Akyaka Kite Beach delivered full power racing on Day 2 of the 2026 Türk Telekom Formula Kite European Championships, as 12 to 17 knots of thermal breeze set the stage for five fast-paced races.

Day 2 came down to raw speed and tight start-line tactics. As the wind built through the afternoon, the racing became a true test of physical endurance - especially in the women’s fleet, where riders held down maximum power on 15-meter kites across all races, while the men changed down from 21-meter to 15-meter kites after their first race.

Men’s Fleet: Battles on the Start Line, Pure Speed on the Course

Split into Yellow and Blue qualifying fleets, the men’s division delivered immediate intensity. The priority across both fleets was simple: nail a strong start, secure a clean lane and break away from the crowd.

Current overall leader Max Maeder (SGP) dominated the Yellow fleet, but not without surviving a chaotic moment on the start line.

“The start line was super competitive because of how the strategy plays out here,” Maeder recalled. “I was pushing hard as well. In one race, I almost stopped right before the start because there were so many people around. I was sitting in the water ten seconds before the start, got back up, and managed to find space. If you sum up the day in one sentence: it was a battle at the start for the left, and all about speed afterwards.”

Over in the Blue fleet, Switzerland’s Gian Stragiotti racked up four race wins after locking into tight battles throughout the afternoon with reigning European Champion Riccardo Pianosi (ITA) and Olympic gold medallist Valentin Bontus (AUT). Stragiotti pushed the start line to its limit, balancing four victories with a UFD score to stay right behind Maeder on the leaderboard.

“You keep pushing all the way - no holding back, you just give everything you have,” said Stragiotti. “Everybody was choosing the same strategy at the start because on flat water, it’s really about speed and getting a clean lane. The last two races with Riccardo were super tight where he was ahead and I had to catch up, and Valentin was always right in the mix.”

Czech rider Vojtech Koska holds fourth overall after an impressive display of recovery racing, overcoming mid-race crashes to climb back through the fleet.

“Today was a really speedy day,” Koska noted. “Everybody was pushing as hard as possible. I had a couple of crashes that cost me good positions, but I managed to fight my way back up.”

Women’s Fleet: High Power, Spicy Reaches and Tight Racing

The 36 strong women’s fleet raced together, making every mark rounding and starting sequence a tightly contested arena. With the high-speed reaching sections adding to the physical demands, endurance became as critical as tactical awareness.

Dutch sailor Jessie Kampman produced a dominant performance to take the top spot, balancing sharp starts with tactical composure despite also receiving a UFD score.

“We were all holding on to 15-meter kites in 20 knots of wind at points,” said Kampman. “It was a totally powered day. My main goal was just getting clean starts and staying out of the mess, especially with more girls on the line than usual. I got a UFD as well, but it means I was pushing the starts, which is a good thing.”

Returning to Formula Kite racing after a few years away, Great Britain’s Katie Dabson sits 13th overall, focusing on strategy over raw speed.

“Really good racing, pretty powered 15-meter weather, but it was really fun,” Dabson said. “The top reach was pretty spicy. Everyone is so strong these days, so we were holding it down, I’m pretty happy with my results today.”

Australia’s Breiana Whitehead, currently sitting fifth overall, stayed firmly in the mix with consistent finishes between third and seventh place across the fleet.

“The first racing day is always about seeing how the fleet is going,” Whitehead said. “Day one was just about getting comfortable, and now we work hard for the days ahead.”

Meanwhile, emerging talent Svetlana Trusova (AIN) - the 2026 Youth European Champion making her senior championship debut - held her ground remarkably well against the world’s best, securing an impressive sixth-place finish in one race.

“I was in shock because I couldn’t imagine placing sixth in this fleet,” Trusova said. “The level here is super high, and racing against these riders gives me so much experience.”

Looking Ahead: Wednesday’s Schedule

Racing continues on Wednesday, 9 September, with six qualification races scheduled. The daily briefing will take place at 11:00, with the first warning signal set for 12:30 local time.

Top Five Leaderboard After Day 2 I 2026 Türk Telekom Formula Kite European Championships

Men’s Fleet

Maximilian Maeder (SGP)  4.0 pts
Gian Stragiotti (SUI)  4.0 pts
Riccardo Pianosi (ITA)  7.0 pts
Vojtech Koska (CZE)  10.0 pts
Toni Vodisek (SLO) 11.0 pts

Women’s Fleet

Jessie Kampman (NED)  5.0 pts
Lauriane Nolot (FRA)  10.0 pts
Elena Lengwiler (SUI) 11.0 pts
Wan Li (CHN) 11.0 pts
Breiana Whitehead (AUS) 17.0 pts