Individual Kitefoiling Olympic – Paris 2024… Now What..?

Individual Kitefoiling Olympic – Paris 2024… Now What..?

So that just happened a few weeks / months ago, the long awaited moment arrived:  Individual Kitefoil racing became Olympic!  So now what?  No team event anymore, two medals: one for the woman and one for the man. Now What?

En route to Paris 2024..!?

Well it went like this:

In December 2020 the IOC (international Olympic committee) confirmed the program of the Olympic games in 2024 in Paris – including mixed kitefoiling. That means a woman and a man from the same nationality had to compete as a team (only one medal available that time), some kind of parkour with a changeover in the middle – which is kind of hard in the middle of the water. Kitefoiling never competed in a team discipline, kitefoil racing is and was an individual sport. Some different opinions where about this “thing, as well as the IOC advised the world sailing to further review the mixed offshore sailing that time. The IOC was dealing with some challenges regarding the offshore sailing. In the areas of field of play security, scope and complexity, the complexity and cost of broadcasting.

While the final IOC assessment of the mixed offshore event continued, the world sailing is already requested to come up with alternative event proposals for the 10^th medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic games….. One of these proposals is an extra medal for kitefoiling, so it can be individual – as it should be.

The moment we all have been waiting for:

In may 2021 the delighting news came that The world sailing selects individual men`s and woman`s kitefoiling events as preferred alternative for Paris 2024. One step closer.

Short after, the 10^th of june 2021 the IOC confirms two medals in kitefoiling (kiteboarding/formula kite) for the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing competition: Individual woman`s and individual men`s.

In the words of David Graham, Chief Executive Officer –

“Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding will bring huge opportunities in terms of universality, developing women’s sailing and the media appeal of these exciting events.”

So now what?

Although the team event gave the kitefoiling some new perspectives and challenges. A different kind of competition, with surprising scores and close short track action.  I had a great time at the mixed relay in Austria – it was something different and fun. After all,  I am happy with the decision for the individual medals in the Kitefoil racing. This comes closer to the whole picture of Kitefoil racing and supports not only the sport, the opportunity for individual athletes,  but also woman’s sailing as it is.  Because Kitefoil racing is big fleets, full of action, flying around the course, battling each other and try to be the fastest & most skillful sailor out there.  More about what the heck kitefoiling is: link  (* still also with the mixed relay).

Although the Olympic part also brought some strange decisions in countries, some inequality in countries, in case of support, training , coaching, help and sponsoring:

Its time for the first generation of kitefoilers worldwide  to show what is possible and to go out there and build something for the future. Promote the kite foil racing and have some fun no – matter what!  Excited to see the journey ahead! Lets goooooow

What the heck is kitefoiling..?? read more here!