In this post we will explain what are and which are the differences between the Kite Foil and Formula Kite.
In particular, we will answer to some common question that many people ask for:
- What is the Kite Foil?
- What are The Kite Foil Class and the Formula Kite Class?
- What is the IKA, the International Kiteboarding Association?
- What are the IKA Formula Kite World Championships and the IKA Kite Foil Gold Cup and which are the differences?
- Which are the Upcoming Formula Kite and Kite Foil Gold Cup events?
Kitesurfing with the Hydrfoil is fantastic. Even Richard Branson, in his battle with Obama, was learning Kite Foil!
1. What is the Kite Foil?
The first question that some people could ask is: what is the kite foil?
Kitesurfing (also known as kiteboarding, kitesurf or simply kite) is a fairly new sport that which outfits a surfer on board with a handheld kite for propulsion. Holding onto a kite foil board means kitesurfing while riding a surfboard with a hydrofoil that lifts the board above the water surface.
2. What are The Kite Foil Class and the Formula Kite Class?
The Formula Kite is a high performance hydro foiling kite-racing class, aiming for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics.
The Kite Foil class, is an unregulated hydro-foil kiteboard open class where every rider can use both prototype kites, kiteboard and hydro foils.
3. What is the IKA, the International Kiteboarding Association?
The International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) is an International Class Association of the World Sailing (www.sailing.org/).
World Sailing is the governing body of windsurfing, kiteboarding up to the Volvo Ocean Race and the Americas Cup, and is as such recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
IKA responsibility is to manage the global administration of the sport and combining world events into one united ranking.
4. What are the IKA Formula Kite World Championships and the IKA Kite Foil Gold Cup and which are the differences?
The IKA Formula Kite World Championships are the official Formula Kite world titles recognized by World Sailing. Ther will be just one event per year that will decided the World Champions. The winner of the World Championships is the world champion men, women and age divisions upon entry. The age categories are Under 21, Under 18, Masters (over 35) and Grandmasters (over 45)
The 2017 Formula Kite World Championships will be in Muscat , Oman.
The IKA Kite-Foil Gold Cup is the official World Cup of the IKA Kite Foil class. Even in the Kite Foil Gold CUP there will be different titles for man, women, and under 18, 21 and over 35 and 45 years old.
Each Kite Foil Gold Cup event is scheduled for 5 days (1 registration day + 4 race days) and 20 races on the water. There are no medal races – just straight 20 races. The Kite Foil Gold Cup races are aiming for 30-40 riders on the start-line; in case of more entries, there will be qualifying and final series races.
While the Kite Foil Gold Cup is Open to any kind of kite, foil, board, the Formula Kite World Championships will be sailed on registered production equipment (kites and foils) in a one-off event. For the Olympic Pathway it is important to have racing on regulated equipment, where it will win the best sailor and not the latest prototypes.
5. Which are the upcoming Formula Kite and Kite Foil Gold Cup events?
You can find the list of major Formula Kite and Kite Foil Class here below.
| Event | Class | Format | Start Date | End Date | Country | City / Beach | Points | Prize money | confirmed |
| Sailing World Cup Hyeres | Formula Kite | Short Track | 23. Apr 2017 | 30. Apr 2017 | France | Hyeres | 200 | TBC | TBC |
| Sailing World Cup Final | Formula Kite | Short Track | 04. Jun 2017 | 11. Jun 2017 | Spain | Santander | 200 | TBC | TBC |
| KiteFoil GoldCup Italy | KiteFoil | Fleet Racing | 14. Jun 2017 | 18. Jun 2017 | Italy | Poetto Beach | 100 | 15000 EUR | TBC |
| Neretva Kite Open | KiteFoil | Course Racing | 22. Jun 2017 | 26. Jun 2017 | Croatia | Neretva | 20 | — | confirmed |
| Korea KiteFoil Open | KiteFoil | Fleet Racing | 29. Aug 2017 | 03. Sep 2017 | South Korea | Daecheon Beach | 50 | TBC | TBC |
| KiteFoil GoldCup Weifang | KiteFoil | Fleet Racing | 08. Sep 2017 | 14. Sep 2017 | China | Weifang Binhai | 100 | 50000 EUR | TBC |
| Formula Kite World Championships | Formula Kite | Fleet Racing | 19. Nov 2017 | 24. Nov 2017 | Oman | Al Hail Beach | 200 | 40000 EUR | confirmed |
For the full list of upcoming Kite IKA events, you can click here.
