Olympic kite season opens in EUROSAF Sailing Academy

• EUROSAF Sailing Academy in Mar Menor/Spain is hosting the first major event of the kite season
• 137 kiters from 39 nations lining up to race across six days
• Defending European Champions Ellie Aldridge (GBR) and Riccardo Pianosi (ITA) among the favorites
• A number of countries using the Europeans as part of the Olympic trials

The 2024 Formula Kite European Championship is about to get underway in Los Alcázares, Mar Menor, in Spain. Races are taking place from today until 24 March. This is the first major event of the kitefoil racing season.

With just a few months to the Olympic Games the tension is really ratcheting up as riders are gunning for precious few remaining qualifying places for Paris 2024. There are 137 athletes from 39 nations including some lesser-seen sailing nations like Antigua, Dominican Republic, India, Latvia, Tonga and Vanuatu.

The first day of racing will be a moment of revelation for the riders who have been training over the winter at various venues including Fuerteventura, Egypt and Australia. Whose training block has been the most effective? This will be the regatta where they find out who has made the biggest gains.

Fotocredit: www.aasailing.com / EUROSAF Academy / IKA