Formula Kite World Championships - Nocher and Bridge crowned Champions

by Markus Schwendtner on 25 Aug 2014 Maxime Nocher (FRA, North) and Steph Bridge (GBR, North) have won the 2014 Formula Kite World Championship titles.

On the final day of competition in Burc Beach, Istanbul-Turkey, four medal races were run in both men and women fleets, in perfect conditions and winds averaging 12-15 knots.

Oliver Bridge (GBR, North) was on fire today after yesterday’s equipment upset, winning all four medal races and earning himself the bronze medal in this year’s world championships, while Nocher had a commanding 14 point lead after the opening series and played it safe, staying out of trouble and finishing five-three-five-seven to stay three points ahead of Silver Medallist Riccardo Leccese (ITA, ML-Ozone) who barely defended a one point lead over Bridge with a three-two-two-two score today.

In the women fleet, Bridge won three out of four medal races, and extended her three point lead after the opening series. Last year’s world champion Erika Heineken (USA, ML-Ozone) dropped her kite in race three and couldn’t finish the race, and with that 11 points on the scoreboard dropped down to third place. 17 year old Elena Kalinina (RUS, TMV-Elf) scored a solid three-three-two-two getting her up into second place.

Three more Gold Fleet races were run after the conclusion of the medal races, with Florian Trittel (ESP, UC-Ozone) claiming first place on a two-one-one score, Maks Zakowski (POL, UC-Ozone) coming second, and Torrin Bright (NZL, UC-Ozone) in third.

Prizes were awarded in front of thousands of spectators in the evening, before an impressive beach party finished off this year’s world championships.

Final Results:

Men:
1. Maxime Nocher (FRA, North) - 34 pts
2. Riccardo Leccese (ITA, ML-Ozone) - 37 pts
3. Oliver Bridge (GBR, North) - 38 pts
4. Blazej Ozog (POL, North) - 52 pts
5. Florian Gruber (GER, UC-Ozone) - 57.8 pts

Women:
1. Steph Bridge (GBR, North) - 21 pts
2. Elena Kalinina (RUS, TMV-Elf) - 29 pts
3. Erika Heineken (USA, ML-Ozone) - 37.7 pts
4. Aga Grzymska (POL, ML-Ozone) - 50 pts
5. Astrid Berz (SUI, ML-Ozone) - 59 IKA website