The Lords of Tram 2025 in Le Barcarès was pure chaos—in the best way. With 60-knot gusts - this was Big Air at its most extreme. Andrea Principi stole the show (and the event title), while Lorenzo Casati locked in his World Champion crown. On the women’s side, Mikaili Sol made a legendary comeback, claiming both the event win and her eighth world title. From wipeouts to world champs, this year’s Lords of Tram was one for the books. Read all about it here!

The  Lords of Tram 2025 in Le Barcarès, France, was a battle against nature. With the infamous Tramontana wind howling at over 60 knots, riders weren’t just competing against each other—they were taking on some of the most extreme conditions ever seen on the tour. 

Twenty-four men and twelve women put everything on the line, chasing the Lords of Tram event title and crucial points for the 2025 GKA Big Air World Championship. The results here and those from Jericoacoara 2024 would determine this year’s ultimate champions.

Each competitor had seven trick attempts, with only their top three scores counting toward their final ranking. Judges weren’t just looking for high-flying maneuvers—they wanted the complete package: massive height, technical difficulty, controlled landings, and style. In conditions this wild, every trick attempted was a roll of the dice.

Saturday: A Brutal Test of Skill and Survival

Saturday kicked off with the women’s division, but after just one heat, it was clear the wind was ramping up to dangerous levels. With gusts exceeding 60 knots, event officials made the call to put the women’s heats on hold. It was a tough break, but safety came first.

With the conditions only getting more intense, it was time for the men to take on the Tramontana beast. Right out of the gate, riders were going all-in, sending massive loops and pushing their gear—and themselves—to the limit. But the wind didn’t just create opportunities; it also claimed some big names. Cohan Van Dijk, Arthur Guillebert, Zac Adams, and Beto Gomez, all seasoned riders, found themselves knocked out earlier than expected, proving that in these conditions, anything could happen.

Liam Whaley, returning to competition after a year-and-a-half off due to injury, looked like he had never left. He threw down in Round 1, but despite his strong performance, he fell short in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Casati and Andrea Principi were heating up, both looking like strong contenders for the title.

Sunday: High Drama on and off the Water

Sunday morning started with a scare. South African rider Josh Gillit took a brutal crash after attempting a low double loop, briefly losing consciousness. The competition was put on hold as medics rushed in. Fortunately, after stabilising, he was taken to the hospital and later reported recovering well.

After the restart, the men’s semi-finals were intense. The first heat saw a battle for the 2025 world title, with Lorenzo Casati, Andrea Principi, Edgar Ulrich, and Kimo Verkerk all going head-to-head. Ulrich, who had kept his championship hopes alive through the earlier rounds, couldn’t keep up in the semifinals and finished fourth, officially crowning Lorenzo Casati as the 2025 GKA Big Air World Champion.

With that title wrapped up, the focus shifted to the Lords of Tram event crown. The finals were stacked:  Principi, the Casati brothers and Stino Mul. 

Lorenzo and Leonardo Casati competed side by side for the first time in a major final, a proud moment for the young Italian riders and their father, who supported them on-site. Leonardo, the younger of the two, rode confidently throughout the event far beyond his years, proving he’s a rising star.

Andrea Principi came in fired up and delivered an absolute masterclass, landing a jaw-dropping ContraLoop Back Roll that scored a massive 9.33—the highest score of the entire event. The Casati brothers pushed hard, but Principi had an answer for everything, securing the victory. His celebration on the beach said it all: This was a well-earned win.

Women’s Division: A Battle Against the Elements

The women’s competition, postponed from Saturday, resumed on Sunday, and the athletes wasted no time making up for lost rounds. They had to compete in a relentless succession of heats to catch up, with little rest in between. In such brutal wind conditions, this was a test of skill and a serious physical challenge.

The opening heats saw Pippa van Iersel, Francesca Maini, Sarah Sadek, and Mikaili Sol securing direct spots in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Alice Ruggiu and Svenja Zoe Peters clawed their way back in the repechage round, while Zara Hoogenraad, last year’s world champion, was shockingly eliminated early.

Mikaili Sol, back after a year-long break, wasted no time reminding everyone why she’s a legend. She breezed through the semis alongside Sarah Sadek while Francesca Maini and Alice Ruggiu advanced from the other heat.

Women’s Final: A Statement from Sol

The four finalists - Sol, Maini, Sadek, and Ruggiu - stepped onto the water knowing they had one last chance to leave their mark. The conditions were still wild, but that didn’t stop them from throwing down.

Mikaili Sol came out firing, opening her heat with a massive, controlled loop that immediately set the bar. Maini wasn’t far behind, proving why she’s one of the sport’s top names, while Sadek showed impressive consistency, holding onto third place. Alice Ruggiu, solid all event, struggled to find her usual flow in the final and had to settle for fourth. But this was Sol’s show. She kept stacking high-scoring tricks, building an insurmountable lead. When the final buzzer sounded, she officially claimed her eighth world title at just 20 years old—an achievement that cements her as one of the greatest kitesurfers ever.

