Kitesurfing
Keeping it Real
The History of Red Bull King of the Air
Red Bull King Of The Air returned in 2013 after an eight-year hiatus.
At the end of the event, just before the winning riders were announced on the podium, wind sport legend Robby Naish addressed the crowd, claiming that this was the biggest and best event he'd seen in 25 years.
In 2014 Cape Town’s Big Bay again played host to 24 of the world’s best kiteboarders as they went head-to-head in a unique ‘flag out’ competition format.
It all came down to the final in which Dutchman Kevin Langeree managed to edge out his compatriots Ruben Lenten (second) and Steven Akkersdijk (third) to become Red Bull King of the Air 2014 champion in front of a 12 000-strong crowd.
Red Bull King of the Air
© Kolesky/Nikon/Red Bull Content Pool
Kevin Langeree
© Ydwer van der Heide/Red Bull Content Pool
The first King Of The Air ran at the hallowed windsurfing spot of Ho'okipa on the Hawaiian island of Maui in 2000. Windsurfing and kitesurfing icon Robby Naish remembers,
To a certain degree the original King Of The Air helped launch the sport of kitesurfing in general, bringing money, awareness and prestige to the table. It was the first event to really pull together the raw elements of the sport and give the pioneers a framework to pull their skills together in a clear cut format.
In those early days kites were raw, powerful, relatively dangerous and kiteboarders were all about throwing big airs. As the equipment developed and became more widely available, and as kite schools began to pop up all over the world, kitesurfing was excitedly hailed as the 'fastest growing watersport in the world'.
Red Bull King of the Air
© Erik Aeder/Red Bull Content Pool
Today kitesurfing produces professional athletes that perform to incredible levels in a variety of disciplines, including racing, speed, freestyle, snowkiting and wave riding. But somewhere along the way its diverse nature seemed to dilute its potency in the media. It was harder to pigeonhole exactly what it was... and why was no one was jumping huge anymore?
For five years Red Bull King Of The Air staged the biggest one-off annual event at a phenomenal spot, but in truth in its latter years at Ho'okipa the event had become a little same-old-same-old as kitesurfing went through its growing pains and pro riders moved away from big air.
New equipment made it an easier discipline and the sport's elite focused on the cutting edge of style and technicality, which ironically saw them performing their tricks closer and closer to the water, more like wakeboarders, or unstrapped in waves like surfers...
Around 2007/08, jaded with current kitesurfing competition formats, riders like Ruben Lenten began experimenting by going out in stronger and stronger 'storm force' winds on special equipment and seeing initially how high and how far they could go. As they became more comfortable in previously 'unride-able' winds, they began throwing 'mega loops' (sending the kite on a huge loop - often underneath them in the sky, often 40 feet up - and bringing it back round above their head to hopefully catch them before they land).
This began to get interesting again.
Ruben Lenten
© Kolesky/Nikon/Red Bull Content Pool
From December to February, Cape Town in South Africa and its densely powerful 'Cape Doctor' wind system packs a world-class big air punch. And so in 2012 in association with Ruben Lenten the 'Red Bull Len10 Megaloop Challenge' took place at Big Bay with Lewis Crathern from the UK coming out on top.
Lewis Crathern
© Kolesky/Nikon/Red Bull Content Pool
In January 2013, 24 of the world's best and most extreme big air specialists converged at Big Bay for a full on showdown for the official Red Bull King of the Air return in front of a thrilled crowd that saw Hawaiian Jesse Richman emerge on top after eight action packed hours of competition.
Kitesurfing had rocked back to its roots and many believed it had rediscovered the essence of what made it so special in the first place.
Look out for the Red Bull King Of The Air 2015 taking place within its allotted wind window period, one day between the 25th January and 9th February 2015 at Big Bay, Cape Town, South Africa.
Red Bull King of the Air
© Kolesky/Nikon/Red Bull Content Pool
Kevin Langeree
© Kolesky/Nikon/Red Bull Content Pool