INSIDE OUT
THE FINAL
Aaron started off with a winning attitude combining massive airs with his signature Kiteloop KGB. Meanwhile, the other riders were still upwind of the competition area searching for the right wave to kick start their showdown. Both Kevin and Jesse started the process of dialling into the heat and banging out move-after-move. Jesse’s game plan was to combine height and innovation. This resulted in massive airs and a Kiteloop Front Mobe. Yes... imagine that. Then it was truly amazing to see Kevin master and have total control over his riding. Every trick looked smooth and stylish, and the crowd really went crazy when he pulled the biggest board off ever performed in competition, followed by a massive one footed Kiteloop Front Roll. It was this trick that saw him win the Mystic Move prize of $1000 for the most extreme move of the event, as selected by the judging panel. Brazilian rider Reno was flagged first which left him in 4th place, so the remaining three past KOTA Champions battled it out for glory. After 12 minutes of insane and world class riding it was straight to the podium. Sergio made his way to the stage and announced the final result. Aaron Hadlow was crowned the new Red Bull King of the Air 2016, the first competitor to win the event for consecutive years. 2nd place went to Jesse, leaving Kevin disappointed in 3rd. But at least he could lick his wounds with the Mystic Move prize and the highest WOO jump of the event! It’s hard to sum up in words this year’s King of the Air but it’s definitely been one to remember. To make it to the podium is undoubtedly a huge accomplishment, but the journey to get there is not without its challenges. Each rider has to embrace their strengths and weaknesses, whilst the guys behind the scenes have to work hard to make things happen, to plan the event meticulously, and to stick to the plans no matter the incident or emotional connection. For us at Mystic, it has further fuelled our passion to continue to innovate and create products that can support this extreme way of riding, and we can’t wait to see what happens next year. 92 | TheKiteMag
CRAIG KOLESKY