Aaron Hadlow: going big at Cape Town's Big Bay | Photo: Black/Red Bull

Aaron Hadlow has successfully defended the Red Bull King of the Air title, in Cape Town, South Africa.

The British kiteboarder put on a clinic performance and stole the show in front of 13,000 fans, who gathered to watch the world's best big air riders hit the skies.

Hadlow, Jesse Richman, Kevin Langeree, and Reno Romeu displayed their best tricks in the spectacular final, with Table Mountain as the backdrop. Richman had a shot at victory, but Aaron would become the first kiteboarder to win the Red Bull King of the Air two times.

"You can never expect how it's going to go in the final and to be there with two past champions; I really had to go for it. I mixed it up, did some big kite loops and landed my mega loop KGB, which also helped me win last year," said Aaron Hadlow.

"The combination of the big waves with the strong wind made such a difference - it was an epic final. It's insane to see how many people come down and how much energy the crowd gives you. There's no better way to start the year than with this win."

It was definitely one of the tightest finals of all time. In the end, Jesse Richman finished runner-up, Langeree kept third, and Romeu took fourth. The event's "Mystic Best Move" award went to Langeree for his kite loop front roll, inverted one foot.

Red Bull King of the Air 2016 | Final

1. Aaron Hadlow (UK)
2. Jesse Richman (USA)
3. Keving Langeree (NED)
4. Reno Romeu (BRA)

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