Valentin Bontus put in a supreme performance in the first-ever installment of the Men's Kite at the Olympics to take gold.

The Austrian rider dealt with delays after the action was canceled yesterday due to time limitations and kept his cool to put on a show in his iconic white suit.

Both Bontus and Italy's Riccardo Pianosi had to navigate the semifinals after finishing third and fourth in the Opening Series but quickly qualified to join Slovenia's Toni Vodisek and Singapore's Max Maeder in the final.

Vodisek only needed one win to strike gold, but it was Bontus who took the first bullet, continuing his red-hot form from the semifinals, and he looked set to surge until racing was postponed.

The wait did little to deter Bontus, as he returned to the water on Friday and won his second race in the final, after choosing a different line from the other riders early in the race.

Bontus pumped his arms in celebration as he crossed the line and then refocused for the all-important next race.

While Vodisek crashed and Maeder struggled for pace, Bontus powered on and outduelled Pianosi to cross the line first and wrap up Austria's second sailing gold of Paris 2024.

"I stayed calm, did the same thing I did in the semifinal, and managed to pull it off three times in a row," Bontus said.

"I'm stoked to have shared the race course with these three legends, and walking off with the gold medal is quite insane."

"I felt good over the last two days, felt strong, and knew my speed was there. I just had to get off the start line and keep my speed, and I did that."

"I had some songs in my head that came and went in waves, and I tried to stay calm with them."

"I'd love to take it all in and drink a few beers. My dad has been doing this sport since the beginning, and it's been a long journey since then."

"It's been two and a half years since I began doing it professionally, and now, with the Austrian team behind me, it's accelerated quite quickly."

"It's insane to be standing here, calling myself Olympic champion."

Vodisek took home the silver medal.

"The nerves were getting to me. Everything was just a little bit heavy on my shoulders, and it stopped me from performing at 100 percent," added Vodisek.

"Everything was still open right until the very last moment, and for that, hats off to Mr Valentin Bontus."

"He did really amazing. I'm very proud of him, and I can't wait for him to come back to LA 2028 so I can beat him."

Maeder clinched the bronze, winning Singapore's first-ever Olympic sailing medal - their sixth Olympic medal of all time - on Singapore's National Day.

"Hats off to Valentin, a monster performance in the final, and hats off to Toni; that was a phenomenal Opening Series where he came out in the lead," concluded Maeder.

"And congratulations to Riccardo because he had the best two days in a row in Olympic history."

"I'm overwhelmed by the support. It's absolutely phenomenal. Happy Birthday, Singapore. This medal is for you; it's a monumental day for Singapore."

Formula Kite at Paris 2024 | Men's Final

1. Valentin Bontus (AUT)
2. Toni Vodisek (SLO)
3. Maximilian Maeder (SGP)

Ellie Aldridge made history by becoming the first-ever athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in Formula Kite.

The British rider was in a league of her own throughout the women's kite medal series, besting all opposition to take home the top prize in exciting conditions.

USA's Daniela Moroz and the Netherlands' Annelous Lammerts were the two athletes who progressed from the semifinals, joining Aldridge and France's Lauriane Nolot in the final.

The French athlete began with a two-win advantage in the opening race and came close to wrapping up gold, tussling with Aldridge right to the finish before being narrowly beaten by the British rider.

In race two, Aldridge ascended once more, avoiding the chaos around the early marks to sail ahead of the fleet and storm across the finish line to take the first Olympic gold in Women's Kite.

"I feel completely overwhelmed, and I almost don't feel anything because I can't believe what happened," Aldridge said.

"We knew Marseille was going to be a tricky venue, but you've got to learn how to deal with it and how to adapt when the conditions aren't good and excel when it really matters."

"It all came down to today, and I'm really happy that I managed to hold it all together and win two races."

"My goal was to medal, and I knew that if I had the right week, I could win. Everything was going to have to align."

Nolot claimed the silver after carrying two wins into the final, while Lammerts took bronze after Moroz was given a scoring penalty in the last race of the day.

"My country and the fans are great. When I heard everybody screaming, I was like: ‘Okay, Lola, you need to continue to go; otherwise, they're going to boo,'" added Nolot.

"It's really nice. I think it really gives me strength. My family is also here, so that's cool."

Lammerts was happy with bronze.

"I got a second chance in the last race, which helped me change my game plan, take even more risk, and give my all because I was battling against a six-time world champion."

