Johnm: just watched a clip of 2005...they showed tons of tricks...hooked and unhooked, plus some wave riding. Awesome show!

Maybe the judging didn't require it, just more like the highest jumps and megaloops.
Still, in a comp like this I would want to show more! See the flat water in front? I would slide it for the 5000 people...just throwing a show! 20 min is plenty of time!

Bending my way? They are hooked and jump high...why shouldn't I want to see more instead of only megaloop and dangling? Don't u think a nice grab all the way makes the jumps more stylish?

Hangtime comps are fun! There should be more! Only few worldwide...

This high jump I think it is either Jesse or Kevin. I heard they jumped the highest.

nothing wrong with a bit of variety - pretty sure we'll see that when the official vid's out

as for sliding - someone kicking their board off - and barefoot sliding while necking a redbull would be cool

just saying pretty unlikely we're gonna get a deadman or a stiffy no? (unless someone did one purely as a joke)

Rules of the comp: http://redbullkingoftheair.co.za/public/rules

XIII. JUDGING CRITERIA - EXTREME BIG AIR:

Judges will look at following categories when it comes to Overall Impression to select the best rider from each heat:
70% Height and Extremity (Risk - Speed
- Angle of the kite - Tricks - Loops)
20% Style and Execution (Rotations
‐Grabs
‐Board-off - One-footers - Combinations - No Dangles‐Landing)
10 % Variety (Different tricks‐Both ways)


Cheers
Caesar

sure...relative as can be!

still, while you are up there, you can show something, instead of just hanging high, no?
Stiffy and grabs are perfect to make a long flight look cool! And a deadman? come on, classic cool as can be!

for sure - right up there with mullets and short-shorts

Looking forward to your next video busting out old school on a small kite in big winds with choppy waters and waves

I remember seeing kevin bust a deadman in last month's Hidden Lines Chapter 3
http://vimeo.com/56015501#t=16m43s
and youri a board off
http://vimeo.com/56015501#t=16m30s
so not sure why no one attempted a deadman just once for some added variety and style.
It might be that hanging upside down at 25m up in the sky and looking how far you are from mother earth is a pretty scary experience I'd rather skip too.

None of the competitors at the Red Bull King of Air even got close to the airtime in the Draft video ?

Those guys are ripping in...sideshore 30kn wind on 9 & 10m2..taking off waves ramps of 2 meters
These elite athletes are 15m to 20m++ high in the air

Doing kiteloops...helicopter loops....floating very long distances off the wind.................
.....yet if you time their jumps they are great but only 8...9..10..maybe an 11 seconds

Nobody can even do a..13....or even 14 seconds jump

So that is the proof right there to all those believing the Draft video

brutal wipeout at 1.37