O`Neill Kite Cup 2008

[Pinch]

The international competition - Kitesurfing Open Cup of Russia - O`NEILL KITE CUP 2008 - held in Egypt from 26th to 30th of May has been finished.

It is hot in Egypt in the end of May and the wind statistics traditionally attracts professional kiters from all over the world. This time Hurghada has gathered strongest Russian riders who have just returned from Venezuela lap of PKRA. Among them were Evgeny Novozheev from Moscow Russian champion in 2006 and 2007, bronze winner of the Black Sea Cup 2007 Sergey Belmesov from Solnechnogorsk and winners of Russian Cup brothers Ogar from St.Petersburg.
Russian Open Cup O`Neill Kite Cup 2008 which was supported by Tez Tour company had two disciplines: freestyle and long distance. Perfect wind conditions has allowed to perform both two disciplines in three days. The most spectacular were the rounds in the category "PRO" where professional riders have performed high level of riding with 10-12 tricks within the lap. Complicated air-passes, high jumps, excellent riding style and high speed have turned this competition into the real show.

The main struggle for the winner of O`Neill Kite Cup 2008 was awaited between Sergey Belmesov and Evgeny Novozheev. But competition is a competition and main competitor to Evgeny became a seventeen year old student from St.Petersburg Gleb Ogar. He came in twice against Evgeny in the final of single and double elimination.

The final round in the single in "Pro" category went within tough wind conditions with a gusts up to 36 knots. The victory was taken by Evgeny Novozheev who have proved that he is the best: slim chance, front mob, 313, mob, kgb - this all made the work of the judges much easier. Gleb Ogar was doing his best but blind judge and made from the fourth try slim chance did not give him a chance for a victory, which has resulted in the second place in the single elimination.
The final round of the double elimination in "Pro" became the best run of the O`Neill Kite Cup 2008 competition. Evgeny Novozheev - Gleb Ogar.

Gleb was performing very well: slim chance, BJ, 313, KL HP, S-band HP, KL backroll HP, front to blind, back to wrapped. All of these really impressed the judges, but Russian champion Evgeny Novozheev has performed a set from a top world riders - blind judge, 313, slim chance, mob, front mob, kgb and Slim chance on other hand as well as mobe to blind. Judges have given a victory to Evgeny, Gleb Ogar became the second.

The third day of competition of the Open Russian Kitesurfing Cup O'Neill Kite Cup 2008 was dedicated to the race discipline - long distance. There were five rounds from which results of the three best rounds were going into the consideration. Nineteen riders had participated in the race. Rounds were full of intrigue and drama. One mistake at the end of the race of Boris Ogar cost him a victory, which he gave to Evgeny Novozheev. At the end Boris came fourth.

The last fifth round became a complete disaster for Boris Ogar who was going to be the overall winner by the results of previous four races and brought Alexander Ishenko from Rostov-on-Don a proved victory. During the start of the race both riders has collided and exited the race, so intrigue was only for the riders who were running for places below third one.

The prize for the first place in the long distance discipline became an Ocean Rodeo Rise kite from 2008. By the results of five races it went to Alexander Ishenko a rider from Rostov-on-Don. The second place was taken by Boris Ogar from St. Petersburg and the third went to the double Russian champion Evgeny Novozheev from Moscow.

While commenting the competition the race director of Russian Kitesurfing Cup O`Neill Kite Cup 2008 Oleg Ostrikov said the following:"The skills were shown by Russian riders are not below the world level. I am really happy that our Russian competitions are becoming the stage which helps to move forward to the international level".

Winners in the Pro Freestyle:
Evgeny Novozheev, Moscow - Vivax, North Kiteboarding, Prolimit, Cebe, Ion
Gleb Ogar, St.Petersburg - North kiteboarding, Rip Curl
Alexander Ishenko, Rostov-on-Don - Gin Kites, M-day

Winners in Amateurs Freestyle:
Marten van Snylekom, Breda - Red Sea Zone
Alexander Aldabaev, St.Petersburg
Mikhail Kostandian, Moscow - Ocean Rodeo, Billabong

Winners in long distance:
Alexander Ishenko, Rostov-on-Don - Gin Kites, M-day
Boris Ogar, St.Petersburg - North kiteboarding, Rip Curl
Evgeny Novozheev, Moscow - Vivax, North Kiteboarding, Prolimit, Cebe, Ion

General partner: O`Neill clothing
Official partner: Tez Tour
Partner: Colona Watersports, Ocean Rodeo kites
Media sponsors: magazines Men`s Health, ProSport, Wave, Extreme, Verticalny Mir, PhotoTravel; RBC-Sport, Wind.ru

Detailed information on the Web-page of the Russian Federation of Windsurfing and Kitesurfing: www.kitesurf.ru

For more details and quality photos please contact Alexey Pinchuk of the Federation at: tel. +7 (911) 221-0085, e-mail: kitecomp@yandex.ru