Overview
The 2013 Red Bull King of the Air was a monumental event, marking its return after an 8-year hiatus. Behind this revival in South Africa was the success of the “Len10 Megaloop Challenge” hosted by Ruben Lenten at the same location, which served as a crucial stepping stone to prove the potential of Big Air competition. With a mission to bring back the “wow” factor to kiteboarding, the event unfolded in front of 5,000 spectators, signaling the dawn of a new era for Big Air. Additionally, Robby Naish and Susi Mai were introduced as special guests, adding flair to the event.
Location and Conditions
The stage was set at Big Bay in Cape Town, South Africa, overlooking Table Mountain. A massive flag-out tower was erected on the beach with a 15-meter mark, designed to give the crowd a visual reference for the sheer height of the massive airs.
Format and Participants
A total of 24 riders, consisting of 16 invited athletes and 8 wildcards from around the globe, took part in the event. The competition utilized a unique flag-out format where the rider with the lowest score had to leave the water.
The rigorous judging criteria were based on 70% height and extremity (risk, speed, angle of the kite, tricks, loops), 20% style and execution (rotations, grabs, board-offs, one-footers, combinations, no dangles-landing), and 10% variety (different tricks, both ways).
Notable confirmed riders included Jesse Richman, Nick Jacobsen, Sam Light, Youri Zoon, Lewis Crathern, Andries Fourie, Kevin Langeree, Gianni Aragno, Shawn Richman, Luke Whiteside, Ruben Lenten, Billy Parker, Luke McGillewie, Johnno Scholte, and Reno Romeu.
Highlights and Epic Battles
Returning after 8 years, the event drew immense attention to see how far the extreme limits could be pushed, with riders effortlessly boosting well above the 15-meter tower.
The final was an intense, closely fought battle among four top riders: Jesse Richman, Sam Light, Nick Jacobsen, and Youri Zoon. Each rider perfectly read the strong winds and massive kickers, delivering outstanding performances that established the new standard for Big Air kiteboarding.
Jesse who emerged victorious after this fierce battle, becoming the first champion of the reborn Red Bull King of the Air in South Africa, shared his excitement after the win:
“I never expected this and I’m so amazingly pumped! Red Bull King of the Air has been the biggest event in the world since the very beginning. I competed in it when I was a little kid, and it was the coolest thing ever”
—Jesse Richman
1st: Jesse Richman
2nd: Nick Jacobsen
3rd: Sam Light
4th: Youri Zoon
T-5th: Andries Fourie, Lewis Crathern
T-7th: Gianni Aragno, Kevin Langeree🔗 関連リンク: https://www.redbull.com/us-en/videos/video-highlights-of-red-bull-king-of-the-air-2013
Search Aliases: KOTA 2013, KOTA2013, Red Bull King of the Air 2013, RedBullKingoftheAir2013