My name is Leonardo Casati, I’m 16 years old and I’m from Italy. I compete in Big Air, Strapless, Wave and Hydrofoil Big Air on the GKA World Tour. My main sponsors are Harlem Kitesurfing, Mystic, Surfr and Ridesk. I train full time with my family, together with my brother Lorenzo and my father, who is also our coach.   What were your first thoughts arriving in St. Peter-Ording for the GKA Youth Big Air Kite World Championship?   When I arrive at a competition, I always try t

Hi, I´m Basile Serre a 13 year old kiteboarder from France.   How did you first get into kitesurfing and what motivated you to pursue it professionally?   I started it at the age of 9 with my father. And I quickly became passionate. I am lucky to live next to a great spot, which allows me to train all year round.     How did you feel when you first heard that you just won the U14 division of the GKA Youth Big Air Kite World Championship?   I didn´t expect it, the other riders

My name is Aya Kasabova, I'm 15 years old and from Bulgaria. I ride for Duotone and I started competing around 3 years ago.   You’re one of top female U19 riders at the moment - how do you handle the expectations and maybe pressure of competing at this high level? I think going into this competition I really wanted to win, so there was a little more pressure. But having my coach there and knowing exactly what I have to do made it way easier. I love competing, so the pressure

Hi, I´m Jesse van der Veer, a 15-year-old kitesurfer from the netherlands. My sponsors are Duotone, Ion and Naturalhighsurfshop. What was your first impression of St. Peter-Ording and the conditions?   I think there was a very good vibe with my friends, and the food was also very nice, so that was really great. I thought the conditions were a bit too light because I think I could have performed better with some stronger wind. But overall it was great!     Who was your biggest

Hi, my name is Marten Koblischke, I’m 16 years old and I from a small island in the north of Germany. I started kitesurfing in 2020 and since then it has been my biggest passion. I get supported by F-One and Manera.     Was this your first time competing in a GKA Competition? How excited were you?   Yes, that was my first GKA event. I was super excited going into this event, because I finally got the opportunity to compete on an international stage in my favourite discipline

Hey I´m Figo van Ekeren, 11 years old and I was born in Amsterdam. When I was one we moved to Zandvoort and since I was eight I live in Tarifa. My sponsors are Duotone, ION and Dakhla Hospitality Group.   How did you first get into kitesurfing, and what motivated you to pursue it seriously? My parents have always been kiting, and when we lived in Zandvoort I was constantly watching them from the beach. Since I was three, I would play with my little trainer kite and imagine wh

My name is Victoria, I’m 14 years old, and I’m a competitive kitesurfer from the Dominican Republic. I currently don’t have any sponsors, but I’m working hard and growing in the sport every day.   When did you start kitesurfing? What inspired you to stick with it and to compete professionally? I started kitesurfing when I was 9 years old. What really inspired me to continue and eventually compete professionally was the moment I won against all the boys in a competition — I wa

Hey, I’m Ben! I’m 15 years old and I ride for Duotone. My main discipline is freestyle, but I absolutely love airstyle & big air as well. Especially in Sankt Peter-Ording — such an insane spot and a totally different vibe than at home.   How did you get into kitesurfing and what motivated you to pursue it professionally?   I spent part of my childhood in Cape Town, and during a holiday in Langebaan I ended up taking my first kite lessons. I got hooked instantly. After a bit o

Hi, I’m Annie Branton, a 16 year old big air kiteboarder. I rode Harlem gear during the competition and I’m hoping to join the Harlem team soon.   You finished third in the first ever GKA Youth Big Air Kite World Championship How did you feel when the results came in?   I finished 3rd in the U19 Women’s division, which was an incredible feeling, especially since this was the first-ever GKA Youth Big Air World Championships. I wasn’t very confident throughout the event and was