This was published 3 years ago
Kitesurfer leaves Sydney to set world distance record
By Liam Phelan
A book he was given 15 years ago inspired former brewer Brian Kiss von Soly to attempt the longest kitesurfing journey in the world – and he unofficially reached the world record after he surfed off from southern Sydney on Thursday afternoon.
Brian Kiss von Soly is kite surfing from northern NSW to Melbourne, attempting to smash the world distance record along the way.Credit: Jonathan Carroll
Mr Kiss von Soly, from Ocean Shores on the NSW North Coast, is attempting to kitesurf from northern NSW to his home town of Melbourne. He set off on December 28, 2020.
On Thursday he left Bundeena, south of Sydney, at 1.44pm and by 8.30pm had reached Werri Beach, south of Wollonggong, a distance of 119 kilometres. This was enough to take him past the world distance record of 862 kilometres, although this is yet to be officially verified.
The 36-year-old has been kitesurfing for 15 years but it was a gift of the Guinness Book of World Records he got when he was 21 years old that planted the seed for this journey.
“I looked through the book and thought what records could I do. I tried onion eating but that was way too hard,” the former brewer for Balter beer joked.
Kiss von Soly’s campsite.
At the end of last year he decided to attempt the kitesurfing record instead. Mr Kiss von Soly travels with a waterproof 60-litre backpack and can cover up to 60 nautical miles a day if the conditions are favourable. When the wind turns against him he carries a hammock or stays with people he meets along the way.
“Normally I would have had a lot better winds but this year there has been a lot of southerlies. That is slowing me up,” he said.
The kitesurfer gets as far as 15 kilometres offshore. He carries about three litres of water in a pouch and aims to come ashore every evening.
Making friends along the way: Kiss von Soly and Bundeena local Stu Buman on Jibbon Beach on Thursday. Credit: Stu Buman
“I can only do this thanks to the technology,” Mr Kiss von Soly says. “I travel with a GPS and an EPIRB that links to my watch. It’s good because I am pretty directionally challenged. I wouldn’t have a clue where I was if it wasn’t for the maps.”
Mr Kiss von Soly, who is a vegan, is followed by birds and has had dolphins swim around his board. He’s even seen a shark just before he landed at Bundeena, south of Sydney, where he spent a week waiting for a decent northerly blow, having travelled from Palm Beach straight past the Heads.
“I had good winds that day so kept pushing south. If the winds pick up this afternoon I will aim for Coalcliff or Bulli,” Mr Kiss von Soly said on Thursday lunchtime.
“It can get pretty gnarly out there but I do everything I can to reduce the risks and stay safe. My mum still worries about me, though.”
You can follow the journey here.