"There was no room for error."

"I started kiteboarding in 2009. I love this sport and to now be on the biggest stage at the Olympics is amazing. To be here with the whole team after a rollercoaster few years – we managed to do it."

Men's Kite

Italy's Riccardo Pianosi and Austria's Valentin Bontus won their respective semifinals to progress in the men's kite division.

They joined Slovenia's Toni Vodisek and Singapore's Max Maeder in the final, which was postponed due to time limitations.

Formula Kite at Paris 2024 | Women's Final

1. Eleanor Aldridge (GBR)
2. Lauriane Nolot (FRA)
3. Annelous Lammerts (NED)

The Formula Kite competition at Paris 2024 continues in the waters of Marseille, France.

Toni Vodisek reclaimed the lead in the men's kite, while Lauriane Nolot surged back up the standings in the women's division.

Another day of light wind meant the women were only on the water long enough to race once, but the men completed two races, and that was enough to reshuffle the standings.

Slovenia's Toni Vodisek made the most of his outing, winning race six, which was enough to edge him in front of Singapore's Max Maeder.

"My girlfriend's coming soon, so that's going to make everything easier. It's a bit unfortunate she couldn't be here before, as she brings the best out of me," Vodisek said.

"There's going to be another level when she turns up, and there'll be an end to the video games."

"Everybody's putting their best out there, but it's really fun, and I have to say, I'm really enjoying being on the biggest stage in the world."

Despite finishing fourth in race seven, Maeder was unable to hold onto the top spot after also placing 11th in the opening race of the day.

"There was an incident, so I had to take a penalty turn, and from then on, it was perhaps not the best race, but it was a thrilling one nonetheless, and good that I didn't get disqualified," added Maeder.

"It's a privilege to be here. Sometimes, the weather doesn't play well. It's part of the sport. I think we're all used to it. Of course, we'd love to go racing."

Austria's Valentin Bontus remained third overall, with a 20th-placed finish in race seven anchoring his performance.

France's Lauriane Nolot made the most of the day, winning the first and only race to move into the lead.

"I think I was super focused and even before we started, I saw the wind was dying on one side," stated Nolot.

"I had a good start and it was windy where I went. I think it's the light wind Olympic Games. Every race matters which is why I'm super focused in every single race." 

Some of the women didn't manage to keep their kite flying, and were not able to start the race.

Switzerland's Elena Lengwiler dropped out of the top three altogether following the DNS score.

Great Britain's Ellie Aldridge also received a DNS, but held on to second overall as USA's Daniela Moroz finished seventh, which was not enough to overtake the British athlete.

"It was very light wind, very tricky survival conditions again. I was happy to make it around and not swim," concluded Moroz.

"I had a really good plan in my head, and I executed it, but it didn't end up being the right plan for that race. Off the start I got pinned out going left."

Formula Kite at Paris 2024 | Results After 7 and 6 Races

Men

1. Toni Vodisek
2. Maximilian Maeder
3. Riccardo Pianosi
4. Valentin Bontus
5. Jannis Maus
6. Axel Mazella
7. Bruno Lobo
8. Connor Bainbridge
9. Markus Edegran
10. Qibin Huang
11. Kameron Alexandros Maramenidis
12. Denis Taradin
13. Dor Zarka
14. Martin Dolenc
15. Lukas Walton- Keim
16. Maks Zakowski
17. Tiger Tyson
18. Joseph Jonathan Weston
19. Jean De Falbaire
20. Victor Bolanos Lopez

Women

1. Lauriane Nolot
2. Eleanor Aldridge
3. Daniela Moroz
4. Annelous Lammerts
5. Leonie Meyer
6. Elena Lengwiler
7. Breiana Whitehead
8. Maggie Eillen Pescetto
9. Julia Damasiewicz
10. Gal Zukerman
11. Alina Kornelli
12. Gisela Pulido Borrell
13. Maria Catalina Turienzo
14. Mafalda Pires De Lima
15. Jingyue Chen
16. Derin Atakan
17. Justina Kitchen
18. Emily Bugeja
19. Benyapa Jantawan
20. Julie Paturau

Valentin Bontus and Ellie Aldridge soared to victory in the first-ever Formula Kite races hosted at an Olympics.

Austria's Bontus won the opening race in the men's kite, and he followed that up with second in race two, which was enough to rank him second after the first four races.

