Thursday 23 August 2018 | Published in Other Sports
A special focus of Manureva Aquafest 2018 is on the progression of local youth kite surfers.
This year’s competition includes local youth from Rarotonga, Aitutaki and New Zealand, who are competing in the first-ever Bordercross event in the Cook Islands.
They are being introduced to Bordercross now in preparation for future Youth Olympic Games. This year’s Youth Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will see Twintip Bordercross be added to the event for the first time.
Also at Manureva Aquafest this year, local youth, including Dylan Mussel of Rarotonga and Quinton (12) and Chakyl Schofield (10), are competing against each other in technical freestyle rotations and ‘Big Air’ jumps, all under the mentorship of international professional kiteboarders Marc Jacobs, New Zealand’s number one, and Ewan Jaspan, Australia number one and also current international Kiteboarder of the Year.
Manureva Aquafest, the Cook Islands Kitesurfing Association’s annual watersports festival, is attended by visitors from as far away as Norway and Spain, as well as Australia, New Zealand and the Cook Islands, all drawn in by a five-day event where competitors test their water skills in course racing, freestyle kitesurfing tricks, and big-air jumps.
Manureva Aquafest will end the week with a community outreach programme at the local primary schools and the inaugural Aquafest Day on Friday at Ootu Beach with Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) and swimming races.
– Release