Virgin chief Sir Richard Branson is to make a second attempt to kitesurf across the English Channel today.
His team abandoned the Dungeness-Boulougne crossing yesterday after rough seas and high winds forced their support boats to turn back.
Branson, who turned 60 last month, was aiming to become the oldest person to cross the Channel by kite-board, and to make the fastest crossing by a kite-board team.
He was about five miles and one hour and ten minutes into the 24.4-mile, four-hour crossing when it was aborted.
“It was fantastic conditions for kiting but hellish conditions for the chase boats,” he said. “The boats couldn’t have done it and it’s too dangerous for the kites to continue without them.”
He was accompanied on the attempt by his children Holly, 29, and Sam, 26, and a number of friends.
Speaking before the attempted crossing, Sir Richard said: “I know that kitesurfing across the Channel will not be quite the same as kitesurfing in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean but I can’t think of anything I’d rather do, with my family and friends, to celebrate turning 60.”