"Crossing that finish line of the first race in the lead, it was an amazing feeling. I tried to stay calm, because it's just one race of many that I want to win here," Bontus said.

Slovenia's Toni Vodisek also started strongly, placing second in the inaugural race, and he followed that up with a win in race three. 

Former world champion Vodisek enjoyed the best day of all the sailors and sits top of the standings, right above Bontus.

"It's really exciting to get a bullet on the Olympic stage. I didn't know that I'm in first place until I found out from reporters. That's pretty cool, I guess," stated Vodisek.

"I'm going home to play a video game, League of Legends. I hope I can win that, too." 

Teenage sensation Max Maeder won the second race of the day, but a DNF in the last race means he sits third overall, tied on points with Bontus. 

Great Britain's Aldridge made history by winning the Women's Kite curtain raiser, and followed that performance with back-to-back second place finishes.

"Winning the first race of a new Olympic discipline was cool. My coach always says the first race of the day is the easiest to win. I'm glad I could just get a good start and get out in front. It was really cool," added Aldridge.

France's Lauriane Nolot narrowly edged in front of Aldridge in the overall rankings, carried by a win in race two, though the French and British athletes are level on points.

"It's quite a good feeling to be leading after day one, although it's not properly leading because I'm on equal points with Ellie," noted Nolot.

"I have been waiting for this moment for so long, and it's a bit horrible to be starting last because all my friends are racing or they have finished already. I am sharing a room with Charline [Picon], so it's pretty good to have someone who brings good vibes. She's giving me energy, so it's pretty sick." 

USA's Daniela Moroz got in on the action at the end of the day, winning race four, to take third in the standings. 

"It's almost like first day of school jitters, but this time it's first day at the Olympics, you know," expressed Moroz.

"So I got those jitters out of the way in the first couple races and I felt like I had a really solid couple of races. It's good just to put some solid scores on the board." 

How It Works

Opening Series

On the first four days of the competition, riders compete in up to 16 races, with the objective to earn as high a ranking as possible.

The top two at the end of this Opening Series qualify automatically for the Grand Final, while those ranked 3rd to 10th go into the semifinals.

Semifinals

Those 8 remaining riders are split into two equal-strength semifinals.

The goal is to pick up three race wins, with the higher ranked in each semifinal carrying over two race wins, while the second in each semifinal carries over one race win.

One rider from each semifinal qualifies to make up a final four in the Grand Final.

Grand Final

The leader from the opening series starts with two race wins, and the second-ranked has one.

The goal is to secure three race wins, with the competition ending as soon as someone achieves this.

That means that the Grand Final can last from a single race to as many as six.

Formula Kite at Paris 2024 | Results After 4 Races

Men

1. Toni Vodisek
2. Valentin Bontus
3. Maximilian Maeder
4. Bruno Lobo
5. Connor Bainbridge
6. Qibin Huang
7. Axel Mazella
8. Jannis Maus
9. Denis Taradin
10. Riccardo Pianosi
11. Kameron Alexandros Maramenidis
12. Dor Zarka
13. Markus Edegran
14. Lukas Walton- Keim
15. Maks Zakowski
16. Martin Dolenc
17. Joseph Jonathan Weston
18. Jean De Falbaire
19. Tiger Tyson
20. Victor Bolanos Lopez

Women

1. Lauriane Nolot
2. Eleanor Aldridge
3. Elena Lengwiler
4. Daniela Moroz
5. Annelous Lammerts
6. Leonie Meyer
7. Maggie Eillen Pescetto
8. Breiana Whitehead
9. Julia Damasiewicz
10. Gisela Pulido Borrell
11. Gal Zukerman
12. Jingyue Chen
13. Alina Kornelli
14. Mafalda Pires De Lima
15. Justina Kitchen
16. Maria Catalina Turienzo
17. Derin Atakan
18. Benyapa Jantawan
19. Julie Paturau
20. Emily Bugeja

Patri McLaughlin set a new Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever kitesurfed.

On January 22, 2023, the Hawaiian took his kite out at Jaws/Peahi in Maui and rode a wave measured at 72 feet and four inches (22.04 meters).

McLaughlin broke a record that belonged to the Portuguese rider Nuno "Stru" Figueiredo with a 62-foot (19-meter) wave ridden in 2018 at Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal.

The International Kitesurfing Association (IKA) officially measured and certified the wave, and the Guinness World Records approved the new mark.

