Worthing kite surfer sets new world record for highest jump

A kite surfer from West Sussex has set a new world record for the highest “tow up” after being pulled 1,587ft (487m) into the air by a paramotor then gliding back down.

Jake Scrace, from Worthing, performed the manoeuvre above the Needles, off the Isle of Wight, beating the previous record height of 908.7ft (277m).

It took Mr Scrace and paramotor pilot Chey Anich months to plan and was made possible by a team of 30 people, including safety divers and film specialists.

“I’m already thinking about what the next stunt could be and where we can go with it,” said Mr Scrace.

“It was the biggest challenge I’ve ever taken on. Up there it was about trusting the team, the conditions and just going for it.”

“The sense of freedom was incredible and I’m buzzing that we got the record on the first attempt,” Mr Scrace said.

The stunt was done in accordance with Guinness World Records standards using drones, bodycams, altimeter readings, GPS-enabled smartphones recording altitude and flight path, and synchronized footage from take-off to water landing.

Pravin Patel, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records, said the new record was “a stunning example of innovation, precision and daring”.

But this was not Mr Scrace’s first stunt. In November 2009, the then 25-year-old and friend Lewis Crather took advantage of strong winds and jumped over Worthing Pier.