"Because we care." KPL PATAGONIA 2024

Frequently, the KPL (Kite Park League) receives admiration from a variety of different organizations and corporations who seek to learn more about the League's premier operations and logistical structuring. A question from industry leaders that has become a bit of a repetitive joke in the KPL office is, "How do they do it time after time?" An undisclosed source recently wrote the office asking, "How has your team managed to inspire and catch the attention of the entire kiteboarding industry while simultaneously remaining humbly devoted to inclusivity and rider-driven momentum?" After reading this message, our CFO chuckled and responded, "Because we care."

There is no secret ingredient, overzealous marketing scheme, or predestine strategy that makes the KPL unequivocally prestigious. No "ifs*, ands*, buts*," or nonsense, the KPL simply cares more than most and is willing to go to extreme efforts to ensure that both competitors and event sponsors are receiving the most authentic experience that can be offered. The Kite Park League is a platform for growth and inspiration for those who wish to take part in the effort. With that being said, the Kite Park League proudly welcomes and celebrates the beginning of the 2024 season, kicking off in beautiful Argentina.

If you were to Google "wonderland" or explore the far reaches of the earth for a place that seemingly shouldn't exist, La Angostura, Argentina, would likely be one of the first results to appear on the radar. For those who have not yet traveled to this staggeringly beautiful portion of the world, its beauty is profound and evokes a sense of immeasurable enchantment. Nestled in the Patagonia mountain range between the border of both Argentina and Chile sits the quaint town of La Angostura, the host of the second annual Patagonia Invitational and the first contest of the 2024 season.

Thanks to the efforts of our fabrication team, aquatic relations coordinator, and generous sponsors, the KPL park is anchored in the heart of Lake Nahuel Huapi, which boasts some of the world's clearest and purest freshwater on the planet. Abutting the lake are lush forests with behemoth trees that ascend beyond eyesight, climbing thousands of feet before fading into snow-covered peaks that share their boundary with the clouds. If the natural allure wasn't enough to engage one's most heartfelt yearning, the people, cuisine, and energy of the community are remarkable, and it is a sincere pleasure for the KPL to have been graciously welcomed back.

Hosting a contest is no easy feat, and the logistics that coincide with building a park in the remote valley of Patagonia's mountain range requires immeasurable effort and planning. With the utmost certainty, the Patagonia Invitational would not have materialized without the continual support of Rami Gallart, the chief coordinator for this event.

The contest itself was allotted a one-week weather window, and advantageously, the first three days of the event brought incredible conditions, allowing all of the heats to run smoothly and directly into both the men's and women's finals. For the 2024 Patagonia invitation, the female finalists included Adela Mendoza, Fiorela Fantasia, and Aleksandra Zhukova. All three women rode incredibly well, battling with one another and continuing the progression of female kiteboarding. After one of the most entertaining KPL finals to date, Fiorela Fantasia's consistency and composed control across all features earned her a third-place finish. Securing second place on the podium was wakeboarder Aleksandra Zhukova, who seamlessly transitioned her skills from cable into the immaculate Argentinian kite park. In first place, continuing her dominant reign, was Adela Mendoza, who earned the respect of every rider and was undeniably deserving of being awarded the female victor of the 2024 Patagonia Invitational.

While the women's final was incredibly competitive, the men's was equally as gripping. The finalists included Santi Cisneros, Rami Gallart, Noe Font, Lucas Muzio, Xander Raith, Einar Saad, Matias Barrena, Juaco Rodriguez, and Asher Clarke. After battling it out all afternoon, the difference between second and fifth place was less than a point, illustrating the sheer competitive rivalry between the men's finalists. Ultimately, however, consistency became the most substantial factor that separated the podium positions from the rest of the field. In third place, the KPL congratulates Rami Gallart for his phenomenal riding and his role in curating one of the best park events in the world. In second place, Xander Raith's collected approach and unique style landed him next to Rami on the podium. In first place, Noe Font defended his Patagonia Invitational title by showcasing his mastery of park riding and truly professional capabilities. For 2024, this rounds out the Patagonia Invitational champions! The KPL is honored to support these athletes, celebrate their success, and introduce anyone who is interested in the inclusive world of kiteboarding.