"It was the biggest swell I've seen since I started kiting and surfing jaws 14 years ago," expressed Patri McLaughlin.

About four weeks before the swell, Patri ruptured his appendix and had emergency surgery in Canada.

"I spent two nights in the hospital, and I was supposed to take it easy. But when that swell popped up, it was such a rare swell that I couldn't miss it."

"There's a good chance that if I fell on a wave like that while recovering from a major operation, I could've been in serious trouble."

Swell Chaser

McLaughlin rode a custom big-wave surfboard with a six-meter kite.

In his youth, the kiteboarder from Haiku, Maui, was obsessed with snowboarding, but his mother opted to spend the money a ski trip would cost to get him into a sport he could do at home.

Patri learned to ride a kite in 2002, aged 12, and soon he was already competing in the world kiteboarding tour.

Big waves got into his life in the mid-2010s with the help of kiteboarding judge Brad Price, who took him to Peahi for the first time.

The Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever kitesurfed was set on the last run of the day at Jaws.

McLaughlin shared the historical session with his friend Jesse Richman.

In the future, his dream is to chase big waves around the world and kite them.

Kiteboarding will make its Olympic debut in Paris 2024. Here is everything you must know about the event and the qualified athletes.

After two decades of waiting, kiteboarders will participate in the Olympic Games for the first time in the sport's history.

The inaugural Olympic kiteboarding program will take place at Marseille Marina, the official Paris 2024 sailing venue, in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea.

The water conditions near Marseille's coast are ideal for competitors due to consistent winds and a coast that aligns well with the prevailing winds. 

Additionally, the absence of currents or tides further ensures perfect tactical and strategic conditions for the participants.

Marseille redeveloped the competitive sailing basin facing La Corniche, offering spectators outstanding proximity to the sailing programs.

The Paris 2024 sailing events will be held from July 28-August 8, 2024.

Formula Kite is the official kiteboarding class for the Olympic Games, with a total of 40 riders (20 men and 20 women) competing for gold, silver, and bronze medals.

The men's and women's opening series takes place on August 4, 5, 6, and 7 (from 5 am to 1 pm), and the medal race is scheduled for August 7 (from 5 am to 1 pm).

Qualification Rules

The road to Paris 2024 involves a series of qualifying events and rankings.

The qualification system features the following quota allocation rules per gender:

• One (1) spot for the host nation (France);
• Eight (8) spots for the top 8 member national authorities (MNAs) at the 2023 Sailing World Championships;
• One (1) spot for each continent (total of 6) for the best member national authority (MNA) not yet qualified during the 2023 Sailing World Championships;
• Five (5) spots at a last-chance regatta for the top 5 MNAs not yet qualified;

Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Qualified Formula Kite Athletes

Here is the updated list of kiteboarders who qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Men

1. Axel Mazella (FRA)
2. Maximilian Maeder (SIN)
3. Toni Vodisek (SLO)
4. Valentin Bontus (AUT)
5. Riccardo Pianosi (ITA)
6. Denis Taradin (CYP)
7. Qbin Huang (CHN)
8. Martin Dolenc (CRO)
9. Bruno Lobo (BRA)
10. Jannis Maus (GER)
11. Tiger Tyson (ANT)
12. Lukas Walton-Keim (NZL)
13. Jean de Falbaire (MRI)
14. Joseph Jonathan Weston (THA)
15. Victor Bolanos (COL)
16. Connor Bainbridge (GBR)
17. Maksymilian Zakowski (POL)
18. Markus Edegran (USA)
19. Cameron Maramenidis (GRE)
20. Dor Zarka (ISR)

Women

1. Lauriane Nolot (FRA)
2. Eleanor Aldridge (GBR)
3. Daniela Moroz (USA)
4. Annelous Lammerts (NED)
5. Jingle Chen (CHN)
6. Breiana Whitehead (AUS)
7. Maya Ashkenazi (ISR)
8. Leonie Meyer (GER)
9. Maggie Eillen Pescetto (ITA)
10. Gisela Pulido (ESP)
11. Emily Claire Bugeja (CAN)
12. Justina Kitchen (NZL)
13. Julie Paturau (MRI)
14. Fawn Benjapa (THA)
15. Maria Catalina Turienzo (ARG)
16. Elena Lengwiler (SUI)
17. Julia Damasiewicz (POL)
18. Derin Atakan (TUR)
19. Alina Kornelli (AUT)
20. Mafalda Pires de Lima (POR)

In an electrifying display of kiteboarding prowess, 19-year-old Italian Andrea Principi has been crowned the champion of the prestigious Red Bull King of the Air competition, held in Cape Town, South Africa.

