Two years after the last edition, the stars of kitesurfing return to Cagliari for the Sardinia Grand Slam, the third stage of the Kitefoil World Series, the professional world circuit of the specialty consecrated to the Olympic discipline starting from the Paris 2024 Games.
The event. From today to Sunday, at the sixth stop of the Poetto beach. About fifty athletes (registrations will close in the afternoon) will battle in routes between the buoys, arriving in front of the beach to allow the public to experience the thrill of close-range regattas. The event is organized by GLESport in collaboration with the Chia Wind Club and with the technical support of the Yacht Club Cagliari, and is run under the aegis of World Sailing and IKA, the World Kiteboarding Association.
The regional councilor. "Among athletes and companions, we estimated the stay in the city of over three hundred people, with a direct induced distributed between the hospitality sector and the services", specified during the presentation Gianni Chessa, regional councilor for tourism, who contributed to the event with 405 thousand euros, "this championship is part of the rich regional program dedicated to sports tourism, which represents an unmissable opportunity to promote our territory".
The Coni. “The event is set in a very happy moment for the entire Sardinian sports movement”, underlined Bruno Perra, regional president of Coni, “the events are many, of the highest level and give further impetus to the activity of the federations. We have never had such a large delegation at the Olympics, now so many young people are trampling and wanting to do well ”.
The participants. Great names in the discipline are expected at the Sardinia Grand Slam. In the men's field, eyes focused on the French Axel Mazella, reigning champion and leader of the circuit with 597 points, 6 more than the Russian Denis Taradin (591), closely watched by Theo De Ramecourt (588). The best woman in the ranking is currently Poema Newland with 447 points. Behind her Lauriane Nolot (378), then the Italians Sofia Tomasoni (363) and Tiana Laporte (321), respectively registered with Windsurfing Club Cagliari and Chia Wind Club. Mirco Babini, Davide Pischedda from Cagliari, sixteen years old.
The collateral initiatives. On the sidelines of the competition, the Sardinia Grand Slam village will host many initiatives aimed at citizens and united by a double thread: the removal of social barriers and environmental protection. In fact, from tomorrow to Sunday, there will be artistic workshops for children, beach cleaning, kitesurfing tests for people with disabilities in anticipation of the discipline's entry into the Paralympic sports list, a traveling exhibition of cracking art. To make Cagliari a sporting showcase and at the same time an inclusive space, accessible and attentive to environmental protection.
