Defending champions Lorenzo Casati and Nathalie Lambrecht return, joined by Taiwan Qualifier winners Hugo Wigglesworth and Alessa Sophia Mensch.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, 5 November 2026: The fleet is set. Red Bull King of the Air has confirmed its rider list for the 2026 finals at Kite Beach, Bloubergstrand, within a weather window from 21 November to 6 December.
Defending champions Lorenzo Casati and Nathalie Lambrecht lead the list. Two new names have earned their places the hard way: Taiwan Qualifier winners Hugo Wigglesworth and Alessa Sophia Mensch.
“The selection process for King of the Air is becoming increasingly challenging. The overall level of riding continues to rise, and a new generation of young, ambitious athletes is emerging, hungry for results and eager to push the boundaries of performance,” said Red Bull King of the Air Sportive Director Sergio Cantagalli.
Lorenzo Casati arrives as the reigning King of the Air. In 2025 he won his second title with 34.02 points in a 15-minute, three-rider final against his younger brother. Leonardo Casati scored 31.12 on his event debut and, at 16 years, five months and 16 days, became the youngest finalist in King of the Air history, breaking a record set by Jamie Overbeek in 2022.
The Netherlands’ Cohan van Dijk completed the podium with 27.18. All three are back, along with Overbeek.
Wigglesworth, the world number one in Big Air Hydrofoil, makes his King of the Air debut after a come-from-behind win in a typhoon-hit final in Hsinchu. Germany’s Finn Flügel and Marten Koblischke shared that final with him.
South Africa has two riders on home water: Luca Ceruti, the first South African on the King of the Air podium (third in 2024), and Jason van der Spuy. The United States sends Zac Adams and Parker Sage. Timo Boersema (Netherlands), Jeremy Burlando (Spain), Maxwell Dahl (Denmark), Josué San De Carvalho (Brazil), Clement Huot (France), Yücel Paralik (Turkey) and Shahar Tsabary (Portugal) complete the Open Division.
Five riders are confirmed in the Women’s Division, with the sixth place still to play for. Nathalie Lambrecht defends the title she won in 2025, edging the Netherlands’ Zara Hoogenraad by 0.55 points (26.92 to 26.37) in one of the closest women’s finals in event history.
Hoogenraad is back, alongside Taiwan winner Mensch, Britain’s Francesca Maini, the first Women’s Division champion in 2024, and Egypt’s Sarah Sadek. The final place goes to the winner of a Challenger Round between Slovenia’s Lana Herman, who took third in 2025 with 23.73 points after arriving as an injury replacement, Brazil’s Mikaili Sol and Bulgaria’s Aya Kasabova.
Mensch, the Taiwan winner, had her first session after a long injury layoff the day before the competition, then beat Sadek and finished the day in tears. She has trained in South Africa for years and thinks of it as home. With one qualifier this year instead of three, every place carried more weight.
The fleet comes from four routes: riders pre-selected from last year’s results, the winners in Taiwan, a combined selection built from the video contest and the Taiwan Qualifier ranking, and the Challenger Round.
“The results of this year’s video contest, carefully reviewed by the entire judging panel, have already highlighted a clear evolution in the selection process,” said Cantagalli. “We are seeing increasingly sophisticated video productions, with greater attention to detail and a high level of technical execution. That reflects not only the progression of the riders but also the growing competitiveness of the discipline as a whole.”
“Results from the Qualifier Tour have always played a crucial role in the selection process. Otherwise, what would be the purpose of having qualifiers in the first place? Beyond the winner who earns a direct spot, the overall ranking must also be taken into consideration. With only one qualifier this year compared to three last season, the Taiwan event inevitably carries significantly more weight in the overall selection process.”
Video identifies talent and progression, Cantagalli says, while live competition shows how a rider handles real pressure, which is why the two are combined. King of the Air also remains an invitational event, with Red Bull and its selection committee having the final say.
Organisers will call the competition days within the window when Cape Town’s wind and swell are at their best. All of the action streams live on Red Bull TV, and entry to Kite Beach is free.
“This edition is another step forward in the evolution of King of the Air, bringing new names, fresh energy and new tools into the process,” said Cantagalli. “Those elements encourage progression, raise competitive standards and help shape the next generation of riders who will define the future of the discipline.”
Red Bull King of the Air 2026
- Dates: 21 November to 6 December 2026 (weather window)
- Location: Kite Beach, Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa
- Entry: Free to spectate
- Live updates: Red Bull King of the Air
2026 Rider List — Open Division
Pre-selected
- Lorenzo Casati, Italy, 2025 champion
- Leonardo Casati, Italy, 2025 runner-up
- Cohan van Dijk, Netherlands, 2025 third place
Taiwan Qualifier winner
- Hugo Wigglesworth, New Zealand
Combined rider selection (alphabetical order)
- Zac Adams, United States
- Timo Boersema, Netherlands
- Jeremy Burlando, Spain
- Luca Ceruti, South Africa, 2024 third place
- Maxwell Dahl, Denmark
- Josué San De Carvalho, Brazil
- Finn Flügel, Germany
- Clement Huot, France
- Marten Koblischke, Germany
- Jamie Overbeek, Netherlands
- Yücel Paralik, Turkey
- Parker Sage, United States
- Shahar Tsabary, Portugal
- Jason van der Spuy, South Africa
2026 Rider List — Women’s Division
Pre-selected
- Nathalie Lambrecht, Sweden, 2025 champion
Taiwan Qualifier winner
- Alessa Sophia Mensch, Germany
Combined rider selection (alphabetical order)
- Zara Hoogenraad, Netherlands, 2025 runner-up
- Francesca Maini, United Kingdom, 2024 champion
- Sarah Sadek, Egypt, Taiwan Qualifier finalist
Challenger Round
- Lana Herman, Slovenia, 2025 third place
- Aya Kasabova, Bulgaria
- Mikaili Sol, Brazil
Image credit: Wayne Richie, Red Bull Content Pool.
