The perfect finale to an epic week was a bonus Best Trick competition at the GKA Kite-Surf World Tour in Dakhla! The comp ran over two x 20 minute heats, followed by a 30 minute final with riders judged on overall impression with the freedom to throw as many tricks, and take as many waves, as they liked.
In the first heat, Mitu was once again the stand out rider drawing the biggest cheers from the shore with a stomped flat-3 that helped him secure his route to his second final in as many days, while Gustavo Arrojo (SPN) threw some real variety into the mix with nice rotations and a couple of kick-flips, which also earned him a place among the eight riders who’d go to the final.
Airton and Paulino going trick for trick!
In heat two, Airton was riding with his customary zeal, going for powered 313s while Matchu took a more fluid approach with rotations and a nice kite loop board-off. Jan Marcos Riveras brought out the crowd pleasers with Jesus walks, can-cans and kite loops and Airton finished the heat with a solid ole-3. All three riders were on their way to the final.
In the final heat an all-star cast took to the water and the handle-passes came out with Airton leading from the front. Mitu nailed a couple of flat-3s, Paulino stuck one and was coming painfully close to landing one of the much-vaunted 313s that have become Airton’s signature move on this year’s tour. It wasn’t just a freestyle throw down though and there were some small but rip-able waves peeling off the point which Keahi de Aboitiz and Camille Delannoy made great use of.
Keahi took the wave of the session and Camille landed a beautiful air reverse onto the wave’s face.
Keahi de Aboitiz hunting out the waves.
The Cape Verdeans had clinched it yet again with strapless freestyle dynamo Airton topping the podium, Matchu Lopes in second place, Mitu Monteiro in third and Keahi de Aboitiz in fourth!
Special mentions must go to the local Moroccan riders who shredded hard and made the final stages of the main event contest, especially these two: Ismail Adarzane and Mohammed Ali Beqqali
Main event podium: Winner: Mitu Monteiro (CV) F-One / 2nd: Keahi de Abotiz (AUS) Cabrinha / 3rd: Paulino Pereira (POR) Ozone / Xenon / 4th: James Carew (AUS) North
A raucous closing party followed at the Westpoint Hotel as the GKA crew and riders bid farewell to Dakhla and began to switch focus to the next event in Sotavento, Fuerteventura in just a week’s time. Last year Airton reigned supreme in the howling winds during Fuerte’s freestyle-focused event. Can anyone stop him there?
Main Event Season Top 10 Standings After Two Events:
1 Mitu Monteiro (CV) 1680 points
2 Airton Cozzolino (ITA) 1680
3 Paulino Pereira (POR) 1620
4 Keahi de Aboitiz (AUS) 1400
5 Matchu Lopes (CV) 1400
6 Camille Delannoy (FRA) 1360
7 Jan Marcos Riveras (DR) 1230
8 Ralph Boelen (FRA) 1180
9 Sandro Pisu (ITA) 1020
10 Gustavo Arrojo (SPN) 1000