JJ Rice represents Tonga in World Sailing Championship [1]
Tuesday, August 15, 2023 - 16:04. Updated on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 - 16:15.
Kiteboarder, JJ Rice is representing Tonga at the world sailing championships that opened in The Hague, Netherlands, last week.
He was the only entry from the Pacific Islands in the event of Kite Foil Racing, for the championship that runs for nine days from 11-20 August. (New Zealand and Australia have several entrants).
The young Kiteboarder previously represented Tonga at the Pascucci Formula Kite Gran Prix 2023 in Italy in June. He competed in four races and achieved great resultes when he placed 17th out of 31 racers at Lake Garda on 9 June. However, there were 13 races all together his best result was placing 16th.
Olympics
The 17-year-old is now training and racing with the aim of securing one of the 25 Olympic places that will be available when qualifying takes place later this year.
The sport of kiteboarding will make its Olympic debut at the Games in Paris next year, and Tonga could be represented in the men's event.
JJ (Jackson James) who grew up in Ha'apai, took up kiteboarding at an early age and has been holding his own, competing alongside the best Europeans on Lake Garda.
His father Darren Rice, of the Matafonua Lodge, told Matangi Tonga that JJ taught himself to race on the kite boards and is now taking on the best in the world.
Meanwhile, ABC Pacific reported that the Tongan Olympian and flag-bearer extraordinaire Pita Taufatofua, who's looking to make his third appearance at the Summer Games in 2024, has offered to let JJ carry the Tongan flag if he succeeds in qualifying.