Kitesurf365: Kimo Verkerk | Episode #413

Date: November 17, 2025
Host: Adrian Kerr
Guest: Kimo Verkerk

Episode Overview

In this episode, Adrian Kerr sits down with Dutch kiteboarder Kimo Verkerk, celebrating his first-time qualification for Red Bull King of the Air (KOTA) in Cape Town. The conversation offers an in-depth look at Kimo’s journey from freestyle aspirations to Big Air, the camaraderie among Dutch competitors, the evolution of competition formats, and insights into Kimo’s mindset as he prepares for his debut at kiteboarding’s most prestigious event. Also discussed are the rising scene in the Netherlands, judging controversies, and life as a part of the close-knit Slingshot team.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Build-up to King of the Air & Arrival in Cape Town

• Preparation & Arrival
  • Kimo arrived in Cape Town two weeks ago to begin focused preparations for KOTA.
  • Kimo: "Already had quite some good sessions here and yeah, this week is looking on fire. We have I think seven days of good wind in the forecast, so that's perfect to train for the King of the Air." [01:11]
• Living Arrangements
  • Staying with friends and fellow riders (Timo, Jenne) in the same house as last year.
  • The sense of community and training together builds camaraderie and push among the riders. [01:42]

2. Kimo’s Journey and Transition to Big Air

• From Caddy to Rider
  • Previously acted as a caddy at KOTA for Jeremy and Zach for multiple years, gaining valuable behind-the-scenes experience.
  • Kimo: "I was a caddy for Jeremy the past three years, and last year for Zach because Jeremy was not in it. And so, yeah, now I'm super stoked that I'm not a caddy anymore, man." [02:06]
• The Value of Being a Caddy
  • Adrian highlights how caddying shapes a rider’s readiness for big events.
  • Adrian: "You get to be in that inner circle, you know. There's something about being in that rider’s area that is pretty special." [02:21]
• Shifting Disciplines
  • Kimo started as a freestyle rider, only transitioning to Big Air about three and a half years ago when Slingshot’s kite development improved.
  • Kimo: "Until I think, three and a half years ago, I kind of switched to Big Air... and that also really motivated me to change my discipline a bit, go away from freestyle and start doing the big air." [03:46–04:17]

3. Dutch Scene, Friendship, and Training Culture

• The “Duchies” Represent
  • Seven Dutch riders (including women Heleen Cohen) are competing at KOTA this year—a testament to the strength of kiteboarding in the Netherlands.
  • Kimo: "We're all super dedicated to just have fun and do well in kiteboarding." [08:00]
• Conditions in Holland
  • Discusses both the strengths and challenges of the Dutch kite scene: less wind than it used to have, making every session and international trip count even more.
  • Kimo: "We had maybe three or four days of proper, proper wind this year that was like mega loop." [08:40]
• Rising Stars and Youth Involvement
  • Not as many competitions for young riders as there used to be, affecting the development of the next generation.
  • Kimo: "When I was 12, 13, there were a lot of freestyle competitions, I think almost like five or six a year. That slowly went away." [12:22]

4. Team Dynamics with Slingshot

• Support System
  • All Slingshot team members (Jeremy, Zach, Kimo) are in Cape Town, training and supporting each other for KOTA.
  • Kimo: "We travel together. I did quite some trips with Jeremy also in the past... So, yeah, it's super cool that we're now all together in the event and representing Slingshot." [03:14]
• Caddying and Crew Support
  • Jacopo and the Slingshot crew will be supporting Kimo as caddies. [02:52]

5. Competition Experience and Lord of Tram

• Breakthrough Performance
  • Recounts the success at Lord of Tram, including semifinals finish.
  • Kimo: "Lord of Tram went super well for us. Me, Stino and Timo, we went there to train. We ended up staying two and a half weeks because it was windy every day." [05:02–05:58]
• Adaptation and Getting “Dialed” in New Spots
  • Experience, especially at recurrent spots like Cape Town and Gran Canaria, helps to get quickly acclimated. [06:17]

6. King of the Air Selection and Qualifying

• Process of Getting in
  • Kimo was anxiously checking for his invitation until the confirmation arrived via email.
  • Kimo: "I was just refreshing my email the whole time and it didn't come through... but then I got home and I got good wifi and then I saw the email. So yeah, then I was just super stoked." [07:01]
• Qualifying Series vs. Video Entry
  • Prefers live qualifier events, as it’s a more tangible way to prove oneself rather than video submissions.
  • Kimo: "I think it's really cool to have all these qualifiers because then you can just fight for the win. You know, it's not just send a video and maybe you get lucky with a good gust." [10:35]
• Selection Surprises & Dutch Reactions
  • Expressed surprise over Jamie Overbeek's absence; the Dutch pro chat was full of speculation and confusion.
  • Kimo: "Everyone was super confused why he was not in. And yeah, everyone had their reason why he wasn't in, but, yeah, no one really knew." [11:50]

