WaterMen Aaron Hadlow and Laird Hamilton Join Sir Richard Branson in Record Breaking Channel Crossing
To celebrate turning the ripe age of 60, Sir Richard Branson is attempting to Kitesurf cross the English channel. He hopes to become the oldest person to cross the Channel by kite-board and to make the fastest crossing by a kite-board team. The team consists of Aaron Hadlow, Laird Hamilton, Susi May, Tom Court and Martin Hogg.
For those of you that don’t know, Laird Hamilton is Regarded as the greatest big wave surfer of all time as well as one of the most powerful, innovative, talented and humble of water men. A few of the sports that laird has excelled at (if not invented) are: Kite surfing, surfing, stand up paddle boarding, Foil boarding and windsurfing.The foil-board is an innovative surfboard which incorporates hydrofoil technology allowing a higher degree of precision and effectiveness of aerial techniques within the water.
Aaron hadlow is a 5 time kite surfing freestyle champion winning his first championship at 15. he stands in the industry as being one of the most influential riders inventing a long list of spectacular aerial tricks.
On his site he says “I would have usually stayed longer but I had to fly back earlier as either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday I will be doing a crossing from England to France.
Richard Branson is celebrating his 60th Birthday by doing this challenge.
Flexifoil are providing all the equipment and have especially made kites with Virgin Active logo’s for the hole crew to ride.”
Richard Branson Talks Kite Surfing
A spokes man for Richard Branson commented “Richard wants to do a fun, crazy challenge in the vein of the balloon crossing that he’s done before, but he wanted it to be something his friends and family could get involved with.”
Writing on the Virgin.com website last week, he said: ”I absolutely love the amazing rush you get when going at high speeds, in high winds, with the most beautiful kite acting as your only guide.”
”I know that kite surfing across the Channel will not be quite the same as kite surfing in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean but I can’t think of anything I’d rather do, with my family and friends, to celebrate turning 60!”
”My wife swears I get more barking as I get older – this year I’ve almost crippled myself running 26.2 miles in my first marathon and now I’m putting my poor 60-year-old bones through an arduous 24.4 miles, over water, hanging onto a giant kite! Joan could have a point!”
Sir Richard’s challenge could take up to four hours.
