After negotiations between KRU and IKA earlier this week, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed yesterday to ensure a bright future for professional kiteboarding and the disciplines of Freestyle, Big Air, Wave and Slalom.

The talks between KRU and IKA also involved the organizers of the upcoming events in El Gouna, Leucate, Dakhla, Fuerteventura and Fehmarn, so that there is a joint understanding of the cooperation between the riders union representing the world’s best riders and the sanctioning authority for the only official World Sailing recognized Kiteboarding World Championships.

KRU is fully satisfied that the commercial interests of the riders are protected and can be marketed to grow. IKA has ensured that the contest management and judging is completely independent from outside influence and conflict of interest, and will also ensure contest management and competition formats to the world’s highest standards through World Sailing procedures and officials.

Both KRU and IKA invite all riders to attend the upcoming event in El Gouna, Egypt, starting on March 20 with registration. 

The registration link for the El Gouna event can be found here: http://internationalkiteboarding.org/index.php/events/freestyle/39-kwc-round-1-el-gouna-grand-slam

The Notice of Race and the rules are available at www.worldkiteleague.com

The registration and official documents for the next events in Leucate and Dakhla as well as for all other events for the 2016 Kiteboarding World Championship Titles will be published in due course.

KRU and IKA are looking forward to a tour with only winners. 

Background

KRU is the Union of professional freestyle kiteboarders. KRU is teaming up with the best partners in the sport to ensure participation of its members in top-level events and to further explore their commercial rights.

KRU has chosen to come to an agreement with IKA as the holders of the official World Championship Title rights so that each partner can fully focus on its strength to deliver the best competition conditions for the riders.

As a not-for-profit class association of World Sailing, IKA has no interest in the commercial rights of the professional kiteboard riders and has ensured their rights for branding already since 2009 through the World Sailing Advertising Code.

IKA was formed to give an international platform to the skills and talents of competition kiteboarders of all disciplines through fair and independent decision making, judging and contest management. Since 2008, IKA is developing competition formats and rules within World Sailing. World Sailing is the world governing body for any kind of sailing sports and as such recognized by the International Olympic Committee.