FAQ

GKA Kite World Tour runs four official disciplines, all sanctioned by World Sailing: Freestyle, Kite-Surf, Hydrofoil-Freestyle and Big Air.

In total we run around 15 World Cups per year, that means between two and five World Cups per discipline.

The number of counting scores and discards depends on the number of completed events in the following way:

Please go to https://app.gkakiteworldtour.com and register a new membership with your email address and a self-chosen password. You will get an email with a link to complete the registration. If you occur a problem with receiving the confirmation email, you can contact the GKA IT director, Julio on julio@global-kitesports.org

Pre-registration opens approx. 10 weeks before the event for one month, and then closes 6 weeks before the event. Exceptions can occur if the results of the previous event must be awaited. In this case pre-registration might be open longer and therefore might close later than 6 weeks before the event.

Please enter your Rider’s App user account, choose the desired World Cup and press the pre-register button. If you want to participate in the Video Application, don’t forget to upload your videos.

To participate in the Video Application, please enter your Rider’s app user account and the required short videos. Each video may only show one trick.

Please make sure videos are NOT filmed in POV mode (point of view) and have also not been edited. They must come in their raw fomat.

Please find current trick lists for all disciplines in the appendix of the Rulebook: GKA RULEBOOK

There are several possibilities to enter a World Cup. The top ranked riders of the current World Tour Ranking qualify automatically, but you can also qualify via video application or get one of the wildcards from the local organiser of GKA. Depending on the event and discipline will also determine the specific entry allocation as it can be different. Please see the rulebook for exact numbers on how spots are allocated.

The maximum number of competitors is as follows:

The minimum age is 14 in the year of competition.

The age categories for Youth events are U14, U16 and U19. Please note that not the actual age, but the year of birth is the deciding factor.

The restrictions in equipment depend on the disciplines:

Kite-Surf

Only Surf-boards are eligible for use in competition. In the Wave category, footstraps, pads and wax are allowed. In the Strapless Freestyle category, only boards with pads are allowed. Footstraps and wax are not allowed.

Freestyle

There are no restrictions on the equipment.

Hydrofoil-Freestyle

Only hydrofoils are eligible for use in competition. The use of a helmet is mandatory. Straps are not allowed.

Big Air

The use of a helmet is mandatory for the hydrofoil discipline.

Only twin-tips are eligible in the Big Air Twin-tip discipline.

Only hydrofoils are eligible for use in the Big Air Hydrofoil discipline.

Only surf boards without straps nor wax are eligible for use in the Big Air Surfboard discipline

The restrictions in equipment depend on the disciplines:

Kite-Surf

Only Surf-boards are eligible for use in competition. In the Wave category, footstraps, pads and wax are allowed. In the Strapless Freestyle category, only boards with pads are allowed. Footstraps and wax are not allowed.

Freestyle

There are no restrictions on the equipment.

Hydrofoil-Freestyle

Only hydrofoils are eligible for use in competition. The use of a helmet is mandatory. Straps are not allowed.

Big Air

The use of a helmet is mandatory for the hydrofoil discipline.

Only twin-tips are eligible in the Big Air Twin-tip discipline.

Only hydrofoils are eligible for use in the Big Air Hydrofoil discipline.

Only surf boards without straps nor wax are eligible for use in the Big Air Surfboard discipline.

As soon as pre-registration is closed, the start list will be published on the website and all riders will be informed if they got a spot or not via email. Riders who aren’t in the start list will be ranked and notified accordingly on the waiting list.

The seeding list determines who competes against whom in the heats. The current seeding of each rider depends on his / her position in the current World Tour Ranking. You will find the current seeding list for the competitions in the Race Notice for each event once published.

Before the event, you will find all important information in the Race Notice and on the webpage Events – GKA Kite World Tour for any further questions please contact our Assistant Tour Manager, Liam Dredge – liam@global-kitesports.org

During the event, you will be informed by WhatsApp and you will find all current information concerning next announcement, next possible start, Heat order, results… on the Notice Board at the event site.

The World Tour Ranking is based on all results a rider achieved during the current year, while the results of the last four competitions are counting for the seeding list. This can also include results from the previous year.

You will find information about travel and accommodation in the Race Notice, which is published on our website latest four weeks before the event.

The entrance fee is 125 € per discipline. After confirmation of participation, you will receive a payment link. Furthermore, it’s mandatory for all competitors to hold a valid GKA membership.

You become a member of GKA by paying the current membership fee. Together with your confirmation of participation in a World Cup you will receive a payment link that must be used for the payment. Please note that you can choose between a one-event-membership (80 €) and a full-year-membership (160 €). For riders competing in Youth Events and Wildcard holders, different fees apply.

All riders need a personal medical insurance with worldwide coverage. Aside from that, The GKA membership includes athletes’ insurance for accident and third-party liability during the competition. Benefits are only provided in accordance with the current ERAG insurance policy. Please note that the insurance is only valid for riders not competing in their country of residence. Local riders are not insured through their GKA membership.

The insurance is only valid for riders not competing in their country of residence. It includes athletes’ insurance for accident and third-party liability during the competition. Please note that benefits are only provided in accordance with the current ERAG insurance policy. The GKA Kite World Tour, the GKA Event GmbH, the Global Kitesports Association e.V. cannot held liable for any legal and/or financial liability, losses, damages, which might occur from the participation in the competition/event.

Yes, there will be published images and video clips of riders during the event. That’s why all riders must grant permission and sign a consent form “use of data, images, audio and video recordings” before each event.

Usually, the local organizer is responsible for the allocation and booking of stands. Please send an email to info@global-kitesports.org for further information.

The conditions vary from event to event, so please contact info@global-kitesports.org for further information.

We offer advertising packages for the whole GKA Kite World Tour as well as for single events. For further information please contact our Marketing Director Bernhard Ritzer bernhard@global-kitesports.org or send an email to info@global-kitesports.org

If you are interested in hosting a GKA Kite World Cup, please visit our webpage www.gkakiteworldtour.com to learn more about suitable spots, disciplines and general requirements. You are welcome to contact our Head Office info@global-kitesports.org to get in touch with our World Tour Manager Tom Hartmann and our CEO Dr. Jörgen Vogt.

The GKA Kite World Tour events rank from 3 STAR to 5 STAR events:

5 STAR World Cups include: (1) Livestream, (2) International TV coverage, (3) € 30.000,- prize money.

4 STAR World Cups include 2 out of the 3 requirements of a 5 STAR World Cup.

3 STAR World Cups include 1 out of the 3 requirements of a 5 STAR World Cup.

To stay updated with the latest news and happenings, simply visit our website at www.gkakiteworldtour.com/newsletter/ and provide your details.

You’ll receive our informative newsletter just in time before every event, and you’ll also get daily updates during every competition.

For your press-related needs, low resolution images featuring our logo from all competitions can be downloaded free of charge at www.gkakiteworldtour.com/riders/ Username and password: gka

If you need a high-quality images without any logos please send an email to rasa@global-kitesports.org

To be a part of our media coverage team during an event, kindly send an email to info@global-kitesports.org and your email will be forwarded to the respective team member.

If you have a passion for capturing extraordinary moments through photography or videography, we’d love to see your work. Please share your portfolio with our Media Director, Rasa, at rasa@global-kitesports.org, and we’ll be in touch with exciting opportunities to join our dynamic media team.