by Leny Diaz 30 Jan 22:50 PST
72ft at Jaws – Patri McLaughlin Sets New Kitesurfing World Record © Daniel Sullivan
Guinness has confirmed that Patri McLaughlin broke the World Record for the largest wave ever kitesurfed: 72 ft 4 in (22.5 metres) at Jaws on Maui on January 22nd, 2023. The previous record was set in Portugal in 2018, for a 62 ft wave.
The International Kitesurfing Association officially measured and certified the wave, and Guinness approved the new record to Patri on January 22nd, 2024.
Patri said about the session: “It was the biggest swell I’ve seen since I started kiting and surfing jaws 14 years ago.”
About 4 weeks before the swell, Patri ruptured his appendix and had emergency surgery in Canada. “I spent 2 nights in the hospital and I was supposed to take it easy. When that swell popped up it was such a rare swell that I couldn’t miss it. There’s a good chance that if I fell on a wave like that while recovering from a major operation I could’ve been in serious trouble.”
He was using a custom big wave surfboard with a 6 meter Neo kite.
Patri is 34 years old and sponsored by Duotone. Find him on Instagram at @patri_mclaughlin.