Josue's in!
North Team rider Josue San
Ferreira qualifies for 2024 Red Bull King of the Air.
The picturesque beaches of Tarifa, Spain, were abuzz with excitement as Josue San Ferreira (aka Baby Shark) and Lorenzo Casati battled for the win at the Red Bull King of The Air Qualifier: Ride the Sky. In a dramatic conclusion, Josue executed a massive kiteloop double backroll board-off with additional rotations, earning him a high score that solidified his position for a second-place finish and a coveted spot in the 2024 Red Bull King of the Air.
The final was a showcase of extraordinary talent, with Lorenzo Casati, a former King Of The Air, and Josh Gillitt, another formidable competitor. While Casati displayed innovative triple-loop variations, and Gillitt opted for double-loop tricks, Josue stayed true to his style with impressive single loops. This strategic choice kept him in close competition with Gillitt for second place, until his massive board-off with two added rotations scored an 8.13.
Right from the start of the day, Josue exuded confidence—his preparation on the beach characterised by a broad smile and relaxed demeanour. Setting the mood for his heat, Jose launched his kite and jumped from the beach over kites and people to enter the water instead of walking.
The competition was held at Balneario, a Big Air spot that works with the famous Levante wind, a strong offshore wind coming from the east. During the contest, we saw 40-50 knot winds with only a few small waves for the riders to jump off, however despite the challenging conditions, Josue triumphed in his first heat, advancing directly to round three.
Round three might have been one of the craziest heats Josue had ever rode in, an intense test of his skills and determination. On his first attempt, Josue crashed and had to release his kite. The safety jet ski came to help and check in on Josue, but he told them he was ok and didn't need help. If the safety staff had helped him, he would have been disqualified from the heat and out of the competition.
Josue took his board and "showed the crowd how a shark swims." He swam around 200 meters upwind with his board, and at the shore, the North team was waiting for him with his new kite.
"Josue told me that his heart rate was around 160 BPM during this swim, which he also did with a semi-injured elbow!" said North Social Media Manager Tibo Slock.
"During the contest, we saw 40-50 knot winds with only a few small waves for the riders to jump off, however despite the challenging conditions, Josue triumphed in his first heat, advancing directly to round three."
With time still on the clock, Josue returned to the competition area and executed four tricks, three of which contributed to his final score of 30.1 out of a possible 40 points.
"After this heat, Josue told me this was his day. He already made history, he said, but he wasn't done. He told me he would make the final and that he would qualify for the King of the Air," recalls Tibo.
Advancing to the semifinal, Josue's momentum continued. He delivered a flawless performance, not crashing a single trick, and secured his place in the final by outscoring his opponent, Parker Sage, by a significant 5.34-point margin.
Josue's energy was palpable as he prepared for his first-ever final in a major international event, not just as a competitor but also as an entertainer, engaging the crowd with his infectious enthusiasm.
"I was super-excited to be in my first final ever, but I wasn't done yet," said Josue.
Before the final started, Josue was hyping up all the spectators on the beach. He was focused, but still a kid who really enjoyed what he was doing.
In the final, it was clear that Lorenzo Casati would take the win, performing multiple tricks that had never appeared before in competition, such as the snake loop and spider loop - both triple loop variations. The other finalist, Josh Gillitt, only went for double loop tricks, like most competitors.
"Josue rode a strong and smart final," says Tibo. "But with about four minutes left, he crashed his sixth trick attempt. He rode close to the rocks where I was sitting and asked how the scores were. At this point, he was just in front of Josh.
"I was super-excited to be in my first final ever, but I wasn't done yet,"
- Josue
Josue pulled a massive kiteloop double backroll board off with two added rotations, scoring an 8.13. He continued to impress with various tricks, enhancing his overall impression score and securing a solid finish in the final.
The results of the final:
Lorenzo Casati: 35.53
Josue San Feriera 30.27
Josh Gillitt 26.46
With Casati already qualified for the Red Bull King of The Air in Cape Town, Josue's second-place finish earned him a coveted spot in the prestigious event.
Event report by Tibo Slock.
