Hannahs 3rd Place at Worlds

KPWT Germany, Sylt-  15th- 21st June

Seat Kitesurf trophy 2009

Germany- Sylt, the 1st stop of the KPWT world tour 2009. This is my 1st international event, I’m feeling excited and a little nervous entering into the unknown. I am partially looking forwards to the kite loop contest which is a new discipline in the KPWT, and my favorite one, I have high expectations for this. 

Day 1

We do the freestyle single elimination. The conditions are challenging here with the  choppy water, onshore winds, and a nasty shore break, but I am looking forward to my 1st qualifying heat against Sunne Elbel, the German champion. I had a good heat and was super happy qualify into the main event.

My next heat was agents Ainhoa Garcia from Spain, I know she is a really good rider, so I was really stoked to win! Which put me into the quarter finals agents Helen Thompson from the UK! How I know really well, as all last year we were battling it out for 1st place on the British tour. Helen road well and won are heat. So I was finished for the day with a 4th place, I was really pleased. 

Day 2

The wind is light, so course racing is taking place. This means I get a nice chill out today:) I have only entered freestyle and kiteloop contests, as I have no course racing board.

Day 3

To day starts with the double elimination for freestyle. Kirsty Jones worked her way right through to the quarter finals after having an unlucky draw on day 1, being knocked out by Gisela in the qualifying rounds.  So it ended up with me and fellow UK rider Kirsty. I had never competed against Kirsty before but had seen her pulling some massive double back loop kite loops in her previous heats. I was really pleased to win this round in the quarter finals which put me back into fourth place with Kirsty in fifth place.

Next up was me and Helen. It was just like being back on the British circuit where we often battled it out for first place. This time I won which gave Helen fourth place and pushed me up into third. I am now super happy to have a third place in my first ever International event – can’t believe I’m getting on the podium.

Now up is me and Kristin Boese twice world champion, guess I’ve got my work cut out for me here. So off I go pulling out an unhooked tantrum with a down loop,  ralley to blind,  forward loop- down- loop with a nuclear grab, etc… All was going well until the last 2 minutes,  then unfortunately, I fell victim to the strong shore break and couldn’t get past the rocks  as I was too far down wind. It left me unable to get back upwind for the last two minutes of the heat. Giving Kristin the win. I was  so so happy to get a 3rd place. Finishing the day with a smile on my face.

Day 4

Strong winds today, wave heats are being run. The mens final was amazing to watch with Mito Monteiro (CABO VERDE) and Jan Marcos Riveras (DOM REP), puling off the most insance moves on the waves! Especially Jan Marcos’s  kiteloop back loop on a straples surf board.

Day 5

The wind is light so course races are run.

In the evening the last big party kicked off at 10pm, and turned out crazy as!! With everyone partying hard, with the forecast showing no wind for tomorrow.  

Day 6

It’s the lastttttt dayyyyyyy of the KPWT, at westerland sylt!

Unfortunately the kite loop contest never got run 🙁 

We said are good byes, and hit the road on are mammoth journey back to south Manchester, it turned out to be a laff and was broken up with all the UK lot keep bumping into each outer, for pit stop at the servistations.    

I had a really good time at Sylt, met lots of new people and I think it was a great experience for me to compete against some of the best girls in the world.

Women Freestyle results

1st Gisela Pulido (SPA)

2nd Kristin Boese (GER)

3rd Hannah Whiteley (UK)