Who
Polish sportsman Maciej Zimowski (aka Mike), long-time resident in Egypt, currently is embarking on a kitesurfing challenge of a life time. He's going solo - pitting himself against the elements, wind, sea and whatever else should present itself on the ocean course.
Mike is a long time wind-surfing aficionado who switched to kitesurfing in 2000 and has not looked back since. He even dug deep into extreme surfing for remedial and therepeutic value to climb back to shape from a grave neck injury.
What
El Gouna Kite-Surfing Guinness Record for the the longest kite surfing journey
The current record stands at 369.7 km -‐ 229.73 miles
"I decided that I want to face the elements and mine own strength, to break Guinness World record in kitesurfing.
I'm going to beat it by kiting alongside the coastal zone of RedSea.
Deadline was set between 20 and 30 June 2012. (depending on the weather conditions)"
Where
Mike proposes to beat it by kiting from: El Gouna to Marsa Alam. More specifically, team Mike starts out at the Peninsula of Suez Gulf in the area of Adabiya Port (29°50'54.71"N, 32°30'8.96"E)
to El Quasir Kalawy Imperial Hotel (26°30'40.92"N, 34° 4'11.65"E)
Tthe whole ride takes place in Egypt close to the coastal zone (avoiding any cross-sea trecks)
Why
For Mike, this is a personal ultimate lifetime challenge. But it's also a community challenge as he strives to be a paragon or model to others who could learn a thing or two from stretching one's own limits and thresholds.
He's doing it to push his own boundaries, keep at bay any fears, conquer a discipline that comes with the relentless training and ascetic lifestyle. He also seeks to promote watersports in Egypt, particuarly at a time of instability in the region, where as far as he is concerned, it's all kite-boarding business as usual for a community unfazed by the stormy politics or elections. He wants to draw attention to the Egyptian national stamina and plucky soul that can survive anything.
His biggest sources of inspiration come from close by: his son Marlon and his devoted girlfriend, Anna. He's doing it for the community at El Gouna who are in it with him for the long-ride! He wants to spread awareness of kitesurfing (kiteboarding) as an accessible everyman's sport, for youth above all else. And for exercise and good health - both for muscle and mental strengthening.
When
After quite a build up of training and suspense equally, Mike has announced the date (that depended on weather conditions, and long daylight hours)..... he will launch his mission as starting today (June 23). Follow his challenge live and lend your support for an Egyptian record home run!
From all at Al Bawaba, good luck, Mike, break a leg!
