Entry classes
What it costs, and what comes with it
The kite package is the cheapest way in and the only one that leaves you owning a kite. Bringing your own costs $20 more — the Haitian-styled kite is the thing we want in the sky, so it is priced to be the obvious choice.
Early bird open
Prices rise twice before the event: Early bird to 28 February 2027, Regular from 1 March, Late through June. Registration closes 30 June 2027 and every entry is refundable until the host city is announced.
All three phases
Early · best value
Official Kite Package
$95
includes entry
·A Haitian-styled fighting kite, yours to keep
·Re-coverable frame — change the face each season
·Individual bracket place and ladder ranking
·Safety kit, sealed blade issue, marshal fitting
·Pre-designed cover face of your choice
Early · own kite
Bring Your Own
$130
entry only
·Single-line kites only — no dual or quad line
·Priced above the kite package on purpose
·Tech inspection and blade fitting at the tent
·Same bracket, same purse, same ladder
·Frame must pass the dimension check
Early · crew of three
Team of three
$285
per crew
·Three competitors, three lanes, one shared clock
·Crew name and colors on the bracket board
·Kites added per competitor — $95 each, or $130 to fly your own
·Shared purse, split evenly on the podium
·One free substitute registered on the day
Early · fly both
Individual + team
$380
one competitor, two brackets
·Your individual entry plus your crew's fee
·The same kite flies in both draws
·Eligible for both purses on the same weekend
·Twice the heats, roughly twice the flying time
·Schedules are built so your draws never clash
Custom kite face
$35
Your artwork, flag or shop name printed on the cover panel and fitted to your frame.
Youth lane entry
$25
Ages eight to thirteen, blunted tails only, and the finder keeps the fallen kite.
Spectator day pass
$18
Rope-line access, bracket program and the recovery-zone viewing stand.
Travel package
from $390
Partner hotel, airport shuttle and finals hospitality. Opens when the city is named.
Pricing phases
Three priced phases. The earliest is the cheapest.
Prices step up twice on fixed dates: Early bird runs 1 September 2026 to 28 February 2027, Regular from 1 March to 31 May, and Late through June. Registration closes 30 June 2027, four weeks before the first bell, and there is no registration on the day. Entries stay fully refundable until the host city is announced, so entering early carries no risk beyond the wait.
| Entry | Early bird 1 Sep 26 – 28 Feb 27 |
Regular 1 Mar – 31 May 27 |
Late 1 – 30 Jun 27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Kite Package | $95 | $120 | $145 |
| Bring Your Own | $130 | $155 | $180 |
| Team of three — crew fee | $285 | $355 | $425 |
| Both classes — one competitor | $380 | $475 | $570 |
| Youth lane | $25 | $25 | $25 |
Two classes
Founding edition
Individual and team of three
The first edition runs two classes only — one competitor, or a crew of three. Teams of five come back once the field and the marshal pool can carry five lanes per crew. Any competitor may register for both classes and fly both draws.
Open now
1 Sep 2026 – 28 Feb 2027
Early bird
The lowest price, and fully refundable — you are backing the championship before the city is public. Custom kite faces can be added any time before print closes.
Next
1 Mar – 31 May 2027
Regular registration
Prices step up once the city, dates and travel packages are live. Entries become final; substitutions are still free.
Last
1 – 30 Jun 2027
Late registration
Whatever lanes are unclaimed, at the highest price. Kite production has closed by then, so late competitors bring their own or buy on site.
Closed
30 Jun 2027
Registration closes
No entries are accepted after 30 June, four weeks before the first bell. There is no on-the-day registration in the founding edition.
Team rates are the crew fee — lanes, clock and bracket place. Each competitor then adds a kite package or an own-kite entry at the individual rate for the phase. Youth lane entry stays $25 in every phase and the custom kite face stays +$35. Entry never includes flights or accommodation — those go through the travel packages.
Registration
Reserve your lane
Ten fields, two minutes. Pick your class, pick your kite, and you are in the draw. The waiver and medical form come after the host city is confirmed, and every entry is refundable until then.
What every entry includes
·Helmet, gloves and eye protection
·Sealed blade issue and marshal fitting
·Safety briefing in your language
·Bracket place and world-ladder ranking
·Free finals-day broadcast pass
·Recovery of your kite if it is cut down
Calendar
What happens between now and the first bell
1 Sep 2026
Early bird registration opens — the lowest price, and fully refundable.
Q4 2026
Host country and city announced; travel packages and partner hotels open. Entries confirm at this point and refunds close.
28 Feb 2027
Early bird closes at midnight UTC.
1 Mar 2027
Regular registration opens at the standard price.
Spring 2027
Open qualifiers seed the world ladder and the championship draw; custom kite faces go to print.
31 May 2027
Regular registration closes.
1 Jun 2027
Late registration — whatever lanes remain, at the highest price.
30 Jun 2027
Registration closes. No entries afterward, and no registration on the day.
Jul 2027
Championship week — practice days, tech inspection, group heats, finals day.
Safety & waivers
You cannot reach the line without these
—Signed waiver and medical form on file.
—Attendance at the safety briefing on your flying day.
—Helmet, gloves and eye protection worn on the field.
—Blades fitted only by a certified marshal — never carried, never taken home.
—Anyone under eighteen accompanied by a registered guardian.
FAQ
Questions we get asked at the rope
Is this legal where the championship is held?
The event only runs in a country whose authorities permit bladed line-cutting in a closed, permitted arena. Confirming that is part of the host agreement — it is why the city has not been named yet.
Do I need experience?
No. Roughly half the field will be first-timers. There are coached practice lanes for two days before the bracket opens.
Can I keep the kites I cut down?
In open classes, recovery runners return cut kites to their owners. In youth lanes, the finder keeps the kite — the way it works at home.
Why does bring-your-own cost more than buying a kite?
Because the Haitian-styled kite is the point. Inspection, blade fitting, safety kit and bracket administration cost the same either way, so the $20 difference is a deliberate nudge toward the reusable frame the sport is built around.
Can I compete as an individual and in a team?
Yes, and we encourage it. Register for both and you fly both draws with the same kite — the schedule is built so your individual and crew heats never clash, and you are eligible for both purses.
Where is the team of five?
Parked for the founding edition. Five lanes per crew needs a wider field and a deeper marshal pool than a first year can promise. It returns once the venue and the officials can carry it.
What happens to my early-bird price?
It is locked at checkout. Later phases do not affect an entry you have already paid for, and early-bird entries stay fully refundable until the host city is announced.
What happens if my kite is destroyed?
The repair bench is free and open all week, and the store keeps replacement frames and cover faces on site.
Can a team mix bought and own kites?
Yes. Each competitor registers their own kite; the crew registration covers the lane block, the clock and the bracket place.
Is there an age limit?
Fourteen and up in open classes, with a guardian signature under eighteen. Youth lanes take eight to thirteen with blunted tails.
What if I cannot travel?
Sanctioned qualifiers run in partner countries through 2027, and the finals stream on Timl in all six championship languages.