Friends onboard Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Girl earlier this summer season had been handled to a first-of-its-kind, epic athletic occasion proper from the decks of their cruise ship whereas anchored off the pristine waters of Delos, Greece.
On June 27, 2024, British kitesurfer and 23-year-old Pink Bull athlete Tom Bridge boosted from Deck 16 at roughly 7:30 a.m., hovering 130 ft excessive and roughly 800 ft from the ship as he caught the last word oceangoing breeze for a full 40 seconds.
The excellent stunt was a deal with for visitors and crew members to witness on a stupendous summer season day, with the distinctive exercise showcasing Bridge’s precision and ability – although he’s fast to notice the emotional affect of the try.
“It was in all probability essentially the most terrifying factor I’ve performed with a kite,” stated Bridge. “We’d been on the ship to recce [reconnaissance] thrice and had numerous seems over the sting. And each time we’ve gone ‘Oh God, it’s excessive, isn’t it?’”
Bridge needed to look ahead to simply the precise second to provoke the leap, not just for the close by winds and cross breezes to be favorable, however for the ship itself to be within the correct place and angle for optimum leaping and security.
Whereas getting ready for the try, Bridge and his staff had been speaking with the cruise ship’s bridge about wind speeds and instructions, till the precise second got here, he stepped onto the board, and took essentially the most epic leap ever.
“Truthfully, once I had the kite in my palms, and I put my ft within the straps, I didn’t look down. It was simply ‘go.’ It simply carried me, and subsequent minute we’re on the water. It shocked me simply how lengthy I stayed within the air – I wasn’t anticipating to go that far,” he stated, following his profitable splashdown. “It was a superb expertise; it feels wonderful to have performed it.”
Sir Richard Branson, proprietor of Virgin Voyages, is an enormous fan of kitesurfing and different excessive sports activities, so it’s no marvel he organized this one-of-a-kind occasion from his latest cruise ship simply after she accomplished her first yr of crusing.
“You’ve bought to be each extremely expert, and have quite a lot of nerve to try such a lift – what a tremendous achievement!” Branson stated of the particular occasion. “I really like kitesurfing at my house on Necker Island, so Tom efficiently leaping from deck 16 of Resilient Girl is an epic achievement.”
Bridge is a main athlete amongst kitesurfers worldwide, holding quite a lot of document titles for various tips and difficult places. This specific trick – off Deck 16 of a cruise ship – is very noteworthy as an elevated takeoff, which is extremely uncommon for the game.
Resilient Girl is ending her summer season in Europe and can return to the Caribbean in November, providing three departures from Miami earlier than homeporting from San Juan via mid-April 2025. At the moment, the ship will return to the Greek Isles for one more summer season crusing from Piraeus (Athens).
Pink Bull and Cruise Ships
Whereas vacationers could possibly indulge of their favourite vitality drink whereas setting sail, such uncommon and extremely exact stunts aren’t usually one thing vacationers can reap the benefits of whereas on a cruise.
Totally different shore excursions can supply some thrilling experiences, comparable to parasailing, zip lining, mountain coasters, jet skis, and extra, however these very tough, professional-level stunts are greatest left to those that make a profession of such daring-do.
This isn’t the primary time that Pink Bull athletes have impressed cruise ship visitors, nevertheless. Simply days earlier than Bridge’s distinctive kitesurfing journey, two members of the Pink Bull Air Pressure skydived onto Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas as a part of the ship’s inaugural festivities.
Cruise traces are all the time on the lookout for new methods to catch visitors’ consideration and showcase their energetic spirit and the enjoyable the road provides. Whereas spectacular stunts will not be obtainable for particular person vacationers, they do spotlight the nice range obtainable on cruise holidays.
