Advantage Matchu in Mauritius

This is the first video of series building up to the final round of the GKA Wave & Strapless Freestyle Tour 2016 in Dakhla. Front pic by Toby Bromwich.

The Mauritius winner and new tour leader, Matchu Lopes gives his thoughts  to that huge victory a couple of weeks ago.

STILL TO COME IN THE VIDEO SERIES:

Meet Paulino Pereira

When Airton Went Out…

The Rivals The Ride Together

Airton, The Entertainer

The Final Showdown – Dakhla

Here’s a little more background of the current situation:

2016 has already been a very exciting year on tour. Looking back at three fantastic events we’ve seen some incredible performances and there’s no doubt in just a short few months that this incredibly talented pack of new school surfboard wave kiters have pushed the disciplines of Wave & Strapless Freestyle to new levels.

The GKA Wave & Strapless Freestyle Tour started with two purely strapless freestyle events in Tarifa and Sotavento in Fuerteventura that were followed by a pure wave-competition in Mauritius.

The last event in Dakhla in October is shaping up to offer yet more highs as it will feature a single discipline that combines both Wave and Strapless Freestyle into the same competition to decide the GKA Wave & Strapless Freestyle Rider of the Year for 2016.

The special combined wave and strapless freestyle format in Dakhla will guarantee breath-taking action for all spectators. Combining the two into one discipline will now surely bring out the best in these guys, giving us an even brighter vision for the future of this sport.

When we look at the current standings going into the final event in Dakhla, it’s very tense in deed. Get the full rundown here.

After trailing his great friend and closest rival Airton Cozzolino (Italy) for the first two rounds, Matchu Lopes (Cape Verde) suddenly finds himself at the top of the leaderboard with a 300 point advantage over Airton, while Paulino Pereira from Portugal remains incredibly consistent in third, but could arguably be most at home at this spot with wind from the right and combining the two disciplines.

MEN’S STANDINGS
(after three events of a total of four):

1 Matchu Lopes (CV) 2800 points
2 Airton Cozzolino (ITA) 2500
3 Paulino Pereira (POR) 2300
4 Jan Marcos Riveras (DR) 1750
5 Ralph Boelen (FRA) 1680

The women will return for another event in Dakhla too and we’ll update you each week with news of the entrants over the next two weeks.

WOMEN’S STANDINGS
(after one event of two):

1 Ninja Bichler (GER) 1000
2 Milla Knesse (BRA) 900
3 Moona Whyte (USA) 810
4= Kathrin Ernest (GER) 730
4= Tatiana Mukhina 730
4= Lyde Heckroodt (ZA) 730

Kiteboarders around the world will again be able to catch the best of the daily action from Dakhla via video news and reports on the GKA Facebook page.

Join us and follow the GKA Wave & Strapless Freestyle Tour:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/GlobalKitesportsAssociationGKA/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/globalkitesports/

Dakhla hashtags:

#GKAWave, #StraplessFreestyle, #dakhla, #dakhlaattitude #morocco, #cabrinhakites, #gamechanger, #tarifamodels, #npsurf, #MDJS, #AïnAtlas