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Colombia, March 13, 2023.
Salinas del Rey (Colombia) hosted the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup 2023 for the second consecutive year
From March 1 to 5, Salinas del Rey (Colombia) became, for the second consecutive year, the world capital of kitesurfing; the best 40 kitesurfers in the world in male and female categories took to the beaches of Salinas del Rey during the celebration of the second stop of the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup 2023. Five days where the wind never stopped accompanying and allowed international riders to perform his best tricks and the thousands of attendees who came to the beach to enjoy this show. After three days of intense competition on Saturday, taking advantage of the excellent conditions offered by Salinas del Rey, the semifinals and finals of the championship were held. An epic day where, despite the absence of Colombians, the public was moved and strongly supported the participants. In the female category, the number one kitesurfer in the world, Mikaili “Mika” Sol, has once again emerged as the leader of the competition, leading the entire series and standing out for the height of all his tricks, demonstrating his quality and experience to take advantage of the conditions. The podium was completed with the Spanish Claudia León in second position and the Swedish Nathalie Lambrecht closing the podium. In the men’s final, after an arduous battle between the four contenders, the Brazilian Carlo Mario Bebe prevailed over the Swiss Maxime Chabloz and the current champion of the world, the Italian Gianmaria Coccoluto offering, all of them, an authentic exhibition in which, until the last sleeve, he continued dancing the order of the podium. On Sunday the test was concluded with a Big Air exhibition with huge jumps and tricks by the riders delighting a very enthusiastic audience that came to enjoy the World Cup on the beaches of Salinas del Rey. Throughout the day there was a magical atmosphere full of vibes where, in addition to the event, the public was able to enjoy a wide gastronomic experience of the region with a Seafood Festival, in which 24 restaurants from the municipality of Santa Verónica participated, and a craft market on intense days of sun, beach and wind. All this together with the interest that this sport is arousing among the local population, who massively support the event, have been the key ingredients to guarantee the success of this stage. of the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup 2023 that comes from making the first stop in Qatar and continues in Cape Verde in mid-March. Salinas del Rey is a small coastal town on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, belonging to the Atlántico department, and in which you breathe breeze, sea and adrenaline; a treasure, still unknown to many, that emerges as the new jewel of kitesurfing lovers and aspires to become the South American mecca of Kitesurfing. While in other parts of the world the cold hits Salinas hard between the months of December and May, its pleasant climate, the presence of a constant and strong side-on-shore breeze, between 20 and 35 knots on average, together with its privileged location, Less than an hour from two international airports: Barranquilla and Cartagena de Indias, give it formidable characteristics for fans of water sports and adventure tourism. In short, a magical spot, in its purest form, still to be developed, and with excellent international connectivity that makes Salinas del Rey an extremely interesting option for European tourism on dates that decrease the international offer for kitesurfing in such advantageous conditions. This, however, will not remain virgin forever; The development, which is already being seen in the region, accompanied by the quality mark and the positioning of the spot worldwide that the organization of the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup 2023 has given it, have resulted in a substantial increase in the hotel offer and gastronomy on the beach of Salinas del Rey during the past year. Santa Verónica, a fishing town to which the beach of Salinas del Rey belongs, recently began to base its economy on hotels, seafood and water sports: a clear example of how sport can become a tourism promotion tool capable of attracting quality tourism and becoming an important engine of economic development in the region. During the World Cup alone, more than 450 indirect jobs were generated, estimating the economic impact of around a million dollars.
ContactContact name: Alberto MasedoContact description: Alberto MasedoContact telephone: 34644170855
