Borkum will host an official stop of the international GKA Kite World Tour for the first time in June 2026. From June 03rd to 07th, the "California GKA Freestyle Kiteboarding World Cup Borkum" will take place on the North Sea island, bringing the world's best freestyle kiteboarders to Lower Saxony. Competitors from ten nations have already registered for the regatta.

Borkum is celebrating several premieres with this event: It will host an official Kiteboarding World Cup for the first time on the island, and it's also the first professional World Cup for a board sport in Lower Saxony. The event is part of the renowned GKA Freestyle Kite World Tour, the most important international competition series in kiteboarding.

For five days, the North Sea island transforms into an international hotspot for the kitesurfing scene. Right off the beach, the world's best athletes compete for world ranking points, prize money totaling €25.000, and crucial points in the season's title race. Especially at the halfway point of the season, the tour stop on Borkum gains additional significance in the battle for the world championships.

The organizers anticipate spectacular top-level sport with technically demanding tricks, high jumps, and explosive freestyle maneuvers right off the coast. With consistent winds, wide beaches, and short distances, the conditions on Borkum are considered ideal for high-class kiteboarding.

With Borkum's inclusion in the international tour calendar, the North Sea island now joins a list of renowned venues such as Sylt, St. Peter-Ording, Cape Verde, Brazil, Mexico, and France. For German kitesurfing, this new tour stop marks another important step towards increasing Germany's international visibility within the GKA World Tour.

Germany is represented by a strong team at the "home World Cup": The German team is led by the only 16-year-old Finn Flügel. He travels to Borkum as the reigning Freestyle World Champion and naturally hopes to take the next step towards a successful title defense in front of a home crowd. Furthermore, he must

Mats Claasen will prove himself in the world-class field of competitors. German record champion Sabrina Lutz will be among the women competing. Kaya Lehmann, seeded fifth, is considered one of the favorites. Julia Heckhausen will also be competing off the coast of Borkum.

But the international competition is extremely strong. Italian runner-up world champion Matteo Dorotini is seeded second. Swiss former world champion Maxime Chabloz also hopes to reclaim the top spot on Borkum. Two more former world champions, Italian Gianmaria Choccoluto and Frenchman Arthur Guillebert, will also be competing on the North Sea island.

The women's competition is topped by reigning world champion Bruna Kajiya. She hopes to repeat her outstanding performance from last season and secure her seventh world title. Spaniard Claudia Leon will challenge Kajiya in the North Sea off Borkum, as will third-seeded Italian Francesca Bagnoli.

In addition to the sporting competitions, the World Cup is also expected to attract numerous visitors to the island. A comprehensive supporting program with a festival atmosphere, surf vibes, and free event areas along the beach and promenade is planned. Title sponsor Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will be presenting its latest California models. Visitors can also get active themselves with free yoga sessions. In the evenings, sundowner parties on the promenade in front of the North Sea Aquarium invite everyone to celebrate. A variety of food and drink stalls will be available.