Kitesurfing Durbanites nominated
Zack Buchan and Ross Walters, the two adventurers who challenged the elements to kitesurf 430km down the coast of East Africa from Ponta d’Ouro to Durban in The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition, have been nominated in the first ever Adventurer of the Year competition.
“It is an honour to be nominated for Adventurer of the Year. It was a tough undertaking but we had an absolute blast,” said Walters. “Being in nature, seeing places that very few people have seen before, racing flying fish, spotting whales and various encounters with sharks all made it the adventure of a lifetime.”
The dream that led to The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition was born on the freezing polar plateau of Antarctica. Buchan trekked 111km across ice to reach the South Pole in January 2012 and was inspired by some kitesurfers he saw there.
“When we got back to Union Glacier, two guys came in having just kited across Antarctica via the Pole, and as a kitesurfer with a newly discovered thirst for adventure, I was immediately interested in mounting an expedition of my own,” said Buchan.
It didn’t take much for Buchan to convince kitesurfing buddy, Ross Walters to join him. “It took me one sip of beer to say yes! Kiting has evolved into a diverse sport and it seemed unlikely that a couple of fairly average guys in their mid-thirties would find themselves at the forefront of a new category in the sport, adventure kiting,” said Walters. “The fact that most of the coastline had never been kited before also held a lot of appeal for us.”
The pair set off from Ponto d’Oura, Mozambique on the 14August 2012 in perfect kitesurfing conditions. With the support of their fathers on route and the organisational help from the sponsors, The Unlimited, they braved shark infested waters, the possibility of drowning or being pondered on the rocks and greatest risk of all – being stranded out at sea!
No trip like this is ever plain sailing and with the team being heavily reliant on the ideal wind conditions, it took just short of two weeks to complete. As the sun set on 28August 2012, Buchan and Walters crossed Durban bay where they were welcomed home celebrating their remarkable feat!
The winner of the Adventurer of the Year competition will be determined through an online voting system as well as a judging panel made up by some of South Africa’s top adventurers. Voting is now open to the public at www.nightjartravel.com/magazine/adventurer-2013.
Online voting closes on 30 April 2013
For further information of The Unlimited Kitesurfing Expedition visit http://theunlimited.co.za/press-room/the-unlimited-kite-surfing-expedition/