GKA Awards 2023

The Qatar Airways GKA Awards night that pays tribute kiteboarding’s greatest achievements and personalities has again shown its capacity to surprise and delight at a historic gala evening in the Spanish resort of Tarifa.

For the second successive year, the GKA Awards in partnership with Qatar Airways and Visit Qatar, has recognised the best athletes, their greatest achievements and outstanding contributions to the sport.

Many of the biggest names in kiteboarding were on hand as GKA CEO, Dr Jörgen Vogt, Senior Vice President of Qatar Airways, Steven Reynolds, and Tarifa’s caretaker mayor, Paco Ruiz, unveiled the winners of the coveted statuettes.

AWARDS WINNERS

Men’s Move

Andrea Principi

Double backroll, double kite loop, board-off flip, late front one foot

Women’s Move

Zara Hoogenraad

Kite loop late backroll

Legend

Mitu Monteiro

Rookie

Gabriel Benetton

Fan Award

Detlef & Monika Telchmann

Photo of the Year

A very special shot, by Samuel Cardenas.

This photo is really special for me, as a local from Tarifa it is really difficult nowadays to do something different here, but we had a little chance last winter to do it… The photo is taken in “Playa Chica” is the beach more close to the port of Tarifa, and near of famous “Balneario” You´re not allowed to kite there because of the boats going to Africa, but this day the port was close because of strong winds, we spent literally 10 minutes there, 2 jumps, because of the crazy conditions and no more chances to get the photo with this magic and unique background.

Video of the Year

“Grounded. A SunGod Film” by Lidewij Hartog & Airton Cozzolino

Social Contribution Award

Graham Howes (Dirty Habits Foundation & We Need To Talk movie)