Registration Day - Riders Arrive in Hyères, France

Riders gathered today for registration in Hyères, France, for PKRA racing and the freestyle masters event at the highly anticipated Gold Games 2012. Arriving to pleasant and warm weather on the Mediterranean Sea, every rider seemed to welcome this new venue, which boasts an ideal location matched with consistently windy conditions. The opening ceremonies held at Robinson Restaurant also allowed many individuals the opportunity to express their excitement for the event and plans for the coming days.



For the racing and freestyle disciplines, 46 riders will represent 13 different nationalities. This week, the best racers in the world (7 women and 31 men) will compete for the top titles, all pitted against each other for final podium placements. Many regional riders will also try their hand against these top competitors, making for one of the most well-attended racing events so far in 2012.



Freestyle riders will compete in a mix of old and new school maneuvers. Judged on overall impression by a panel of judges, competitors will battle for bragging rights and their piece of the €20,500 in total provided for winners of the event. Notably, the women’s portion of the Freestyle Kite masters has been cancelled, due to low registration numbers.

The forecast for the coming week looks to offer lighter winds than preferred; however, conditions are expected to allow for a full range of kiting competition. The first day of the Gold Games 2012 will begin with a 10am skippers meeting and a first possible start shortly thereafter. The Plage De L’Almanarre offers flat-water conditions and usually anywhere between 8-35 knots of mistral wind.



Don't forget to follow the full event on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and via the PKRA live stream - live.prokitetour.com.

Day 1 - Light Conditions in Southern France
Light wind characterized the first day of the Gold Games in Hyeres, France, at the Plage De L’Almanarre. Beginning at 10am, competitors gathered for the first possible signs of wind and suitable conditions. The breeze did begin to pick up slightly throughout the day, giving riders the hope they needed to begin pumping up their kites and readying their gear.



Unfortunately, while the race nearly began at 2:45, the winds died once again – forcing the race director to cancel its start. Even though the winds did not provide conditions suitable for racing or freestyle on this day, competitors and beachgoers still enjoyed the beautiful day in the south of France. With the water clear, the temperature warm, and the view quite impressive, most people considered themselves lucky to be in such a stunning place.



For the week ahead, the wind forecast looks light; however, it should provide enough breeze for racing and freestyle disciplines to take place. In the meantime, competitors will look forward to the Gold Game festivities and many things to do here in Hyeres, France.

Day 2 - Waiting for Wind in France
The second day of the 2012 Gold Games provided no more wind than the day prior, forcing riders to conjure up alternative ways to spend the day. As competitors remained on wind hold throughout the morning and afternoon, many enjoyed the warm beach, caught up with old friends, or spent time tuning gear and adjusting bars and lines. With a comfortable grassy area to spend their downtime, some riders even pulled out some badminton, while others took advantage of the cool calm water – wakeboarding or swimming for a little entertainment and amusement.



Coming up in the following days, the Gold Games will also put on motocross and skate competitions. Regardless of what the wind allows, these other aspects of the Gold Games will surely provide ample entertainment and excitement for everyone who has made the journey to Hyeres, France.



Event sponsors Red Bull and NRG also represented themselves well on the beach, despite the unfavorable conditions, as they displayed flags, tents, and an encouraging presence at the event site. The city of Hyeres has also shown itself to be a welcoming destination for kite competitors. Numerous racers and freestyle riders took note of the friendly atmosphere, hospitable attitude, and overall pleasant ambience of this scenic city.

The forecast for the area has changed often over the past week, which has made planning difficult in such light conditions. Still, anticipation and expectations remain high, with light yet suitable conditions expected for the remainder of the week and through the weekend.

Wel een geinige spot.. Wind is echt pal aanlandig. De keren dat ik er was kon het nog wel eens varieren kwa wind, ineens van matige net niet wind en in no time ineens aantrekken tot dik overpowered met een 7. In de july augistus kun je wel eiegnlijk elke dag varen daar. Niet voor de beginner hoop enge dingen gezien daar met die Fransen.

Day 3 - Full Racing Action at the Gold Games

Day three began with the hope of stronger, more reliable winds, as forecasts and local experts predicted better conditions. After meeting for the first time in the early morning, riders finally started to ready their gear for the 10am start in offshore winds measuring around 7-11 knots.

Race one started with an early lead by Columbian competitor, Riccardo Leccese, and the Americans, Bryan Lake and John Heineken close behind. As the distance decreased between Lake and Leccese, the battle became even tighter, with riders on their biggest kites. Eventually, Leccese, Koch, and Heineken (respectively) finished the race first – Lake, Maxime Nocher, and Olivier Dansin not far behind.

