After the English Channel record, the Gulf of Aqaba project, and the famous Cape Horn crossing, three time World Cup of Kitesurfing Champion Bruno Sroka, throws himself into new adventures. Ambitious and determined, this summer marks the start of a three-year series of crossings, beginning with a 240 nautical mile passage from France to Ireland in July. In 2014, Bruno will attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea, and in Spring of 2015, he attempt to cross the Atlantic.
Here’s how Bruno Sroka explains his adventures:
How do you come up with an ideas for these kind of challenges?
One person that strongly marked my understanding about «living for what you are dreaming» was Arnaud de Rosnay. This adventurer of the 80s was a visionary who liked taking the risks and pushing limits. Arnaud was one of the person that inspired me to believe and go for the projects that I dream about. The kitesurf is still a young sport but it is a sport of the future which applies into our daily life tasks. For example the tankers and fishing boats are towed by enormous kites to reduce the waste of energy. Recently Google bought a patent to produce the electricity by kites in the high altitude. Kitesurf is not just the beach game. For me it is todays and our future sport. When I organize these projects I am proud to introduce and share the better knowledge about our sport.
What do you expect from these upcoming projects?
Each crossing of the year stands for proportional level for the next crossing till we get to the year three Atlantic crossing. During every crossing I will approve the preparation, organization, team-work skills, the
strategies and technology innovation. It is also a best way to understand the reality of what is waiting for you out there and to face the elements of the ocean. On the ground we have the feeling that we know
most about the ocean but when you are out there the mother nature reminds you how fragile you are or could be. I could say kitesurf is also another great way to discover the new places. Ireland is one of those great
spots that offers an excellent variety of the different kind of conditions for different kitesurfer levels.
Gradually in 3 years you will increase the distance of your projects. You are doing this for pure sport or financial reasons?
I do this for the pure sport reasons. To find the idea is easy but to be prepared, organized and finalize the project is not that simple. Before going to the moon first we needed to learn how to fly the rocket, then we
sent the animals and finally it was a human that reached the ground of the moon. For the projects like this one it is the same. To optimize the chances of success I prefer to go step by step.
How do you finance such projects?
Thanks to the sponsors that believes in me and the values that I share, to the technological innovation and the values of the sport I can find the financing to support these projects. For me the sponsorship is a
manner of an exchange, a complicity where everyone can grow. I am someone who has been committed with different foundations for several years and I this is how I imagine the sponsorship: the collaboration
and share. Irelands tourism office is the main sponsor of the first crossing and I feel honored to share the values of this beautiful country and its people.