Storm-force winds set stage for Dorset's biggest British kiteboarding championship
The biggest ever British Kiteboarding National Championship is set to start with the arrival of storm-force winds in Portland.
RSK is a key sponsor of the championship that sees competitors judged on the height, technicality and risk of their jumps.
Run by the Portland United Kite League (PUKL), the event is expected to draw up to 300 spectators from across Europe.
PUKL Media & Community Manager and former UK big air champion Mattia Maini said: “Portland is one of the best places in the UK for kiteboarding in storm-force winds, as the natural landscape of the harbour keeps the water flat even when wind speed is higher than 40 mph. With a prize pool of around £5000, it will be the biggest event PUKL has run so far.”
Mattia explained that the event will go ahead on a to-be-confirmed weekend before the end of October, as opposed to previous kiteboarding competitions, which were fixed to a single weekend.
He said: “This is the first event of its kind to run on a weekend window, where the weather forecast is evaluated on Tuesday and Wednesday to confirm whether it will go ahead. If the forecast isn’t holding more than 35 knots, we wait until the next weekend. In the past, a fixed date led to riders travelling, paying entry and being left unable to compete due to the lack of wind.
“The system works, giving riders the best chance to show off the big-air acrobatics that make the event special. It is now a prime event on the UK kiteboarding calendar.”
Mattia said that along with being a thrilling event on its own, the championship gives UK kiteboarders a route into the Global Kitesports Association world tour and other international competitions. It also hosts a dedicated women’s division, with an equal split of the prize money, and a division for newer and intermediate riders.
The judging panel includes Craig Smith, a two-time British national champion; Robin Snugs, a senior coastguard operations officer in North Devon and a professional kiteboarder himself; and George Dufty, a former British kiteboarding champion. Mattia explained that the judges would give scores based on the height, risk, technicality and ingenuity of the tricks on display.
Funding for the event has come from several sources, including the RSK Group, which is a key sponsor.
RSK Group Sports and Leisure Director Wayne Mumford said: “PUKL gives young UK riders a route into competitive kiteboarding, allowing newer riders to compete on the same beach on the same weekend as the country’s best, and we are proud to support this. With equal prize money for men and women’s divisions, this aligns with our own commitments to equality and inclusion.”
When the date is confirmed, it will be shown on PUKL’s website and social media channels. Riders will meet at CS Watersports, Portland, with the kiting itself launching from Billy Winter’s, Ferrybridge, on Chesil Beach.