People surf on lots of strange things. They surf on stand-up paddleboards and televisions and doors. They surf on sand dunes and boat wakes and lawn chairs and (sort of) beer cases. Oh, and now they surf under hang gliders.
Wolfgang Siess is one of the best hang glider pilots in the world. “I always like to explore new ways of free flight,” he writes about the strange venture that you see above. “Another world’s first and a world record for the longest airtime on a surfboard.”
Of course, the “world record” claim might have a few caveats—there probably aren’t too many others chasing that one. There is, however, an interesting story behind the rig he set up.
“A friend of mine asked if I had an old surfboard they could use for a project they’d been planning,” Sam George told The Inertia via email. “I said ‘Sure.'”
Wolfie, as he’s known, is a freestyle leader in the sport. “The amazing thing about this is how the two sports seamlessly blended,” wrote Robb Derringer, an avid hang glider himself. “He’s literally flying the hang glider by surfing the board. The weight shift control is the same, and soaring the lift band is similar to riding a wave.”
See more from Wolfie on his Youtube channel and follow him on Instagram
