Overview
Held on June 8, 2019, in Zandvoort, Netherlands, the Red Bull Megaloop 2019 took place in a massive Dutch storm with average winds of 30 knots and gusts exceeding 45 knots. The event saw incredible dominance by South African riders and produced a legendary comeback made possible by the event’s unique single-best-trick format.
Location & Conditions
The stage was Zandvoort, battered by a ferocious Dutch storm rolling in from the North Sea. The conditions were so extreme that Ross-Dillon Player described it as: "It’s brutal. The water’s so choppy. The landings are just ridiculously fast as well because of the fact that you’re taking off downwind most of the time."
Format & Riders
Instead of overall heat scores, the event uses a unique format where only the single highest-scoring megaloop determines the winner. 70% of the score is based on "Extremity" (how low the kite is and the horizontal distance traveled), while the remaining 30% accounts for "Execution / Style" (smooth landings and aerial posture). This allows riders to attempt ultra-risky tricks for a massive comeback without fearing a single crash.
Highlights & Epic Battles
The absolute highlight of the event was the semi-final, widely considered the "real final," featuring three ultra-heavyweights: Oswald Smith, Kevin Langeree, and Steven Akkersdijk. Here, Liam Whaley delivered a miraculous comeback fueled by pure determination.
Right after the heat started, Liam suffered a catastrophic equipment failure when his kite completely flew out of his hands. Barely making it back to the beach, he grabbed a spare 7m kite and rushed back into the water, but it wasn’t pumped up enough and collapsed under the fierce storm. With only 5 minutes left in the heat, Liam—then an F-One team rider—somehow re-emerged in the water holding an 8m "Dice" (Duotone). It is said that Reno Romeu lent it to him after seeing his desperate situation. Despite having almost never flown this kite in his life, Liam instantly adapted to its characteristics and threw massive boogie loops, pulling off a huge upset to defeat all three legends and advance to the final.
View Detailed Event Results (Spoilers)
It was the South African riders who showed overwhelming strength in these extreme conditions. Drawing particular attention was 19-year-old Ross-Dillon Player from Cape Town. Entering as a complete underdog, the pressure of competing against the world’s best put him in an extreme state of tension ("I rode the whole competition on a cup of coffee, a banana, and some Red Bull cans. I just couldn’t eat."). However, he showed indomitable spirit, perfectly executing his signature "Megaloop late Backroll with a nice nose grab" at incredibly low angles, taking down top contenders one after another.
The event concluded with a historic 1-2 finish for South Africa, as Ross-Dillon Player claimed an incredible victory, followed by his compatriot Oswald Smith in second place.
- 1st: Ross-Dillon Player (7.90 points)
- 2nd: Oswald Smith (7.60 points)
- 3rd: Lasse Walker (7.47 points)
- 4th: Liam Whaley (6.83 points)
Search Aliases: Red Bull Megaloop 2019, RedBullMegaloop2019