Mount Maunganui kiteboarder Marc Jacobs has gone from 19th to third in the world in the space of 12 months, thanks to impressive and consistent performances on the kiteboarding pro circuit this year.
The New Zealand champion placed second last week in the Kitesurf Pro competition in New Caledonia, taking down current world number one Youri Zoon on the way. He pushed Spanish rider Alex Pastor, the world number two, close in the finals but was marginally beaten.
The 22-year-old Jacobs, a relative new comer to the world tour, is a three-time New Zealand junior champion and four-time New Zealand open men's freestyle champion.
Result from men's kiteboarding freestyle competition in Noumea, New Caledonia last week:
Alex Pastor (ESP), 1; Marc Jacobs (NZ), 2; Youri Zoon (NED), 3.
Men's freestyle world rankings:
Youri Zoon (NED), 1; Alex Pastor (ESP), 2; Marc Jacobs (NZ), 3.
