Red Bull Finds its King of the (Georgian) Rock 2015
The best one-on-one streetballer of Georgia was decided on 2 August on Metekhi Bridge in Tbilisi. The event is annual and was held for the fourth time in Georgia.
26-year old professional basketball player Vakhtang Kadaria came out as winner of the Red Bull King of the Rock (Georgia) for third time in a row, winning 9:0 against Irakli Jankhoteli in the final.
Both winners were awarded with Aspria sport hall’s unlimited season tickets and vouchers from Sports Medicine Clinic. The winner also got a ticket to Istanbul to compete against the world’s toughest basketball players at the Red Bull King of the Rock World Final.
“It is going to be my third World Final,” Kadaria said. “The reason I lost last year is that I underestimated my competitors. This year I did my best to prepare well. I really wanted to win. My dream is to bring the World Final 2016 to Georgia. I will prepare physically and mentally. I will do my gym trainings regularly and play as much streetball as possible.”
The epic battle to crown the 2015 Red Bull King and Queen of the Rock will be held in Turkey’s historical capital city on August 29, during which time the world’s toughest basketball players will meet and battle until only one is left standing for the title.
The World Finals are always held in the country of origin of the previous year’s winner. This year 2014 champion Kivanз Dinler bought championship to his motherland.
After 54 qualifying events taking place around the world, Istanbul will bring together 32 Red Bull King of the Rock finalists from 23 countries to face off on the rooftop of the historic Beykoz Leather and Shoe Factory with an amazing view over the Bosporus.
What’s more, the world’s eight toughest Red Bull Queen of the Rock will participate in the epic battle for the Queen’s crown on August 29.
The battle will follow a straightforward concept where players will battle head-to-head in raw outdoor basketball, using a single-elimination tournament bracket. Games will last five minutes and are subject to regulation hoops rules and scoring (two and three pointers). Players will have to be tough to make it to the finals, but will also have to play smart – five fouls equal an automatic loss. After each game, the loser will walk away, and the winner will face his next opponent.
“It‘s a challenging and very tough competition. One-on-one basketball is based 30% on talent and 70% on strength. Therefore, I’m looking forward to meeting the world’s toughest basketball players in my home country,” said 2014 champion, Dinler.
The 32 Red Bull King of the Rock finalists will include players from Angola, Argentina, Belarus, France, Italy, Kazakhstan Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, Tunisia, USA, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Georgia, Japan, and Jordan. The 8 female finalists will consist of players from Taiwan, Angola, Russia, Lebanon, Hong Kong and Turkey.
Past years Kings of Rock are: 2010 - Isaiah” Clutch “Bowman; 2011-2012 - “Baby Shaq”; 2013 - Tarron “The Beast” Williams; 2014 - Kivanз Dinler.
The Red Bull King of the Rock Georgia was supported by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia, the Georgian Basketball Federation, the National Federation of the Sport for All and the Mayor’s Office of Tbilisi.
Tatia Megeneishvili