The 2017 Red Bull King of the Air is remembered as an emotional event where numerous “comebacks” and “challenges” intersected. While all eyes were on who could stop defending champion Aaron Hadlow from claiming a third consecutive title, the presence of riders rising like phoenixes from devastating illnesses and injuries brought tears to the crowd.
Location and Conditions
The stage was Big Bay in Cape Town, South Africa. During the waiting period, the infamous “Cape Doctor” wind howled at over 35 to 45 knots for days. On the day of the event, although the massive swells were slightly lacking, a crowd of over 8,000 packed the beach as the riders were supplied with more than enough gale-force winds to wage extreme Big Air battles.
Format and Riders
This year, a new “compact format” was introduced to make the competition even more intense, strictly narrowing the field down to 18 riders. Alongside tournament favorites like Aaron Hadlow, three massive comebacks drew everyone’s attention. One was Lasse Walker, who had fully recovered from a massive Megaloop crash the previous year. The second was Lewis Crathern, who miraculously returned after surviving a crash that put him in a coma in the same 2016 event. The third was the “Master of Extreme” Ruben Lenten, returning to the scene via a wildcard after a grueling battle with cancer.
Highlights and Showdowns
Fully recovered, Lasse Walker showcased an incredible run, winning his first heat against Graham Howes and Willem van de Meij. His advancing streak continued until he was defeated by champion Aaron Hadlow in Round 5.
The special awards also generated massive excitement. Local South African Oswald Smith landed a spectacular Kung Fu Handle-Pass to win the “Mystic Best Move.” Meanwhile, the UK’s Lewis Crathern recorded a towering height of 19.4m to take home the “WOO Biggest Boost” award.
Final and Conclusion
Advancing to the final were Aaron Hadlow, aiming for a three-peat, Ruben Lenten, making a miraculous comeback from illness, and Denmark’s Nick Jacobsen.
Nick Jacobsen was a rider often preceded by a “stuntman” image, famous for jumping off hotel roofs, massive cranes, and the tops of sailboats. However, in this tournament, he proved his true competitive prowess to the world.
As Ruben suffered a heavy crash early in the heat, the battle turned into a one-on-one duel between Nick and Aaron. Whether heading inside or riding out, Nick flawlessly executed fearless, bottomless Kiteloop One-footers, completely winning over the roaring crowd.
In the end, Nick Jacobsen shattered Aaron’s three-peat dream to be crowned the new King of the Air. Immediately afterward, he stated:
“This feeling is amazing! This is my first international victory. I still can’t believe I won the prestigious Red Bull King of the Air.”
Men’s Open Division Final
1st: Nick Jacobsen
2nd: Aaron Hadlow
3rd: Ruben Lenten
Awards
Mystic Best Move: Oswald Smith (Kung Fu Handle-Pass)
WOO Biggest Boost: Lewis Crathern (19.4m)
WOO Highest Jump Records (KOTA 2017)
1. Lewis Crathern (19.4m)
2. Stuart Downey (18.1m)
3. Andries Fourie (18.0m)
4. Gijs Wassenaar (16.6m)
5. Antonin Rangin (16.4m)
6. Nick Jacobsen (15.7m)
7. Steven Akkersdijk (15.2m)
8. Ruben Lenten (15.0m)
9. Aaron Hadlow (14.3m)
10. Jerrie van de Kop (14.1m)
11. Tom Hebert (13.9m)
12. Graham Howes (13.8m)
13. Lasse Walker (13.7m)
14. Reno Romeu (13.4m)
15. Ryan Siegelberg (13.3m)
16. Willem van de Meij (12.5m)
17. Oswald Smith (12.5m)
18. Aurélien Pétreau (11.6m)
Search Aliases: KOTA 2017, KOTA2017, Red Bull King of the Air 2017, RedBullKingoftheAir2017