Visit Qatar GKA Freestyle-Kite World Cup Finals 2023 - Fuwairit (QAT) - Day 1 - Highlights

The climactic final stop of the Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour 2023 is a thriller with the world title races in the Freestyle discipline still wide open after a season-long drama. The finals are held on the lagoon of Fuwairit Kite Beach Resort, with its mirror-flat waters and steady breezes. Bruna Kajiya (BRA), Mikaili Sol (USA) and Nathalie Lambrecht (SWE) advance to the women’s final. Bruna Kajia and Mikaili Sol are set for showdown in the decider for the coveted Freestyle crown in Qatar. Only two women’s heats are needed to decide who makes it to the semi-finals. There is no room for errors as round one, heat one kicks off between Mikaili Sol (BRA), Nathalie Lambrecht (SWE) and Alexandra Torres (ESP). Each rider takes turns to perform six trick attempts with the best three counting towards their overall heat score. Nathalie Lambrecht starts the heat strong securing the lead after two trick attempts, but former world champion Sol is hot on her heels. A standout KGB scores an impressive 7.97 for Sol and she steals the heat win, advancing straight to the final. All is not lost for Lambrecht and Torres as they move on to battle it out again in the semi-final. Next, Therese Taabbel (DEN) and Bruna Kajiya (BRA) start throwing down in round one, heat two with Kajiya in the lead after two trick attempts. Kajiya lands her highest trick score of 7.10 for a Back Mobe which places her comfortably in the lead to join her rival Sol in the final. The women’s semi-final see‘s Alexandra Torres, Nathalie Lambrecht and Therese Taabbel working the lighter winds to find their finesse on the water. Lambrecht lands the highest score from the women’s first tricks with a stylish S-Bend to Blind, but Therese Taabbel is close on her tail. The semi-final continues with Nathalie Lambrecht leading, followed by Taabbel and Torres, and tensions rising with just two trick attempts left for the final heat to be decided. Lambrecht maintaines her position and advances to join Kajiya and Sol in the women’s final.