Bagnoli validates her return to the tour amidst upsets and a stellar second-place finish for Sol as she sets her sights on Qatar.
As the 2023 season nears its grand finale, the world's most elite in freestyle kiteboarding gathered at the famous Cauipe Lagoon for an impressive showdown of athleticism, determination, and talent. Known for it’s perfect flatwater conditions and hairdryer breezes, the conditions were ripe for the most insane freestyle performances to go down. To read more about the intense action and how our team riders keep their world championship dreams in view, c
Heading into the second to last stop of the year on the freestyle circuit, a small handful of athletes are able to keep the grand prize within grasp, including our own reigning world champions, Mikaili Sol and Gianmaria Coccoluto. Coccoluto would make a surprising early exit from the competition, being narrowly edged out in the quarter-finals. But the race is far from over for Coccoluto, who now sits only 100 points behind tour leader Carlos Mario.
Gunning to add yet another World Championship title to her ever-growing list of accolades, Mikaili Sol, back in action from a recent injury, gave an impressive performance from start to finish. Sol put up the highest-scoring heat for the women and finished the event with a second-place finish. Sol now sets her intention on training for the season finale, where she’ll get to make her final bid for the crown.
"The prize is still within reach, and I will be pouring in all my efforts and dedication to come out on top and make this a memorable finale."
MIKAILI SOL
Another exceptional performance was from team rider Francesca Bagnoli, who returned to the tour midway through this year after several years of not competing. From her first heat against tour leader Bruna Kajiya, she landed all of her tricks, coming out of the water with dry hair and certainly gaining confidence. Her strategy to only focus on one trick at a time paid off big and landed her a place in the final.
For more details on how all of our team riders faired at the GKA Copa Kitely World Cup and what this means for the exciting showdown in Qatar, follow the link below.
