Photos: 2021 British Kitesurf Freestyle Championships in Ramsgate

Kitesurf championships in Ramsgate Photo Steven Collis

Photos by Steven Collis

The British Kitesurf Freestyle Championships are underway in Ramsgate this weekend.

With the opportunity to watch incredible stunts from some of the UK’s top kitesurfers, this year’s event includes:

  • British Kite Foil Freestyle Championships – launched as a trial event in Ramsgate in 2019, but featuring as an official event for the first time in 2021
  • British Wing Foil Freestyle Championships – another first for Ramsgate
Photo Steven Collis

The event is sponsored by Active Ramsgate, an initiative of Ramsgate Town Council to support the economic development of the town through the promotion and celebration of outdoor activities.

Around 70 competitors from all over the UK are competing, including some of Kent’s own kitesurfers such as Herne Bay’s Mattia and Francesca Maini. They are currently part of the Youth Kite Foiling British Sailing Team, aspiring to be part of the Olympic squad in future games.

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Along with the spectacle on the sea, there is plenty on offer for spectators of this free event, including the  popular free kitesurfing taster sessions on the beach as seen at previous Championships, commentary, demonstrations and tricks on the water from kitesurfing world champion Lewis Crathern.

Photo Steven Collis

There is also music and a variety of outdoor leisure stalls .

The championships continue tomorrow (August 22).

More details of the Championships can be found at:

www.britishkitesports.org and www.visitramsgate.co.uk

14 Comments

  1. I notice yet again The Thanet Gazette has reported elsewhere on another landing of illegal migrants on a Thanet beach today but has allowed no provision for comment on its site, yet again!
    THIS IS CENSORSHIP of the most insidious kind by our local media. Shame on you Thanet Gazette!

    • Ton, you say ‘illegal migrants’. Refugees are not illegal, they are people fleeing persecution in their home countries. Until their claim is assessed they have a right to stay here.

      I bet you couldn’t stomach a trip across the channel in a small inflatable, these people are desperate. and your comments about censorship are just rubbish; nobody stopped you posting your comment did they?

    • I’ve no idea about the Isle of Thanet Gazette.
      But the editor of the Isle of Thanet News has already explained why she’s had to suspend commenting on news items relating to asylum seekers.

    • All cheer for joy at the return of hijack a story Ton to bleat on about his lack of free speech etc ( at least this time genius Ton didn’t crash in on a story where a person was killed )
      Sadly Ton you keep on making accusations of censorship etc by The Thanet Gazette to the Isle of Thanet News
      Why ?

    • Once again Ton – Your free speech is not curtailed, you are free to say what you like on your own platforms, such as a personal FB page. However, I as publisher, am legally responsible for any libellous/racist/hate comments on this site and sadly there are people who will make such comments so that is why the comment function is off. Also I am not the gazette (IOTG), I am a small, independent publisher who has no intention of paying large court fines in the event that an individual cannot keep their comments legal. The job of a news site is to provide news, there is no obligation for a chat room function. The articles are easily shared to your own social media page where you can then share as many comments with the world as you like.

  2. Great to have these Championships back in Ramsgate. Pity the weather wasn’t kinder for the competitors and spectators today.

    • Was that bloke towing the water skier the one who was coming in very close to shore, where there were several swimmers?

      • Marva Rees. Two days a year this is held and all you can do is moan. Pity you you can’t do Kite surfing. With any luck there would a strong wind blowing to take you back to Forest Gate!

        • There is an area set aside for the kite surfing event, which happens twice a year. That leaves a large area where day trippers, tourists and so on can do “normal” sea side activities, such as paddle or swim.
          When I walked down there yesterday I saw a jet ski towing a skier, travelling at speed just a few yards away from swimmers, and clearly outside the allocated area.
          Perhaps, for the benefit of kite surfers, the whole beach should be closed between Winterstoke and the harbour?
          Or maybe, if we all stuck to the allocated areas, we could all share and enjoy the beach.

          BTW according to Southern Waterthere were 2 sewage discharges at Ramsgate overnight.

        • I don’t want to do kite-surfing, I like to swim.

          Why would I want to go back to live in Forest Gate? I moved to Ramsgate because I missed living by the sea.

          By the way, if that man pulling the water-skier along had stayed in their permitted zone. I wouldn’t have needed to say anything on this thread.

  3. Tbh i have a dislike for jet ski drivers at the best of times, some are complete fully entitled planks of what sw pumps out seawards.

    Anyway seeing some of the event offered some interest.

    There is an outstanding photo above from Steven Collis, surfer with buoy.
    Great photo ! of the buoy

    Following the heavy rain this morning just hoping businesses down that area are not flooded out, although the pavements will benefit from a washdown.

    SW have pumped out that nasty smelly stuff in the vicinity of the artificial beach, hey good PR thinking not to pump out on the main sands beach during the kite event.

    Keep the beaches safe for all, including migrants.

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