Peruvian surf star Cristobal de Col recently pushed through fatigue, mental pressure and a jellyfish plague to set a brand new world record by performing 34 carved turns on the longest wave in the world at the Red Bull Chicama Challenge.

CHICAMA (Peru) - Waves that run for over two minutes are a common sight in Chicama, a surfer’s paradise in the north of Peru known as the longest left-hand wave in the world. So there was no better place for the Red Bull Chicama Challenge, in which ISA World Surfing Games Junior Champion Cristobal de Col, his team and family spent two full days attempting to set a brand new world record for the most manoeuvres performed on a single wave.

On arrival at the legendary break, Cristobal’s goal was to establish a new record for the most three 360s on a single wave. But after easily pumping out 11 on his first try, the 19-year-old decided the bar had to be raised. Never one to make life easy for himself, Cristobal decided to ignore all the other surf records out there and create a brand new one of his own - the most manoeuvres performed on a single wave.

On the day two of the quest, tired and focused with his father at his side, Cristobal rode and carved his way 34 times through the two minute and 20 second wave, earning his very own entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. “All the while I was counting and my mind was only focused on that moment. When I reached 25, I really started to give it my all. I chose to do carved turns because it’s the manoeuvre that fits best to this type of inconsistent wave,” explained an exhausted but happy world record holder after emerging from the water.

While the Peruvian is delighted with his world best, he believes that he could raise the bar even higher next time: “I was watching the waves afterwards and thought: ‘Maybe I should just get back in and beat my own record!’”