Who are the North Team at Red Bull King of the Air?
2017 Champion and 2020 Runner-up Nick Jacobsen (Denmark). 2020 Highest Jump Score and Semifinalist Marc Jacobs (NZ). British Boots and Loops legend Tom Bridge. Will one of them take home the 2021 Red Bull King's Crown? Check out their stats in this Q&A.
| RIDER NAME | NICK JACOBSEN |
| DOB | 10 JANUARY 1987 (AGE 34) |
| COUNTRY OF ORIGIN | DENMARK |
| KOTA CONTESTS | MANY |
| BEST RESULT | WINNER 2017 |
| MEMORABLE MOMENTS | MEGALOOP BOARD-OFF MYSTIC MOST EXTREME MOVE 2020 |
| EQUIPMENT / SIZE RIDDEN | ORBIT 9M, NAVIGATOR 45-50, ATMOS 138, FLEX |
| GO TO TRICKS | 2x NEW TRICKS UP HIS SLEEVE - SAVING FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT |
Q&A:
What wind conditions are you hoping for this year? Serious wind
What advantage will that give you? I don’t unhook, so I want it big!
So, we hear you’re about to become a Dad – is that distracting you at all from your gameplan here at KOTA? It’s allowed me to focus as I’m here on my own and I know that I should be at home in Denmark, so I need to perform well to make it all worth it
How has training been for the event? Was even training my caddy today - practicing kite changeovers..
What gear are you planning to ride in KOTA? Ideally a 9m Orbit, Atmos Carbon and the Navigator.
What’s so great about the Atmos? The carbon means it’s stiff so great for big air, you can hold an edge in really high winds
| RIDER NAME | MARC JACOBS |
| DOB | AGE 31 |
| COUNTRY OF ORIGIN | NEW ZEALAND |
| KOTA CONTESTS | 5 |
| BEST RESULT | SEMI-FINALS 2020 |
| MEMORABLE MOMENTS | FIRST TO LAND A BACKROLL BOARD-OFF |
| EQUIPMENT / SIZE RIDDEN | ORBIT 9M OR 10M, NAVIGATOR 45-50, ATMOS 138, FLEX |
| GO TO TRICKS | BOARD OFF ROTATIONS AND KUNG FU |
| WINNING TRICK | DOUBLE BOARD OFF |
Q&A:
What wind conditions are you hoping for this year? 35knots
What advantage will that give you? I can still go big but not so windy that I can’t kung fu
Has anyone trained harder or longer than you? Probably not
How much weight have you dropped for KOTA (or was it the wedding suit)? 10kg
How has training been in NZ? Auckland is a perfect kite playground, beaches to serve all wind directions and Muriwai provides conditions that are similar to cape town.
During Auckland lockdown you drove south chasing storms for two months and staying at the top of the Woo leaderboards, for 2 whole weeks - only Cold Hawaii changed it
Newly-wed? – not here with Sophie, she’s at home with her mother who is sadly terminally ill.
What’s the bigger challenge – a wedding in lockdown or getting to Cape Town? Getting back will be harder (2 weeks in quarantine hotel)!
| RIDER NAME | TOM BRIDGE |
| DOB | 29 MARCH 2001 (AGE 20) |
| COUNTRY OF ORIGIN | UNITED KINGDOM |
| KOTA CONTESTS | 2 |
| BEST RESULT | ROUND 2 |
| MEMORABLE MOMENTS | FLYING IN ON DAY ONE |
| EQUIPMENT / SIZE RIDDEN | ORBIT 9M, 22 LINES, FLARE, NAVIGATOR |
| GO TO TRICKS | THE STEEZIEST LOOPS ALIVE |
| WINNING TRICK | ANYTHING INTO BLIND |
Q&A
How has training been in Brazil? I took off toeside all day long
We hear you lost your luggage coming home from Brazil – did you manage to get it back in time for KOTA? No, I’m only here with 1 kite and 1 board, lol
Do you consider yourself a competition rider? God no, I like video parts
How do you feel about being the only boots rider in the event? Proud. #bootsandloops
What gear are you planning to ride in KOTA – what’s so great about the Flare? Flare has got a lot of rocker with is good for soft landings
What wind conditions are you hoping for this year? Less than Cold Hawaii please!
What advantage will that give you? I might be able to unhook…
