The structure of professional kitesports
In a nutshell
Professional kitesports follows the diversity and specialisation of kitesport by running four different disciplines:
Men/Women
Kite-Surf (GKA Kite World Tour)
Wave & Strapless Freestyle
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Freestyle (GKA Kite World Tour)
Twin Tip Freestyle
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Park (KPL Kite Park League)
Kite Park League
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Race/Speed/Slalom/Boardercross (IKA)
Kite Slalom, Formula, Foil & Snowkite
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Youth
Youth Kite-Surf (GKA Youth Kite World Tour)
Wave & Strapless Freestyle
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Youth Freestyle (GKA Youth Kite World Tour)
Twin Tip Freestyle
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Who’s who?
World Sailing (WS) is the international federation for the sport of sailing in all its forms – including kiteboarding on the water. World Sailing is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the organisation of kiteboarding at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and for potential showcase kiteboarding events at the 2020 Olympic Games. In particular, World Sailing regulates kiteboarding through a tripartite partnership with the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) and the Global Kitesports Association (GKA).
Following that trilateral agreement,
GKA – The GKA is responsible for all expression performance disciplines. Such disciplines are in particular wave, strapless-freestyle, big-air, freestyle/wake-style and park. The GKA itself runs two of the four disciplines: Surf (wave & strapless-freestyle) and Freestyle (twintip big-air & freestyle). Event-organizers and athletes who are interested in running or participating a World Cup Event in one of those two disciplines are welcome to contact the GKA.
KPL – The discipline Park (slider/obstacles) does not have an official World Tour status jet and is organized by Kite Park League (KPL). Anyone who is interested in that discipline should contact the KPL.
IKA – The IKA is responsible for all race-events (all disciplines which have a starting line and a finishing line). Under the jurisdiction of IKA are Formula Kite with regulated hydrofoiling equipment, the Gold Cup (any foiling equipment including prototypes) and the Youth Olympic Games (Boarder Cross format on TwinTip:Racing equipment). All event-organisers who want to run a World and/or continental level event in the discipline Race, Speed and/or Slalom have to contact the IKA. Riders who want to participate at a Race and/or Slalom event or at the Youth Olympic Games have to contact the IKA.