TwinTip Big Air action kicks off in Brazil

Men’s and women’s contests spark into life with first rounds of season opener in Jericoacoara

Copa Kitley GKA Big Air Kite World Cup Jericoacoara 2024
5–9 November, 2024 | Jericoacoara, Brazil

Copa Kitley GKA Hydrofoil Big Air Kite World Cup Jericoacoara 2024
5–9 November, 2024 | Jericoacoara, Brazil

The Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour’s Big Air 2025 season started with a bang when the TwinTip division opened on its debut at the legendary Brazilian kiteboarding spot of Jericoacoara.

The first rounds of the Copa Kitley GKA Big Air Kite World Cup Jericoacoara saw a few surprises and upsets. World champion Zara Hoogenraad (NED) was beaten into second place in her heat, though she will undoubtedly redeem herself in the next round.

Multiple world champion Mikaili Sol (BRA) stormed back to competition battling on home waters for the first time in almost a year, scoring the biggest trick score of the women’s contest right out of the gate with a world’s first in competition.

In the men’s opening exchanges in 25 to 30 knots of breeze, Colombia’s Beto Gómez overhauled Kimo Verkerk, of the Netherlands. The Dutchman will also get a chance to fight for survival in round two.

Twenty-four men and 12 women were fighting for honours in the Big Air TwinTip division on day two of the Jericoacoara world cup. In the coming days the Hydrofoil Big Air athletes will battle for the 2024 world titles, with the men’s 2024 Big Air Surfboard crown up for grabs on the final day.

Showed his class

Former Big Air TwinTip world champion, Italy’s Andrea Principi, was up early in the opening round. Principi showed his class and put down a marker to rivals with a big heat win.

Leonardo Casati (ITA), the 15-year-old younger brother of Lorenzo, again showed he is a force to be reckoned with when he put some big numbers on the board to see him advance straight to the quarter-final.

France’s Edgar Ulrich, who landed third place at Lords of Tram in front of home fans in April, was another standout when he chalked up one of the day’s biggest heat totals for his three counting tricks from seven attempts.

“This spot is known for its steady winds every year,” said Ulrich, ahead of his heat. “All the riders have been training here for years. It’s a safe wind because it never drops and is completely steady. You’re never going to get dropped, that’s why it called ‘safe’ wind.”

Local rider from nearby Prea, Josué San Ferreira (BRA), cruised to victory in his heat thanks to a 7.4 from a possible 10 for a Front Roll Sent Pass that helped him go straight to the quarter final.

‘So much excitement’

But it was Lorenzo Casati (ESP) who was on a charge from the off. He landed the day’s biggest trick score, 8.77 for a Kiteloop Backroll Tic-tac that took his heat total to 24.74, also the day’s highest.

The Netherlands’ Pippa van Iersel, winner of Lords of Tram earlier in the year, scored 8.0 for a Kiteloop Backroll that saw her easily advance. Britain’s Francesca Maini, runner-up in Gran Canaria, put up some strong scores but fell to Mikaili Sol and will fight again in round two.

The Bulgarian Big Air debutant Aya Kasabova, 14, came up against powerhouses Jasmine Cho (USA) and Lana Herman (SLO), who won the heat in a tight battle. Kasabova’s inexperience was telling, but she relished prospect of joining the Big Air ranks.

“This is my first Big Air world cup and I’m super-excited,” said Kasabova. “I’ve been in Brazil already for a month training in a few different spots. For me Big Air gives you so much excitement and adrenaline.”

Join us here on the Livestream for more high-octane action.

words: Ian MacKinnon
images: Svetlana Romantsova

Spot Info

Jericoacoara
Jericoacoara offers lagoons for the freestylers and kickers on ocean for the Big Air athletes. The winds from 20 to 30 knots, or more, are constant and on all day from August to November. The winds are cross-onshore from the right, but outside Jeri town they tend to be cross-offshore. The lagoons, surrounded by sand dunes and palm trees, are separated from the sea by a low sandbars.

Weather
November is the driest months in Jeri. The air temperature during day can be between 32°C, the highest temperatures, and the lowest of 24°C. The water temperature of the sea is around 20-25°C, so nothing more than a summer shorty is required.  Sunrise is at about 05.30 and sunset is 17.30.

Wind
Easterly winds blow cross-onshore in Jericoacoara, between 20–30 knots. You can find the most accurate online wind forecasts on Windguru.

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