Skydiver jumps from a helicopter into a wave pool ride

Sebastián Álvarez: the skydiver landed on Surf Abu Dhabi in time to surf a wave | Photo: Red Bull

Chilean wingsuit flyer Sebastián Álvarez leaped from a Bell 212 helicopter at 12,000 feet (3,657 meters) before dropping into a wave in the most spectacular style.

The stunt took place over over Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Álvarez, a former Air Force pilot, skysurfed down from the helicopter using a modified surfboard attached to his feet.

He swooped in by parachute before cutting his chute to land on a six-foot (1.8-meter) wave in the world's newest and largest wave pool facility, Surf Abu Dhabi.

A world-renowned BASE jumper and outdoor skydiver, Álvarez has successfully completed thousands of similar jumps.

But on this occasion, he made it look rather different and bold.

The project took two years to plan and execute and blends three unique disciplines: sky surfing, swooping, and surfing.

According to Sebastián, the preparation and the training required were not just focused on one sport but all three.

"This idea has been in my mind forever," Sebastián Álvarez said.

"I remember as a kid watching pelicans soar over the waves, thinking how gently they fly and approach the ocean, using the dynamic wind to keep the speed and stay with the wave, almost touching the water with wings."

"That's when it clicked in my mind."

"The dream of using a high-performance canopy at a high speed, it's the same as a pelican, or a seagull, using waves to fly."

A Dream Come True

Surf Abu Dhabi uses the Kelly Slater Wave Company's proprietary wave technology to create the world's longest ride and biggest artificial barrel.

The facility's location provided the perfect venue for Álvarez to achieve his record-breaking dream of skydiving into a wave.

One of the newest year-round wave pools in the world, Surf Abu Dhabi hopes to enhance the Emirate's appeal to adventure enthusiasts and sports fans from around the globe.

"It's incredibly special to perform this project here in Abu Dhabi," Álvarez said.

"I consider this technology, the wave, one of the most amazing things humans have created. It is a perfect wave."

"Achieving this means the world to me."

"It has felt like entering the unknown, doing something nobody has ever attempted before. It really is a dream come true."

The Surf Abu Dhabi wave pool will host its first professional surfing competition, the 2024 Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic, on September 27, 28, and 29.

The United Arab Emirates wave pool facility will also host a World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour event in 2025.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

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