2023 Pan American Games: Maranhenses begin the fight for a medal in kitesurfing.

If you're a kitesurfing fan, you definitely won't want to miss the performance of Brazilians Bruno Lobo and Socorro Reis at the 2023 Pan American Games. The two athletes from Maranhão are Brazil's big medal hopes in this sport that combines speed, balance, and adrenaline. 🙌

Bruno and Socorro made their debut this Saturday (28) in the regattas held by the Cofradía Náutica del Pacífico (Nautical Brotherhood of the Pacific) in Valparaíso, Chile. They compete in the formula kite competition, which consists of riding a triangular circuit with a board and a kite propelled by the wind. 💨

## Bruno Lobo: The defending champion 🥇

Bruno Lobo is the reigning Pan American kitesurfing champion, having won gold in Lima 2019. The Maranhão native arrives in Chile confident of having achieved two excellent results in international competitions this year. In August, he finished ninth at the World Sailing Championships in the Netherlands, where he earned early qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In September, he finished fifth in the Olympic event at the marina in Marseille, France. 🇫🇷

Bruno aims to retain his Pan American title and prove he's one of the best kitesurfers in the world. His main rival will be American Evan Heffernan, who finished second in Lima 2019 and fourth in this year's World Championship. Also to be considered is Argentine Francisco Saubidet Birkner, who finished third in Lima 2019 and sixth in this year's World Championship. 🇦🇷

## Socorro Reis: The Brazilian revelation 🚀

Socorro Reis is Brazil's most successful kitesurfer, with six national titles and a rising international career. The Maranhão native sees the Pan as the most important competition of the season, as she can win a medal and earn points to secure a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Socorro arrives in Chile with the boost of winning the 2023 Araruama International Kitesurfing Cup – Sailing Festival, which allowed her to remain at the top of the Brazilian rankings and move closer to winning her seventh national championship. Additionally, this year she represented Brazil at the Sailing World Championships and achieved an impressive result at the traditional Allianz Regatta, an event considered a stage of the Sailing World Cup in Lelystad, the Netherlands. There, she was the second-best athlete in the Americas and 21st overall. 🌎

The main favorite for Pan American gold is American Daniela Moroz, who was world champion in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, and also won gold at Lima 2019. Other rivals to keep in mind are Canadian Elena Kalinina, who won silver at Lima 2019 and third at this year's World Championships, and Mexican Cristina Ortiz, who won bronze at Lima 2019 and fifth at this year's World Championships. 🇲🇽

## How to follow the regattas? ⛵

The kitesurfing races will run until November 4th, with a total of 12 events for each category (men's and women's). Each event lasts approximately 15 minutes and points are awarded based on the order of finish. At the end, the points for each athlete's top 10 events are tallied to determine the winners.

To follow the regattas live, you can access the official website of the 2023 Pan American Games, where you'll find results, standings, and live streams. You can also follow Brazilian athletes Bruno Lobo and Socorro Reis on social media, where they'll share their experiences and emotions.

Don't miss this opportunity to see the best kitesurfers in the Americas in action and support the Brazilian team. Let's go all out, Bruno and Socorro! 🇧🇷

If you are subscribed to my KITELETTER or if you are a reader of the SUELTALABARRA blog, as soon as the Pan American results are in, you will have them published.