Challenge starts for Brandt, Lufinha
Manama : The long distance world record holders Anke Brandt (GER) and Francisco Lufinha (POR) set out to kite from the Azores to the Portugese mainland.
They are facing 1,500 kilometres of open ocean and will not be able to spot land for days on end. What would frighten many people, means the feeling of freedom and harmony with nature for the two surfers. They have prepared themselves more than one year for this physical and mental challenge. By now they could hardly wait to get started.
Brandt and Lufinha will take turns every eight hours during the race. One of them will always be on the water - no matter if day or night. The journey will take at least five days and a of maximum ten days, depending on the wind. To overcome the distance in all kinds of conditions the surfers are equipped with material for a wide range of wind speeds.
Apart from extreme weather and wind conditions, floating containers put the athletes in risk. Big ships frequently loose part of their cargo, which then floats just under the surface of the ocean. It is therefore extremely hard to spot in time and a collision could cause severe damage.
A sailboat accompanies Anke Brandt and Francisco Lufinha to guarantee their safety as well as to supply them with food and water. The crew of the boat and the surfers are in permanent contact via bluetooth headsets. In addition a GPS system allows to determine the exact position of the two kitesurfers.
Brandt and Lufinha surely have the endurance to conquer the challenge. Both are very experienced kitesurfers and hold world records in long distance kitesurfing. Anke Brandt surfed 491 kilometres nonstop from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi in 30 hours. Lufinha spent 47h 37min on the board when he linked the 874 kilometer long distance between Lisboa and the island of Madeira in 2015.
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