2013 Manureva International
Aquafest - KTA Cook Islands in
fabulous tropical Polynesia
Combine some of the most beautiful islands of Polynesia and the fun-loving, incredibly
welcoming and generous people with an eclectic crew of kiteboarders and watersport
competitors and you get the Manureva Aquafest.
HONG KONG - The Manureva International Aquafest
took place from the 10 - 14 June 2013 and marked the
second year of collaboration between the Asian
Kiteboard Tour team from the KTA and the Cook
Islands Kitesurf Association. Although primarily
focused around a kiteboard competition, the
Manureva Aquafest did as the title suggests. It threw
in a few other water challenges during the week.
Competitors found themselves not only needing to
meet their normal event challenges in freestyle and
course racing under their kites, but also other
‘waterman’ skills in the local Vaka outrigger canoes
and stand-up paddle board racing.
The event is heavily supported and sponsored by the
Cook Islands Tourism Department and Air Rarotonga.
Their aim is to see activity-based tourism increase in
the islands, particularly in the area of watersports, for
which the country is blessed with many perfect
locations.
Cook Islands Kitesurf Association organiser Paka
Worthington underlined that it was a bonus to
discover the traditions and culture of the Cook Islands
and its people and this was a key factor in the overall
experience of the competitors, to fully understand the
uniqueness of the event. A true mix of sports and local
culture and flavor.
‘Our ancestors dreamed of being able to fly’ said
Worthington ‘and this week at the Manureva we will
be fulfilling their dreams as the kiters take to the air,
bridging the gap between past and present’.
The KTA linked up with the Cook Islands Kitesurfing
Association to develop new competition opportunities
for both local and international riders alike. Having
established the competition last year, the event has grown for 2013 with the inclusion of
the KTA Kite Kids that introduced around 40 youngsters from local Rarotonga and Atutaki
schools to kiteboarding for the first time and will help develop the sport locally. The KTA
Kite Kids sponsorship support continues from Maelstorm and Ozone, with international
Neil Pryde subsidiary Cabrinha, who are supporting the programme for the first time to
provide the boards and water kites to take the classes further.
The kiteboard competition was put together to encourage riders to take part in both
freestyle and TT racing. Riders could just take part in only one or the other of the events,
but there was also an overall winner’s prize package based on the combination of the
points from each event - a double chance then to go home well-rewarded. Almost all of the
Contact Information
Name: Neil Godbold
Organization: Kiteboard Tour Asia
Email: [email protected]
URL: http://www.kiteboardtour.asia/

28 riders from 8 countries represented did so and took advantage of the extra events.
The Cook Islands themselves are the best kept tourism secret of the Pacific region - a
place where you can breathe in the fresh pure air and wade into the cool, calm blue
lagoons; calm that is except for those dynamic moments of competition that saw the kiters
blasting from the water in head-to-head competition. Reigning Asian Champion and one of
the visiting international riders at the event, Yo Narapichit Pudla took on all-comers in both
the freestyle and the race. In the end his wealth of experience enabled him to win, but not
before some high class challenges were dealt out by the locals. Tahiti’s Tetuatau Levervd
and Rarotnga’s Pauro in particular shone through in the freestyle event while fellow Cook
Islander Evarima Koteka showed great talent in the TT racing, even managing to take a
win off of Pudla, something seldom achieved this season by any rider.
For the girls it was fully international affair as the Cook Islands is still looking for its first
female competitor to emerge from their national riders. KTA Open race champion Kathrin
Borgwardt from Germany was to claim the title this time, showing she had not forgotten all
her freestyle moves either. Thailand’s Fon Benyapa and New Zealand’s Anderson Romero
were hot on her heels though throughout, making sure it was a hard fought competition all
the way to the finish.
The 15 islands of the Cooks lie halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii, scattered
across 2.2 million square kilometres of ocean, boasting rare beauty and an idyllic climate.
The Cook Islands are Paradise and a dream for any kiter to compete at, but this was no
normal kiteboard competition and soon competitors more used to the power of the wind
found themselves battling the elements from another angle at the end of a paddle.
Vaka outrigger canoes are the original mode of water transport across Polynesia. The
former lifeblood of the Maori, both in travel and food gathering, have been transformed
today into slick racing craft. For the Aquafest, teams of six paddlers took to the crystal
waters for a day of fast sprint Vaka action. The local teams as you might expect came out
on top, with some of the kiters looking less than their usual co-ordinated selves for once,
but great fun and competition was had by all.
The 2103 Manureva International Aquafest was counted by all involved as a great
success. The event had seen an increase in both local and international competitors,
showing that the event and the sport of kiteboarding is on the increase within the region
and for the Cook Islands in particular, prompting confidence in the future for bigger and
better things to come.

About KTA
The KTA was formed to give an international platform to the skills and talents of
kiteboarders throughout Asia, and to bring professional level competition and training to
the region. The KTA launched the first international tour of its kind in Asia in September
2009 and is currently in its fourth championship season.
Following the success of the KTA over the years it has grown to support a range of
National competitions, Open Events and International Championships, including the 2013
IKA Kiteboard Course Race World Championships to be held in Boao China.
The KTA is open to everyone from anywhere, amateur and pro riders alike and is the only
officially Asian continental tour partner sanctioned by the International Kiteboarding
Association (IKA), the kitesurfing world governing body and the International Sailing
Federation (ISAF) which governs all international sailing competitions from world
championship to Olympic levels.
KTA's philosophy has been to grow steadily while building on a good foundation. The focus
is on giving homegrown riders the opportunity to experience the fun and excitement of
being part of an international competition scene. The KTA hopes to provide a
stepping-stone for the region’s best riders onto the World tour scene by giving them the
full experience of high level competition at a more local affordable level.
The KTA Asian Tour will result in tour stop event champions, the eventual overall KTA open
tour champions, and the Asian champions and world rankings in the IKA and ISAF
sanctioned classes of freestyle and kite racing.
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About the Cook Island Kitesurfing Association
The Cook Island Kitesurfing Association was formed to promote the Cook Islands as a
kitesurfing destination, and to promote the sport of kitesurfing among Cook Islanders.
It is an organisation of local kite surfers and supporters and was recently admitted to the
International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) which governs kiteboarding internationally.
The Cook Islands Kitesurfing Association has also been admitted to several domestic and
international sports organisations. These include Sailing Cook Islands Sports & Olympic
Association, the Oceania Sailing Federation (OSF) and the International Sailing