Ruling the waves! Kitesurfer, 14, sets record for Channel crossing
A BOY of 14 has become the youngest person to kitesurf the English Channel.
Adam Farrington endured choppy seas and stern 25mph winds to complete the 69 miles from Poole to Cherbourg in five hours and 19 minutes.
The grammar school pupil fell into the sea at least a dozen times and had to navigate around large container ships crossing the world’s busiest shipping lane.
He pushed through excruciating pain when his legs started cramping ten miles from the French coast.
By the time he reached the beach, the teenager, of Ferndown in Dorset, was so exhausted he was unable to walk.
The previous unofficial record was set by professional kitesurfer Polly Crathorne, who crossed the Channel as a 16-year-old in 2010.
Adam now holds the first Guinness World Record for the youngest person to make the crossing by kitesurfing. He took the Poole to Cherbourg route, which is longer than other crossings, because the wind direction was favourable.
The record for the oldest person is held by Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson, who crossed from Dover to Calais as a 61-yearold in 2012.
Adam was inspired to take on the challenge by his father Russell, 48, a finance consultant, who kitesurfed around the Isle of Wight a year ago.
The teenager said yesterday: ‘ We had a couple of near misses with container ships in the shipping lanes but the biggest challenge was the sea state.
‘The waves were over head [height] for me but also very close together and confused, making it really easy to catch an edge.
‘I must have wiped out at least a dozen times.
‘I found the best plan was to ride the wake coming from the back of the support boat. Having been on port tack for nearly five hours and with ten miles to go I started to get cramp in my back leg.
‘When I finally got to the French beach my right leg went into spasm and I couldn’t kite back to the support boat.
‘Luckily my dad kited to the beach and towed me back to the boat.’
He added: ‘I’d like to thank my team who provided me with this amazing opportunity and gave me so much encouragement and support.’
The Poole Grammar School pupil, who set the record last month, will now compete in this year’s British Kitesurfing Championships.
In the future he hopes to compete in the Olympics.
His father said: ‘A year ago I kitesurfed around the Isle of Wight and the plan was for me to attempt the Channel crossing but Adam said he wanted to come along. At first the plan was for him to be on the support boat but he has made so much progress in the past year he was desperate to try it himself.
‘It was a nice sunny, still day when he set off but by the midChannel, conditions were very rough with 25mph winds and holding on was a challenge.
‘ To manage that for almost five and a half hours and complete the challenge was remarkable.’
Mr Farrington added: ‘I’m a very proud dad and it is amazing to see such incredible determination in your son.’
‘Wiped out a dozen times’