MEDIA RELEASE

SAS FIRST INTERNATIONAL KITEBOARD EVENT

TO TAKE PLACE IN DURBAN

Durban, South Africas playground, is set to host the countrys first international kiteboarding event, the Vodacom 4U Kiteboard World Cup, which will be held at the recently opened Suncoast Beach from September 22 to 28.

The event is the third leg of the Kiteboard Pro World Tour (KPWT) which has already had stops in France and Turkey.

Durban is positioning itself as an extreme sports destination and as such has ideal conditions for kiteboarding: the beaches and surf are conducive to the sport. When the wind is favourable and the surfs up, the boarders are able to show off their remarkable skills on the waves. The expanse of beach also means it makes for a fascinating spectator sport, so the event is expected to attract a sizeable audience that will take advantage of the new Suncoast beach facilities.

The top eight ranked South African kiteboarders have received automatic entry into the main event of the Vodacom 4U Kiteboard World Cup. These local sportsmen will be required to pull out all the stops when they will meet some of the worlds best internationally ranked kiteboarders at the event.

A qualifying round open to local and international riders will be held prior to the main event with the top four riders progressing into the main event rounds.

Taking part in this qualifying round is one of South Africa's youngest kiteboarders, 8 year old Stuart Downey from Durban. Stuart, who has only been kiting for two years, has demonstrated how easy and fun it is for anyone to learn the basic skills of kiteflying and boardriding and progress to this level of the sport.

Kiteboarding has been rated as the worlds fastest growing watersport and is very quickly becoming more than just an extreme boardsport but also a lifestyle culture in which the whole family can be involved.

With any developing sport must come training and education to keep things safe and enjoyable for all. Wipika kiteboarding will conduct a free introductory development clinic at the event for aspirant kiteboarders.

With the growth of this kite culture, a huge local industry has begun to evolve resulting in equipment become more accessible and affordable. Youngsters are invited to come to the beach and meet with the experts who will help show them the starting ropes of this adrenalin-filled sport

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Vodacom 4U Kiteboard World Cup

Besides the visual feast that the action at the Vodacom 4U Kiteboard World Cup will provide, there is also a range of exciting entertainment at Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World. One party not to be missed is the Miller Genuine Draft lingerie fashion show set for Tuesday, September 23 at 7pm.

We are thrilled to be assisting the kiteboarding industry in promoting Durban as a kiteboarding destination on an international level says eThekwini Unicity Mayor, Cllr Obed Mlaba We trust that with the strong contingent of international media the event is attracting, that Durban will be placed on the map of ideal places to visit for the sport.


August 27, 2003


KPWT Team