A Guide to Formula Kite at Paris 2024
As the fastest sport at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, kite foiling is as spectacular as it is unpredictable. Here’s your whistlestop guide to the Formula Kite class.
What is Formula Kite?
The equipment for Formula Kite is very straightforward. All you need to compete is a kite, a board, and a foil. Athletes ride on a board approximately a meter long, attached to a foil that stabilizes them in the water. They are connected to a kite using a harness and control the kite with a hand bar. In the water, competitors can reach speeds of up to 30 knots while traveling downwind, with races typically taking around 12 minutes.
How Does Formula Kite Work?
The competition format differs slightly from traditional sailing classes. Initially, riders compete in an Opening Series, aiming to achieve the highest possible ranking. The top two riders at the end of the Opening Series automatically qualify for the Grand Final, while those ranked third to tenth go into the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, the eight remaining riders are split into two groups. The third, sixth, seventh, and tenth-ranked riders compete in one semi-final, while the fourth, fifth, eighth, and ninth-ranked riders compete in the other. The objective is to win three races, with the third and fourth seeds starting the semi-finals with two wins already, and the fifth and sixth seeds carrying over one win.
Therefore, if the third seed wins the first race of the semi-finals, they automatically book their place in the Grand Final. One rider qualifies from each semi-final, making up a final four in the Grand Final. In the final, the top seed starts with two wins, and the second seed starts with one. The goal is to secure three race wins, and the competition ends as soon as someone achieves this. The Grand Final can last from one race to as many as six. Once the gold medal is secured, racing finishes, and the remaining medals are decided by the number of race wins, with ties split by finishing position in the Opening Series.
Who Are the Top Athletes in Formula Kite?
This will be the first appearance of Formula Kite at the Olympics, so there are no previous Olympic medalists in the class.
Men’s Formula Kite
17-year-old Max Maeder from Singapore is establishing himself as the top competitor in the men’s field. A back-to-back world champion, Maeder has taken over from Slovenia’s Toni Vodisek, while Frenchman Axel Mazella won the Paris 2024 Test Event in Marseille.
Women’s Formula Kite
French supporters will be hopeful for a gold medal in the Women’s Formula Kite class, where Lauriane Nolot has matched Maeder in winning successive world titles and also won the Test Event. Before Nolot’s emergence, American Daniela Moroz was the dominant competitor, winning six world titles despite being only 23 years old.
When is the Formula Kite Event at Paris 2024?
Formula Kite is the last class to get underway in Marseille, with competition starting on Sunday, August 4, and concluding with the Medal Series on Thursday, August 8.
Additional Insights from the Rulebook
The Formula Kite Class Rules document, effective from March 1, 2024, provides detailed guidelines on equipment, race formats, and athlete requirements. For instance, it specifies that only series production kites and foil systems manufactured by licensed manufacturers are allowed in competitions. The rules also emphasize maintaining uniformity in equipment to ensure fair competition across different events.
These rules ensure that competitors of different weights and sizes can compete on an equal playing field, promoting the development of equipment within the specified limitations. The rules are designed to retain the original condition of the equipment, compensating for normal wear and tear, and only allowing modifications as prescribed.
Conclusion
Formula Kite at Paris 2024 promises to be a thrilling and fast-paced event. With its unique format and top-tier athletes from around the world, it is set to capture the excitement and unpredictability that make it one of the most spectacular Olympic sports. Fans will be eagerly watching as competitors race across the waters of Marseille, vying for the inaugural Olympic gold medals in this high-speed discipline.
