and a final for the men, plus one final for the women. All five men’s finals had different winners giving everyone the opportunity to win. Conditions became so fierce, that winners became the fastest riders who could simply maintain control throughout the entire race. On the women’s side, Gisela Pulido and Paula Novotna traded first place until Paula had a massive crash (watch here: VIDEO) and was out of competition for the day.
PKRA’s slalom event has pushed the boundaries of kite course racing this week. Twin tip boards have become the norm in winds over 30 knots. Tomorrow the wind also looks strong, so racing will continue to be exciting.
Find individual race details and follow all PKRA action live at www.prokitetour.com