Inês Correia: KSP world champion

Airton Cozzolino and Inês Correia are the new 2011 Wave Kitesurfing world champions. The riders from Italy and Portugal secured the inaugural KSP World Tour, in the last stage held Sal Island, Cape Verde.

“We had insane conditions on tour this year,” said KSP rider and Vice President Sky Solbach. A total of 64 riders from 20 countries competed on the first KSP World Tour.

“We scored the most perfect surf ever seen in competition in Mauritius and the longest waves on the planet in Peru. Unfortunately Mother Nature did not cooperate in Cape Verde, but we still had a blast in the Super Sessions here”, he added.

Due to the bleak swell forecast for the remainder of the 10-day holding period, yesterday, the KSP rider’s committee decided along with KSP organizers to end the competition early following the two Super Sessions in varying conditions.

On the women’s podium, 9-time World Champion Kristin Boese took third place, with Marie Gautron coming in second and the young Portuguese rider Ines Correia taking the world championship title.

The men’s podium saw 2010 Kitesurfing World Champion and winner of the second KSP Tour stop in Peru, Guilly Brandao, in third place and local Cape Verdean hero Mitu Monteiro in second.

However, it was Airton Cozzolino, winner of the first tour stop in Mauritius and second place finisher in Peru who stole the crowd’s hearts.

In an emotional interview, the native Cape Verdean could not fight back his tears of joy after being carried onto the podium by his local crew and graciously accepting his first ever World Championship trophy in front of his home crowd.

“I am so happy. Thank you to everyone. It’s a dream come true,” said the near-speechless Cozzolino. The Super Sessions of the the Ponta Preta Kite Surf Pro were won by Kirsty Jones and Airton Cozzolino.

2011 KSP World Championship | Rankings

Men

1st place: Airton Cozzolino (Italy/North)
2nd place: Mitu Monteiro (Cape Verde/F-One)
3rd place: Guilly Brandao (Brazil)
4th place: Mauricio Pedreira (Brazil)
5th place: Sky Solbach (USA/North)

Women

1st place: Ines Correia (Portugal)

2nd place: Marie Gautron (France/Naish)
3rd place: Kristin Boese (Germany/Best)
4th place: Melissa Gil (USA)
5th place: Maayke Tadema (Netherlands/Best), Ninja Bichler (Mauritius/North)

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