A FRENCHMAN has sailed into the record books after becoming the first person to kite surf from France to Ireland.
Bruno Sroka successfully completed the 240 nautical mile (444km) stretch in 16 hours and 37 minutes.
He began his journey at 6.25am on Friday morning from the Penn Enez beach at l'Aber Wrac'h in Brittany, and reached his destination at Crosshaven, Co Cork, at 10.02pm where he was greeted by several local boats.
Thx for all your support and greetings! #kitefranceireland pic.twitter.com/iiL2PUL36Z
— Bruno Sroka (@brunosroka) July 20, 2013
The 37-year-old kite surf World Champion said of his feat, “It was very difficult but today I feel proud of what I have done.
"I had rather good wind during the biggest part of the crossing and the last part of it was the hardest one.
"The wind was dying rapidly and I was obliged to change the boards that I was riding. No matter what, all that counts is to arrive to the finish line.
"I do feel pain in most of the parts of my body but this is something temporary that I will forget about, meanwhile the glory of victory - never."
Bientôt à 1/3 du parcours,Bruno poursuit sa traversée vers l'Irlande. Bonnes conditions,tt va bien ! #franceirlande pic.twitter.com/Eo1mVSxUet
— Bruno Sroka (@brunosroka) July 19, 2013
Sroka’s record setting kite surf through the Celtic Sea is the first of three challenges that he will undertake in the next two years; he will aim to sail the Mediterranean Sea in 2014 and the Atlantic Ocean in 2015.
