Cagliari Prepares for the Sardinia Grand Slam: Maeder and Kampman Aim to Maintain Their World Series Lead
by Kitefoil World Series 27 Sep 10:47 PDT
1-5 October 2024
Action time at Sardinia Grand Slam 2023 © Robert Hajduk / IKA media
The Olympic rematch will occur in Sardinia with the second round of the Kitefoil World Series scheduled for October 1st to 5th. Italian Olympic athletes Pianosi and Pescetto will compete, along with Boschetti, Laporte, Marx, and Paolillo.
The kiteboarding community is “flying” full sail toward Cagliari. The Sardinian capital will host the Sardinia Grand Slam, the second and decisive stage of the IKA Kitefoil World Series, from October 1st to 5th. Now in its eighth edition, this much-anticipated autumn classic will once again gather the top international stars of the discipline at the Gulf of Angels, including several athletes returning from their Olympic debut in kiteboarding at Paris 2024.
The favorite for victory is reigning World champion Maximilian Maeder. A winner of the 2023 Sardinia Grand Slam and bronze medalist at the 2024 Olympics, Maeder comes off victories at the opening round of the IKA KiteFoil World Series in Traunsee (Austria) and the Asian KiteFoil Championship in Daishan, China. Notably, the rival list boasts impressive names, including European Formula Kite champion Axel Mazella, a two-time Sardinia Grand Slam winner (2019 and 2021), alongside several Italian contenders.
Competitors will include Riccardo Pianosi, the European and World vice-champion in Formula Kite and fourth place finisher at the Paris Olympics, and Lorenzo Boschetti, who has a special bond with the Gulf of Angels. Both Italian talents, hailing from Marche and Emilia-Romagna, currently reside in Cagliari. Croatian Martin Dolenc and Frenchman Benoit Gomez, second and third in Austria, will strive to secure the 2024 title.
The standout name in the Women’s category is 24-year-old French rider Jessie Kampman, a familiar figure among Italian kite enthusiasts due to her consistent participation in Cagliari over recent years. She claimed the silver medal at the 2022 Europeans and has excelled this year, winning the French Olympic Week (ahead of Lauriane Nolot and Elly Aldridge) and taking bronze at the Formula Kite World Championships in Hyères, before kicking off the KiteFoil World Series with a victory in Traunsee. An exciting sporting rivalry is anticipated against Swiss rider Elena Lengwiler and Israeli athlete Gal Zuckerman, who challenged Kampman strongly in Austria. After competing in Paris 2024, Maggie Eillen Pescetto will aim to elevate her standings in the World Series, as will Tiana Laporte.
The sixth stop at Poetto Beach on October 1st will be devoted to athlete registration and the opening ceremony. Series races will start from October 2nd to 4th, beginning at 11 AM, consistent with activities at the Sardinia Grand Slam village. The Medal Race will commence at 10 AM on Saturday, October 5th, followed by the awards ceremony at 5 PM.
Sponsored by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia’s Department of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Commerce, the Sardinia Grand Slam is organized by GLEsport, with technical collaboration from Chia Wind Club and under the auspices of the IKA (International Kiteboarding Association) and the FIV (Italian Sailing Federation), alongside the support and sponsorship of the Municipality of Cagliari’s Departments of Sports and Tourism. Partners of the Sardinia Grand Slam include Playcar and USE.
