Kitesurfing
Red Bull King of the Air Competition Format Explained
What the flags mean and how the rounds work.
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In the spirit of continued evolution, Red Bull King of the Air has a unique competition format tailored for high-flying action. This event brings together the world's top riders in a thrilling showcase of Big Air kiteboarding and the format is designed to give the riders the best chance to perform at their peak. Here’s how it works:
Setting the Stage: Dingle Elimination
The competition's heartbeat is the Dingle Elimination format, purpose-built for Red Bull King of the Air. This structure offers riders a second chance in Round 2 before bidding adieu to the competition. In this setup, winners from the first round advance directly into the third round, while those placing second and third are re-seeded into the second round.
Round 2 serves as a repechage round. This paves the way for a transition into a man-on-man single elimination from that stage onwards.
The judges deliberate
© Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool
Man-on-Man Battles
Competitors' names find their place on the elimination ladder according to the event's seeding list. Any 'byes' are strategically positioned, usually benefiting the highest-ranked contenders. The clashes commence in groups of up to three or two, determined by the elimination ladder and the Contest Director's discretion.
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Round 1: Intense 13-Minute Heats
Round 1 witnesses six heats of 13 minutes, each with three riders engaged in a unique 'FLAG-OUT' system. This innovative process, exclusive to Round 1, starts with three riders competing. After eight minutes, the lowest scorer is 'FLAGGED-OUT,' indicated by dropping their coloured vest flag. A brief break allows the flagged-out rider to exit, leaving the remaining two to continue the heat without resetting scores.
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Round 2
Six heats of 10 minutes featuring two riders each, sans the 'FLAG-OUT' system. Winners progress to Round 3, while those eliminated share an equal 13th place.
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Round 3 & Semifinals
Successive rounds continue with six heats of 10 minutes each, narrowing the field to identify the top performers advancing to higher stakes. These rounds lead to the Semifinals, where the battles intensify with three heats of 10 minutes, selecting the finalists.
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The Finals
The climax arrives with the Final - a 15-minute heat featuring the top three riders, without the 'FLAG-OUT' system in play.
Sportive Director, Sergio Cantagalli
© Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool
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What You Need To Know About Seeding and Qualification
The seeding process for Round 1 considers a variety of factors, including previous Red Bull King of the Air results, the Qualifier tour and overall rankings, under the guidance of the Judges Committee. Pre-qualified riders, wild cards, video contestants, and reserves are strategically seeded based on these criteria. In ties, various rankings are considered to break them, with the possibility of a draw.
Learn More About Red Bull King of The Air
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ROUND 1:
Heat 1
- Cohan VAN DIJK (NED)
- Jeremy BURLANDO (SPN)
- Arthur GUILLEBERT (FRA)
Heat 2
- Andrea PRINCIPI (ITA)
- Edgar ULRICH (FRA)
- Airton COZZOLINO (ITA)
Heat 3
- Jamie OVERBEEK (NED)
- Aaron HADLOW (ENG)
- Jason VAN DER SPUY (RSA)
Heat 4
- Marc JACOBS (NZL)
- Josh EMANUEL (RSA)
- Josué FERREIRA (BRA)
Heat 5
- Beto GOMEZ (COL)
- Giel VLUGT (NED)
- Luca CERUTI (RSA)
Heat 6
- Lorenzo CASATI (ITA)
- Timo BOERSEMA (NED)
- Stijn MUL (NED)
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