After an action-packed third day of competition at the Gold Games in Hyeres, France, competitors and spectators entered into day four, unsure of what to expect. With a light wind forecast but a steady breeze blowing at around 10am, race director Olaf Van Tol instructed the riders to ready their gear for a 10:35 first possible start. The course was soon changed and the marks were set; however, not long after most riders made it to the starting point, the wind began to die back down to an unacceptable 6 knots. With so many kites now on the water, rescue boats and jet skis were ready to carry out a massive rescue mission, one that turned out to be not quite as large-scale as expected.

Disappointed by the wind variability, competitors returned to the beach and the meeting area to wait once more, enjoying lunch and the pleasant atmosphere. As the day continued on, there were brief moments where it looked as if the wind might pick up – only to die back down again, clouds and sun moving in interchangeably.

Interestingly, protests from day three changed the rankings slightly, moving Olivier Dansin (FRA) into second overall, and John Heineken (USA) into third, with Riccardo Leccese (COL) still holding in first place. Adam Koch (USA) commented that, while he would have of course enjoyed more wind for the event, he loved to be able to ride flat water for a change and compete against an ever-improving fleet of racers.

Freestyle riders Sebastian Garat, Ariel Corniel, and Eudazio Da Silva also sat patiently around the rider’s area. Garat joked that he has often been unlucky in coming to L’Almanarre as far as the wind is concerned; however he still enjoys the area and has instead taken advantage of the bustling nightlife of Hyeres and nearby Cannes instead.

Rider: Steven Akkersdijk
Camera: Cor Akkersdijk and Lars Stenveld

Day three began with the hope of stronger, more reliable winds, as forecasts and local experts predicted better conditions. After meeting for the first time in the early morning, riders finally started to ready their gear for the 10am start in offshore winds measuring around 7-11 knots.

Race one started with an early lead by Columbian competitor, Riccardo Leccese, and the Americans, Bryan Lake and John Heineken close behind. As the distance decreased between Lake and Leccese, the battle became even tighter, with riders on their biggest kites. Eventually, Leccese, Koch, and Heineken (respectively) finished the race first – Lake, Maxime Nocher, and Olivier Dansin not far behind.

The second race also provided an eventful battle as Adam Koch pulled out of the starting line first. Once the first mark was reached, Lake had moved into first place, while Olivier Dansin held onto second. Impressively, Lake pulled further and further ahead, as Heineken was forced to take a short tack to make his mark. Near the end, Leccese and Heineken raced incredibly close, while Olivier Dansin earned his first, first place finish of 2012, with Bryan Lake taking second. Notably, Caroline Adrien, the French competitor, did exceptionally well in the girls category, earning first place in three of the five total races held.

Race three then gave way to ample excitement before the red flag even went down, as a major tangle caused numerous competitors a delayed start. This incident later caused multiple protests. In spite of this commotion at the start, Lake pulled out with a strong first place in the beginning, as Heineken and Dansin fought back and forth for the second position. Lake seemed to be racing at lightening speed at times, bringing in an eventual strong first place win. In this race, Leccese finished second and Dansin crossed third. Katja Roose and Nuria Goma were unable to complete this race, due to the early tangle. Caroline Adrien, Ariane Imbert, and Jessica Sickinger, on the other hand, placed most favorably.

At 12pm and after a break, the horn for the fourth race sounded. At the first mark, Heineken took the lead, Leccese and Dansin at his heels. Koch and Lake also raced amazingly close, proving this race to be a tactical game at its best. Lake and Heineken both made strides on the upwind tacks, while Kerneur moved up as well. Heineken then increased his lead in the last leg of the race, leaving Dansin and Leccese to finish just after. Katja Roose won this race for the girls, beating out a number of her fellow male competitors.

The fifth and final race of the day provided the most excitement by far, as competitors knew this would be their last chance on day five to improve their ranking and overall standing. While Heineken was the first to tack, Julien Kerneur took a completely different line on starboard, which allowed him to move into first at the upwind mark. Koch and Dansin battled for top positioning, as Lake took over a remarkable three positions on the downwind leg. Leccese meanwhile held strongly to front placement, as everyone clearly exerted their most intense efforts to make it to the top. In the closest finish of the day, Leccese crossed just inches before Koch, with adrenaline obviously pumping – followed by Heineken in third and Lake in fourth. This last race was run in 10-15 knots of variable wind.

After two days of no wind, this third day provided more than enough entertainment and excitement to satiate everyone’s wishes. Olivier Dansin proudly carried a content post-race glow, as he ended the day with a (provisional) fourth place. Also barely able to contain his excitement with his first place ranking, Leccese displayed his grin ear to ear, saying that the last race of the day was his best ever.

Unfortunately, the wind did not hold long enough to allow for freestyle heats; however, plenty of days remain to allow for both disciplines to continue. Tomorrow, forecasts call for 7-9 knots, with the most wind expected at around 2pm. Also of note, the live cast has not been available due to technical difficulties; however, this issue is currently being working on.

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Pedro has a background that is pure surf. Trained by his father from a very young age he quickly rose through the junior ranks to eventually capture the 2000 World Junior Championship crown at Makaha, Oahu beating Jamie O’Brien and Tiago Pires in the final.

Pedro followed up his junior title with several seasons on the ASP Tour following the waves and notching up some solid results against the rest of the world’s best pro-surfers.

Though he’s only been kiting for a couple of seasons Pedro is ready to take on the challenge of the KSP Tour. “The crossover between surfing and kitesurfing in the waves is obvious. For me it’s the perfect blend of power and control. A kite can put you in positions on a wave that simply aren’t possible with just the surfboard and the riding style is much more powerful as you can leverage the power of the kite to achieve maneuvers that just aren’t possible without the kite. I’m looking forward to the challenge of the KSP Tour, there are many riders who have much more experience than me riding a kite. I’m hoping that my focus, training and greater surf experience will help me fight my way to the top.”

The second day of the 2012 Gold Games provided no more wind than the day prior, forcing riders to conjure up alternative ways to spend the day. As competitors remained on wind hold throughout the morning and afternoon, many enjoyed the warm beach, caught up with old friends, or spent time tuning gear and adjusting bars and lines. With a comfortable grassy area to spend their downtime, some riders even pulled out some badminton, while others took advantage of the cool calm water – wakeboarding or swimming for a little entertainment and amusement.

Coming up in the following days, the Gold Games will also put on motocross and skate competitions. Regardless of what the wind allows, these other aspects of the Gold Games will surely provide ample entertainment and excitement for everyone who has made the journey to Hyeres, France.

Event sponsors Red Bull and NRG also represented themselves well on the beach, despite the unfavorable conditions, as they displayed flags, tents, and an encouraging presence at the event site. The city of Hyeres has also shown itself to be a welcoming destination for kite competitors. Numerous racers and freestyle riders took note of the friendly atmosphere, hospitable attitude, and overall pleasant ambience of this scenic city.

The forecast for the area has changed often over the past week, which has made planning difficult in such light conditions. Still, anticipation and expectations remain high, with light yet suitable conditions expected for the remainder of the week and through the weekend.

View some more photos of this no wind day