Kampman takes Silver at Worlds in Viana do Castelo

Jessie Kampman narrowly missed out on defending her Formula Kite world title in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. The Dutch kitesurfer took silver at the World Championships after France’s Lauriane Nolot claimed gold in a thrilling Grand Final.

Kampman had been the standout performer throughout the championship, wearing the yellow leader’s bib for almost the entire week and consistently topping the standings. Alongside Nolot, she had established herself as one of the two dominant riders in the fleet.

With the wind building along Portugal’s Atlantic coast, all four finalists opted for 11m² kites for the decisive Grand Final. Kampman made a flying start, immediately taking the lead on the first upwind leg and putting herself in an ideal position to defend her world title.

But the crucial moment came at the first windward mark. Kampman sailed slightly too far to the left and crossed the layline, with Nolot close behind. After tacking, the Dutch rider was forced to sail lower and came under pressure. She lost her balance and fell from her board, costing her valuable time and leaving her with a significant gap to the rest of the fleet.

Nolot seized the opportunity. The Frenchwoman moved into the lead and never looked back. Despite the challenging conditions, she sailed a flawless final to secure her third world title.

For Kampman, it was a frustrating end to an otherwise outstanding championship. The Dutch rider had demonstrated exceptional consistency throughout the week and had looked firmly on course for a second consecutive world title.

Nolot took gold, Kampman silver, while Switzerland’s Elena Lengwiler completed the podium with bronze.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on gold, Kampman’s performance once again underlines her position among the world’s leading Formula Kite riders. At this level, the smallest mistake in a decisive race can make the difference between standing on top of the podium and taking silver.

“I’m really happy with the week I had,” Kampman said afterwards. “The main focus was on managing my recovery as well as possible.”

Having gone into the decisive race level on points, Kampman knew the world title was within reach. But after the mistake at the first mark and the subsequent crash, the battle for gold slipped away.

Despite the disappointment, Kampman remained positive about her performance.

“It’s a really great achievement. Of course, there are things that go well, and there are things you learn from. From here, we move forward again.”