Please select your home edition
Edition
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - LEADERBOARD

KTA Philippines Boracay Extreme - Exhilarating contests on Day 1

by Kiteboardtour Asia on 21 Feb 2014
KTA Philippines Boracay Extreme 2014 Alexandru Baranescu
On day one of Kiteboard Tour Asia’s (KTA) Philippines event an international roster of leading Formula and Twin Tip racers ripped on the flat waters of Boracay Island marked by tight and exhilarating contests that threw up a number of edge-of-the-seat photo-finishes.

Leading Formula kite racer Astrid Berz (SUI) cleaned up with five bullets out of six after a faltering start, leaving her overall top on day one. Boracay-based Kathrin Borgwardt (GER) outpointed Berz in the day’s first race after the Swiss rider conceded she had made timing error and was late to the start line.


But Thailand’s Narapichit 'Yo' Pudla did not put a foot wrong all day in the men’s raceboard class, scoring bullets in all six races despite being pushed all the way by Ken Nacor (PHI) in the changeable conditions that started at around 15kts onshore and dropped to 7kts before picking up again in late afternoon.

Nacor – who was absent from the first two KTA stops in Phuket, Thailand, and Bintan, Indonesia – even at one point threatened to upset Pudla’s unblemished record in the raceboard class when he led the 23-year-old Thai in one race, made up of three laps of the track.

Yet Pudla was able to reel in and pass Nacor on the triangular course, consisting of a short up-wind leg with two broad reaches across the turquoise water inside the reef off palm-fringed Bulabog beach.


Pudla, who was also competing in the Twin Tip division which was raced alternately from the Formula kite class, was his usual jovial self and elated as ever by his commanding lead in the season finale at KTA Philippines Boracay Extreme, where Blue Orange Ville is the presenting sponsor and Aqua Boracay by Yoo the host.

'It’s a good set of results, so it’s happy days,' said a beaming Pudla. 'I’m a bit tired after all the racing in both classes, but it’s great fun being out there all the time.'

Pudla was not quite so flawless in the Twin Tip class, crashing to a surprising seventh place in the opening race. But with the discards kicking in after four races he was able to discount the poor opening led the division overall with four other bullets and a second place.

Philippines riders Doque De los Santos and Louie 'Bong' Fernando were snapping at his heals around the two laps of the track raced by the Twin Tip riders, and finished the day second and third in the overall standings.


In the women’s Twin Tip division 37-year-old Borgwardt totally dominated the proceedings scoring six bullets out of six, leading the overall standings from second-placed LiezlTio (PHI). The German rider had been forced to play second fiddle to Lisa Nikitina (UKR) in the first two rounds of the KTA season, but the 23-year-old is missing from the Philippines event.

In the women’s raceboard class it was Borgwardt who was forced to play catch-up to Berz, fresh from a podium placing at the Formula kite South and Middle American Championships in Colombia earlier in the month.

'The course here is a little short, particularly the upwind leg,' said Berz. 'It means there’s not much of a down-wind leg either. But there’s nothing much else you can do here. It is what it is. It’s certainly tough on the legs. But I’m having fun and the people here are warm, nice people.'

Maritimo M50Rooster 2025Mackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOM

Related Articles

Don't miss our upcoming must-watch free Webinar
Tracking and Fleet Monitoring discussion on 22nd October 2025 Yacht tracking and fleet monitoring are essential, yet traditional tracking methods face significant challenges. On October 22nd we are hosting an exclusive and free webinar, with an in-depth exploration of the latest in tracking technology.
Posted today at 2:00 pm
Transat Café L'or village opened in Le Havre
It is a high level fleet which even across the 16 previous editions. The TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR race village opened in Le Havre, Normandie in beautiful Autumn sunshine which blessed the thousands of visitors who took advantage of the start of the French holidays to see the fleet of 74 boats which will race to Martinique.
Posted today at 11:23 am
2025 Freestyle Pro Tour Naxos day 3
Tow-in finals, foilstyle sparks, and a cleanup for the planet Day three at the Freestyle Pro Tour Naxos started off calm once again, with light winds and no chance to kick off the fin eliminations.
Posted today at 9:04 am
Don Trask International Masters Regatta
Raab takes his first victory at San Diego Yacht Club By a narrow margin of just 3 points, the ever-colorful Chris Raab and his team won the 2025 Don Trask International Masters Regatta hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club, finishing with 59 points after three days of racing.
Posted today at 5:36 am
Who let the dogs out?
We can tell you who is going to win the 2025 Sydney to Hobart before it is even run! Yes indeed. Who? Now in the canine world there's a thing called, 'Best in Show'. However, right here, right now, out of all the entries, we can tell you who is going to win the 2025 Sydney to Hobart, before it is even run.
Posted on 19 Oct
Rolex Middle Sea Race Day 2
Leaders Raise the Tempo The 2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race is now over 24 hours in. On the plus side there has been no repeat of last year's heinous first night, and the fleet is making steady progress.
Posted on 19 Oct
iQFOiL Youth & Junior Europeans 2025 day 1
Promising breeze, top performances and high expectations as racing gets underway in Sardinia The 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior European Championships officially got under way today in Arzachena, North Sardinia, with 306 athletes from 28 nations ready to battle it out on the pristine waters of this beautiful area.
Posted on 19 Oct
18ft Skiff SIXT Spring Championship Race 2
Also the first race of the Club Championship on Sydney Harbour for the Alf Beashel Memorial Trophy After last Sunday's opening race of the season had to be abandoned when 30-knot Westerly winds swept across the course, racing finally got underway when the Australian 18 Footers League sailed for the Alf Beashel Memorial Trophy, on Sydney Harbour today.
Posted on 19 Oct
Globe40 2025/26 Stage 2 Update
Belgium Ocean Racing - Curium and Credit Mutuel 1 mile apart in the forties The incredible duel between the Belgian and French contenders continues in the forties after 4,890 miles of racing! Late Friday, as they passed Gough Island, Benoit Hantzperg and Renaud Dehareng seemed to have gained a small cushion of miles (28.8)
Posted on 19 Oct
VX One North American Championship overall
Christopher Alexander dominates final day to win The 2025 VX One North American Championship wrapped up in spectacular fashion at Gulfport Yacht Club, where Chris Alexander, sailing his brand-new boat Counterproductive alongside Ricky Welch and Chandler Self, delivered a final day for the history books.
Posted on 19 Oct