Lorenzo Casati Wins Rider Of The Year Award

On Friday, 10 January , the Italian powerhouse Lorenzo Casati claimed the prestigious title of Rider of the Year at the Qatar Airways GKA Awards Ceremony in Cape Town!

After a phenomenal year of landing world-first tricks, dominating global podiums, and pushing the limits of kiteboarding across all disciplines, this award couldn’t be more deserved.

Training hard and giving it his all with unmatched style and consistency, Lorenzo had a stellar 2024 competition season, earning a trophy in every discipline across the world:

• 2nd place at King of the Air 2024
• 1st place at Red Bull King of the Air Qualifier - Tarifa
• 1st place at Red Bull King of the Air Qualifier - Cold Hawaii
• 2nd place at GKA Big Air World Championship - Brazil
• 2nd place at GKA Kite-Surf World Championship - Brazil
• 2nd place at GKA Hydrofoil Big Air World Championship - Sylt
• 3rd place at GKA Kite-Surf World Championship - Sylt
• 2nd place at GKA Big Air World Championship - Gran Canaria
• 2nd place at Full Power Tarifa
• 4th place at Lords of Tram

“It’s been a great year. I’ve been training hard in all disciplines, and it’s been a dream to win this award,” Lorenzo shared on stage.

When asked by Ruben Lenten about his journey with Harlem, Lorenzo added:
“It was a gamble to join a small brand, but I was so stoked. I saw the people, the project, and now it’s just going better and better—it’s the best team and the best kite ever.”

The third edition of the Qatar Airways GKA Awards took place in Cape Town, South Africa, with an emotional gala ceremony celebrating the greatest achievements in kiteboarding over the past 18 months. Alongside Rider of the Year, other categories included Big Air Move of the Year, Surfboard Freestyle Move of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. Harlem team riders Lorenzo Casati, Leo Casati, and Lana Herman were among the nominees, while the documentary film following Lorenzo’s King of the Air 2023 journey "Unleash the Force" was also up for Film of the Year.

The legendary Aaron Hadlow graced the stage to honor the best talents in the Freestyle Move of the Year category, passing the torch to the next generation of kiteboarding stars.

We are beyond proud to celebrate this incredible milestone with Lorenzo and the Harlem team. Together, we continue to push the sport beyond the limits of what’s possible.

A massive congratulations to all the winners and nominees—the future of kiteboarding has never looked brighter!