“The Great Crossing 2012”- by kite from India to Sri Lanka

It was hard to say good bye to the guys in Lingayen as they stayed longer for more flying. But there was an event in Sri Lanka, which I read about in September already. “The Great Crossing” – a crossing from India to Sri Lanka, passing the Adams Bridge (34 km)., organized by the swiss kiteresort “Elements” and “Faith Kiteboarding”, a local Sri Lankan Kitebrand.

18 Islands like a chain of pearls are connected the two countries and are with the shallow and flat water perfect kitespots. As perfect as the idea sounds, as many headache it gave to the organizers Marcel and Laurent Bobay with the licences and permits of both countries Sri Lanka and India. India didn’t give the permit in the end, but there was big support of the Sri Lanka Navy and the Tourist Board. Improvisation was needed and we decided to kite from Island 8, which is the border to India back to island 1.

At the briefing on the day before we had zero knots of wind and now the bigger problem was, what to do without wind? 3.30 am we started with heaps of equipment by bus to Talaimannar in the north of Sri Lanka, where all the gear got loaded on Navy jetboats . The navy was amazed by our gear and so we were by their countless machine guns onboard.

With 20 knots and accompanied fro mthe excited navy and fisherman, who never ever saw kiters we kitet first time in history the 8 sri lankan islands back to the mainland.

„Without the support of Faith Kiteboarding, Elements Watersports & Nature, Red Bull , Edelweissair and the Sri Lanka Tourism all this wouldn’t have been possible. An event, which will be repeated for sure and next time hopefully with the support of India, so it will be a real crossing” says Marcel Bobay, partowner of the new Kiteresort Elements and organizer of the crossing.