The 2025 Red Bull King of the Air delivered a fairytale finish at Kite Beach, Bloubergstrand, as Italian brothers Lorenzo and Leonardo Casati battled in an unprecedented all-sibling final — while South Africa celebrated a powerful showing from its homegrown athletes.
Local standout Luca Ceruti delivered one of the nation’s strongest performances of the day, finishing fourth overall after narrowly missing a spot in the final during a tight semifinal showdown with Leonardo Casati.
A family affair for the ages
The 15-minute, three-rider final delivered nonstop action and emotional intensity.
Lorenzo (20) clinched victory with 34.02 points, holding off a fierce challenge from his 16-year-old brother Leonardo (31.12), while Dutch rider Cohan van Dijk rounded out the podium with 27.18.
Leonardo’s runner-up finish was extraordinary: not only was it his debut at King of the Air, but at 16 years, five months, and 16 days, he became the youngest finalist in event history, surpassing Jamie Overbeek’s 2022 record.
For much of the heat, the younger Casati looked poised to steal the crown. His smooth execution and high-scoring tricks placed immense pressure on his older brother. But Lorenzo, drawing on championship experience, answered with a decisive kiteloop-boardloop combo, followed by a massive late-heat move at 17:39 that effectively sealed the win. He added two final tricks at the buzzer to capture his second King of the Air title.
“It’s the best to share it with my brother and father – a dream come true,” Lorenzo told TygerBurger, visibly emotional. “I have to thank my dad – without him I wouldn’t be here today – and thanks to my sponsors and the public here.”
Their father, watching from the sand, witnessed a moment that transcended the sport – years of dedication culminating in a shared family triumph.
Women’s Division: Lambrecht takes the crown
If the Open Division was about family legacy, the Women’s final was defined by razor-thin margins and fierce competitive drive.
Sweden’s Nathalie Lambrecht edged out Zara Hoogenraad of the Netherlands by just 0.55 points (26.92 to 26.37) in one of the closest Women’s finals on record.
Slovenia’s Lana Herman, who entered the event as an injury replacement, stunned spectators with a breakout performance to claim third.
Hoogenraad pushed Lambrecht to the limit, but the Swede’s precision and consistency – highlighted by a standout 7.52-point KiteLoop Board Off – gave her the fractional edge she needed.
“This is amazing,” Lambrecht told the newspaper. “Thanks to my coach, my sponsors… I’m still trying to take this all in.”
Herman’s rise from alternate to podium finisher became one of the most inspiring stories of the event, proving that preparation meets opportunity when athletes least expect it.
New innovation: Real-time impression score
The 2025 edition introduced a groundbreaking advancement: the revamped live Impression Score, giving fans real-time insight into each rider’s style, trick execution, and variety.
The feature was widely praised for its transparency and added a new layer of drama to every heat – particularly in closely contested battles like both the Open and Women’s finals.
From defending champion Andrea Principi’s surprise elimination in Round 3, to Leonardo’s record-breaking debut, to Lambrecht’s razor-thin victory, the 2025 Red Bull King of the Air delivered every possible emotion.
Despite weather delays and abandoned heats, the event’s spirit remained unshaken. And when the wind finally arrived, it delivered a finale that will echo through Big Air history.
As Sports Director Sergio Cantagalli said at the start: “Unpredictable, but that’s Red Bull King of the Air.”
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