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By
Karl Tidy
Harlem team rider Lewis Crathern has set a new kitesurfing world record for the highest jump. He went 42.6 metres (about 140 ft) at Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, on Friday 23 October 2026, riding a 7 m Harlem Peak and a Harlem Ascent twintip. WOO Sports checked the data and confirmed the record.
The record at a glance
Bracklesham Bay is just along the coast from our Littlehampton showroom, so this one feels close to home. Storm Austen brought winds of over 50 knots and a big swell to the south coast. Lewis has spent more than 20 years riding storms along this stretch of coast, and he picked his moment to beat the old mark by 30 cm.
Lewis grew up on the seafront in Worthing. He is a four-time British champion and a Red Bull Megaloop Challenge winner, and he’s famous locally for jumping over Worthing and Brighton piers. As he told the BBC: “The bad weather in our sport becomes the good weather.”
He also plans to use the record to promote wind energy and renewables, working with the Global Wind Energy Council and young people.
The Harlem Peak is Harlem’s big air and freeride kite. It has a five-strut design and is built for explosive lift, long hangtime and smooth landings. Lewis set the record on a 7 m, a size that makes sense in storm-force wind. The Peak comes in 6 m to 12 m.
The Harlem Ascent is the twintip Harlem designed to pair with the Peak. It is a freeride and big air board built to hold an edge for hard take-offs and soften the landings. It comes in 135 x 40 cm and 138 x 40.5 cm.
WOO Sports uses a small sensor fixed to the rider’s board that records height, airtime and landing data on every jump. Records are only confirmed once WOO has reviewed the session data, which is how Lewis’s 42.6 m was verified.
42.6 metres, set by Lewis Crathern at Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, on 23 October 2026 and verified by WOO Sports.
Jamie Overbeek from the Netherlands, with 42.3 metres in April 2026.
A 7 m Harlem Peak, ridden with a Harlem Ascent twintip.
Want the kite that just set a world record? For now, every Harlem Peak ordered comes with a free Harlem Lead Bar V2, worth £604. The Lead Bar V2 is Harlem’s do-it-all control bar, with smooth depower and precise steering.
Not sure which Peak size or bar length is right for you? Talk to a rider or call us on 01903 896924.
Tell us your weight, your board and where you ride — we’ll match the kit.
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