Red Bull Megaloop 2025: Storm day, new champions — and 10 riders spotted on Orca fins

Noordwijk delivered classic Megaloop chaos and history. Here’s who won, what conditions were like, and which athletes we spotted riding Orca fins — plus why the fin choice matters when the kite’s at 12 o’clock and the board is screaming down the face.

Key takeaways

• Winners: Lorenzo Casati (Men) and Zara Hoogenraad (Women). Andrea Principi and Cohan van Dijk completed the men’s podium; Nathalie Lambrecht and Alessa Mensch completed the women’s podium.
• When & where: Noordwijk, Netherlands; storm-triggered window with gusts into the 45–50 kn range and heavy North Sea chop.
• Why fin choice matters: in 35–50 kn and side-onshore chop, kiteboarding fins that hold edge and generate a clean release translate into more control, more pop, and safer landings — exactly what big air fins must deliver.

Conditions & context

Megaloop returned to Noordwijk with a storm-triggered call. The beach looked like a wind tunnel: near-gale winds, stacked swell, and unpredictable kickers lining up on outer sand bars. Broadcast highlights showed riders timing late loops off broken peaks and landing deep in the troughs. In short: the kind of day where equipment and edging technique decide the heat. When you’re charging down a lump at 40+ km/h and the kite is low, any slide costs height — this is where well-tuned kiteboarding fins stop the rail from washing and turn speed into usable pop.

Champions on Orca fins

Both 2025 Red Bull Megaloop champions competed on Orca fins: Lorenzo Casati (Men) and Zara Hoogenraad (Women). In stormy 45–50 kn side‑onshore conditions, the extra edge hold and clean release helped them load late loops and ride out fast landings.

Results

Men: 1) Lorenzo Casati, 2) Andrea Principi, 3) Cohan van Dijk.
Women: 1) Zara Hoogenraad, 2) Nathalie Lambrecht, 3) Alessa Mensch.

Spotted on Orca fins (10)

Beach and stream checks confirmed ten athletes riding Orca fins at Megaloop 2025: Lorenzo Casati, Jeremy Burlando, Cohan van Dijk, Giel Vlugt, Jason van der Spuy, Luca Ceruti, Jett Bradshaw, Josué San Ferreira, Zara Hoogenraad, and Hugo Wigglesworth. That’s a serious cross-section of loop powerhouses trusting the same fin profile when conditions turn savage.

Why Orca fins are the right call for Megaloop

Grip to hold a lower kite angle. Megaloops demand brutal, committed edging. Orca fins give you the bite to stay locked even through side-chop — crucial when loading for late loops and board-off variations.

Clean, early release for pop. The dual-radii outline helps you accelerate and snap off the kicker without scrubbing speed, turning line tension into height. On storm days a clean release isn’t hype; it’s what separates a caught-edge crash from a floaty catch.

Stability on high-speed landings. Extra hold on touchdown keeps the board tracking instead of skipping, buying you precious milliseconds to redirect and ride out.

Smarter upgrade. Swap fins, not your whole board — a fast path to more control and bigger jumps for intermediate to advanced riders. If you’re progressing into loops, pairing your twin-tip with big air fins is the most cost-effective change you can make.

Test OrcaFin big air fins on your next storm day — more grip, cleaner takeoffs.
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Heat notes & highlights

Men’s super-final: Casati edged Principi and van Dijk in a three-up shootout. His biggest number came from a late-steering loop variation that held line tension all the way through the bottom of the arc. Watch the entry speed — he commits to the rail early, lets the board track, then releases clean. That’s fins doing work.

Women’s landmark: the first women’s Megaloop champion — Zara Hoogenraad — wrote her name in storm ink. A mix of boogie/loop scores and full-power crashes set the tone. She found the right kickers and, crucially, kept landings tidy in white-water. Control on touchdown is where kiteboarding fins earn their keep.

Mini setup check: how fins change the ride

In messy, side-onshore 40–50 kn, many riders bump fin size by 5 mm. That small change increases edge bite and keeps the board planted when you’re accelerating into a loop. With Orca fins, the outline and angle help resist side-slip without feeling draggy, so you carry more speed into takeoff. More speed + more control + cleaner release = more height. If you’re stuck between sizes, err bigger for storms and smaller for flat-water training.

Pro tips for storm sessions

• Size fins to the day. Underpowered and flatter? Smaller can be faster. Nuking wind and messy chop? Stepping up increases bite and confidence.
• Commit to the edge. Hips stacked over heels, shoulders square, eyes upwind before the send — the fins only work if you load them.
• Land with purpose. Point downwind on touchdown and let the fins track before edging back up.
• Board speed = safety. Enter the kicker fast, exit faster — clean release beats sliding any day.

Photo highlights

FAQ

What’s the main difference vs stock fins?
Stock fins mostly stabilize tracking. Orca Fins are engineered to perform: the dual-radii curved profile and angled surface generate downforce, improving grip, control, and jump height—especially in chop and strong wind.

Do fins really increase jump height?
Indirectly. Better grip + cleaner release = more line tension and pop, which helps you go higher.

What’s the fastest upgrade path for loops?
Keep your board, change the fins. It’s inexpensive, immediate, and pairs well with stance tweaks and slightly longer lines.

Conclusion

Megaloop 2025 delivered new champions and a storm clinic in edge control. If your goal is bigger, cleaner loops with well-tuned kiteboarding fins, Orca fins deliver the grip and release that translate directly into height and consistency.

Ready for your next storm session? Upgrade your twin-tip with Orca big air fins and feel the difference on your very first edge.
Shop OrcaFin →
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