Image via Tyrone Bradley and Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull King of the Air: What you can expect in 2020
The most anticipated event in the kitesurfing calendar returns to Cape Town this February.
Image via Tyrone Bradley and Red Bull Content Pool
The eighth edition of the King of the Air has a weather window which runs from the 1st – 16th February. The competition will run when the best conditions are forecast within this timeframe; ideally the Cape Doctor will be delivering over 30 knots with a decent swell for some epic boosts.
This year has seen a shake-up in the competition format and qualification criteria, which includes the first female competitor in the event’s history.
What’s in store at this year’s King of the Air
The 24 riders will battle it out over six rounds to lift the most prestigious prize in kitesurfing. This year five South Africans have made it into the competition and will be hoping for a victory in front of a home crowd.
The event has been split into two parts. The top six riders from the 2019 King of the Air competition automatically qualify for the main event, which starts at round three.
The first two rounds will see 18 riders go head to head and only 12 will proceed through to join those in the third round. The 18 riders are comprised of 12 who were selected from video entries, two wildcard selections and four more who qualified through the ‘Fly to Red Bull King of the Air Qualifier Series’.
The first woman to compete in the King of the Air competition
The two wildcard entries in Airton Cozzolino and Angely Boullot are especially exciting. Airton Cozzolino is a four time Wave World Champion and a freestyle strapless genius who is sure to fire up the crowd.
Angely Boullot makes history by becoming the first woman to ever compete in the Red Bull King of the Air. After trying for three years to be selected for the competition, Angely said:
“It’s a real honour and am excited to prove that women have a place in these extreme events and my mission is to inspire young women to participate in more events like this.”
The first two rounds will take place at a ‘mobile venue’, which will be selected based on the best conditions available at either Kite Beach in Blouberg, or Witsand/Misty Cliffs. While the main event will take place at Kite Beach and will be livestreamed on Red Bull TV.
2020 rider list
Top six from 2019 (in seeded order, into Round Three)
- Kevin Langeree (NED)
- Jesse Richman (USA)
- Liam Whaley (ESP)
- Nick Jacobsen (DEN)
- Lasse Walker (NED)
- Aurelien Petreau (FRA)
Fly to Red Bull King of the Air winners (in alphabetical order to Rounds One and Two)
- Lewis Crathern (GBR) – qualified at Taiwan Fly to Red Bull King of the Air
- Luis Alberto Cruz (DOM) – qualified at Cabarete Kite Fest
- Stuart Downey (RSA) – qualified at Maui Kite Fest
- Ross-Dillon Player (RSA) – qualified at Red Bull Megaloop Challenge
Video entry winners (in alphabetical order to Rounds One and Two)
- Steven Akkersdijk (NED)
- Angely Bouillot (FRA) – Wildcard
- Airton Cozzolino (CAPE VERDE) – Wildcard
- Ryan De Witte (NED)
- Joshua Emanuel (RSA)
- Aaron Hadlow (GBR)
- Clemet Huot (FRA)
- Marc Jacobs (NZ)
- Ewan Jaspan (AUS) *(in as reserve 1 after Janek Grzegorzewsky withdrew due to injury)
- Posito Martinez (DOM)
- Antonin Rangin (FRA)
- Reno Romeu (BRA)
- Oswald Smith (RSA)
- Jason van der Spuy (RSA)
