Maxime Nocher and Poema Newland from France cruised to Kiteboarding gold medals, in the waters off Ammoudara beach, where they concluded in style their brilliant effort at the 3rd Mediterranean Beach Games “Heraklion 2023”. 

The fast-paced foiling event was included for the first time in the Mediterranean Beach Games, less than a year ahead of its scheduled debut appearance in Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and some of the potential Olympic medal contenders were present in Crete. 

The final day included races 5th to 8th, which were postponed a day earlier due to rough sea waves, plus races 9th and 10th as per the original daily schedule. 

Nevertheless, Frenchman Maxime Nocher didn’t mind taking it from where he had left it and proved himself too good to lose. The three-time world champion won the gold medal with a total of 11 points, taking into account his eight best results out of ten races, including five top-spot finishes in these. 

His compatriot Axel Mazella, winner of the 2023 Olympic Test Event, won silver with 16 points, ahead of Cypriot Denis Taradin, who has already earned a qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics and earned himself the bronze medal with 21 points. 

In Women’s Kiteboarding, team France had equally good reasons to celebrate. Poema Newland was irresistible, as she clinched six consecutive victories and seven wins overall in the event’s ten races, on her way to the golden medal with 9 points in total. Lauriane Nolot, also from France, world title holder and winner of the 2023 Olympic Test Event, finished in 2nd place with 14 points, and Italian Tiana Laporte complete the podium as the bronze medal winner with 21 points.