Breaking the Surface! Nikolas Plytas Lands the World’s First Double Backflip in Foilboarding

Via: Instagram (@nikolasplytas)

When we talk about boundaries in watersports, we’re often thinking about speed, scale, or remoteness. But sometimes, the real breakthroughs happen mid-air, suspended between power and precision. On the 23rd of May 2025, Nikolas Plytas, a Greek athlete known for redefining what’s possible on water, just pulled off a moment that rewrites the playbook: the world’s first double backflip on a foilboard.

Setting this milestone was no small feat, Plytas spent six relentless months chasing this trick. That’s half a year of nothing but repetition, failure, and razor-sharp focus, all centered around one movement. Every time he touched water, his only goal was to land it. And eventually, he did.

Behind the scenes, Plytas is quick to note it wasn’t a solo endeavor. On his Instagram @nikolasplytas, he credits @roycegavrias for filming every attempt (imagine the footage!) and @vlasios_maras, a gymnastics legend, for helping him understand the biomechanics behind aerial control. Just a year ago, Plytas couldn’t consistently land more than one flip. Now? He’s done two, back to back, above the sea. That’s the epitome of “locked in.” 

To some, this move might look like a personal milestone. But make no mistake, this was a world first in a sport still carving out its extreme frontier. After over 800 attempts, Plytas became the first athlete to land a double backflip on a foilboard, a feat many in the community considered borderline impossible. It's a moment being hailed as a turning point for the sport, which stands to prove that foilboarding is leaping across the stages of its evolutionary ladder. 

A huge congratulations, because moments like this remind us at String Travel why we care so deeply about the world of action sports, since it’s a bit more nuanced than just being an entertaining thrill, but for what’s possible when talent, obsession, and vision collide. 

Foilboarding just got a new chapter. And Nikolas Plytas wrote it in the air.