Red Bull King of the Air is the premier big air kiteboarding competition featuring the best athletes from around the World. Riders are judged based upon the height of their jumps, variety of tricks, and style.[1]
The competition began in 2000 at Ho‘okipa, a beach known for windsurfing in Maui, Hawaii.[2] After an 8-year hiatus, the competition was relaunched in 2013 in Big Bay Cape Town, South Africa, where it has been held annually since.[3] The event is attended by over 7,000 people per day.[4] From 2018, the event was moved from Big Bay to Blouberg.[5] In 2021 the King of the Air was rescheduled to a November/December wind window due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the event has kept to these date since; originally the event ran in January/February.[6]
In 2024, it was announced that Red Bull would be running a Women's Division fleet for King of the Air alongside the usual Open Division fleet. The Open Division would still run with 18 riders whilst the Women's Division would have just 6.[7]
Winners
editOpen Division Winners (2013 - Present)
edit| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Andrea Principi (ITA) | Lorenzo Casati (ITA) | Jeremy Burlando (ESP) | |
| 2022 | Lorenzo Casati (ITA) | Jamie Overbeek (NED) | Andrea Principi (ITA) | |
| 2021 | Marc Jacobs (NZ) | Kevin Langeree (NED) | Stig Hoefnagel (NED) | |
| 2020 | Jesse Richman[8] (USA) | Nick Jacobsen (DEN) | Aaron Hadlow (UK) | |
| 2019 | Kevin Langeree (NED) | Jesse Richman (USA) | Liam Whaley (ESP) | |
| 2018 | Kevin Langeree[9] (NED) | Liam Whaley (ESP) | Lewis Crathern (UK) | |
| 2017 | Nick Jacobsen (DEN) | Aaron Hadlow (UK) | Ruben Lenten (NED) | |
| 2016 | Aaron Hadlow (UK) | Jesse Richman (USA) | Kevin Langeree (NED) | |
| 2015* | Aaron Hadlow (UK) | Kevin Langeree (NED) | Jerrie van de Kop (NED) | Jesse Richman (USA) |
| 2014* | Kevin Langeree (NED) | Ruben Lenten (NED) | Steven Akkersdijk (NED) | Andres Fourie (ZA) |
| 2013* | Jesse Richman (USA) | Nick Jacobsen (DEN) | Sam Light (UK) | Youri Zoon (NED) |
*2013-2015 had 4-person finals
Women's Division Winners (2024)
edit| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | To Be Confirmed (TBC) | To Be Confirmed (TBC) | To Be Confirmed (TBC) |
References
edit- ^ "Kevin Langeree crowned 2018 Red Bull King of the Air champion". www.surfertoday.com.
- ^ "The Red Bull King of the Air 2018". cabrinha.co.za. 22 January 2018.
- ^ Kitesurfing, inMotion (20 December 2012). "Red Bull King of the Air in Cape Town, South Africa". inMotion Kitesurfing.
- ^ "The Red Bull King of the Air". 10 January 2018.
- ^ "Red Bull King of the Air History". Red Bull. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ "who to watch at Red Bull King of the Air 2021". Red Bull. 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ Ngobeni, Kurhula David (2024-11-07). "Red Bull King of the Air 2024: Rider List and New Women's Division Debut". ESA. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
- ^ Kuschke, Jazz. "Jesse Richman claims his second Red Bull King of the Air crown". www.redbull.com. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
- ^ "Red Bull King of the Air 2018 - Kevin Langeree is King". Global Kitesports Association. 13 February 2018.
External links
edit- Red Bull King of the Air History
- Red Bull King of the Air 2023: event info & videos
- Red Bull King of the Air: Learn more about the history and legends
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