World record: Matt Davies, 81.4 km/h, the fastest a foil has ever gone

On 26 May, Matt Davies and AXIS Foils achieved a new world record for outright foil speed, pending official ratification. Riding an AXIS Prone 26 board with straps, paired with a Tempo 890 front wing, Ti Link fuselage, Skinny Link 360/25 tail and a 75 cm Ultra Pro mast, Matt reached a top speed of 81.4 km/h behind a jetski, with no Foil Drive involved, surpassing his previous record of 79.1 km/h.

"The attempt delivered good conditions: no wind, no jellyfish, although there was some debris in the water. The goal going into the day was to improve on my previous top speed of 79.1 km/h, but once everything came together it was obvious there was more in it. The final recorded top speed for the session was 81.4 km/h, officially surpassing my previous personal best and setting a new benchmark for the project. The exciting part is that it still feels like there's more left in it. The long-term goal remains pushing toward 90 km/h, and this session was another big step in that direction."

Matt completed the run behind a Sea-Doo GTI SE 170, which was already at full throttle. For future attempts, an even faster ski will be required as he continues his pursuit of the 90 km/h milestone. Matt tells the whole story, from the safety team to the radar gun, in The Need for Speed, his interview with Foiling Magazine.

First reported in the AXIS newsletter of 10 June 2026.

The gear

• AXIS Tempo 890
• Ti Link titanium fuselage
• Skinny Link 360/25
• PRO Ultra High Modulus carbon mast
• AXIS Prone 26