Chilean Extreme Sports Star Completes BASE Jump Into Surfing On An World's Largest Artificial Wave

Chilean wingsuit flyer Sebastián Álvarez has made history with a world-first feat, successfully transitioning from a BASE jump to a parachute swoop before landing on and surfing the world's longest artificial wave at Surf Abu Dhabi. Álvarez, with a modified surfboard attached to his feet, leapt from a Bell helicopter at 3,657 metres (12,000 feet) over Hudayriyat Island sky-surfing down and expertly swooping with his parachute. He then cut away the chute at the precise moment to land on a 2.3-metre (7.5-foot) wave created by the most advanced artificial wave technology in the world. The adventure sports star completed the feat on 19 December last year - but sponsor Red Bull have only now released the footage of his jump. He explained the inspiration behind the stunt: "I remember as a kid watching pelicans soar over the waves, thinking how gently they fly and approach the ocean.". This vision led him to attempt this extraordinary feat, adding: "It felt like entering into the unknown, doing something that nobody has ever attempted before.". This historic achievement combined three extreme sports—BASE jumping, skydiving swooping, and surfing—into one seamless, unprecedented stunt.