Mikaili Sol’s victory at Lords of Tram wasn’t just about winning the event—it sealed her incredible comeback season by securing the 2025 GKA Big Air Kite World Championship title. With her eighth world title now in the bag, she cemented her legacy as one of the greatest female Big Air riders ever. With another strong performance, Francesca Maini claimed second place in the overall world rankings, proving her consistency at the highest level. Meanwhile, Alice Ruggiu’s impressive season earned her third place in the final championship standings, a huge milestone in her career.

A ‘Lords of Tram’ to Remember

The 2025 edition of Lords of Tram was one for the history books. Between the extreme conditions, surprise eliminations, and amazing performances, it was a true test of skills,  mental toughness and endurance. It was a moment of triumph for Andrea Principi and Mikaili Sol, one reclaiming dominance, the other securing her legacy.

With the season off to such an explosive start, one thing is certain: 2025 is shaping to be an epic year for Big Air kitesurfing.

Interview with Judge Simone Timpano

First, can you tell us how you became a judge on the tour?

I took my judging certification eight years ago, when freestyle was the main competition discipline—Big Air wasn’t part of the tour yet. The training covered everything from how the international kiteboarding competition ecosystem works to how to score tricks accurately. I started by judging several French Freestyle Championships.

Later, I got involved with the Lord of Tram team when they launched the event. Initially, it was a national competition, but the level went up quickly as international riders started showing up. Eventually, the GKA brought the event into the official World Tour. Since then, the GKA and local organisers have collaborated to select the judging panel, and I’ve been fortunate to stay involved year after year.

How does a judge progress after getting their certification?

After the initial training, new judges start as backups. They score heats independently, but their scores aren’t factored into the official results. Their job is to compare their judging against the average of the official panel. Once they consistently align with the rest of the team, they can begin judging officially. But even then, like all judges, they remain under the supervision of the head judge, who ensures consistency across the board.

What does a judging team look like at a major Big Air competition like Lord of Tram?

At this event, we were seven judges selected by both the GKA and the local organisers. The team is led by a head judge, who defines the scoring criteria, monitors all the scores, and validates them before making them public.

Five active judges score each heat, plus a sixth backup judge who rotates in as needed to give others short breaks. Judges score every trick independently, without seeing the other scores, to avoid influence. The highest and lowest scores are automatically dropped to ensure fairness.

Before the scores are published, the head judge reviews everything for consistency. If anything seems off, the score is held back, a video replay is reviewed, and the trick may be rescored before release. That’s why a short delay can sometimes occur before scores are displayed. Once the score is validated, the flag goes up for the next rider to start.

Can you explain how scoring criteria are set for a Big Air competition?

The head judge, in collaboration with the event organisers, defines scoring criteria. Because the level of riding is constantly evolving, these criteria can vary slightly from one event to the next and even from year to year. Big Air has progressed a lot since its early days, and judging has to evolve with it.

All scoring criteria are clearly explained to riders during the official rider briefing before the event starts.

At this year’s Lord of Tram, the focus was primarily on commitment over pure technicality. The two main scoring pillars were:

  • Height: how high the rider went.
  • Horizontal commitment: the distance traveled during the trick and the power generated by the kite in that horizontal motion.

So, a long travel with heli-loops might score less than a shorter trip executed with massive kite loops and explosive horizontal power.

As for technicality, judges still look at trick combinations—rotations, board-offs, and landing execution—but these have less weight than height and commitment. That’s why some athletes reached the finals with more straightforward tricks, like a board-off and a single rotation, as long as they were thrown with maximum commitment.

Are the scoring criteria different for men and women?

Yes, we adjust the criteria to ensure we use the full range of the scoring scale and properly differentiate between performances.

For men, the highest scores might go to a triple rotation, double kite loop, board-off, and maybe even a blind landing—provided the height and execution are solid. For women, it could be a boogie double loop or a front roll board-off with a kite loop, depending on the overall risk and execution.

Do you see any trends emerging in Big Air that could influence how events are judged in the future?

Absolutely. Riders’ technical levels increase yearly, forcing us to constantly reevaluate how we balance technical difficulty against pure height and commitment. In the future, we’ll see more discussion about how we weigh these aspects, which could shape the sport’s evolution.

Thanks, Simoné, for sharing your insight and experience with us!

Final Results

Lords of Tram - Men’s Podium

1. Andrea Principi (ITA)

2. Lorenzo Casati (ESP)

3. Leonardo Casati (ITA)

Lords of Tram - Women’s Podium

1. Mikaili Sol (BRA)

2. Francesca Maini (GBR)

3. Sarah Sadek (EGY)

2025 GKA Big Air Kite World Championship 


Overall Standings

Men’s Podium 

1. Lorenzo Casati (ESP)

2. Andrea Principi (ITA)

3. Edgar Ulrich (FRA)

Women’s Podium

1. Mikaili Sol (BRA)

2. Francesca Maini (GBR)

3. Alice Ruggiu (ITA)

A massive thank you to Jerome Aygat and Fanny Louvet de Verchère for their media coverage of the event.

By jessekerkhove

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