The second race also provided an eventful battle as Adam Koch pulled out of the starting line first. Once the first mark was reached, Lake had moved into first place, while Olivier Dansin held onto second. Impressively, Lake pulled further and further ahead, as Heineken was forced to take a short tack to make his mark. Near the end, Leccese and Heineken raced incredibly close, while Olivier Dansin earned his first, first place finish of 2012, with Bryan Lake taking second. Notably, Caroline Adrien, the French competitor, did exceptionally well in the girls category, earning first place in three of the five total races held.

Race three then gave way to ample excitement before the red flag even went down, as a major tangle caused numerous competitors a delayed start. This incident later caused multiple protests. In spite of this commotion at the start, Lake pulled out with a strong first place in the beginning, as Heineken and Dansin fought back and forth for the second position. Lake seemed to be racing at lightening speed at times, bringing in an eventual strong first place win. In this race, Leccese finished second and Dansin crossed third. Katja Roose and Nuria Goma were unable to complete this race, due to the early tangle. Caroline Adrien, Ariane Imbert, and Jessica Sickinger, on the other hand, placed most favorably.

At 12pm and after a break, the horn for the fourth race sounded. At the first mark, Heineken took the lead, Leccese and Dansin at his heels. Koch and Lake also raced amazingly close, proving this race to be a tactical game at its best. Lake and Heineken both made strides on the upwind tacks, while Kerneur moved up as well. Heineken then increased his lead in the last leg of the race, leaving Dansin and Leccese to finish just after. Katja Roose won this race for the girls, beating out a number of her fellow male competitors.

The fifth and final race of the day provided the most excitement by far, as competitors knew this would be their last chance on day five to improve their ranking and overall standing. While Heineken was the first to tack, Julien Kerneur took a completely different line on starboard, which allowed him to move into first at the upwind mark. Koch and Dansin battled for top positioning, as Lake took over a remarkable three positions on the downwind leg. Leccese meanwhile held strongly to front placement, as everyone clearly exerted their most intense efforts to make it to the top. In the closest finish of the day, Leccese crossed just inches before Koch, with adrenaline obviously pumping - followed by Heineken in third and Lake in fourth. This last race was run in 10-15 knots of variable wind.

After two days of no wind, this third day provided more than enough entertainment and excitement to satiate everyone’s wishes. Olivier Dansin proudly carried a content post-race glow, as he ended the day with a (provisional) fourth place. Also barely able to contain his excitement with his first place ranking, Leccese displayed his grin ear to ear, saying that the last race of the day was his best ever.

Unfortunately, the wind did not hold long enough to allow for freestyle heats; however, plenty of days remain to allow for both disciplines to continue. Tomorrow, forecasts call for 7-9 knots, with the most wind expected at around 2pm. Also of note, the live cast has not been available due to technical difficulties; however, this issue is currently being working on.

Tomorrow, join the PKRA at the Gold Games 2012 on day four via Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates, photos, and insights.

Day 4 - Windless in L'Almanarre

After an action-packed third day of competition at the Gold Games in Hyeres, France, competitors and spectators entered into day four, unsure of what to expect. With a light wind forecast but a steady breeze blowing at around 10am, race director Olaf Van Tol instructed the riders to ready their gear for a 10:35 first possible start. The course was soon changed and the marks were set; however, not long after most riders made it to the starting point, the wind began to die back down to an unacceptable 6 knots. With so many kites now on the water, rescue boats and jet skis were ready to carry out a massive rescue mission, one that turned out to be not quite as large-scale as expected.

Disappointed by the wind variability, competitors returned to the beach and the meeting area to wait once more, enjoying lunch and the pleasant atmosphere. As the day continued on, there were brief moments where it looked as if the wind might pick up – only to die back down again, clouds and sun moving in interchangeably.


Interestingly, protests from day three changed the rankings slightly, moving Olivier Dansin (FRA) into second overall, and John Heineken (USA) into third, with Riccardo Leccese (COL) still holding in first place. Adam Koch (USA) commented that, while he would have of course enjoyed more wind for the event, he loved to be able to ride flat water for a change and compete against an ever-improving fleet of racers.


Freestyle riders Sebastian Garat, Ariel Corniel, and Eudazio Da Silva also sat patiently around the rider’s area. Garat joked that he has often been unlucky in coming to L’Almanarre as far as the wind is concerned; however he still enjoys the area and has instead taken advantage of the bustling nightlife of Hyeres and nearby Cannes instead.

Tomorrow, wind is expected early of up to 12 knots, so competitors will arrive to the meeting place at 8am for the day’s first meeting. Stay tuned via social media for all the latest updates.