"Recently, we have organised world formula kite events in Praia da Vitória, on Terceira Island, then in Vilamoura, in the Algarve, and now we have the absolute world championships in Viana do Castelo, in the north of the country. Portugal is a geographically blessed country for this sport, which is increasingly captivating practitioners on an international scale," highlighted Spyros Krotsis.

In statements to Lusa, the IKA leader not only praised the geography but also the "organisational capacity" of the Portuguese for major international events, congratulating the work that has been done by the Portuguese Sailing Federation, led in this Olympic cycle by António Barros.

“When nature helps you, and you also have a team of great vision and value in the federation, there is no reason not to have elite athletes, especially when Portugal has a great tradition of connecting with the sea,” he added, challenging young Portuguese people to bet on this sport of “great emotions.”

For the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, Portugal is trying to qualify with siblings Mafalda and Tomás Pires de Lima, currently ranked 8th and 26th in the world, respectively, and the young Portuguese athletes missed the last five competitive months due to health problems – Mafalda was 14th in Paris 2024.

Spyros Krotsis considers that kiteboarding “is currently one of the most attractive sports,” not only for its spectacular nature, but also for the immense media return it provides to those who invest in the sport.”