Red Bull King of the Air 2016

Table of Contents

Overview

The 2016 Red Bull King of the Air was a historic event where the extreme appeal of kiteboarding intersected with its ultimate risks. It witnessed the emergence of a new trend—bringing Freestyle elements into Big Air—which, despite sparking controversy, showcased the further evolution of the sport. At the same time, several tragic accidents occurred as riders pushed their limits, making this year a turning point that questioned the very nature of the sport.

Location and Conditions

The stage was Big Bay in Cape Town, South Africa. On the second day of the event, fierce winds exceeding 30 knots and massive waves rolled in, setting up extreme conditions perfectly suited for the King of the Air.

Format and Participants

A format was adopted where four riders competed simultaneously in 15-minute heats. A flag-out system was utilized, meaning the rider with the lowest score after 9 minutes had their flag lowered and was eliminated from the heat.

Notable riders included: Aaron Hadlow, Jesse Richman, Kevin Langeree, Reno Romeu, Lewis Crathern, Alex Pastor, Sam Light, Steven Akkersdijk, Lasse Walker, Oswald Smith, Tom Hebert, Youri Zoon, Jerrie Van De Kop, Willem Van De Meij, Oli Sweeney, Marc Jacobs, Antonin Rangin, Ariel Corniel, Sam Medysky, Graham Howes, and Andries Fourie.

Highlights and Epic Battles

The event was heavily shaken by an accident involving Lewis Crathern during a howling heat. He attempted a Megaloop from 20 meters up, but a mistake causing the kite to overfly led to a brutal flat-water crash on his back while still in his boots. He fell into a coma, prompting Reno Romeu and others in the same heat to immediately abandon their competition and rush to his rescue. The event was put on hold for over an hour until an ambulance returned. Additionally, in the semi-finals, Lasse Walker suffered a crash so violent on a massive Megaloop landing that he was ripped out of his boots and had to be taken away by a rescue boat, highlighting the severe risks riders face when pushing the limits.

The final was a showdown between the UK’s Aaron Hadlow, the USA’s Jesse Richman, the Netherlands’ Kevin Langeree, and Brazil’s Reno Romeu. Reno was flagged out at the 9-minute mark, turning the heat into a three-way deathmatch among former champions.

Kevin Langeree flawlessly executed a Megaloop front roll one-footer with overwhelming hangtime, earning him the “Mystic Move of the Event” for the most extreme trick of the contest. Jesse Richman boldly went for unhooked Kite loop handle passes. Meanwhile, Aaron Hadlow landed his signature, highly technical Megaloop KGB on the inside. Bringing Freestyle elements into Big Air was not entirely accepted by the crowd at the time and caused some controversy, but each rider showcased extreme skills in what became a historic epic battle.

Show detailed results (Spoiler Alert)

1st: Aaron Hadlow
2nd: Jesse Richman
3rd: Kevin Langeree
4th: Reno Romeu
Mystic Move of the Event: Kevin Langeree (Front Roll Megaloop One-footer)

Search Aliases: KOTA 2016, KOTA2016, Red Bull King of the Air 2016, RedBullKingoftheAir2016