Recently, we received wonderful news from Canada about 24-year-old Jason Kovac, a Canadian with Croatian roots, who entered the Guinness Book of Records after riding an almost 40-square-meter Croatian flag on a personal watercraft! It seems that there is some secret connection between Croats in love with the world of jet skis and breaking the Guinness record in this very activity. Namely, the author of the articles on jetski.hr, our Ivan Otulić, also entered the Guinness Book of Records in 2009, when he rode a jet ski for 24 hours non-stop and covered as many as 1019 miles in that time. We made the effort and contacted young Jason to congratulate him on this feat and to find out how he prepared, what motivated him, and ultimately - how he felt when he realized that his name would be written forever among the record holders.

Jason, first of all, congratulations on this success, and thank you for taking the time for us. We hope that impressions have settled and we look forward to hearing all the information you will share with us.

1. How long have you been in the world of jet skiing and how did you start doing this activity? You can share some interesting facts or situations you had until this moment.

My experience with riding jet skis is more like a pastime rather than a full-time hobby. I started falling in love with riding jet skis in 2019 when I was 19 years old, where I first drove and rented a jet ski here in the old port region of Montreal, Canada. I fell in love with the thrill of riding a jet ski and the beautiful water views.

2. How did your Croatian heritage influence your decision to attempt this feat, and what message do you hope to convey through this record-breaking achievement? Feel free to tell us more about your Croatian roots too.

My Guinness World Record project was one of my goals that I’ve dreamed of since a kid. It’s one of those fun projects that we all have in our minds. Since the day I first flipped through the pages of a Guinness World Records book in my elementary school library when I was small (just 9 years old) with my friends, something ignited within me and came to mind. I wanted to etch my name in history by achieving a world record one day, just like the ones in the book.

Fast forward to many years later, I think it was the right time and moment for me to fulfill that dream of mine with a bit of help of my 4 friends. I wanted to achieve not just any world record, I had the idea to shine a light on Croatia and its flag, a beautiful country where my family is from. It’s everything that goes around that flag, is what it means to me: family, friends, memories from the World Cup, memories from my travels to Croatia (for the very first time this past summer), and much more.

An achievement like getting a Guinness world record means a lot to me. And also achieving a world record wasn’t just about the flag and making history; it was about honoring that child (back in elementary school) who dared to dream big. An incredible journey from a book in a school library to now being amongst the big and famous record-breakers from around the world. That’s the definition of not giving up and following your dreams and chasing those dreams.

My grandmother was born in Croatia, in a small village of Podprolog, Vrgorac (in the Dalmatia region). She immigrated to Canada back in 1964. This Record was also a bit to honor and commemorate my grandmother who taught me the Croatian culture and language while growing up. I still have many family members residing in Croatia, regions like Makarska, Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Vrgorac, and many more in Europe as well.

3. You accomplished this feat with four Canadian friends, but you still raised the Croatian flag. How come?

4 of my friends and I decided to participate in the world record attempt after pitching the idea to them with my flag I had made to celebrate with last winter season during the FIFA World Cup where Croatia won 3rd place at the tournament. My friends may not be descendants of Croatia, however, they loved how my childhood dream and ambition to get a world record could be a reality and that I needed some help with the preparation for an official attempt. This past year (in 2023), we worked countless hours measuring and planning how this world record will fold out, doing multiple test runs doing several calculations, as well as experiencing different weather conditions. I am extremely grateful for their help and could not have done this world record without them. I am proud of this achievement, but most importantly, I equally share this achievement with my 4 friends - Gabriel Quesnel, Dominic Scotti, Jeremie Pozywiak, and Alexandre Portugais who are also all officially Guinness World Record Holders alongside myself.

4. Can you share some of the obstacles you faced during the attempt, and how did you overcome them?

A lot of mathematical calculations were needed to find the right way to set up a base that would fly this large flag for a duration of a minimum of 2 minutes. Weather conditions were one of our main challenges since we needed a nice clear sunny day without much wind. The most important parts of getting this world record were the test runs, we had lots of failed attempts during the past year as well, but we kept finding a solution to finally have the beautiful Croatian flag fly on a jet ski without any issues.

5. Your achievement has undoubtedly made waves across the jet ski community. How has the response been, and what kind of impact do you hope to have on jet ski enthusiasts around the world?

I’ve had friends and family and people from across the world congratulate me on this achievement. One of the best comments I’ve read is that people were inspired by my World record achievement. Friends and family mostly those who saw me grow up and now seeing the amazing news. I’ve received a tremendous amount of beautiful messages, and I’m grateful to inspire many to chase their dream just like I did.

6. Can you share any unique modifications or technologies you incorporated into your jet ski to make this possible?

The most important part was setting up a base for the jet ski that would support a tall pole that would fly the flag on the jet ski.

7. For those inspired by your incredible achievement, what advice do you have for individuals looking to pursue their own Guinness World Records, particularly in the world of extreme sports and water activities?

Find your niche and passion within the field—whether it’s a unique skill or a new approach—that sets you apart. Persistence and dedication are key; achieving a Guinness World Record often requires a lot of trial and error. Surround yourself with a supportive team that believes in your goals and dreams. Lastly, have fun!

8. How do you plan to share your experience and passion for jet skiing with the global community, and are there any initiatives or collaborations planned?

One of my primary goals is to inspire others to chase their dreams. Creating online content on my social media platforms to share my experiences has helped me reach many around the world and get to share this exciting news globally.

9. Can you take us through the exhilarating moment when you realized you had officially set the record for the largest flag to ever fly on a PWC?

Leading up to the official attempt date (22 October 2023), I knew this would be a difficult record to achieve knowing how large the flag was and how small the jet ski was compared to the size of the flag. But we managed to find all the solutions to our challenges during the past year with many test runs.

But it really wasn’t until the (minimum) 2-minute mark where I realized that I’ve officially achieved a Guinness World Record, realizing that I have fulfilled a childhood dream of mine and that will now be etched in the Guinness World Records forever. My friends and I all hugged each other after the Official Attempt took place, and it was one of the best moments I’ve ever experienced.

Jason also received many congratulations on his Instagram account, and we just have to congratulate him once again and wish him much success in his new adventures!