Expedition canceled due to official restrictions

Unfortunately, the Bering Strait crossing hasnt been accomplished due to official restrictions we received from several Russian authorities.

Crossing is permitted only for :

- Citizens of Russian Federation and United States of America
- Ships only (not sports inventory)
- Only via custom check points "Anadyr" and "Providenia"

We decided not to take any risk and cancelled the expedition.

TRAINING PLAN

1. Eilat, Israel - October 2010 
2. Abu Soma Resort, Hurghada, Egypt - October 2010
3. Cesarea, Israel - December 2010
4. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA - January 2011
5. South Africa - March 2011
6. Cesarea, Israel - February 2011 
7. Sao Paolo, Brazil - April 2011
8. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA - May 2011
9. Wales, Alaska, USA - June 2011    

Note: Training session plan can be changed according to weather (wind) forecasts.

I`VE GOT AN IDEA !

After flying to the Stratosphere in a MIG-31 and after other extreme and sometimes imbecile actions, I decided to raise the limits. The Bering Strait was always somewhere on the far corner of the map, a slim slice of water separating two continents and two empires, but connecting the two oceans ...
As a challenge I was planning to walk across the Bering Strait, which would require 7-14 days on drifting ice.

But then one hot summer day earlier this year while driving in Riga, Latvia I saw something extraordinary. A wakeboarder was jumping above a narrow road between the two ponds in the city centre. That obviously got my attention, and that is how I met Roberts. He told me all about the "coolness" of wakeboarding and kiteboarding during a cup of tea the next day.

My crazy brain instantly calculated: that the extremely dangerous 85 km of The Strait waters + learning kiteboarding from scratch = My kind of challenge!

I started researching on the internet in order to gather more information about this and I found http://www.beringstraitexpedition.com/ a Maurice Lacroix sponsored expedition.
I had been following expedition news day by day, and I was happy for the guys Geza Scholtz and Troy Henkels, who attempted to cross the The Bering Strait by kiteboard.
Unfortunately, The Bering Strait is one of the most extreme and dangerous places in the world with totally unpredictable weather... On the 9th of September, 2010 their expedition failed ...

I called Roberts immediately and informed him about the plan. I asked him if he is interested in training me during the "Bering ice season". And if afterwards he would like to cross The Bering Strait together. He was up for it without any doubts. Now that's my guy! He's awesome!

Now the challenge is in our hands! Even though the previous expedition, and many others failed. I understand the risk and the danger! And I am ready to go for it! Thats what I need! I LOVE IT!

Strong wind ? I will take a risk under a small kite.
No wind ? Forget the wind, I will kayak ;)
Not possible ? Fine! I will walk across on drifting ice.
I dont care, I must do it. I must cross The Bering Strait on my own!

So, now the two maniacs are starting the preparations ......

Data was gathered from everywhere. We wrote dozens of emails and requests, made plenty of phone calls to previous expeditions, equipment suppliers, border authorities and so on...

Preliminary training and expedition program is being developed. 

BERING EXPEDITION BLOG LAUNCHED !

THE BERING STRAIT EXPEDITION WILL SET 3 WORLD RECORDS :

• THE FIRST CROSSING BETWEEN EURASIA AND AMERICA BY KITEBOARD.
• THE FIRST TRAVEL BETWEEN USA AND RUSSIA BY KITEBOARD.
• THE FIRST CROSSING OF THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE BY KITEBOARD.