Mondial du Vent 2015
The start of Mondial du Vent 2015 brought with it turbulent conditions on and off the water. After years of hosting the PKRA freestyle comp, Mondial was caught in the middle of political wranglings amongst the French kitesurfing and sailing federations. And with no agreement in sight casualties were had; the PKRA or VKWC as it’s now known was no longer coming to Leucate.
But ever the professionals, Pascal Maka and his team pulled out all the stops and with less than a month before the event, secured some of the biggest names in kitesurfing for a new competition, the X’Ttrem Air; Aaron Hadlow, Kevin Langaree, Seb Garat and Nick Jacobsen.
And the turbulence continued on the water for the practice session for the Sosh Speed Cup on Friday. Even in mild winds the sea was throwing up waves, turning the speed course into a choppy mess. As thunder was heard bellowing from across the Pyrenees Mountains, an electric storm  lit up Le Franqui in spectacular style and the rain bucketed down.
Saturday and the rage was over, the sky was clear and there wasn’t a whisper of wind to be heard all day.
Sunday and the rain was back, and for a while it appeared that it had flattened the wind. But after several skipper’s meetings, by 15:00 kites were up on the speed strip and by 16:00 the firsts of the heats for the Sosh Speed Cup were under way.
Whilst the first two runs looked clean, lines were soon blurred as waves crept up on the riders, appearing from nowhere like wild horses set to run them off course. Speed riders use to dealing with calm fast waters, were struggling to make their times in the cauldron of bubbling sea. Alex Caizergue drew on all his experience of the area to take the first round in a very very close call from Rob Douglas, both posted the same speeds so the time keepers had to look back at the tapes for the decision. Antoine Albeau was in third and kept the rivalry between the windsurfers and kitesurfers alive.

With the Tramontana nowhere in sight the light winds were just not enough to run the whole of the X’Ttrem Air. The girls managed 2 rounds but the lads have to wait for another day. Official results and standings can be found in the image gallery.

 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•  

Results:
X’Trem Air
1st Round Rankings:
1 - Léa Ademi
2- Charlotte Rolando
3- Maureen Castelle
4 – Louise Delorme
 
2nd Round Rankings :
1 - Charlotte Rolando
2- Marie Switala
3- Louise Delorme
4 –Maureen Castelle
 
Sosh Cup
Standings after 1st Round:
1/ Alexandre Caizergues FRA – 34 Knots
1/ Egalité avec Rob Douglas USA – 34 nœuds
3/ Antoine Albeau FRA – 32.5 nœuds