2026 Formula Kite Youth World Championships

Urla will bring the future of high-speed kite racing to the Aegean coast on August 17–23, 2026, as the 2026 Formula Kite Youth World Championships take place at Pro Sailing Academy in İçmeler. Hosted under the International Kiteboarding Association, the championship will welcome young riders in U21 and U17 categories, with a maximum participation quota of 120 athletes.

Formula Kite is fast, technical, and visually striking. Riders will race with wind, water, balance, and split-second decisions all working at once. For the next generation of kiteboarding talent, Urla will offer more than a competition venue; it will be a stage where ambition meets the natural rhythm of the Aegean.

The destination will make the championship even stronger. Known for its beaches, steady coastal atmosphere, local vineyards, and the Urla Vineyard Route, the region is often described as one of Türkiye’s most refined Aegean escapes. Urla is also connected to deep olive oil heritage through Klazomenai, home to one of the oldest known olive oil workshops in the world. Between races, visitors can explore the coastline, enjoy vineyard stops, and taste local Aegean flavors such as artichokes in olive oil, kınalı okra, stuffed zucchini blossoms, fresh seafood, and regional olive oil. Even if you are not on the water, you will still want to be here—because Formula Kite Youth Worlds will turn Urla into a week of wind, speed, young talent, Aegean flavors, and coastal summer energy.