No, this is not 'photoshopped'...

When Ruben Lenten designs a competition, you know its going to be big. This week in Zandvoort, Holland, 16 crazy kiteboarders took to the water in a bid to see who has the biggest loop. The biggest, the fastest and the hardest looper went home with the prize, a ticket to the Red Bull King of the Air event in Cape Town, South Africa.

This challenge was called the Mega-Loop Challenge, so what makes a mega-loop a mega-loop? It's no ordinary kite-loop that's for sure. In fact it's officially characterised by Ruben Lenten himself: “A megaloop is when you go full circle with the kite – right through the power zone."

It might sound like a normal kite loop from the description, but these guys are talking about 20m high, full power, level-with-the-kite, loops! Speculation online suggest that the best way to characterise a “mega loop” from a “kite loop” is the initial height of the jump before the loop. Heights of over 15m are considered acceptably high; as are extremely powerful loops where the rider gets close to the level of the kite in mid air.

With big moves like this, come even bigger crashes. Check out the video below to see one of the hardest hits we’ve found in the sport so far, then watch the full movie to get an idea of how high these guys are going.

At the end of the day. It was Jerrie Van de Kop who walked away with the win, earning him a trip to Cape Town next year for the Red Bull King of the air event. We can’t wait to see how he stacks up against some of the worlds best kiteboarders there, and will we get an Aussie amongst the action this time?

For those of you who’re keen on giving this a go yourself, well, use these tips at your own discretion.

Tip 1: Big winds, small kites. 30 knots and a 7m kite will do it. 40 knots and a 7m is even better.

Tip 2: Jump high, but loop early. Don’t be a wimp and wait for your descent to loop. Pull it, loop it and have faith that your kite will catch you.

Tip 3: Your kite won’t always catch you. Keep the kite turning through the full loop mid air, or you’re going to land like the guy below.

Tip 4: Use a wave for extra boost. It’s impossible to do a really high mega-loop without something to kick you up there.

Tip 5: Whatever you do, don’t lose the board while you’re up there… In fact wear bindings. Do them up tight.