Riccardo Pianosi and Jessie Kampman are the 2025 Formula Kite World Champions
Even for the very best, staying stable on the board was proving very tricky in the knock-out rounds of the Medal Series
In the men’s Medal Series knockout races, Benoit Gomez made it into and into the last four along with Olympic silver medallist Toni Vodisek from Slovenia. In men’s final, Gomez and Vodisek joined Singapore’s Max Maeder and Italy’s Riccardo Pianosi in the yellow bib and holding match point advantage.
In the first men’s Grand Final race Maeder was breathing down Pianosi’s neck all the way around the next lap and right up to the finish.
But the Italian withstood the pressure to cross the line victorious, punching the air as he became Formula Kite World Champion for the first time in his career. Maeder took the silver and Gomez the bronze.
In the women’s final series, American six-time World Champion Daniela Moroz and Britain’s Lily Young joined defending World Champion Lauriane Nolot of France, and Dutch rider Jessie Kampman who had dominated all week in the yellow bib.
Britain’s Olympic Champion Ellie Aldridge tumbled out of contention in the women’s quarter final.
In the first Grand Final race, Kampman was fast out of the start although the others were not far behind. Nolot was pushing hard, but crashed out, then Kampman fluffed her high-speed gybe and also crashed, leaving Moroz for the win and match point alongside Kampman.
In the next race Young took a tumble out of the start line while Kampman moved into the lead.
This time she stretched away, clung on to her advantage and crossed the finish line, the world title secure.
2025 Formula Kite Worlds – Medal Series Route to the Title