During childhood, when one first attends school or daycare, one of the primal lessons one is taught and learns from, for example, is how to interact with others. Much of this formative education is influenced by one's guardians, friends, community, and those they choose to spend their time with. Whether it be riders who traveled across the globe to this event or riders who call Argentina their home spot, they all truly possess the innate qualities of collective compassion. Although at its core, the Kite Park League is nothing more than an organizational host for the competition, a fundamental distinction that has allowed the KPL to grow and progress organically is the riders who seek to support our contests. We are truly lucky to help represent so many incredible athletes, who together create a competitive dynamic that is inspiring to be a part of. From everyone at the KPL, we would like to extend our sincerest thanks to all of the riders who helped make this contest thrive, along with our sponsors and the wonderfully caring people of Argentina.

Without the support of Ak Durable Supply Company, Wenear sun protection, Bluthanteojos, Airush Kiteboarding, Mafia Bags, Santa Tabla Group, Corona, Oneill, Slingshot Kiteboarding, and the Asociación Argentina de Kite, the Kite Park League would not be celebrating another successful contest. Thanks to our sponsors, along with head judges Christophe Tack and Maxi Gambedotti, as well as our media team, which included Martin Pastene, Javier Darder, Oliver Umpierre, and Martina Marcet, the KPL would be merely a basis for ideas. Every aspect of the KPL is a team effort, and the prosperity of the League is dependent on this dynamic. Thanks for tuning in! Exciting news coming in there future!

Sincerely, the Kite Park League Chief Editor.

The KPL PATAGONIA is back February 3rd - 10th 2024!

We are excited to announce the 2024 championship tour is kicking off in no other than beautiful Villa La Angostura in the Argentinian Patagonia 🇦🇷 February 3rd - 10th! #kplpatagonia

Register Here

Inside The 2023 Patagonia Invitational.

Following the wake of the 2022 KPL (Kite Park League) Team Battle in Hood River, Oregon that reignited competitive park riding and set the stage for a new influx of life and faces into the park-riding scene, the foundation for an upcoming season was set in motion. For 2023, the KPL is pleased to introduce a world tour consisting of three different stops around the globe, beginning in Villa La Angostura, Argentina, then proceeding to Sicily, Italy, and culminating in Taiba, Brazil, for the final. Along with the world tour, the KPL is honored to bring back the second annual Team Battle to Hood River, USA; mark your calendar as we invite you, our beloved fans, to follow along for the 2023 Kite Park League season.

This past week, the KPL had hosted the first tour stop in the beautiful town of Villa La Angostura. Riders traveled from around the world to congregate at the first KPL event ever held in Argentina. Collectively, 24 men and three women made up our field of competitors for the inaugural Patagonia Invitational.

Kiteboarding often takes place in some of the most beautiful locations and the Patagonia Invitational was no exception. The event was held on the water’s edge of a remote island in lake Nahuel Heapi. The lake itself and the surrounding vibrant, green Patagonian mountain range co-existed as a pristine slice of unfiltered beauty that became unimaginably alluring with the temporary addition of a world-class kite park. The park consisted of five individualized features that floated in stark contrast to the surreal crystal clear glacial water that riders had the privilege to ride on throughout the entirety of the event.

When the wind shifted to the West and began funneling down lake Nahuel Heapi, the event commenced with a course preview, allowing the rider’s to feast their eyes on the immaculate park that lay before them. Riders awoke eager to face off against one another and manifest their competitive aspirations. On the morning of February fifth, the sky echoed radiant blue as the sun danced across the surface and illuminated the transparent water of the lake - conditions which subsisted for nearly the entire event. As the morning dissolved into the afternoon, the wind greeted the park with idealistic 11-13 meter conditions, allowing the entire field of riders the afternoon to explore their competitive blueprints and renovate any areas of uncertainty.

