On a windy summer afternoon at Kite Beach, a quiet but historic moment unfolded above the Atlantic, as nineteen-year-old New Zealander Hugo Wigglesworth launched himself into the sky and landed in the record books, becoming the first kitesurfer ever to clear the 40-metre mark.
The jump, recorded on 6 December, was officially measured at 40.00 metres and verified by WOO Sports, the global performance-tracking platform used across the sport, according to FLYSURFER.
It now stands as the highest kiteboarding jump ever logged, ending years of speculation about whether the so-called ’40-metre ceiling’ could be broken.
The conditions were demanding, as winds exceeded 40 knots, and the margin for error was slim. Riding a FLYSURFER SONIC⁵ with a 17-metre line setup, Wigglesworth timed the lift perfectly, rising above the familiar shoreline of Cape Town’s Kite Beach, a location already synonymous with big-air progression.
‘I’ve dreamed about this for years,’ Wigglesworth said afterwards. ‘I knew I could do it, I just needed the right day, the right gear, and the right mindset.’
The record carries added weight given the context of his season. Earlier this year, Wigglesworth briefly held the world record before being overtaken by French rider Charles Brodel. Rather than stepping back, he reset his focus with a single goal, reclaim the title and go higher.
That determination played out metres from the competition zone of Red Bull King of the Air, the sport’s most prestigious event, despite Wigglesworth not being selected to compete in the 2025 edition.
The record-breaking jump was achieved at the very site where the world’s top riders gather, adding an unmistakable layer to the achievement.
FLYSURFER’s athlete manager described the moment as more than a statistic: ‘Hugo didn’t just break a record, he changed what kitesurfers believe is possible.’
WOO Sports, which tracks more than 150 million jumps across 2.7 million sessions worldwide, confirmed the measurement shortly after the jump.
In a statement, the organisation highlighted: ‘A new chapter in big air. The 40-metre ceiling is no longer the limit.’
Wigglesworth’s record adds to an already growing list of achievements, as he currently holds both the Twin-Tip and Hydrofoil WOO World Records and was crowned the 2025 Hydrofoil Big Air World Champion.
Still, those closest to him marked the moment in simpler terms. ‘This is the highest I’ve ever seen Hugo go in my life,’ his mother said.
As Cape Town’s wind continued to sweep across the beach, the moment passed without fanfare, no podium, no crowd barrier, just a clean take-off, a silent hang-time, and a landing that redefined the sport’s upper edge.
For big-air kitesurfing, the number has changed. And with it, so has the horizon.
Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!
Also read:
Youngest medical doctor in South Africa graduates at just 21
Picture: FLYSURFER/ Supplied
