Kitesurf competitions: from the British series to the world tour

• What you need first: BKSA membership for British events. The GKA's minimum age is 14.
• What's next: The GKA Kite World Tour.

At home

• BKSA runs the national competition schedule and crowns the UK champions. The 2026 series brought together juniors, amateurs and pros from the UK kite and wing community.
• Events cover Big Air, Foiling Festivals and Wave Masters.
• Big Air has Open and Amateur fleets. Amateur is for non-sponsored riders and is judged on overall impression.
• Entry is open to all BKSA members. Register online by 7pm the night before, because there are no entries on the day.
• Judges score height, risk, technical difficulty and innovation.
• Impact vests, helmets and kite safety leashes are mandatory.
• BKSA says the series is a springboard to the GKA Kite World Tour.

Dates for next year are in our British competitions 2027 guide.

The world tour

• The GKA Kite World Tour runs four official disciplines, all sanctioned by World Sailing: Freestyle, Kitesurf, Big Air and Hydrofoil Big Air.
• There are around 15 World Cups a year.
• Top-ranked riders qualify automatically. You can also get in by video application or a local wildcard.
• Entry is €125 a discipline. GKA membership is mandatory: €80 for one event or €160 for the year.

Source: Events, 2026 Big Air Championships and home page, British Kitesports; FAQ, GKA Kite World Tour; Kitesurfing safety, RNLI, checked October 2026.

Governing body: British Kitesports Association (BKSA). It sets the UK safety standards and training awards for kiteboarding, so it's the official place to find out more. Many schools also use IKO courses.

Typical prices, checked October 2026. The club or coach sets and bills the price.

The club map lists some of the UK clubs for this sport. It is a starting point, so check with the club before you travel. To have a coach found for you, use the enquiry form.