Before the Storm: King of the Air 2026

Alessa Sophia Mensch & Jason van der Spuy on what it takes to compete at the top

There's no shortage of pressure at Red Bull King of the Air. The wind is unpredictable, the competition unforgiving, and the expectations enormous. For Naish team rider Jason van der Spuy, Cape Town is home territory. He's competed in front of these crowds before, knows exactly what the conditions can deliver, and has spent the past year reshaping his riding to push further into the extreme.

For Alessa Sophia Mensch, earning her place on the starting list represents a milestone years in the making. After repeatedly finishing as first reserve, she finally secured her invitation by winning the King of the Air qualifier in Taiwan. Now, with both riders preparing to take on the world's best, their ambitions are clear. Jason wants a performance nobody will forget. Alessa wants the crown.

In Conversation with Jason & Alessa

01 / More Than a Competition

King of the Air is the biggest stage in Big Air kiteboarding. What does competing here mean to you personally, beyond the competition itself?

Jason van der Spuy:

"It's the biggest kiteboarding competition to ever exist and it's right on my doorstep."

For Jason, the significance of King of the Air goes beyond results. Cape Town is home, and few things compare to competing in front of the people who have supported him along the way.

"Regardless of result, every year I go out there in front of my home crowd, the screams and cheers are electric. It's the highest of highs for me."

Alessa Sophia Mensch:

For Alessa, this year's invitation represents the culmination of years spent chasing a place in the competition.

"Being one of just six female riders is a massive honour."

Since the women's division was introduced, Alessa had repeatedly come within touching distance of selection, only to finish as first reserve.

"So close, but never quite there."

Winning the qualifier in Taiwan changed everything.

"Deep down, I always knew I belonged there, but I still had to prove it."

Twelve months earlier, she'd made herself a promise to do everything possible to qualify.

"And I kept that promise."

For Alessa, that determination makes finally reaching the starting line feel like redemption.

"That's what makes this moment so special to me. It's about knowing how much work, determination, and belief went into earning that spot. And that means absolutely everything to me."

02 / Preparing for the Extreme

King of the Air demands a different level of riding. How have you been preparing, and what are you focusing on this year?

Jason van der Spuy:

Jason has spent the past year deliberately moving away from technicality and towards something more extreme.

"I've changed my riding over the past year to cater more towards extremity rather than technicality."

His approach is straightforward: shorter lines, more power and increasingly aggressive kite angles.

"Let's see if the wind delivers so that I can show everyone what I am capable of on my new kites."

Alessa Sophia Mensch:

Alessa's preparation has been shaped by the event's competition format and judging criteria.

"I've made a few adjustments to my preparation because of the different competition format."

While she's been focusing on specific tricks, her overall approach remains unchanged.

"Keep progressing, jump as high as possible, and bring as much power and extremity into my tricks as I can."

Off the water, she's increased her cardio training to prepare for the intensity of the free-for-all format.

"Which basically means 13 to 15 minutes of going full send!"

03 / Standing Out From the Rest

When you're competing against the world's best, what does it take to deliver a performance that stands out?

Jason van der Spuy:

For Jason, the answer isn't necessarily about landing the most technically difficult trick.

"Being unique and making the crowd feel alive."

He believes the riders who leave the biggest impression are those who bring something recognisably their own to the water.

"Riding different to the rest, whether it's your flow, style or just consistency, is all you need. Stand out and show them who you are."

Alessa Sophia Mensch:

Alessa shares that appreciation for individuality, but believes there's another side to delivering a winning performance.

"What it takes to stand out is honestly something every rider has to figure out for themselves."

She points to the influence of each rider's background, style, equipment and willingness to take risks.

"That's what makes it so interesting to watch, because you really get to see each rider's personality, their individual style, and how they connect with their gear."

But personality alone won't win a heat.

"At the end of the day, it comes down to who can deliver the best performance."

And in conditions as demanding as Cape Town, there's very little room for error.

"That means getting everything as close to perfect as possible."

04 / Trusting the Equipment

Cape Town is known for its powerful wind and demanding conditions. How important is having the right equipment, and what will your Naish setup look like?

Jason van der Spuy:

"It's everything. If you don't feel confident on your gear, you get nowhere."

Jason believes confidence in equipment is fundamental when competing at this level.

"You're up against the best of the best and they are all riding what they believe to be the best of the best. So you have to feel the same or if not more confident than the rest."

For this year's event, Jason will be riding the new 2027 Psycho NVision, paired with the Torque 3 bar and either a 134 or 138 Naish Drive.

Alessa Sophia Mensch:

For Alessa, the conditions in Cape Town make equipment reliability particularly important.

"The wind here is incredibly dense, which makes every kite feel so much more powerful. And with the waves acting as kickers, you can reach incredible heights."

But the additional height comes with greater consequences if something goes wrong.

"That's why safety is my biggest priority. Being able to fully trust my gear, especially my lines, is extremely important, and one thing I really trust about my Naish gear is its durability."

As for her competition setup, Alessa is still weighing up her options.

"I've tested the new Psycho NVision and absolutely fell in love with it."

The question is whether to compete on the new kite or stick with equipment she knows inside out.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see what I end up choosing!"

05 / Leaving a Mark

What are your goals heading into King of the Air 2026? Is it about the result, or is there something bigger you want to achieve?

Jason van der Spuy:

For Jason, the ambition is simple. He wants to deliver something people will still be talking about long after the event finishes.

"A performance that will leave a mark in everyone's minds."

He isn't defining success solely by a position on the podium. He wants his riding to be remembered.

"Every time they think back to this event, they think of, 'Jeez, remember the stuff that Jason was doing.' That's what I want."

Alessa Sophia Mensch:

"My goal is 100% to take that crown home. That's the dream."

But beyond the result, Alessa has another ambition, one rooted in the moment that first inspired her to pursue Big Air.

"When I watched Angely compete at King of the Air for the first time, I honestly couldn't believe my eyes."

Seeing a woman competing alongside the men in extreme conditions changed her perspective on what was possible.

"I was so inspired by her courage, skill, and the fact that she was the first woman to do it."

Alessa believes that moment helped inspire an entire generation of female riders to push harder and pursue opportunities that once seemed out of reach.

It's also why she takes such pride in the women's fleet today.

"We compete against each other, but we also support and push each other because we know we're working towards something bigger."

Now, she hopes to pass that inspiration on.

"So if one day I could be that person for someone else, not just in kiteboarding, but simply by showing someone that it's worth believing in yourself and chasing your dreams, that would mean the world to me."

"Because someone once inspired me to chase a dream that changed my life."

Everything to Prove

Two riders. Two different journeys. And one of the biggest stages in kiteboarding.

For Jason van der Spuy, King of the Air 2026 is an opportunity to show just how far he's pushed his riding, backed by the energy of a home crowd and a year spent preparing for the extreme.

For Alessa Sophia Mensch, it's the moment she's worked towards for years. A chance to turn determination into a result, and perhaps inspire the next generation of female Big Air riders along the way.

One wants to leave a mark. The other wants to take the crown.

Both understand that what happens in Cape Town could mean considerably more than a place on the podium.

Now, all that's left is for the wind to arrive.