Richard Branson Breaks Kite-Surfing Record - as part of the news series by GeoBeats.
Unconventional businessman and billionaire, Sir Richard Branson has broken another world record becoming the oldest person to kite-surf across the English Channel. Sir Richard crossed the 30 mile stretch in three hours and 45 minutes. The 61 year old founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways was joined by his son, Sam, 26 who created his own fastest kite-surfing world record by crossing the channel in 2 hours and 18 minutes.
Describing it as one of his much loved sports, kite-surfing is an extreme water sport in which the rider is pulled through the waves on a surfboard, harnessing the wind to propel a large controllable kite.
Not new to adventures of this sort, in 1986, nearly 26 years ago, he used a powerboat, named Virgin Atlantic Challenger to cross the Atlantic in fastest time.
One year later in 1987, he got on a hot air balloon and became the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean using such a medium.
Hinting at a space launch and a deep sea submarine voyage, it doesn’t look like Sir Richard will be slowing down anytime soon.