Overview
Oswald Smith (affectionately known as Ozzy) is a professional kitesurfer from South Africa. Also known as a core member of the extreme sports crew “Dirty Habits,” he is a hero in the scene who continually captivates fans with a strong attitude of prioritizing his own radical style over safe tournament victories, especially at the Red Bull King of the Air (KOTA).
Career
Although his true main disciplines are Freestyle and Big Air, he has achieved unpredictable results in other fields throughout his career. One of the events where he came closest to the top of the world was the slalom race at the 2013 PKRA Fuerteventura. In an unexpected turn for a freestyler, he took the lead going into the final day. Right before the finish line of the last race, he crashed after a full-speed dead heat with Julian Kerneur. Never giving up, he body-dragged across the water with sheer determination and crossed the finish line, holding off the pack by a mere 10 centimeters to claim a dramatic 2nd place overall.
His versatility was also showcased in wave riding. At the 2019 GKA Mauritius, he secured 3rd place in the single elimination for waves. After being edged out by riders like Sebastian Ribeiro in subsequent heats, he finished 4th overall. In the same event, he also reached the quarterfinals (top 8) in the freestyle discipline.
At KOTA, the big air festival held in his hometown of Cape Town, he made his debut in 2014 and has stood out as the familiar “firecracker” rider ever since. In the 2018 event, he entered under thrilling circumstances, receiving a call on the morning of the event to step in as a reserve. He then defeated Janek in Round 2 to advance to the top 12. In the 2020 event, based on his top 9 finish the previous year, he was automatically entered as a seeded rider.
Sponsors and Brands
After being the face of Airush for a long time, he made a shock transfer to North Kiteboarding. He is also supported by brands like Mystic.
Personality and Relationships
At KOTA, while “board-off” tricks are becoming the mainstream, Ozzy stubbornly sticks to riding with boots (bindings). Despite the handicap of not being able to take his board off, he continues to attempt extremely difficult and dangerous maneuvers (handle-passes) such as the “Megaloop KGB” and “Kung Fu pass,” where he unhooks during a megaloop and passes the bar behind his back. In 2017, he won the “Mystic Best Move” award at KOTA for his Kung Fu handle-pass. His strong attitude of expressing his style even at the cost of victory continues to drive judges and spectators wild.
Quotes and Episodes
“At the beginning of today I was second, and then just like the race before the last race I got first. So I had to try and maintain my first spot, but then just on the last race, I didn’t quite make it, so I’m not too happy, but I’m still stoked it’s my first podium for the PKRA, and conditions are tough, but…”
— Oswald Smith
(An interview after securing 2nd place overall by just 10 centimeters with a tenacious body-drag finish in the slalom race at the 2013 PKRA Fuerteventura.)
Tournament Results
2013 PKRA Fuerteventura: Slalom 2nd Overall
2014 Red Bull King of the Air: Debut Appearance
2017 Red Bull King of the Air: Mystic Best Move Award
2018 Red Bull King of the Air: Top 12 (Advanced to Round 3)
2019 Red Bull King of the Air: Top 9
2019 GKA Mauritius: Wave 4th Place (Single Elimination 3rd) / Freestyle Top 8
Search Aliases: Oswald Smith, OswaldSmith