#kitesurf – Current Course Racing World Champion, German Florian Gruber, has been crowned the inaugural Kiteracing Oceanic Championship winner. The laid-back 19-year-old won convincingly, taking out all but three races in the five-day competition at Leighton Beach, Fremantle.
Hot on his heels all week, 16-year-old current European Champion, Olly Bridge from Devon in the UK, claimed second place, while Italy's Riccardo Leccese claimed third, despite Poland's Blazej Ozog making a last minute run for the position.
Two Australians finished in the top 10 - WA's Torvar Mirsky and Ric Black from NSW. Black also took out the Masters award.
Since the start of competition, there has been fierce competition between Poland's Aga Grzymska and France's Ariane Imbert but Grzymska proved too strong, winning all three of today's Women's races and 11 of 17 overall, relishing the lighter winds. Spain's Nuria Goma placed third and top Australian female kiter was Lisa Hickman from Queensland placing fourth.
The Kiteracing Oceanic Championships will return to Fremantle in early December 2014 and is officially sanctioned by the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) and the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).
Top 3 Men overall:
1. Florian Gruber, GER, 16 points
2. Olly Bridge, GBR, 33
3. Riccardo Leccese, ITA, 54
Top 3 Women overall:
1. Aga Grzymska, POL, 24
2. Ariane Imbert, FRA, 36
3. Nuria Goma, ESP, 70
