The Endless Wave: Austrian Man Surfs Alps’ River Waves for Over 8 Hours

A skilled surfer just rode the waves for over eight hours straight, taking no breaks – even when eating a bowl of soup – to become the Guinness World Records title holder for the longest time spent surfing a wave (male).

Maximilian Neuböck from Austria took to his surfboard last month in Ebenesee, Austria, riding the RiverWave — an artificial wave powered by currents from nearby Alpine rivers, offering a year-round surfing experience.

Sponsored by Red Bull Austria, the surfer spent 8 hours 5 minutes and 44 seconds on the waves – smashing the record set by Gary Saavedra from Panama, who spent 3 hours 55 minutes and 2 seconds riding the waves in the Panama Canal.

Remarkably, Maximilian was so steady on the board that he was even able to have a snack while surfing – seemingly a bowl of soup with a spoon! 

For hours, he glided across the wave, occasionally drifting near the dock to receive refreshments like warm drinks or snacks from supportive spectators.  At certain moments, he bent forward to relieve his stiff back from the constant motion, resting his arms on his knees, or used a massage gun to soothe his aching legs and quads. And despite the exhausting and repetitive nature of the challenge, he never stepped off the board, even after surpassing the previous record time.

Only after crossing the eight-hour mark did Maximilian feel confident enough in his win and returned to shore.

Previously, in 2021, Lori Keeton surfed for exactly 8 hours to set the Guinness World Record for the longest time spent surfing a wave (female). She did so by wake surfing continuously on Raccoon Lake in Rockville, Indiana, USA.