The first round of the 2024 Qatar Airways GKA Kite Park League World Championships has seen exciting action and impressive performances from top riders from around the globe. Held in intense 30+ MPH winds, the riders didn't just have to battle each other but also the challenging conditions.
Heat 1 kicked off the event on the Duotone Step Down. Two time KPL Champion Sam Light came out with a bang securing an early 1.35 point over Tim Walsh in 2nd. Then it was on to the North XL Kicker where current World number 3 Jack Rider entered the fray with a colossal Toeside Backside 7 propelling him into 3rd place behind World #2 Noe Font who moved into 2nd by just .01. Sam continued to pull ahead with the top score on the Box to Corrugated, followed by Jack moving into 2nd after Noe struggled to make it to the end of the rail. Jack then went on to pull ahead by dropping the highest score on the Naish Kicker, claiming the heat win by .65 over Sam in 2nd. They will move on straight to the final while Tim, Noe, Chase Hasch, and Chris Bobyrk will advance to the Semi-Final.
In Heat 2, Ramiro Gallart started on top with the best hit on the Step Down by 1.05 over Brendan Kerr in 2nd. Brendan then took the lead with a Crowmobe on the XL kicker with Eric Rienstra moving into 2nd by just .05 with a KGB. Eric and Ramiro would then out do Brendan on the Box to Corrugated to move onto 1st and 2nd. Then as Eric struggled to find power for his last kicker hit, defending KPL Champion Ewan Jaspan came from behind with a KGB of his own to win the heat with Ramiro joining him in 2nd to advance straight to the final. Advancing to the Semi-final was Eric, Brendan, John Perry, and Andy Cain.
Stay tuned as we continue with the Men's Semi-final tomorrow.
