Copa Kitley Qatar Airways GKA Freestyle World Cup Brazil is on

Copa Kitley Qatar Airways GKA Freestyle World Cup Brazil is on © GKA Kite World Tour

Nine riders are theoretically in with a chance of claiming the world championship, and for most it would be their first.

The hunger is alive and the fact that this year the final is happening in just about the most perfect freestyle kiteboarding conditions on Taiba lagoon... well, as Mikaili Sol says in the video below: 'The level can really be shown when the conditions are perfect."

Are you ready for the ultimate throwdown? The competition gets under way from today.

Hear from Bruna Kajiya, Claudia Leon, Rita Arnaus and Mikaili Sol in this preview video

Hear from Gianmaria Coccoluto, Arthur Guillebert, Carlos Mario and Manoel Soares in this preview video

Fleet overview

There are 12 different nationalities competing across the whole event with ten men still on the waiting list, such was the large number of pre-registrations.

This is the first time ever that an event has been run on the perfect conditions on Taiba lagoon and the riders have also had their input as to where the exact best competition area would be.

Men

The men's elimination ladders for the main event is made up of these 28 riders:

• Top 22 ranked riders from the Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour Freestyle division
• 2 GKA Wildcards: Tom Bridge and Roberto Anthar Racca (who is back competing after a 3 year break)
• 2 GKA Video Wildcards: Luis Fernando Silva and Leo Verrecchia
• 2 winners of the local qualifier competition: TBC

Women

• Nine women have registered to compete
• The top four women all still have a title shot at the title.