The Second International Kite Surfing Kalpitiya Lagoon Challenge concluded over the weekend with 5 of the top 6 men’s prizes going to local talent.
The total number of participants for both the women and men’s events was in excess of 50 form 17 countries.
Kite Surfing harness the power of the wind utilizing a large parachute like kite to enable a rider to glide on the surface of the water attached on a small surfboard. With a wide range of water conditions to chose from, whether it be waves to perform big jumps, flat lakes to set speed records kite surfing has seen exponential growth over the years. In 2012 the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) estimated 1.5 million persons worldwide had taken up the sport.
Photo Album – Kitesurfing Lagoon Challenge Kalpitiya 2016
The Kalpitiya Lagoon Challenge was comprised of two events, a course race and hang-time event. The course race evolves rider’s manoeuvring threw a predetermined circuit where by each riders times are calculated at the fastest time wins. Hang-time is more visually exciting for both the crowd and the rider. Participants are required to gather speed and jump as high as they can while also preforming tricks to gain points.
Results
Men’s Open Course Race
1st place – Anishka Dinel (Sri Lanka)
2nd place – Mawfeel Khan (Sri Lanka)
3rd place – Sachin Devinda (Sri Lanka)
Women’s Open Course Race
1st place – Aya Ohshima (Japan)
2nd place – Casey Fairhurst (Scotland)
3rd place – Maryne L’agrum (France)
Men’s Hang-Time
1st place – Tobias Schubert (Germany)
2nd place – Mawfeel Khan (Sri Lanka)
3rd place – Mohamed Nasar Amjad (Sri Lanka)
Women’s Hang-Time
1st place – Aya Ohshima (Japan)
2nd place – Casey Fairhurst (Scotland)
3rd place – Maryne L’agrum (France)
The event was organised by the Kalpitiya Windsports Club, who have been instrumental in encouraging the growth of the sport in the local area, with initiatives to help the community and protect the environment.
One of the founding members of the Kalpitiya Windsports Club and current Secretary Dilsiri Welikala commented that “over five years ago there were hardly any kites to be seen in the skies over the lagoon, now there are hundreds and every year we see more and more people coming to Sri Lanka as a Kite Surfing destination. With this event we hope to put Sri Lanka on the Kite Surfing tour map and one day encourage local talent to compete aboard.”