7. Style, Progression, and Competition Strategies

• Freestyle vs. Big Air Flavor
  • Kimo sees his own riding as a mix between technically driven riders (like Zach) and the power/stylish approach (like Jeremy).
  • Kimo: "I can do some technical stuff, but I really like to go big and try to go as high as possible, send the kite low." [04:26]
• Approach to Tricks at KOTA
  • Plans to stick to his strengths, going for big single loops rather than focusing on doubles in current conditions.
  • Kimo: "I just enjoyed way more to go on the eight. Since we have such a good eight meter... it's just so much fun to ride it in 40, 45 knots." [15:33]
• Judging, Scoring, and Impressions
  • Openly discusses the impression score system, noting its benefits and frustrations, but accepts it encourages a fuller variety of tricks.
  • Kimo: "I think it's nice so people do a lot more different stuff instead of just doing four of the same tricks." [21:51]

8. Team Sponsors and Support

• Brunotti Partnership
  • Kimo rides with Brunotti (Dutch brand) instead of Ride Engine, attracted by local connection and the opportunity for more personal support.
  • Kimo: "They can support me really good. It makes a lot of sense... gave me a bit more opportunities." [14:06]
• Sponsor’s Role in Career Building
  • The Brunotti team, especially Kathleen, actively helps with content and planning for career growth. [14:39]

9. Personal, Family, and Community Aspects

• Family Support
  • This KOTA event will be the first live international competition attended by his mother; his father previously helped out at Lord of Tram.
  • Kimo: "My mother never went to an international kiteboarding competition so that's also really cool. My dad was at Lord of Tram, he was also helping me with all the scores. So for me, that really helps also to stay calm, you know." [24:23]
• Vacancy (Home Spot) and Dutch Beaches
  • Adrian and Kimo discuss why major competitions don’t happen in Kimo’s home spot, Vacancy, despite its quality.
  • Kimo: "You need like the perfect direction... The beach there is super long... but for a competition you want to have like a restaurant... it's just a lot easier to do it at Zandvoort, for example, or Noordwijk." [25:40]

10. Future Aims and Event Strategy

• KOTA Goals
  • Main aim: gain experience, not put undue pressure on himself, go big, have fun.
  • Kimo: "Since this is my first time, I don't want to put too much pressure on it. I also want to enjoy it a bit and see how it's working." [10:06]
• Heat Strategy
  • Will start heats conservatively, try to get into a flow with familiar tricks, and adjust if necessary.
  • Kimo: "Just start off easy... try to do the same heat every heat... for example, if you’re third or something, or second, you have to take a lot of risk." [23:06]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Finally Making KOTA:
  "Now I'm super stoked that I'm not a caddy anymore, man." — Kimo [02:06]
• On Dutch Presence at KOTA:
  "I like to call you guys the three O's, you know, Stino, Timo, Chemo... pretty awesome to have seven Duchies in the event." — Adrian [07:40]
• On Rarity of Good Dutch Wind:
  "You can have like two months of no wind or not like no wind, but maybe maximum 16, 17 knots... for big air, you need like at least 35." — Kimo [08:40]
• On The Youth Scene:
  "There are some guys that are still quite young... but for now it's just us from our age. And I think that's also because there are not really a lot of competitions anymore in Holland." — Kimo [12:22]
• On Judging Impression Scores:
  "I think it's nice so people do a lot more different stuff... That also makes you push to go, for example, to the right as well, to do one or two tricks to the right at a board flip or at a tick tock." — Kimo [21:51]
• On Goals for King of the Air:
  "Just to experience it now, how it works and just have fun." — Kimo [27:14]

Highlighted Timestamps

• 00:00–01:40: Arrival in Cape Town, training conditions, and accommodation.
• 02:06: Kimo reflects on moving from caddy to competitor.
• 03:46–04:17: Switching from freestyle to Big Air discipline.
• 05:02–05:58: Lord of Tram performance and training story.
• 07:01: Recounting the moment he received his KOTA invitation.
• 08:00–08:40: Dutch kiteboarding culture and wind conditions.
• 10:06: Goals and expectations for first KOTA appearance.
• 10:35: Preference for live qualifiers over video submissions.
• 11:50: Dutch pros react to Jamie Overbeek’s KOTA omission.
• 14:06–14:39: Choosing to ride with Brunotti.
• 15:33–16:38: Technical approach, kite quiver choices, preference for big single loops vs. double loops.
• 21:51: Embracing impression/variety scoring.
• 23:06: Strategic mindset for competition heats.
• 24:23: Family involvement in his kiteboarding journey.
• 25:40: Local challenges to hosting major comps at his home beach.
• 27:14: Final takeaways and the importance of fun and experience.

Tone & Vibe

The conversation is open, friendly, and practical—full of camaraderie between Dutch riders, respect for kiteboarding’s roots in the Netherlands, and a grounded commitment to personal progression. Kimo’s attitude is positive, humble, and focused on both community and enjoyment—the spirit underpinning many successful athletes' stories.