Lewis Crathern sets kitesurfing highest jump world record at 42.6 metres

British rider Lewis Crathern has set a new world record for the highest jump in big-air kiteboarding. He jumped 42.6 metres on a 7-metre Harlem Peak kite. The jump was recorded on October 23, 2026, and later confirmed by WOO Sports.

Crathern set the mark at Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, during Storm Austen. Winds exceeded 50 knots. They shifted from southeasterly to west-northwest over the day, and a large swell built with them.

The new figure beats the 42.3 metres jumped by Dutch rider Jamie Overbeek in April 2026. WOO Sports reviewed the recorded data before approving the mark. Its system uses a small sensor on the rider's board to measure jump height.

The 41-year-old from Worthing went out without a watch or a GoPro. "No watch, no GoPro, no thinking about filming or sharing everything on social media," he said. He had used the 7-metre Peak only once before.

Crathern is a four-time British champion and won the Red Bull Megaloop Challenge. He became known for jumping over the Worthing and Brighton piers. He has kitesurfed storms on the south coast for more than two decades.

"It's nice to bring a record like this home to the UK and to my local beaches," he said. He expects the record to fall at some point. "I'm sure someone will go bigger soon."