Le Barcarès: A spot where innovation and skill take control. Records are broken, and riders push the limits of Big Air kiteboarding. This event is known as one of the most extreme in the sport for a reason. Lords of Tram 2026 was an edition that had heads turning and questions being asked.

A Unique Arena

The location is what makes this competition stand out. A unique combination of flat water and freezing temperatures. Located in Leucate on the south coast of France, the area is renowned for the Tramontana, a strong, consistent northwesterly wind that blows over 300 days a year. Due to its offshore direction, it creates flat-water take-offs, something that separates the Big Air “kicker” riders from the flat-water perfectionists.

The competition window opened, and with it, the wind stormed in. Cold, powerful, and unforgiving. March 28th brought a green light for the opening weekend, with winds ranging from 40 to 60+ knots and temperatures sitting in the single digits. For riders who had spent winter training in warmer climates, the cold was a shock. For most of us, adding boots or gloves is just a way to extend a session, but for some of these athletes, it’s an entirely new experience, enough to throw them off completely.

Setting the Tone

Twelve of the world’s top female Big Air athletes from 11 countries assembled for a fast and dramatic start. At 7:30 a.m., the competition kicked off, ready to set the precedent. In round one, heat one, four-time junior world champion and wildcard entry, 15-year-old Aya Kasabova, stepped up to take the win. With winds ranging from 30–35 knots and the Tramontana in full force, riders searched for the perfect gust to align with on take-off.

Zara Hoogenraad dominated her opening heat with calmness and consistency, followed closely by previous Lords of Tram fourth-place finisher Sarah Sadek. The round concluded with an incredibly tight heat between current Red Bull King of the Air champion Nathalie Lambrecht (17.29 points) and the sport’s most decorated female rider, Mikaili Sol (17.62 points).

One of the most unique aspects of this competition is the viewing experience. The take-off zone runs incredibly close to the beach, creating an arena-like atmosphere for coaches, caddies, and spectators alike. The energy was electric, and the women’s opening rounds gave the crowd a taste of what was to come.

Progression Under Pressure

Andrea Principi was the headline of the day before even entering the water, with pink hair and a whole new vibe. Cruising through the competition zone with effortless style, he had everyone questioning his game plan. But for him, it was simple: have fun. Despite the relaxed approach, he pushed boundaries, landing a world-first in competition with a board-over-the-lines into a board flip.

Day one wrapped up with some serious progression through the ladders. Some discrepancy in the final heat of the day between current Red Bull King of the Air winner Lorenzo Casatti and Josue ‘Baby Shark’ meant a rematch was due to settle the debate. Despite Baby Shark’s refusal to enter the water and compete in this one-trick heat, it still went ahead. Lorenzo didn’t manage to stick the landing, meaning the standings as they were did not change, and Baby Shark was set to compete in the semifinals.

Day two began with even stronger winds. The Tramontana was almost too much; the smallest kites weren’t quite small enough. During the women’s semifinals, conditions became unmanageable, forcing the heat to be abandoned and restarted later.

Women’s Final, Controlling The Chaos

The women’s final became a battle of style and control in some of the harshest conditions the sport has to offer. The four-rider lineup, Alessa Mensch, Mikaili Sol, Lana Herman, and Zara Hoogenraad, brought together established champions and rising talent.

The gusty, unpredictable wind forced riders to prioritise precision over size. Mikaili Sol delivered some of the most technically refined riding of the event, showcasing effortless control at the highest level. But it was Alessa Mensch who stood out, not for a single trick, but for a complete performance. Strong height, commitment, and consistency gave her exactly what the judges were looking for.

Sitting not so quietly in the background were Lana Herman and Zara Hoogenraad, battling it out for third and fourth place. While Zara rode so strongly in every heat leading up to this, Lana’s extremity just managed to sneak the upper hand: “You had to be smart out there. Sometimes the best decision was not to go for the biggest trick but the cleanest one”. The final standings came in with Zara fourth, Lana third, Mika second, and Alessa taking first place.

Final standings saw Zara in fourth, Lana in third, Mikaili in second, and Alessa taking a well-earned victory.

This sport is so special for so many reasons, but one of the best is the support from the athletes to one another. Previous Lords of Tram winner Mika’s first reaction after finding out Alessa had taken the win was to go over and congratulate her and tell her how well she had done.

These moments tell a bigger story; the women’s field is no longer just progressing, it is evolving rapidly.

Men’s Final, Total Dominance

The men’s final was controlled by chaos. Young rider Finn Flugel had a rocky start with a crash on his first trick attempt. The second trick attempt was over before it began; a catastrophic equipment failure set him back three whole tricks. A mid-heat reset with a kite change and a new strategy, he wrestled the momentum back on track.

Then there was Jaime Overbeek.

Already a standout name in Big Air, Overbeek arrived with something to prove after missing out on a Red Bull King of the Air spot, a decision that sparked debate across the kiteboarding world. This competition was a statement of redemption for the young Dutchman. He came into this wanting to prove to the crowd and competitors why he believed that this decision was the wrong decision, and he did so with flying colours.

His strength for flat water take-offs is like no other. The ability to build up an insane amount of speed and pressure through his back foot and explode off the water in the way he does is potentially one of the many reasons why he excelled to the top of the podium.

Jaime’s performance during the finals was noted as potentially one of, if not the most dominant, finals in history. With a three-trick score, he finished with five whole points between himself and Finn Flugel. A perfect 10 was a world first for Big Air kiteboarding history. He made it, and he deserved it.

Leonardo Casatti and Zac Adams kept their cool in the background whilst all the chaos of this final was unfolding. But Zac Adams had more than one thing on his mind; riding to his best ability came first, but putting on a show came a close second. “When you’re out there, you’re more focused than ever. You have the whole crowd and everything. I mean, you have to put on a show, right?”

Final standings for the men saw Zac fourth, Leonardo third, Finn second, and Jaime first.

Lords of Tram 2026 delivered exactly what it promised: high drama, extreme conditions, and world-class performance. It validated its status as one of the most demanding and visually spectacular events in global kitesurfing.

As Jaime Overbeek put it:

“At Lords of Tram, you don’t just ride, you survive.

By IKSURFMAG