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The History of ‘Big Air’ Kitesurfing
Big air Kitesurfing, for someone who does not know what the subject is about, could be defined as an extreme discipline of the sport of kitesurfing, where the athlete has to make the highest possible jump after being propelled by his kite in the air, adding body and kite rotations in the air to make the trick more difficult.
These athletes seek the most extreme wind conditions possible and venture to sail, where many would think that the safe practice of the sport is unfeasible. Due to this, they are capable of making jumps that can measure up to +30 m in height and cover a distance of three football fields.
The Big Air modality undoubtedly implies a risk, due to the high speeds reached during jumps, which can result in very serious accidents when something does not go as expected.
How did it all start?
The Dutchman, Ruben Lenten, kitesurfing legend and inventor of one of the most iconic kitesurfing maneuvers: The Megaloop. Everything starts here.
In 2003, during a competition, Ruben knew that he needed something special to win, and this is when the idea of the Megaloop arose, which, after several failed attempts, finally managed to rotate the kite completely in the air and landing on the board, opening a new world of possibilities to this sport.
This is where Big Air Kitesurf is born.
Th ‘Board Off’
After several years of perfecting megaloops, with added body rotations and various variants of the same, in 2017, professional kitesurfer Nick Jacobsen has the revolutionary vision of adding ‘boards off’ to these variants.
What is a board off? Well, it’s about starting the jump in the same way as normally, but at the moment you are going to launch your Megaloop, you take your two feet out of the footstraps of the board and grab it by the central handle. This means that you find yourself flying through the air, totally free and adds a very considerable difficulty to your jump.
Putting the board back on in time before landing on the water, and doing a subtle and controlled landing become the most challenging aspect of board offs. In addition, they offer an incredible visual aspect for viewers.
Board offs allow you to unlock new variations and combinations of rotations, which takes the big air game to a higher level.
The double kiteloop
It will be a few years until the great Big Air revolution begins.
In 2021, Professional kitesurfer Giel Vlugt sees the possibility of continuing to rotate his kite after the first kiteloop. This sparks an idea in his head, and during a competition in Cape Town (the perfect place to practice big air) Giel manages to land two of what today have become the most prestigious jumps in Kitesurfing: the S-loop and the double Loop.
- The S loop consists of a megaloop that is then braked to make another loop in the opposite direction.
- Double loop, as its name suggests, consists of continuing to rotate your kite in the same direction as the first kiteloop and performing two kite rotations in the air.
This means a before and after in this type of kitesurfing and leaves everyone with the question: Where is the limit? Something that 10 years ago was unthinkable is today a fundamental requirement to succeed as a professional kitesurfer.
The big air revolution
The concept of what is possible and what is not has been altered.
A new door has opened with a new and unknown path, which takes us towards the future of this modality. There are many who venture into it, discovering a path that shows unprecedented big air concepts.
In the beginning, the main goal of Big Air was to be able to take the biggest kite, and make the most powerful loop possible, today, new tricks suggest something totally revolutionary.
We are beginning to investigate as never before into the development of kites that are more efficient in loops and in their response time, to allow the sailor to obtain a more reactive trick that offers greater air time. A new trend begins to make more powerful kites, in order to be able to take smaller sizes, resulting in a response time of the kite much greater than that of a larger one. All brands release new models and are constantly updating their kites like never before, so as not to be left behind in the market and have outdated material for the discipline that is sweeping kitesurfing.
All this development of material opens the doors to many more practitioners who are attracted to big air. What was once a modality only for experts and veterans of the sport, today is much more accessible to an intermediate level practitioner.
The new school of Big Air
Day after day, the tricks continue to improve, gaining height, adding body and kite rotations, which make you wonder: where is the end of this progression?
Currently, a clear dominance has been established by young athletes who control the world top of this modality. Some of the names that are currently taking this sport to its extreme are Andrea Principi, Lorenzo Casatti and Jeremy Burlando.
All young, talented and hungry for improvement, they are creating what is considered the new school of big Air and they do not stop inventing new variations of existing tricks or even creating new tricks that were thought to be impossible.
To sum up
In conclusion, Big Air Kitesurfing has transformed the kitesurfing landscape, becoming an exciting, innovative and increasingly accessible discipline. What began with the creativity of pioneers like Ruben Lenten, and evolved with maneuvers such as the Megaloop, board offs and double kiteloops, has unleashed a true revolution in the sport.
The development of more efficient materials and the growing participation of young athletes passionate about pushing the limits have ensured that Big Air is not only a high-risk discipline, but also a spectacle that constantly redefines what is possible. As this modality continues to advance, the horizon of Big Air Kitesurfing remains open, inviting athletes and brands to continue innovating and pushing the limits of this extreme sport.
GALERÍA DEL POST
Since 2001
Leading Kite School in Tarifa
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