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New Zealand’s Hugo Wigglesworth recently broke the WOO World Record with a jump height of 36.7 meters. We chatted to him about this achievement and the ERA kite that took him stratospheric.
Photo Sophie Aynaud
I saw a promising forecast for Plimmerton that I thought would be worthy of a mission for WOO Worlds. Knowing from last year what this spot could deliver with the way the wind comes over and around a headland, along with clean 1m kickers, I had a strong belief that I could break the record. Waking early, we caught our flights from Auckland to Wellington, squeezed five board bags and five people into the rental car and drove to the spot.
The wind was only blowing 20 knots but we were still optimistic that the forecasted 45 knot gusts would come through later in the day. I went out on my 8m SONIC for a warmup session then switched to my 8m ERA. I did some of the loftiest kiteloops I have ever done due to the lofty gusts. It was a great sign that with more wind strength and the lift characteristics of the wind, boosting conditions were going to be on later.
When the wind picked up I switched to my 7m. With powerful pockets of 55 knots coming through, I suddenly felt the kite shoot forward in the window just before hitting a 1m kicker. I took off from the kicker and accelerated upwards. After five seconds I reached the peak of the jump and knew it was a huge one. I did heliloops to control my landing, checked the jump height on my watch and celebrated… I’ve never had so much adrenaline in my life!
I also broke the jump distance record, jumping 274.6m. The adrenaline and believing that I could break a record pushed me in those harsh conditions and saw me through it. I’m always wanting to push my limits every session – the feeling of achieving something you haven’t done before is why I love kiting. My gear of course also helped me break the records. I was on the ERA with the FORCE bar, and a 133cm custom TEAM SERIES board from Flysurfer.
I have been riding this setup since the ERA was released and feel super comfortable on it. The performance and intuitive feel of the ERA is amazing. I have been using it in every size; the 7m is my choice for boosting in 40+ knots.
I like how the ERA jumps both vertically high and has a fast turning radius, making it ideal for both boosting and looping. The five-strut and six-point bridle system also makes the ERA super stable in strong conditions, giving me full confidence to send it when I’m overpowered.
The ERA was designed by experienced product designer Maximilian Kühnhauser and professional kiter Luke McGillewie. They created the ERA to push the boundaries of Big Air kiting and we definitely achieved that in Plimmerton. But the ERA is also super accessible and stable for the average kiter who is looking to jump higher and break their own personal height records.
I would love to be involved on the R&D side of things one day. I have given Max and Luke and the rest of the team at Flysurfer feedback on the ERA and I’m sure the next version will be a huge step forwards. But for now I’m focused on becoming the best rider I can be.
I’m looking to compete in any competitions that I can get into where there are high-level riders. Whether it be through the GKA, Red Bull, Big Air Kite League or even national competitions, I’m keen to gain some Big Air competition experience… ■
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