iStockphoto / Andrei Antipov / Diamond Dogs
downhill skateboarding in Quebec while setting world record for fastest speed achieved on a skateboard
Spanish skater Diego Poncelet has a need for speed. He is an accomplished freeride skier, has dabbled in motorsports, and now holds the world record for the fastest speed ever achieved in downhill skateboarding at 94.34 miles per hour.
Around 10 years ago, Diego suffered a skiing accident which resulted in a broken leg. After that he dedicated himself to becoming the best there is. In 2022, Poncelet won two of the three rounds of the World Downhill Skateboarding Championship but just last month he set a Guinness World Record for the fastest speed ever on a skateboard. How fast? Insanely fast.
Diego Poncelet Sets World Record For Fastest Speed Ever On A Skateboard
For this achievement, the team traveled to Les Éboulements in Quebec, Canada back on September 22. This is the same location the previous downhill skateboarding speed record was set 9 years ago.
To call this ‘white knuckle footage’ seems like the understatement of the century. My palms were straight up sweating whilst watching Poncelet shoot down that mountain at nearly 100 miles per hour without anything to protect him but a bodysuit to prevent road rash.
So, after I was able to take a deep breath and process that he just booked it down that road at a world record speed of 94.34 miles per hour (151.83 km/h), I got to wondering how they filmed it. At first I assumed they used a drone but I was wrong.
Red Bull Skate released this behind-the-scenes Reels of how the video was made, showing a driver riding his tail down the road in Quebec.
It has been a minute since I last ween skating, but I cannot fathom ever approaching speeds like that. The force of the wind, wobbling of the road. So much goes into setting a world record for the fastest speed on a skateboard, not the least of which is Diego training his muscles to hold that position while maintaining control and a smooth path. Just incredible stuff all around.