And the World Champions 2020 are…

The very special week of WISSA is over again, for 40th time. For some people, the time is for real competition, for some just for fun.

As we all know, the event was relocated to Lestijärvi, Finland, because in Estonia there was (and still is) no ice. Of course, it meant a big change in plans both for participants and the organizing committee. For example, the prize-giving ceremony was on Friday night instead of Saturday because some people had to leave.
For many, the event started earlier: having no ice in most regions in Europe, people came arrived some days before the WISSA to have some training sessions.

Training day

Weather is also participant at that kind of events - but unpredictable one and follows no rules 🙂 At first, we had to relocate the event and then, just a few days before WISSA 2020 begun there was wonderful winter with soft snow in Lestijärvi, but the weekend before event the degrees went up and Monday was rainy as well. By Tuesday, the rain was gone, so has the snow. Just icy conditions up to Saturday's marathon when the snow started falling again.

For Lestijärvi municipality, it was an important event and just in two weeks, they helped the organizing committee to make necessary preparations. One big task was to find accommodations for around 120 persons, as there is no hotel in Lestijärvi. With great help by locals, this issue was also solved and everyone had a place to stay.
Local people were very fond of WISSA 2020 taking place in Lestijärvi and there was a remarkable amount of public watching the races each day.

Local school pupils visiting WISSA 2020

Unfortunately, on the first day of the competition, there was one bad fall in the sled course race. Our best wishes to Alexis to get well soon!
Also, we hope Frank can get his ski back and are happy it was just ski.

Alexis Hillairet

Some numbers: there were 91 (+2 additional in the marathon) competitors from 12 countries present. There were 5 classes, 5 disciplines and a total of 8 divisions. The kite freestyle was cancelled because it was not safe on the conditions we had. As for the age divisions, there were differences in classes.

Let's go to the World Champions now! The list will be long, just try to multiply the classes and disciplines and divisions. If the division was not filled (minimum 5 persons) just the first place is named and no title

GPS speed

Kite class
World Champion 2020 Raigo Piho (EST)
II Frank Krönert (SWE)
III Andreas Gustafsson (SWE)
Wing class
I Miroslav Pacold (CZE)
Sled class
World Champion 2020 Boris Ljubtšenko (EST)
II Feodor Gurvits (FIN)
III Tõnis Salong (EST)

Slalom - Wing class

Grand Master
I Miroslav Pacold (CZE)
Veteran
I William Tuthill (USA)
Super Veteran
I Rainer Salo (FIN)
Overall
World Champion 2020 Miroslav Pacold (CZE)
II Annie Tuthill (USA)
III Magnus Nordström (SWE)
Women
I Annie Tuthill (USA)

Slalom - Sled class

Master
World Champion 2020 Feodor Gurvits (FIN)
II Ramunas Glizickas (LTU)
III Esa Harjula (FIN)
Grand Master
World Champion 2020 Aleksandr Leontjevs (LAT)
II Raivo Saarm (EST)
III Tobias Bodin (SWE)
Veteran
World Champion 2020 Robertas Berkelis (LTU)
II Arvydas Moliusis (LTU)
III Marianne Rautelin (FIN)
Youth
World Champion 2020 Raul Mihkel Anton (EST)
II Joonas Väär (EST)
III Ekke Madis Tombu (EST)
Junior
World Champion 2020 Kaur Säärits (EST)
II Maciej Pietrzak (POL)
III Marta Arete Sokk (EST)
Overall
World Champion 2020 Paulius Voverys (LTU)
II Aleksandrs Leontjevs (LAT)
III Boris Ljubtshenko (EST)
Women
World Champion 2020 Marianne Rautelin (FIN)
II Liisa Aasma (EST)
III Serafima Afanasieva (TUS)

Course Race - Kite Tube class

I Raigo Piho (EST)

Course Race - Kite Snowboard class

Grand Master
I Igor Zakhartsev (RUS)
Youth
I Valeria Garashchenko (RUS)
Overall
World Champion 2020 Nikita Sokolov (RUS)
II Valeria Garashchenko (RUS)
III Mikhail Chmutov (RUS)
Women
I place Valeria Garashchenko (RUS)

Course Race - Kite Ski class

Grand Master
World Champion 2020 Roman Liubimtsev (RUS)
II Farid Arlsanov (RUS)
III Frank Krönert (SWE)
Youth
I place Maria Ruzhankova (RUS)
Overall
World Champion 2020 Nikita Kodanev (RUS)
II Roman Liubimtsev (RUS)
III Andrei Balyakin (RUS)
Women
I Elena Kalinina (RUS)

Course Race - Wing class

Grand Master
I Miroslav Pacold (CZE)
Veteran
I William Tuthill (USA)
Super Veteran
I Rainer Salo (FIN)
Overall
World Champion 2020 Miroslav Pacold (CZE)
II Magnus Nordström (SWE)
III Rainer Salo (FIN)
Women
I Annie Tuthill (USA)

Course Race - Sled class

Master
World Champion 2020 Grigory Kokus (RUS)
II Bartlomiej Zarzecki (POL)
III Feodor Gurvits (FIN)
Grand Master
World Champion 2020 Aleksandrs Leontjevs (LAT)
II Igor Nosov (RUS)
III Raivo Saarm (EST)
Veteran
World Champion 2020 Juha Mannermaa (FIN)
II Arto Ravander (FIN)
III Valeri Filippov (EST)
Youth
World Champion 2020 Marlena Szlaska (POL)
II Joonas Väär (EST)
III Raul Mihkel Anton (EST)
Junior
World Champion 2020 Maciej Pietrzak (POL)
II Iga Stepczynska (POL)
III Wiktoria Giec (POL)
Overall
World Champion 2020 Aleksandrs Leontjevs (LAT)
II Maciej Pietrzak (POL)
III Boris Ljubtšenko (EST)
Women
World Champion 2020 Iga Stepczynska (POL)
II Wiktoria Giec (POL)
III Serafima Afanasieva (RUS)

Marathon

Kite class
World Champion 2020 Pavel Kolabin (RUS)
II Andrei Balyakin (RUS)
III Nikita Sokolov (RUS)
Wing class
I Reima Salo (FIN)
II Magnus Nordström (SWE)
III Rainer Salo (FIN)
Sled class
World Champion 2020 Aleksandr Leontjevs (LAT)
II Raul Mihkel Anton (EST)
III Arvydas Moliusis (LTU)

This is the winners' list for 2020. The next World Champions will be known at 2021 at Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada.
See you there!