Crowds throng Dunkerque’s historic beach as ground-breaking GKA ProAm Challenge and GKA Test Event stage debuts

GKA ProAm Challenge and GKA Test Event 2024
29 Aug—01 Sept | Dunkerque, France

Tens of thousands of kiteboarding fans thronged the historic strand of the northern French port of Dunkerque as the first GKA ProAm Challenge and GKA Test Event played out over four action-packed days.

The inaugural GKA Test Event brought together many of the leading kiteboarding brands, accompanied by their team riders. The team riders joined the fun on the water for the GKA ProAm Challenge, a series of races featuring the professionals and amateurs.

The GKA ProAm Challenge and GKA Test event—where visitors were able to ride the latest kiteboarding equipment—ran alongside the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup, adding to the excitement and the buzz in the brands’ tented village.

The brands who made up the village—Duotone, Naish, Flysurfer, Nobile, F-one, Xenon Boards, Mioboards and Booomtag—were keen to do their bit to increase the sports’ inclusivity.

Emphasis on fun

Kiteboarding fans were able to meet and chat about the newest gear before and after testing, with the likes of Naish’s French team-rider, Louka Pitot, who was competing in the World Cup.

Kiteboarding legend Lewis Crathern, a Duotone team rider, and Flysurfer’s Roderick Pijls, also joined the amateurs for the GKA ProAm Challenge races, where the emphasis was firmly on fun.

French Kite-Surf athlete, Charlotte Carpentier, joined the GKA ProAm Challenge action in the Fin class, along with countryman, Freestyle and Big Air specialist, Peyo Cremades.

The seven races, over two days of competition, also involved a Foil class, though everyone was competing together. The course was long, with a 3kms broad reach after a rabbit start, a gybe around the sole mark, and another 3kms tack upwind to the finish line near the beach.

‘Great concept’

Lewis Crathern, better known for jumping over Brighton Pier in the UK and competing in the Red Bull King of the Air at one time, highlighted the fun nature of the ProAm Challenge and his own racing inexperience when he explained his tactics.

“Follow the best guy,” said Crathern, just before his first race. “That’s always been my racing strategy: work out who’s the fastest guy, get right behind him and do him on the line. But really, I think it’s really exciting. I can’t wait to get out there . . . to do one of these races. I think it’s a great concept. We’re mixing with a lot of the pro-racers.”

When the final results came in Crathern’s strategy worked out moderately well, with respectable fourth and fifth place finishes in the two races he squeezed in between his other duties, out of the seven races completed.

Flysurfer team rider Roderick Pijls fared better, taking a second in the Fin class and third Overall. But Hugo Gaborit topped the Fin class and got first place Overall, with Remy Kryztofiak winning the Foil class and taking second Overall.

words: Ian MacKinnon
images: Lukas K Stiller

GKA ProAm Challenge 2024 results

Overall
1 Hugo Gaborit
2 Remy Kryztofiak
3 Roderick Pijls

Foil
1 Remy Kryztofiak
2 Maxime Swetala
3 Marc Swetele

Fin
1 Hugo Gaborit
2 Roderick Pijls
3 Matthias Desert

Spot Info: Dunkerque
Dunkerque boasts almost 15kms of wide, sandy beaches that are a kiteboarding paradise on the North Sea. It is suitable for all levels of kiteboarders, who can find spots to launch and land easily, depending on their skill level.

Weather
The average maximum daytime temperature in Dunkerque in August is around 22.9°C (73.22°F). Usually, it is the warmest month of the year. The average minimum temperature goes down to around 13.6°C.

Wind
North-east or south-west winds are the most prevalent in Dunkerque. At the event site, those equate to a cross-onshore for the north-easterlies, and cross-shore in the south-westerlies. You can expect some kickers. The average winds range from 13-18 knots, with some days pushing to more than 25 knots.