GKA World Championship Mykonos, Part 1: Behind the Scenes with the Top Contenders

The Brazilian Brothers have touched down in beautiful Mykonos, Greece. Known for its massive parties, Mykonos is also home to some epic kitesurfing. This is where the GKA World Championship is coming to an end, and the guys are taking you behind the scenes to vlog the whole experience. Right now, it's the calm before the storm with zero wind on the beach, but the forecast is looking absolutely nuking. Thursday and Friday are expected to deliver 40 knots of wind, setting the stage for the highest echelon of Big Air kiteboarding.

Walking up to the event site, the setup is looking prime with the judges' booth ready to score some epic Big Air. The scenery is going to look drastically different once those 40-knot winds start pumping through the beach.

Catching Up With Andrea Principi

First up is Duotone Pro Rider Andrea Principi, bringing that superstar aura to the beach. Andrea emphasizes that you need to be on point both in the water and outside of it — you can't just be 50/50. He first came to this spot three years ago and calls the place "gold." He's feeling really good about the event, expecting the wind to be incredible, and is excited to put on a show and send it as big as possible. Andrea is known for bringing the energy and fist-pumping, noting that kitesurfing needs that vibe to make people happy.

Andrea's Kite of Choice: The Rebel D/Lab

When asked about the new Duotone Rebel D/Lab, Andrea says the kite is amazing and works perfectly for what they're looking for in Big Air. It delivers massive hangtime, pulls a lot, offers a ton of power, and feels really direct in the bar. Of course, he jokes that it's the hand on the bar that makes the real magic happen.

Andrea Principi on the Duotone Rebel kite

Jamie Overbeek on Pushing Limits

Next up is Kitemana Pro Rider Jamie Overbeek. Known for his insane control, body awareness, and never being scared to send it in strong conditions, Jamie confirms he is absolutely never scared to push it. Coming off his performance at Lords of Tram where he landed the first 10 ever in a Big Air competition, he says he still gets goosebumps watching the livestream back. He wants to push his limits even further and is stoked to be competing in Mykonos as a top contender for the World Champion title.

Jamie's Quiver and Custom Code Board

Because Jamie is partnered with Kitemana, he gets to choose any kite and quiver he wants. For this competition, he brought the Rebel D/Lab and a 7m Sonic foil kite. He's leaning toward the tube kite depending on the conditions, and in his opinion, the Rebel is the best kite on the market right now.

For his board, Jamie is riding the exact same Code board he used at Lords of Tram. It's his favorite board on the market and helps him push his Big Air skills even further. He explains that you can generate a lot of speed while still getting a good upwind angle. With that speed, the board remains super grippy. He notes that some fast boards are grippy but won't let you push upwind at takeoff, or the back foot pressure is way too heavy. This custom board, made by Roode based on Jamie's feedback, has everything — it lets him push super upwind right at the end for his jumps, generating a massive amount of line tension.

Jamie Overbeek on the Duotone Rebel at Lords of Tram

The British Squad: Lewis Crathern and Max Tullett

Finally, the guys caught up with the British squad in the streaming booth: kite legend and commentator Lewis Crathern alongside Duotone Pro Rider Max Tullett. Lewis points out that many of the top riders have never been to this spot, giving a big advantage to those who have. Mykonos is a crazy, unique place where the wind funnels directly through the mountains, creating super floaty wind and massive jumps.

Cape Town vs. Mykonos

Comparing it to Cape Town, Lewis notes the differences are drastic. Cape Town has 2 to 3-meter kickers and dense wind, along with 13 to 14-degree (Celsius) water. Mykonos has no kickers, lifty wind, and warmer 20 to 21-degree water. While there are no kickers, if you time the chop correctly with a gust, you'll go huge. Lewis sees this as a great platform for new tricks like board-offs and osmosis variations.

Lewis's top picks for the win include Max Tullett and Francesca. He frames the main narrative of the event as "Jamie vs. the World." The big question is whether Jamie can deliver at a new spot with flat water and no kickers, especially going up against someone like Andrea Principi who has ridden this location extensively. Max Tullett, fresh off his first few sessions, agrees that the wind funneling through the mountains makes for incredibly floaty, big jumps.

Max Tullett in South Africa