Hugo’s WOO World Record Jump 40.0

A rider with something to prove

Before the chaos of the historic jump, Hugo spent the morning in training. He had every reason to push harder than ever: he was one of the biggest upsets among the riders not selected for the 2025 Red Bull King of the Air – the most prestigious kitesurfing competition in the world. Since the moment the rider list was published without his name on it, Hugo had been on the water every day.

After a focused hour of training he came off the water, headed back to the FLYSURFER house, made himself avocado on toast – and settled in front of the TV to watch Formula 1 qualifying. Even as the cars speed around the circuit, his eyes kept drifting to his phone to check the live wind updates. And then suddenly, Hugo stood up, and said: 
“Let’s break a WOO World Record today.”

Within seconds the house erupted into purposeful chaos. Kite bags zipped, foil boards were loaded, wetsuits thrown into cars, cameras and phones were plugged in for a last-minute charge. Hugo, his parents, and the FLYSURFER team piled into their cars and headed straight for the beach. In a twist of irony worthy of a sports documentary, Hugo parked directly at the event site of the very competition he had not been invited to – one of the most famous kite beaches on Earth.

A new setup and a sense of destiny

When the team arrived, Hugo’s mother and father set up his foil gear while Jamie Overbeek (the current second highest jump on the WOO leader board) was already throwing massive jumps on the 7m SONIC⁵ with a twin tip – a very clear signal that conditions were escalating fast.

Then came the small but crucial detail: Hugo had changed his setup. He’d replaced his 23 meter lines with a 17 meter configuration, a decision that was crucial for the course of the story. Hugo launched the kite with calm focus, carved out to sea, and lit up his very first jump on the new setup. The WOO registered 28-plus meters – an outrageous height for a warm-up, enough to make spectators pause, and wonder what exactly they were witnessing.

He kept jumping, each time going higher and cleaner, then tacked far outside and taking off on a choppy kicker wave. Compared to his earlier take-offs, this one came in with nearly double the entry speed. Hugo edged hard, sent the kite with full commitment, and the world seemed to freeze for a second. Then the beach erupted in disbelief.

In that moment, Hugo launched into what would soon be confirmed as the highest jump ever recorded in kitesurfing history.

Hugo’s mother watched her son disappear into the sky and whispered, almost to herself: “This is the highest I’ve ever seen Hugo go in my life.”

Yet even as the beach gasped and cheered. Hugo showed no reaction. No raised fist. No shout. No celebration. He simply rode back out, as if the impossible had just been another test run.

The whisper that shook the beach

Ten minutes later, Hugo finally headed to shore. He landed his kite with the same calm focus he had launched with, walked toward his parents and the FLYSURFER team, leaned in, and whispered: “I just went 40 meters.”

No theatrics. No shouting. Just six words – delivered quietly.
Hugo packed his SONIC⁵ slung it under his arm, and started walking toward the parking lot like someone who had finished a normal training day, not someone who had redefined the limits of human flight.

But history has a way of spreading fast. Within minutes, the news erupted across the beach. FLYSURFER riders, local media crews, podcasters, photographers, and even people who had already left came rushing back.

One more session as a WOO World Record holder

The new world record holder grabbed a 6m ERA and ran to the beach with a big smile: “You can’t train double loops every day, can you?”

What followed looked like a rider beginning his day, not finishing it: massive double loops, huge S-loops, explosive rotations. It was as if breaking a world record had simply opened the door to more possibilities, and Hugo wasn’t done exploring them. By the time everyone got back home, the update was official: Jamie, despite sending some huge jumps could not beat Hugo’s new record that day.

Why this record matters for the sport

Beyond the sheer height, the story behind Hugo’s 40 meter jump has layers that make it even more remarkable:

• He is now the WOO World Record holder for both twin tip and foil.
• He landed the record-breaking jump at the event site of the competition that didn’t invite him.
• The top three all-time WOO jumps are all done riding foils.
• Just days earlier, Jamie had out-jumped Hugo during the Brand Stable Battle Royale, choosing to ride at kite beach while Hugo chose Misty Cliffs, setting up a perfect competitive tension for a rematch on Saturday.
• The previous record by Charles Brodel stood for 43 days – a blink in the sport’s timeline, but a massive leap in progression.

Hugo Wigglesworth didn’t just break a record. He broke a psychological barrier. He broke expectations. He broke the idea of what was possible.

Hugo achieved the world record jump with the following setup:

• SONIC⁵
• FUSION Control Bar [L], 17m lines
• Foil Board 27 liters

In the air, it’s not about luck – it’s about precision. Big Air isn’t a coincidence – it’s a choice. Every take-off, every landing, every session is a reflection of your mindset. The SONIC⁵ isn’t just a kite – it’s your will, your discipline, your determination made real. It all starts in your head. Built for riders who don’t ask if, but how far they can go. More jumps. More airtime. More control.

Congratulations, Hugo! What a massive jump

Enjoy this fantastic historical moment.