The young kiteboarding prodigy demonstrated exceptional skill and innovation, winning the hearts of thousands of spectators and viewers worldwide.

Amidst the challenging gale-force winds off the Cape Town coast, Principi delivered a performance that will be etched in the annals of the sport.

Legendary British kiteboarding brand Flexifoil is for sale.

In 1972, graduates Ray Merry and Andrew Jones from Newcastle upon Tyne University set out to create a wind sculpture.

Unexpectedly, they ended up crafting a power kite. Soon after, they christened their invention "Flexifoil."

My name is Jeremy Blatti, but my friends call me Jay. I live in Lausanne, Switzerland.

As an amateur photographer, I combine my passion for photography with my passion for outdoor activities, travel, and sport.

I regularly take my camera with me on these occasions, which is where I take most of my shots.

I strongly believe that you will take better shots of the things you love the most. Therefore, you will find many snowboarding, kitesurfing, and surfing images in my portfolio.

However, surfing images are rarer since I live in a country that doesn't have seas or oceans.

Since I practice all those sports myself, I can understand the movements and trajectories of a rider, which helps me anticipate the action and where the peak moment of a trick will take place.

This allows me to compose my shots accordingly when I'm behind the camera.

Photography has been an ever-increasing part of my life for some time now, as I started to work more regularly with partners such as tourist offices and sporting events.

I also organize photo workshops and sell my images to individuals and companies to decorate their walls.

Next, I work part-time as a lawyer and part-time in seasonal jobs.

In winter, I train snowboard instructors and accompany disabled people on tandem skis.

In the summer, I train teenagers and young adults to become coaches for a sports program.

A Post-Apocalyptic Scenario

In May 2023, I went on a kitesurfing vacation to Egypt with a group of friends.

We spent a few days in Soma Bay, and every morning, we took a boat to the kite spot. It dropped anchor not far from the shore.

We could then launch our kites from the boat and enjoy kitesurfing on the clear and warm water of the Red Sea.

It was a great couple of days full of kitesurfing sessions, games, laughter, and sharing. And, of course, I brought my camera to take some kitesurfing pictures.

Along the Red Sea in and around Soma Bay, there are a lot of unfinished constructions.

They are hotel and housing projects that have been abandoned and will probably remain like that for a long time.

When I got back on the boat after a session, I spotted one of the kite teachers - Hamada Kamel - riding in front of the boat.

So I hurried to take my camera out of my bag and took a few shots of him.

About the Shot

Shooting kitesurfing from a boat adds difficulty since you're unstable most of the time, bouncing to the rhythm of the waves.

In such a situation, I advise you to shoot a bit wider so you can still crop and recompose your shot during the editing process to get the composition you imagined on the spot.

Anticipating his trajectory, I saw the building in the background and decided to frame it into my composition, hoping that the kite teacher would do a huge trick in front of it.

He made a very smooth, clean, and controlled transition, and the result was this image.

For this pic, nothing was planned; he didn't know I was taking photos of him when he was kiting.

I used a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the action and an aperture to have the action and the background in focus.

This picture has now reached the finals - five images remaining - of the 2023 Red Bull Illume photography contest in the Best of Instagram category.

The results will be known at the end of November in Sölden, Austria. Fingers crossed until then!

You can discover more of my work on my website, www.jayblatti.com, or via Instagram @jayblatti.

Technical Settings

Camera: Canon R6
Lens: Canon 100-400
ISO: 250
F-Stop: 10
Shutter Speed: 1/1250

Words by Jeremy Blatti | Photographer, Lawyer, and Sports Instructor

After a four-year wait for the perfect storm, one of the fiercest kitesurfing events in the world has been contested once again in the Netherlands.

Italy's Andrea Principi has been crowned Red Bull Megaloop champion after 16 world-class riders put on a spectacular kitesurfing show during an autumn storm in Zandvoort, The Netherlands.

With the brutal gusts swirling all around at Wind Force 8, Principi displayed a high level of style, creativity, skill, and strength to execute the tricks that landed him one of the most coveted titles in the sport.