Despite the opening wind window being postponed until further notice, 16 riders can look forward to competing at the 2020 Red Bull Megaloop.
Last month the first 12 invited riders were announced, and to complete the list of 16 riders, the Red Bull Megaloop committee and judges have selected the last four riders out of 47 video submissions for this most extreme kiteboarding event in the world.
Invited riders:
Jesse Richman (USA) – Winner King of the Air 2020
Ross-Dillon Player (RSA) – Winner Red Bull Megaloop 2019
Oswald Smith (RSA)
Lasse Walker (NED)
Joshua Emanuel (RSA)
Steven Akkersdijk (NED)
Ruben Lenten (NED)
Kevin Langeree (NED)
Nick Jacobsen (DK)
Aaron Hadlow (UK)
Liam Whaley (SPA)
Louk Timmer (NED)
Video entries
Janek Gregorzewski (POL)
Maarten Haeger (NED)
Ewan Jaspan (SCOT)
Stig Hoefnagel (NED)
All riders have been selected, based on a combination of the ranking of previous editions and the level of riding – in particular mastering the performance of the megaloop, one of the most extreme tricks in kiteboarding. Additionally four riders have been selected by their video entries. The committee has judged the video’s on extremity, execution and flow.
The Red Bull Megaloop committee has decided to award the video entries a place in the 2020 edition; the talented Janek Gregorzewski (POL) will be joined by three first time entries with the likes of Maarten Haeger (NED), Ewan Jaspan (SCOT) and Stig Hoefnagel (NED). All of these riders have been knocking on the door for a while and will now get a chance to shake things up in the all-star lineup of the 2020 Red Bull Megaloop.
The Red Bull Megaloop Committee states: “The committee and judges looked for riders that showed a combination of height, kite angle and vertical ground covered in their megaloops. These four riders certainly checked those boxes of extremity. Added to that they have shown great variety and technical difficulty in their megaloops. They convinced the judges with their overall control in extreme conditions with high-end performance and full completion of their tricks.”