Anke All Set for ‘GET Kite Mission- Kitesurf Arabia’

Manama : German kitesurfer Anke Brandt has announced that she will take on the ‘GET Kite Mission- Kitesurf Arabia’ tomorrow (March 17), when she kites 550 km from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi.

Anke currently holds the record for longest distance kite-surfed by a female, a record she set when she circumnavigated Bahrain in 2014.

For her current mission, she will be setting off from ART Rotana, Amwaj Islands at 4 pm tomorrow alongside a support boat. “I’ll be kiting non-stop going with the wind until I reach the beach at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi. The main challenge will be kiting at night over fairly unfamiliar waters,” she stated.

“We’ve found that the weather conditions are ideal for the team and I to be leaving this Thursday,” she added.

Through the mission, Anke hopes to raise $5,500 for ‘Wings for Life’ a charity organisation that is trying to find a cure for spinal cord injury through ongoing research. “People can donate online or contact my team through our social media channels and purchase the mission’s official t-shirt,” she said.

“I believe your body can do incredible things and that it is important for us to work on finding a cure for spinal cord injury,” she added.

A team of eight, on-board the support boat; will be by Anke’s side on the way to Abu Dhabi. “I believe that you’re only as strong as your team!” she stressed.

The team will include two kite-surfers who are familiar with her equipment, apart from Dr. Amy Bowzaylo from InTouch clinic, who has been looking after Anke. “In addition, there will be a two-member photography team to capture footage of me during the course of the record-breaking attempt,” she said.

 “They will be one of the key components in getting the approval from Guinness World Records,” she added.

The captain of the boat and BISS Marine Owner, Nabeel Hijris, stated that the trip will be made with a ‘2015 Majesty 48’. “We’ve had the boat with us for about a year now. It has a range of 200 miles which means we have to carry the extra fuel on board with us,” said Mr. Hijris. 

“We have safety equipment on board and it is fully catered for the trip. We’ve got extra flares and electrical equipment like GPS,” he explained.

The boat will be equipped with satellite phones while Ms. Brandt will also be carrying a tracking device. “Two life rafts have also been made available on board, so if anything does go wrong, we can assess the situation and do what’s necessary,” he said. 

In addition to the team on the boat, four team-members have been working behind the scenes to create a buzz and inform people about the mission. “So that’s a team of 12 people for a one day mission, who are doing this for free or very little money to cover their own costs. I think they are doing this out of passion because they love what we’re doing,” she concluded.