Kitesurf365 Podcast: A Christmas Call With DK | Episode #418
Podcast: Kitesurf365
Host: Adrian Kerr
Guest: Dave K (DK)
Release Date: December 24, 2025
Episode Overview
This special "Christmas Call" episode is a relaxed, year-end catch-up between Adrian Kerr and Dave K ("DK"), concluding the 2025 season. While technical issues push the usual “TechCast” format into chaos—with recording platforms failing left and right—the vibe is light-hearted and festive. The pair reflect on the big moments in kiteboarding this year, dig into the technical evolution of gear, share behind-the-scenes stories from major events like King of the Air, and look at the next generation of young, up-and-coming riders. While not a standard TechCast, the episode serves as a grateful sign-off for loyal listeners and a preview of what’s to come in 2026.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Technical Turmoil and Holiday Vibes
- Multiple recording platforms crashed; the episode is eventually recorded via a WhatsApp call.
- Adrian and DK joke about the “least TechCast ever” and share their exhaustion after a busy season.
- Adrian plans to take a brief break after wrapping up a couple more podcasts before Christmas.
"I'm having some technical issues, man. My online studios decided to pack up... I ended up having to call DK on WhatsApp. It's a pretty funny way to end the year." —Adrian (00:20)
2. Cape Town, Wind, and Christmas Plans (02:00–04:00)
- Adrian shares weekend wind forecasts in Cape Town—leading to a change in holiday travel plans.
- Discussion of an exceptionally windy season, benefitting athletes' King of the Air training.
“If I could predict the wind months in advance, I'd be a millionaire. We were very, very lucky with the season this year.” —Adrian (03:53)
3. King of the Air: Rumors, Red Bull Decisions, & Livestreams (04:00–09:00)
- They discuss unconfirmed rumors of Red Bull executives attending King of the Air and whether event timing is influenced by maximizing livestream viewership on weekdays.
- Importance and secrecy of actual livestream viewership numbers.
“Red Bull like... eyeballs on the live feed is the payback... running the event on a weekday gets ten times more viewership than a Sunday.” —Adrian (05:44)
4. Behind the Scenes: Logistics of King of the Air (09:00–11:00)
- Immense technical and logistical effort for live coverage, compared to single-rider events like Red Bull Rampage.
- The challenges of live filming with multiple riders and unpredictable conditions.
- Adrian talks about his first stint in beach commentary for the event.
“It's probably one of the hardest things to do well... to film a live kiteboarding event and put out an effective livestream is just insanely difficult.” —Adrian (07:51)
“It's not just some dude with a few laptops... I think there's probably three or four big media trucks, and that's not including the gear trucks.” —Dave K (09:08)
5. Foil Revolution & Technical Gear Talk (11:34–18:00)
- DK and Adrian break down Hugo Wigglesworth’s record-setting 40-meter hydrofoil jump, the gear used (17m lines, F-One hydrofoil), and impact on Woo leaderboards.
- Consideration of splitting the Woo leaderboards for different gear.
- Discussion about the role of board size in landings and the trend towards technical optimization for huge jumps.
"The top three jumps of all time on Woo are now hydrofoils... The discussion of splitting the leaderboards sounds valid to me." —Adrian (12:37)
“All three of them are using that same F1 setup, different boards... Actually, Hugo rides quite a lot of a bigger board.” —Dave K (16:35)
6. Competition, Commentating, and Scoring (18:51–24:20)
- Insights into how hydrofoil competitors were scored at King of the Air, and how judges’ perspectives and gear choices affect results.
- Details about commentary dynamics and how viewing angles change perception of riders’ tricks.
- The shift in gear development, e.g., return to more powerful and higher jumping kites for King of the Air, rather than those optimized just for spin or technical tricks.
“King of the Air is about raw power. So... just amazing to see a hydrofoil in that competition and going head to head.” —Adrian (19:27)
"The XR8 in King of the Air is the easiest kite... the same kites our top riders use in competition, you can buy retail because they are the easiest to do that thing on.” —Adrian (38:10)
7. Longevity, Veteran Competitors, and The New Generation (24:20–33:15)
- Reflecting on veterans like Kevin Langeree and Aaron Hadlow staying relevant in their 30s, paralleled with examples like Kelly Slater and LeBron James.
- The impact of COVID-19 changing the rider landscape and the "generation change" shift.
- Spotlight on the new South African talents, Damo and Leo Rolf, who have rapidly progressed in under two years.
- Modern gear safety and accessibility as a factor in youth participation.
“All of the current fleet have years available to them, as long as they remain relevant and fit.” —Adrian (26:11)
"There is a whole new, super motivated, super talented set of young riders coming in the Cape Town scene right now who could really change up the competitive landscape." —Adrian (29:06)
“Bro, they're not stopping. They're coming, they're coming in force and you can't stop them.” —Dave K (33:15)
Notable Quotes and Moments
-
On Event Logistics:
“It's not just some dude with a few laptops, you know, and a thousand cables running into it... It's pretty impressive.” —Dave K (09:08) -
On Hydrofoil Jumps:
“The most interesting choice that Hugo made... was to go down to 17 meter lines... Those shorter lines definitely cut your hang time.” —Adrian (13:48) -
On Gear Progression:
“Both Hill and Zara were riding XR8s, not paces, in the event... They're the kites that jump as high as possible.” —Adrian (35:43) -
On New Young Riders:
"I remember riding with them... at Makassar when they were on old second-hand wave kites, and being really impressed with just their energy... and now... these kids have got some talent." —Adrian (31:50)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00-01:12 — Technical issues start the episode off on a comic note
- 02:00-04:00 — Adrian's holiday plans and Cape Town wind
- 04:00-09:00 — King of the Air gossip, Red Bull, and livestream rationale
- 09:00-11:11 — Event logistics, media trucks, and commentary challenges
- 11:34-18:51 — Hydrofoil “Woo” jumps, gear geek-out, evolution in equipment
- 18:51-24:20 — Scoring, judging and technical gear dynamics
- 24:20-29:06 — Athlete career span, Covid's impact, generational change
- 29:06-33:15 — The next wave: Young South African talents
- 33:15-38:10 — Gear safety & accessibility, industry trends
- 38:24–end — Wrap-up, heartfelt thanks, and plans for 2026
Farewell & Looking Forward
Both hosts wrap up with gratitude for the community and tease new topics for next year:
“Thank you to all the listeners and thank you to everybody who came up to see me in and around King of the Air. It’s quite a thing for me to have all of these, like, I’ve got fans of this little thing that you and I started. And to have so many people tell us that they really do is amazing.” —DK (38:59)
The podcast will be back in January, with lots more technical deep-dives and big-picture discussion.
For Listeners:
This episode is a great listen both for the in-the-weeds gear insights of Big Air kiteboarding—and the broader backdrop of a community that’s always evolving, full of stories, and ready for whatever 2026 brings.