The Kitesurfing World Cup 2013 will take place in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, in China's province of Fujian, between Oct 22 and 27, and it will involve $80,000 in prize money, the Pingtan Kitesurfing Association told the Pingtan Times.

World-class kite riders from around the world are set to compete in this year's various events, including freestyle and slalom, at Pingtan's Longfengtou Beach.

The Kitesurfing World Cup was first held ten years ago, and it has been hosted by countries including Spain and Morocco. It is considered to be the most important kitesurfing event in the world, and it will be organized this year by the International Kitesurfing Association (IKA), the Professional Kiteboard Riders Association (PKRA), the Fujian Provincial Sports Bureau, and Pingtan's management committee.

The Island of Pingtan, located on the east coast of China and known for its strong winds, is expected to be an ideal location for the top PKRA riders to compete.

Zhai Dahui, coach of the Pingtan kitesurfing team, said that only the top 30 professional kite riders in the world are eligible to take part in the event, which means that this is the most competitive global kitesurfing event.

Registration began in July and has attracted all top 30 PKRA freestyle riders, including the world's No 1 seed Alex Pastor from Spain and New Zealand's Aaron Hadlow, who has won the PKRA World Championships five times.

A total of 100 kite riders are expected to attend the event, including more than 40 freestyle competitors and about 50 riders from around the world who are set to compete in the Open Class.

Edited by Niva Whyman