Courtesy of Red Bull Media Service Team
Professionals and amateurs to compete for crown at Kite Beach in Cape Town.
The 2021 Red Bull King of the Air competition has evolved again as both professional and amateur kiteboarders will have a shot at competing for the prestigious crown in early February at Kite Beach in Cape Town. Here is all you need to know:
– The qualification process for the 2021 edition has undergone major changes with both professional and amateur kiteboarders set to get a shot at the title when a fleet of 18 riders will be announced on December 10 following the intense judging of video entries.
– Male or female kiteboarders from anywhere in the world – who think they have what it takes to compete with the world’s best aerialists – are invited to submit one-minute videos of their biggest airs to redbullkingoftheair.com until November 30.
– There is no limit to how many videos a rider can submit with the videos open to public voting. Twenty clips with the most votes will be assessed by the judging panel using the traditional event criteria of best tricks/jumps, variety of moves and general flow.
– Sportive Director Sergio Cantagalli explained: “The idea with the new entry format is to give a wider range of riders – both pro and amateur – a shot at competing for the crown. Film your three best moves only. It is important for riders to put together a routine of the three jumps. These clips may not be older than a year and no previous Red Bull King of the Air entry clips (or part previous competition livestreams) will be allowed.”
– The 2021 event will run in South Africa when conditions are optimal over a two-week waiting period in early February with the 18 finalists made up of the Top Three finishers from 2020, two or three winners from Fly-To Red Bull King of the Air satellite events, between seven and 11 video contest entrants (determined by ‘Fly-To’ results) and two wildcards.
– Defending Red Bull King of the Air champion Jesse Richman, who now has two titles, revealed: “It’s been pretty wild to watch the evolution of the event and with that the evolution of kiteboarding. It’s amazing how much the event has kind of shaped big air kiteboarding and how the criteria has evolved over the years.”
– In terms of what he expects in the future, the Hawaiian added: “Not only extreme height, but in the radicalness and technicality of moves performed at those heights.”