ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Dutch ace rules wind-lashed ICTSI Kiteboarding Championship finale

Dutch ace rules wind-lashed ICTSI Kiteboarding Championship finale

Published Mar 27, 2026 10:50 am

At A Glance

  • Cohan van Dijk of the Netherlands delivered a world-class performance in punishing conditions, carving out a dramatic victory over Japan's Hiro Karamon and Thailand's Joseph Weston to reign supreme in the men's Freestyle division of the ICTSI Philippine Kiteboarding Tour Season 11 at Aqua Resort in Boracay recently.
Cohan van Dijk of the Netherlands delivered a world-class performance in punishing conditions, carving out a dramatic victory over Japan’s Hiro Karamon and Thailand’s Joseph Weston to reign supreme in the men’s Freestyle division of the ICTSI Philippine Kiteboarding Tour Season 11 at Aqua Resort in Boracay recently.
Powered by relentless Amihan winds blasting well beyond 30 knots, the final leg transformed into a high-adrenaline proving ground where only the most technically precise and physically resilient riders could thrive. The gusts created towering chop and unpredictable ramps, forcing competitors to dig deep into their bag of tricks while maintaining razor-sharp board control.
Extreme weather ultimately derailed the White Fleet foil racing finale. After stops in Calatagan and Cagbalete Island, the tour ended with unsafe conditions – violent gusts and heavy swell – forcing race director Leon Chu to cancel the races. Despite top athletes like Fawn Banyapa, Tai Sipang, Chitresh Tatha, and local ace Warner Janoya being ready to compete, safety took priority over the planned showcase.
Even without the foil racing finale, the event delivered high-intensity action across divisions, with riders pushing their limits through powered kite loops, massive boosts and technical handle passes under extreme pressure.
Tournament director Mars Gersbach emphasized the magnitude of the event, sponsored by ICTSI, noting the complexity of running multiple fleets in such unforgiving conditions. The combination of strong wind windows and tight race coordination pushed both organizers and athletes to their limits.
Philippine Kiteboarding Association president Jay Ortiz highlighted the significance of attracting a deep international field, reinforcing the country’s growing reputation as a premier kiteboarding destination capable of hosting world-class competition.
Van Dijk’s Freestyle triumph was a masterclass in control and progression. Riding fully lit, he executed clean unhooked tricks, explosive kite loops, and stylish landings, maintaining composure despite the overpowering wind. His performance builds on his recent podium finish at the Red Bull King of the Air, further cementing his status among the sport’s elite.
Karamon finished second overall, with Weston third, while Vietnam’s Hoang Phu Lai carried strong form into Boracay. Karamon won the Hangtime event (8.24s), followed by Kobe Jason Delos Santos and Weston. Estonia’s Triina Trei dominated women’s Hangtime, and Russia’s Ksenia Ivanova took the Freestyle title.
In Twin Tip Racing, Thai Yo Pudla won the men’s division, ahead of Weston and Janoya, while Trei topped the women’s field. Peng Li (Masters) and Ortiz (Grandmasters) also secured wins. Boracay’s Roy Ross triumphed in the Novice class, and Turkey’s Hazal Kugu led the women’s Novice division – capping a wind-driven, high-skill finale.

Related Tags

ICTSI Philippine Kiteboarding Tour Season 11
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.