Chris Bertish has returned home after his record-breaking 93 day solo transatlantic ‘Stand Up Paddle’ (SUP) crossing, he raised R5 million for charity
Chris Bertish set off on the greatest ocean adventure ever attempted from the coast of Morocco on December 6, 2016 and traversed 4,050nm/7,500km, paddling 1,944,000 strokes across the Atlantic Ocean for 93 days, to reach the finish in English Harbour, Antigua.
Since completing the amazing, record-breaking task Chris has arrived back in South Africa. The solo ‘Stand Up Paddle’ was done solely to raise funds and awareness for charities such as The Lunchbox Fund, Operation Smile and Signature of Hope.
“Bertish personally committed to funding one operation for a child in Africa through Operation Smile for every World Record he achieved on this epic Transatlantic journey.”
Chris managed to achieve three world records during his journey, this means that 3 children in South Africa will receive new smiles funded by Bertish. Aside from the pledge Chris and his team have raised over R5.6 million that will go towards their selected charities. They plan to continue to raising funds for these charities.
Tamlin Abrahams, Operation Smile South Africa’s regional director, central, southern and west Africa said: “Chris’s willingness to make a donation for each milestone achieved speaks to a larger impact in which his every stroke continues to change lives
Chris was met at the Cape Town International Airport by hundreds of fans who were excited to meet him and cheer him on. Before he even left the airport he sat and did a massive press conference, he discussed everything from the place where it all started to the struggles of Christmas Day.
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