Guy Bridge has won the first ever medal for Great Britain at the World Beach Games, Qatar 2019.
Former world and European champion Florian Gruber (GER) won two consecutive races in the final to become the first men’s Kitefoil Racing ANOC World Beach Games champion.
As the second-placed qualifier, Gruber had to win two races before highest qualifier Nicolas Parlier (FRA) won one in order to fulfil his gold medal dream.
Bridge came third in both races to collect bronze for Great Britain at Qatar 2019.
Guy’s brother Olly finished 16th overall in the men’s competition while their mother Steph finished in 13th in the women’s fleet.
Both Guy and Olly have joined the British Sailing Team after kiteboarding was slated for inclusion at Paris 2024, and thinking about a potential future Olympic appearance Bridge said: “Paris is still a long way off, but it would be pretty cool to go.”
Earlier in very light and fickle wind, the semi-final of the women’s kitefoil got underway at Katara Beach.
Unfortunately, Steph Bridge wasn’t able to make up enough to change the final result. With only the top ranked athlete from each heat progressing through to the afternoon’s final that was the end of her competition.
USA won the women’s Kitefoil Racing gold when four-time defending world champion, Daniela Moroz, beat Julia Damasiewicz, of Poland, to the title. Elena Kalinina secured bronze for Russia.
As a footnote . . .
Later in the evening the Team GB women’s beach soccer team lost the gold medal match to Spain 3-2.
Despite an early goal from Molly Clark (Portsmouth), three goals from their Spanish opposition in the first period made it tough for Team GB to come back.
Team GB pulled one back, but with a minute left on the clock they narrowly missed out on an equaliser and the game finished 3-2 to Spain.
They thus finished with silver, Team GB’s second medal of the Games.
