Franco Kitefoils Over 518 km Non‑Stop on the Amazon

Eliton Franco kitefoiled more than 518 km non-stop on the Amazon River, a solitary push in front of Macapá that lasted about 16 hours 35 minutes and now waits for certification as a national river record. The 49-year-old from Amapá began at 8:20 on 26 October and finished at 0:55 the next morning.

Circles on the river, guided by the moon

He covered the distance in repeated loops before Macapá, carrying a satellite locator while teams on land and on the river monitored the effort. Speed held between roughly 32 km/h and just over 40 km/h, but the course was far from smooth. Shifting currents, gusts, and floating vegetation turned the river into a more punishing arena than open ocean.

The lantern he threw away

After night fell, Franco discarded a heavy lantern that was hindering his movements and steered by whatever natural light broke through heavy cloud. Visibility was so thin that he repeatedly struck pieces of wood drifting on the surface. An international certification company accompanied the attempt and was to evaluate the data.

Physical pain piled up — wounds from the equipment and a creeping numbness in his feet — yet the voice inside his head wore him down harder. “I managed to endure the numbness in my feet, but it was harder to deal with the boredom,” he told Portal SelesNafes afterwards. “With my brain telling me to stop.”

A marine mark, challenged on river water

The attempt aimed to beat a non-stop distance mark set in marine waters and target the greatest distance ever recorded in hydrofoil kitesurfing. It builds on earlier long expeditions: 2,612 km from Natal to Macapá in 18 days, and a 612 km trip from Belém to Macapá in four days, both with strategic stops.

No official announcement has been made yet. The submission has been lodged with RankBrasil for audit.