As with past KPL events, the meticulous formatting and stringent judging remained intact, splitting the field into multiple heats which ultimately distinguished the finalists. For the Patagonia Invitational, the men were split into four heats of six riders that sequentially determined both semifinalists, as well as finalists. The women bypassed qualification heats and proceeded directly to finals, which included Adela Mendoza, Kristen Cooper, and Lara Barrio.

On the morning of the sixth, the competitors made their way to the island, and the women ran their lines, pumped their kites, and entered the water as the first competitors of the week’s event. After the first two features, a hierarchy began to develop as Kristen Cooper made her dominance known with clean hits across both the F-One School Bus and decisive grabs off of the Airush kicker. Following in her footsteps was Adela Mendoza and Lara Barrio, KPL rookies whose skills and confidence improved with every lap through the park. While the entire event catered to progression, perhaps the most memorable portion of women’s final transpired on the Airush Incline, the final feature of the event. Each talented rider proved their technical proficiency and fierce enthusiasm, showcasing a caliber of riding that blossomed and thrived within the confines of a competitive setting. After the scores were tallied, Lara Barrio clenched third place on the podium, next to second-place finisher Adela Mendoza, and the victor of the Patagonia Invitational, Kristen Cooper.

While the women secured their initial standings on tour, the men siphoned through heats, weaning out the field to determine the six skilled finalists. Ultimately, Mariano Cuevas, Lucas Muzio, Chad Porter, Eric Rienstra, Rami Gallart, and Noè Font proved their expertise amongst their competitors and found themselves ready to face off against one another in the final duel.

One of kiteboarding’s most stringent factors is the reliance on wind, and unfortunately for the men’s final, the wind manifested itself as a rollercoaster, surging up and down with varying strength. However, the fickle conditions did not deter the persistence of the finalists, who navigated the course with precision, placing their own unique emphasis on each of the five features. Although the consistency, manicured approach, individualized technique, and the scores of the six finalists ultimately determined the concluding results, each of these six riders deserved equal respect and praise, as park-riding is a caliber of kiteboarding few can perform at such a distinguished tier. That being said, competition familiarity played the upper hand during finals, which bode well for the KPL veterans: Eric Rienstra, Rami Gallart, and Noè Font. Throughout the entirety of the contest and in continuation through finals, these three riders illustrated emphatic consistency which served as a fundamental benefactor that helped land each on the podium. Congratulations to our third-place finisher Eric Rienstra, followed by our second-place finisher Rami Gallart, and the winner of the Patagonia Invitational, Noè Font.

For those who missed the event highlights or are unaware of the extraordinary dynamics that ensued during the event, we urge you to follow our social media platforms for a first-hand look at the beautiful park curated by the KPL and the phenomenal riding that transpired. A sincere thank you goes out to our sponsors who helped support the event and make the Patagonia Invitational a reality. Thank you: GPX Store, Association Argentina De Kite, Tabla Shop, Second Wind, F-One, Cavok World, Corona, Ride Engine, Airush, and Duotone. Additionally, we would like to thank the head judge, Wenceslao Nowotny, our media staff, Andre Magarao, Pablo Rios, Canoa Films, Mora Gallart, and the event coordinators. Although everyone involved played a pivotal role in bringing this idea to life, the event’s largest contributor was Rami Gallart, who organized this special event and helped propel it into the Kite Park League’s global limelight.

For now, we say goodbye from stop one of the Patagonia Invitational in Villa La Angostura. Our sights are now set on the second stop of the tour, which will take us to Sicily, Italy. Mark your calendars, clear your schedule, and get ready for a front-row experience of the second tour stop. Thank you for supporting the greatest, most inclusive, and most progressive platform in competitive kiteboarding. Sincerely, the KPL staff and Chief Editor. That’s it, that’s all, folks. More to come from Sicily.