Unglaublich aber wahr! Kitesurfen wird "endlich" olympisch.. und zwar bei der nächsten Olympiade 2024!
"Kiteboarding is to become a full Olympic sailing event after World Sailing’s (WS) Council approved a submission that will see athletes take the stage at the Paris 2024 Games."
Was wird passieren: Es soll ein "Mixed Kiteboarding Team" geben. Damen und Herren sollen dabei zusammen in Teams um die Wette foilen.
Das neue Wettkampf-Format soll demnächst bei den nächsten Race-Events getestet werden.
Details of the “team” nature of the format have yet to be established, but could comprise national teams of men and women each accruing points from races, or a novel “relay” where the male and female athletes race alternate laps of the course.
The International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) will work closely with World Sailing's Event Committee to ensure that the format reflects the wishes and dreams of the competitive kiteboarders all around the world to showcase hydrofoil kiteracing at it's best.
The Equipment Committee, responsible within World Sailing for evaluation of the various equipment options, has indicated to follow the established Formula Kite model of production series hyrdrofoils and foil kites, with one hydrofoil and up to four foil kites and a 4 year registration cycle in sync with the Olympic Quad.
The submission accepted that the ultra-efficient cutting-edge kite hydrofoil equipment is capable of covering wind ranges from as little as 6kts, right up to 40kts.
The upcoming premier Formula Kite events are the European Championships in Warnemuende, Germany, from 8 to 13 July 2018, and the World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, from 4 to 12 August 2018.
Both events will feature racing in separate men's and women's fleets. Events for the new mixed format will be scheduled for 2019 after deliberations with World Sailing's Events Committee
The equipment for these events, as well as for the upcoming Central American & Caribbean Games 2018 and the Panamerican Games 2019, is Formula Kite with equipment currently listed on the registered series production list from beginning of 2017.