Redbull skateboarder breaks record for fastest downhill speed EVER, topping over 90 mph

A Redbull skateboarder has zoomed into the record books after breaking the title for the fastest skateboard speed downhill (standing) in history.

Diego Poncelet Sanchez-Cuenca (Spain), a professional downhill skateboarder, flew down a steep curving street in Les Éboulements in Quebec, Canada this 22 September at a breakneck speed of 151.83 km/h (94.34 mph).

When he flew past the timed checkpoint, he was moving as fast as the windspeed of a hurricane, racing by in the blink of an eye to break the longstanding record of 146.73 km/h (91.17 mph) by his friend Peter Connolly (UK). The prior title was also broken on the same picturesque route in Canada, though both skateboarders were moving so quickly they hardly had a chance to look at the surrounding scenery.

Despite the nerve-wracking nature of this challenge, Diego was well-suited to the test, as a two-time downhill skateboarding world champion. 

With a popular social media presence, featuring many videos of him racing through streets across the world, he’s helped raise the sport’s global profile through many ambitious high-speed projects. 

A native to Mexico City, Mexico, but raised in Spain and Switzerland, Diego told Redbull that he was first drawn to the sport after watching a skateboarder whizz down a road when he was a child. The road was so steep, and its curves so sudden, he was convinced the man must’ve crashed at the roundabout below – yet when he rushed to check, the man was gone, safely whisked away on his wheels. 

The experience stayed in his head as he learned how to navigate mountainous roads on a board while as a teenager. In 2016, he broke his leg skiing, but returned even more determined to become a skateboarding world champion.

And a few years later, he achieved the feat twice, drawing the attention of Redbull as he shared his goal of breaking the outright speed record. 

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To prepare for this incredible feat, the skateboarder worked with special technicians to design a suit and skateboard that would support his dream to move as quickly and aerodynamically as possible. 

A carbon-fibre kit was attached to the top of his skateboard to securely direct the wind around his feet, as approved by the World Skate Association. The base of the skateboard was a traditional deck, yet it featured these additional aerodynamic “fairings” (or shell) to help him maintain stability and safety. 

These fairings are needed for racers reaching such high speeds, but are not often seen in professional competitions because the courses are not as long as Diego’s 2.5 km (1.5 mi) track at Les Éboulements. 

In addition to Diego’s custom suit and skateboard, the event was also sponsored by Prada and Porsche, the latter of whom lent a silver car to follow the skateboarder as he raced down the hill. 

The car would capture shots of him as he sped down the hill, specifically during the record-breaking attempt.

Nevertheless, some of the biggest supporters Diego had on his team were his family, who flew out to Canada to be with him for this event. 

In conversations with Guinness World Records Adjudicator Andrew Glass, who was there to witness the attempts, Diego’s father watched the trees sway and assessed whether the wind direction was working in Diego’s favour. 

His mother joked that the ambulance on site might be needed for her, and smiled as she told Andrew that she had spent so much of Diego’s early life trying to keep him alive – yet now she was watching him voluntarily travel down a hill at more than 150 km/h (93 mph).

“It was very cool to see how deeply Guinness World Records resonated with Diego’s family,” said Andrew. “Their memories of him talking about wanting to be in the GWR book as a child added another dimension to the achievement and made the successful result feel particularly special.”

Finally, the teams were assembled in their proper positions, and were ready to watch Diego make history. 

He had completed a handful of test runs on the hill during the prior week, yet had to plan carefully around the inclement weather, waiting until everyone was present and the sun was shining to shoot for his best score. 

And in total, Diego made seven runs on 22 September on his quest for the record. 

Six were completed in the morning, with him officially taking the title on his fourth trial, hitting a speed of 148.27 km/h (92.13 mph). 

Nevertheless, Diego still wanted to achieve his goal of 150 km/h (93 mph), so the team took a break to wait for favourable wind conditions in the afternoon.

Eventually, the weather let up, and Diego started his next round of trials nearly six hours after he first started. 

And on his very first attempt of the afternoon, he gave a thumbs up to the camera before taking off towards the hill, and tucking his body into a speed-skater stance to fly down the street at a top speed of 151.83 km/h (94.34 mph).

He was overjoyed to hear the results, jumping into the arms of his loved ones and shouting with joy – and he was especially honoured to have taken the title on the same course that his friend, Peter Connolly, had achieved nearly a decade prior. 

In total, three of Diego’s seven attempts surpassed the previous record, though undoubtedly that last attempt was his favourite.

“This was one of the most impressive feats I have ever seen,” said Andrew, after presenting the thrilled skateboarder with his record certificate. 

“You barely see Diego as he passes because he simply zips by. I watched him complete seven runs, and it never ceased to amaze me each time.”

So congratulations to this speedy skateboarder – we can’t wait to see what other records you race to next!