This past month, a small but elite group of international snow kite racers gathered in Kajaani, Finland to crown the World Champion of Course Racing, Marathon, and Speed from March 12th to 16th, 2024. Situated along the Kajaani River in the central part of the country, the city is known for its natural beauty, outdoor recreational opportunities, and rich cultural heritage. One of the prominent features of Kajaani is its picturesque surroundings, including forests, lakes, and rivers, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts- snowkiters included.
F-One Rider, Steve Cohan, gave us a little insight into the event itself. Read more below.
“Yes, I said snow, Finland, and March…not your typical F-One newsletter story. The World Ice and Snow Sailing Association (WISSA) World Championships involves three classifications: Kites, Sleds (snow/ice windsurfers), and Wings (both inflatable and fixed frame). All three classes competed in course racing while sleds and wings also competed in a fast-paced short-track slalom event.” – Cohan
In his fourth appearance at the World Championships, Wisconsin native Steve Cohan represented the U.S. in the kite division. Equipped with Blizzard downhill racing skis and new 2024 F-One Diablo V5 kites, Cohan was ready for anything Mother Nature stirred up. And stir she did, as competitors faced cold temps for which Finland is known for- snow, rain and winds ranging from 5 knots to very angry and gusty 32 knots over five days of racing. These diverse conditions truly tested athletes riding, kite handling abilities and tactics and no single riding style had the advantage.
Typically, up to 12 course races are summed to make the score of each competitor. This year, the competitors had 10 starts over four days due to diverse weather conditions. Of six possible races each day, only one event was conducted the first day due to very light winds and three races were held on day three due to uncharacteristically aggressive wind and precipitation which evolved from snow to rain 30 minutes into the day.
Over the 10 race regatta, Cohan’s finishes ranged from third to eighth place including a one DNC when he missed a start due to downsizing from 15 M to 11 M Diablo between first and third races on Thursday.
“I survived the first race of the day but was hopelessly overpowered and feared being blown to Russia in the gusts if I attempted to start another race with a 15 Meter kite. My only hope was to downsize to my trusty 11 Meter for the rest of the day.”
The highlight of Cohan’s course racing was “sparring with the international elite and producing back-to-back third place finishes on the fourth and final day of course racing.” Former soft water rider, Ranno Rumm from Estonia won the course racing competition, 2023 WISSA Champion Frank Kronert from Sweden collected second place honors and Finland’s Kai Schroeder took home the bronze medal. Cohan, the highest placing racer from the United States finished seventh.
GPS speed racing runs were allowed anytime during the competition 24/7, but wind and snow conditions were optimal for ultra-fast speeds on Thursday afternoon when the fourth race of the day was called off due to aggressive and potentially unsafe course racing weather. In the GPS Speed event competitors download data from their certified personal GPS units to an official repository at the end of the competition for officials to compile and score each entry. Overall results are based on the average of five, 10-second runs from up to five days of speed runs per competitor. Powered by an 8 Meter Diablo V5, Cohan produced runs qualifying for sixth place overall with a 10-second average speed of 74.3 km/h and peak speed of 81.59 km/h. Current World speed record holder Kai Schroeder from Finland won the event with a blazing fast 80.77 km/h 10-second average.
Typically, the final day of World Championship competition includes an all-fleet Marathon where kite, sled and wing riders all assemble for a mass start and lap the same course. This year, due to deep slushy snow, officials told sleds and wings to stay ashore, the course was only open to kites. Cohan ended the day with sixth place after seven laps on a wet, rutted but otherwise fast three-mile course.
Cohan, “My 15 Meter Diablo was right and Blizzard DH skis were stable, but Andreas’ height and weight produced better angles under foot which allowed him to better transfer the kite’s power across the snow.” First through third place were taken by Andreas Gustafsson from Sweden and Finnish racers Kai Schroder and Ville Mertanen respectively.
Cohan noted to be pleased with his performance after a week of racing. Further, he loved the openness of the Finnish countryside which, “offered seemingly endless kiting opportunities, provided snow kiters stay clear of reindeer herds and avoid moose“, and “delightful hospitality offered by very friendly and happy Finns.”
He also made sure to mention that “while not officially announced, the 2025 World Championships are scheduled for early February in Cohan’s hometown Madison, Wisconsin. Stay tuned for the official announcement!”
Explore the Diablo V.5
The kite that copes with any conditions so you can focus on your racing. After 18 months of testing with our top team riders, we are proud to present our Olympic-registered kite.
- Olympics registered kite
- Super Solid and Ultra-Stable
- Sleek clean technical design
- Very fast inflation
