Back row (men's winners): Jack Rieder (CAN), Ewan Jaspan (AUS) and Ramiro Gallart (ARG). Front row (women's winners): Lauren Holman (CAN), Katie Potter (AUS) and Kristen Cooper (USA).
Back row (men's winners): Jack Rieder (CAN), Ewan Jaspan (AUS) and Ramiro Gallart (ARG). Front row (women's winners): Lauren Holman (CAN), Katie Potter (AUS) and Kristen Cooper (USA).
Andre Magarao photo
The event marked a significant moment in history, as this was the first time the GKA’s world cup was held on American soil.
HOOD RIVER — For one week in August, the Hood River event site hosted the Qatar Airways GKA Kite Park League World Championships.
The competition was a collaboration between the Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour and the Kite Park League (KPL). The event marked a significant moment in history, as this was the first time the GKA’s world cup was held on American soil. The KPL was started in 2016 by the world’s best slider and kicker kiteboarders and it’s all about style. Loosely based on snowboarding, judges are less concerned about rotations. The more grabs and presses, the better.
From August 3-10 kiteboarders from around the world came to Hood River for a chance to be a world champion.
Australian’s Ewan Jaspan and Katie Potter were crowned champs, but for both riders this was not their first rodeo. Jaspan’s championship, marked his third straight KPL title — though the first to be sanctioned as a world title by GKA under the banner of a World Sailing Special Event. Potter won her second consecutive title.
Ramiro Gallart, from Argentina, earned second place on the men’s side and right behind him was Canadian Jack Rieder, in third.
On the women’s side, Canadian Lauren Holman took second place and American Kristen Cooper took third.
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