The Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour is excited to launch a major new kiteboarding initiative, featuring a ProAm Challenge and gear testing opportunities, that seeks to restore the northern French port of Dunkerque as a European kiteboarding hub.

The twin events over four days are part of an ambitious multi-year plan to bring together kiteboarding enthusiasts and the industry for a vibrant celebration of our sport on the historic North Sea strand.

The GKA ProAm Challenge and GKA Test Event, which will run side-by-side, will seek to unite kiteboarding amateurs, professionals, and the industry to advance the sport and make it more inclusive. The heart of the GKA Test Event will be a buzzing village of stands for kite brands from around the world to show off their latest developments.

REGISTRATION OPEN

Please register yourself by following these steps.

1. Follow the link here – https://www.gkaproam.com/register or scroll to ‘Event Info’ and select the ‘Register Now’ button. You will then be taken to the online GKA ProAm rider portal.
2. Once in the portal, you will be required to create an account. To do so you must select ‘Register new membership’. Continue by completing the required information, agree to the terms and conditions, and hit ‘Register’. Once complete you will be sent an email for authorisation.
3. Open your email and once authorized your account will be activated. You can now log back into the GKA rider portal and easily register your place in the event.
4. Upon completion, the GKA ProAm Event Manager, Liam Dredge, will be in touch via email with further details in the lead-up to the event. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with him at: liam@gkakiteworldtour.com
5. Once registered you will see the button go GREEN and then be asked what board type you will choose to ride during the race.

When registering for the GKA ProAm, all participants will be within the ‘OPEN’ category. However, you will then automatically register yourself within the individual specific categories. These categories include:

– OPEN (for everyone competing)
– MASTERS (45+)
– YOUTH (U14-U19)
– FIN (all ages)
– HYDROFOIL (all ages)

Entry Fees

Up until 29 August, 2024 ,the participation entry fee will be €50. This will include:

• Competition lycra
• Event T-shirt
• Event water bottle
• GKA ProAm boardstickers
• General organisation fees
• Racing (forecast dependent on how many races will take place)

If you decide to register on-site, the fee will be €80, so we suggest registering your interest early. You can also take it day-by-day if you do not want to compete every day. Payment links will be sent out on completion of registration.

About the event

The focus of the village will be a stage for pro-rider interviews and brand seminars to inform and enthuse amateur kiteboarders and the visiting public about the sport. Visitors will also have the chance to test all the brands’ newest advances in equipment—be it kites constructed from the latest materials; new shapes in twin-tips, surfboards, and hydrofoils; or the freshest offerings in control bars and lines.

The core of the kiteboarding festival is a series of races that will be open to professional and amateur riders. The exact format of the races over the event’s four days is yet to be finalized by the GKA sports team. But the focus of the ProAm Race in Dunkerque will be on fun, with the hope the event will become a big kiteboarding jamboree, mirroring other popular events staged in France.