GKA Cabarete Kite Festival July 2019
The Global Kitesports Association (GKA) had such a blast in Cabarete last summer that they will be back again in July 2019 for the 7-day Kite Festival.
Though the date is not yet confirmed, it is likely to be 22-28th July 2019.
The Cabarete Kite Festival celebrates the ocean and everything it gives us, including our favourite watersports! As well as awesome kite tricks, the Festival promotes awareness of how we can protect the life and health of the ocean.
There are plenty of activities to choose from: kiting clinics run by pros, health and wellness seminars, epic downwinders, surf sessions, networking events and, of course, the nightly after-parties.
Out on Kite Beach, you can expect to see some crazy ‘big air’ displays from local pros and athletes from around the world.
Last year’s event was the Air Games, part of the GKA World Tour. It was a tense battle, with the closely-matched finalists fighting it out for first place.
In the end, the young talented Brazilian Mikaili Sol was crowned the winner of the women’s competition. The 13-year-old sensation is four-time Junior Freestyle World Champion, and is now storming the world of pro kiting. Hannah Whiteley from the UK placed second, and put her usual solid performance.
Highlights include Hannah’s super-clean blind judge and Mika’s stomped slim chance.
In the men’s division, two-time Freestyle World Champion Carlos Mario, another Brazilian, came out on top. Jesse Richman came in second.
Richman wowed the crowd with some huge board-off rotations and a mean half cab. But Mario stole the show with a faultless double heart attack and kiteloop which scored him two tens from the judges. He upped the drama by landing a massive triple front roll board-off in the last minute of the final.
Keep an eye out for more details of the Festival on their website, and make sure you don’t miss the registration date for this awesome event.
Not on the water? Head down to Kite Beach for a chance to see the pros go at it in the much-anticipated Cabarete Kite Festival. Mojitos on the beach and a steady stream of empanadas will make your day that much more perfect.
Check out our kiting lingo post, so you can mingle with the pro kiters like a pro.
The themed after-parties will no doubt be lively, as rum and dancing light up Cabarete nights!
