Contenders for the GKA Women’s Move of the Year Award 2022

We’re pleased to be able to announce the following individuals were voted as the leading contenders for the GKA Move of the Year Award by a panel of industry professionals, representatives, brand managers, media creators and journalists.

Please watch the video below and then scroll down to read the bio info about the contenders – winners announced 25th June at a ceremony in Tarifa. 

VOTING CLOSED 7TH JUNE

(The public vote counts as 33% of the overall vote alongside a specialist legends & pioneers committee and GKA Kite World Tour judges, crew and event partners)

MIKAILI SOL
SMOBE 7

MIKAILI SOL ON BEING THE FIRST EVER FEMALE TO LAND AN SMOBE 7

“I have landed this trick several times but I had never caught it on film. I was so stoked to actually get a video of it and be the first ever female to land a Slim 7. I have now landed not only BS315, But landed my 317 in competition and now my Slim 7.

It is super exciting to bring the level of female kiting up another notch! I have been practicing my doubles for about a year. Before I started my doubles, I really focused on getting my singles to a competent level with height and power so when I started my doubles I was prepared and less likely to get injured.”

ANGELY BOUILLOT
DOUBLE BACK ROLL MEGALOOP

ANGELY BOUILLOT ON THIS HIGHLY EXTREME DOUBLE BACKROLL MEGALOOP

“I just tried it and I landed it, that’s all there is to it. A moment of exhalation, freedom completely letting go of everything. Time stops, like when I would ride the Carousel at 2 and a half years old.”

CAMILLE LOSSERAND
STRAPLESS BACK ROLL TIC TAC

CAMILLE LOSSERAND ON HER IMPRESSIVE STRAPLESS FREESTYLE MANOEUVRE

“This trick is definitely special for me as I landed it for the first time last year in Tarifa, my home town. It gives you such a nice feeling of freedom when you land it. I can now see that all my hard work and perseverance, training everyday was well worth it.

I was always looking at the boys on the water doing this trick with double and even triple tic-tac so it gave me a big motivation to land this one too.”

CAPUCINE DELANNOY
STRAPLESS DOUBLE FRONTROLL

CAPUCINE DELANNOY ON THIS TECHNICAL STRAPLESS FREESTYLE MANOEUVRE

“The double front roll is by far my favorite trick!  I landed it for the first time 2 years ago, it was during quarantine; I was only training with my brother and he was doing 3 rotations while I was only doing 1, so I thought I had to go for a second rotation. I’m currently the only girl landing this trick.”

KAROLINA WINKOWSKA
CRAIL GRAB FRONT TO BLIND

KAROLINA WINKOWSKA ON HER INNOVATIVE FREESTYLE TRICK

“We filmed this trick on my last day at Taiba lagoon in Brazil. I was landing this trick every now and again before, but every time I wanted to film it, I couldn’t land one. So luckily on my last day, it wasn’t enough wind for the boys but glory wind for the ladies. This said we got an empty left tack, which is quite rare in Taiba, and I got to land this banger!”

ALICE RUGGIO
MEGALOOP LATE BACKROLL

ALICE RUGGIO TALKS ABOUT HER RADICAL MEGALOOP LATE BACKROLL

“The Megaloop Late Backroll is special to me because at first I thought it impossible to land. When I finally landed it, it was an indescribable emotion! This trick is very very important in my discipline, especially in the women’s category. I was only able to practice this trick a week before the lord of tram 2021 in France, because in my city there is almost never strong enough wind to try it.”

MOONA WHYTE
MULTIPLE TURNS ON A WAVE 

MOONA WHYTE ON HER POWERFUL FRONTSIDE SLASHES

“This session was one of my all time favorites at home in Hawaii. There were steep sections in the wave which allowed for a surf-style approach which is always my goal when kiting.”

MOONA WHYTE
BARRELL

MOONA WHYTE ON THIS IMPRESSIVE BARREL

“Getting barreled is something I’ve been working on for the last few years, and has been a huge challenge for me. This is a shorter, smaller one but still is the best feeling in wave riding no matter the size!”

PIPPA VAN IERSEL 
DOUBLE BACK ROLL MEGALOOP

PIPPA VAN IERSEL ON THIS RADICAL DOUBLE BACK ROLL MEGALOOP 

“On this day I had my first kite session where I was allowed to do tricks after I injured both knees 4 months earlier. The same day, we had a green light for Lords of the Tram. I promised my physio and myself that I would only compete if I could see this as a training session. So I did. I went out and had a lot of fun during this competition and I felt super confident with my riding after being out for a while. I had the biggest smile.

Just being on the water again with everyone was such a great feeling. The backroll kiteloop lateroll is my favorite trick. I didn’t expect to do it so fast after my injury but I felt good and thought, why not? So I went for it, the feeling of it is just insane…”

THERESE TAABBEL
HEART ATTACK

THERESE TAABBEL ON THIS POWERFUL HEART ATTACK 

“Since coming back from my ACL injury, I was slowly building back my confidence in my tricks. I had not done the Heart Attack since before my injury, so that day everything just felt right.”

Female Rider of the Year Award – CLICK HERE

Social Contribution of the Year Award – CLICK HERE

Men’s Best Move of the Year – CLICK HERE

Male Rider of the Year – CLICK HERE

The GKA Awards will be given out during a special invitational ceremony in Tarifa on Saturday night, 25th June, during the GKA Big Air World Championships event window, which also sees the GKA Kite Expo take place in the first week. Hold on tight!