Australian lands the victory in Dakhla with powerful display that serves as warning to rivals

GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Dakhla 2024
29 Sept—06 Oct, 2024 | Oum Lamboiur, Dakhla

Australia’s James Carew won theGKA Kite-Surf World Cup in Dakhla, Morocco, in a stunning display that gave him back-to-back victories on returning from an 18-month injury lay-off.

Carew was victorious in the slightly one-sided final in the right-hand Oum Lamboiur break after a long day of action on the water. He was delighted with the win to add to his victory in Sylt, Germany, in August, that boosts his chances of capturing a third world title.

“I feel amazing,” said Carew. “Two wins in a row. I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time. Today I wasn’t feeling it. I sat myself down before the final and said ‘hey, relax’. As soon as I got in the water and got two really good waves, that took the pressure off. I feel a lot better about getting the title. I want to be top at the end of the year.”

The beaten finalist Brazil’s Pedro Matos, last year’s winner in Dakhla, had showed remarkable form in his path to the deciding heat. But he was slightly disappointed to fall so far short of Carew in the end.

“Of course I’m stoked, but I wish I had the first place,” said Matos. “I got a really difficult draw with all the best athletes. So it was like all the heats were finals. But I just couldn’t make it in the last one. But I’m happy. I was surfing well and I got some some good scores. Let’s go to the next one.”

Day three of the competition had shown the best swell and wind forecast in an otherwise challenging week and the race director decided to push from early with the men’s competition to try to complete competition.

GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Dakhla 2024
29 Sept—06 Oct, 2024 | Oum Lamboiur, Dakhla

Brazil’s Kesiane Rodrigues was a sensation as she won the GKA Kite-Surf World Cup Dakhla on the event’s closing day, her first major victory since 2022.

Rodrigues was in class of her own when she took out the tour leader, France’s Capucine Delannoy, in the final with another high-class display in conditions that were again difficult for the athletes.

“I’m very happy to be here competing with the best in the world,” said Rodrigues. “It’s the best place for the waves and the wind. It’s similar to my place in Jericoacoara [Brazil], so I’m very happy.”

Delannoy’s runner-up spot in Dakhla means that she retains her place at the top of the world rankings after three tour stops, keeping her hopes of reclaiming her Qatar Airways GKA Kite-Surf World Championship title on track.

“It was quite a hard event for me,” said Delannoy. “I didn’t manage to find the right waves during the whole event. It was tricky and I couldn’t adapt to the conditions. But I played my part and I’m so much closer to the world title. A second place puts me in a good position, so I’m stoked.”

All-Brazilian affair

The climactic Day 6 of the world cup in Dakhla, the crucial mid-season stop of the Kite-Surf tour, dawned with small waves lighter breezes that saw the athletes out on their 11m and 12m kites.

Only the women’s semi-finals and finals remained to be decided after the men’s contest was settled out on Day 3, with Australia’s James Carew claiming the win, his second in succession.

The first women’s semi-final was an all-Brazilian affair, with Serena Luz up against Kesiane Rodrigues. Both athletes had already shown they were capable of pushing the envelope in the waves.

But Rodrigues quickly opened up a lead on the scoreboard with her fluid surfing and powered hacks off the lip. Her opening score of 5.97 was backed up later with a big 6.5, when she found decent waves among the few sets on offer.

Luz, who had landed a huge 9.07 score on the opening day, struggled slightly to find the waves that could match that big number. Ultimately Luz was two points adrift and she had to settle for a place in the mini-final.