The 13-time National Surfing Champion of Panama for the longest time and distance riding a wave this weekend in the Panama Canal. On March 19, Gary Saavedra rode a wave created by a power boat for three hours, 55 minutes, and 2 seconds—traveling 41.3 miles in the process.
The averaged 10.5 miles per hour and clocked a top speed of 13.5 mph. He battled high winds, the occasional freighter wave, choppy waters, and a leg cramp for roughly an hour before calling his record run.
“This record feels incredible,” Saavedra . “I had never confronted these conditions and to surpass all these challenges and establish two Guinness World Records is the biggest achievement of my professional career so far.”
–Joe Spring