Introduction
“I jumped the world record, but it’s more fun to go for another session.”
The introduction of devices like “WOO” and “Surfr,” which measure and record kiteboarding jump heights in real time, dramatically changed the history of the sport. They brought a simple and passionate competition of “who can jump the highest” to a community that had previously been heavily focused on complex freestyle tricks.
2015-2017: Breaking the 20m and 25m Barriers
The lineage of world records on WOO truly began on January 19, 2015, with an 18.9m boost recorded by Aaron Hadlow. Just a few months later, in June 2015, Gilion Goveia recorded 21.1m, breaking the 20m barrier for the first time in human history.
Furthermore, in September 2016, Nick Jacobsen achieved the first jump over 25m by recording 26.7m. Nick then updated his own record to 28.6m in 2017 at Misty Cliffs in South Africa, a decisive moment that established the spot as a mecca for world record hunters.
2018-2020: Reaching 30m and Maarten Haeger’s Long Reign
Afterwards, fierce battles near the 30m mark continued, with Joshua Emanuel recording 28.9m. Then, just before the unprecedented 30m milestone was reached, Gijs Wassenaar recorded 29.6m, setting the final monumental record in the 20m range.
The first person in history to shatter the massive 30m barrier was Maarten Haeger. He recorded 32.0m in 2019, and the record was officially recognized when he immediately released high-resolution video proving its legitimacy. Maarten extended his record to 34.8m on January 18, 2020, and reigned at the top for a long time. Meanwhile, Mike Mac Donald recorded 34.1m on December 5, 2019.
2023: Surpassing 35m and the “Four Record Breaks in One Day” in Denmark
The absolute champion Maarten’s record was broken by Dutch rider Jamie Overbeek. He recorded 35.3m in January 2023, becoming the first human to jump over 35m.
On August 8 of the same year, a day of historic madness occurred under extremely strong wind conditions in Denmark. Maarten Haeger temporarily returned to the top with 35.7m, but in the same session, Stijn Koster updated it to 35.8m, followed by Jamie Overbeek with 36.1m. Finally, Joshua Emanuel claimed the top spot for the day with a 36.2m jump. However, because a decisive video of Joshua’s jump was not immediately available, Ruben Lenten jokingly pointed it out, leading to a massive debate on social media over the credibility of the record.
2024-2026: Battles in a New Dimension and Diversifying Approaches
In September 2024, New Zealand’s Hugo Wigglesworth recorded 36.7m using 17m short lines, simultaneously setting a flight distance record of 275m. Notably, the hydrofoil division also saw significant progression, with Charles Brodel recording 37.2m, a height that at the time surpassed even the top twin-tip records, pushing the limits further.
As of 2026, Jamie Overbeek has set an unprecedented massive record of 42.3m on flat water, once again reigning at the top of the world.
On the other hand, the pursuit of extreme height has led to a diversification of approaches to jump records. Recently, riders have appeared who use extreme updrafts blowing off cliffs and mountains to soar over 100m into the sky. Such approaches have sparked controversy, with some arguing that they are no longer pure kiteboarding “jumps” but rather “flying” akin to paragliding, indicating that the environment surrounding jump records is facing a new phase.
Search Aliases: Breaking Limits: The Evolution of Jump Records, BreakingLimits:TheEvolutionofJumpRecords