GKA World Tour Updates
So we’ve got some updates regarding the 2020 GKA World Tour.
The first stop of the Freestyle World Tour in Leucate, France planned for April has been cancelled.
The second stop of the Freestyle World Tour in Cabarete, Dominican Republic has been postponed to August 2020.
The second stop of the Kitesurf World Tour in Dakhla, Morocco has been postponed to October 2020.
Next possible event is the Freestyle World Tour in Tarifa, Spain still planned for June 2020.
A new event and discipline has been added with the Hydrofoil World Cup planned for December 2020 in Brazil.
Check out our event page to see all the new dates.
Read the full letter from GKA Secretary General Jörgen Vogt:
Dear Riders and Crew Members of the GKA Kite World Tour!
We all facing the most difficult time of our lifetime so far. Many of us a locked at home and not even allowed to put one toe into the ocean, even if it is right in front of the door. Many of us, but also sponsors, brands and event-organizers are confronted by financial uncertainties because nobody knows when the world will be back to “normal”. The GKA Kite World Tour 2020 started very promising and the financial situation of all events looked much better but last year.
Because of the COVID-19 crisis the positive picture changed for the first half of this year. Governments prohibited events, sponsors pulled out and some event-planning for the future is on hold.
However, like I always said: my policy is to build up a sustainable tour at which everybody can rely on. This policy didn’t change at all. That’s why I am in negotiations with organizers and sponsors for World Cup events in the next years, try to find new dates for events confirmed for the first 6 month of this year, and cut down costs where ever I can to keep the tour-management and the tour-media operating. I am very grateful to my team, that they are still committed to the GKA Kite World Tour and continue working with the same enthusiasm, even after I had to cut down their honorariums seriously.
After talking to all organizers I am very optimistic that we will still run many of the announced events this year, but for sure nobody can give any guarantee today. Please have a look at the up-dated event calendar with comments to each event below.
Right now neither the organizers nor the GKA can ensure that the events will be run under the budget agreed. It might be, that we all have to cut down our expectations. In other words: We might have to accept smaller prizemoney amounts on the riders side and smaller honorariums on the crew side. I keep all of you updated about any development. Should you nevertheless have any questions, please do not hesitate to send Tom or me a message.
I ensure everyone involved in the GKA Kite World Tour that I will do my outmost best to navigate our World Tour through this difficult times and I like to give all athletes an crew members confidence concerning the future of the GKA Kite World Tour.
Best regards and stay healthy,
Jörgen