Kite surfer clears pier in jump...

Leap of faith: Kite-surfer becomes first person to clear Brighton Pier in death-defying feat

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 11:42 PM on 12th November 2010

Don't try this at home... or, indeed, on the coast near Brighton Pier.

That's because the gnarly dude who managed to clear the pier yesterday - the first person to manage the feat - is a former double Great British kite surfing champion.

Lewis Crathern, who with his pal Jake Scrace cleared Wothing Pier last year, had been waiting months for the perfect conditions to attempt the death-defying stunt.

Check out the video of the amazing feat below

flying high: Lewis Crathern, a double British kite-surfing champion, managed to become the first person to clear Brighton Pier with an astonishing leap

Death-defying: The 25-year-old from Goring on the south coast had been waiting months for the perfect conditions and Thursday was ideal

The 25-year-old, who was British Kite Surfing Association's champion in 2006 and 2007, said that he bided his time for the right winds and waves before taking the leap of faith over the pier, which has a total length of 524 metres and opened in 1899.

Mr Crathern, who hails from Goring on the south coast and has been kite surfing for 17 years, spent two hours in the sea, enduring gale-force winds, before lifting off at 4pm.

With scores of anxious onlookers willing him on, he soared over the pier building and landed with ease on the other side.

Gnarly: Mr Crathern, along with his pal Jake Scrace, cleared Wothing Pier last year, and the kite surfing world are waiting to see what his next stunt will be

'I felt safe,' he smiled after the breath-taking effort.

'I would never attempt these things if I wasn't 100 per cent safe.'

After clearing Worthing pier last year, Mr Crathern added: 'Brighton was a bit more difficult than Worthing because the pier is a lot higher.

'But I got a huge wave and went for it.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1329206/Leap-faith-Kite-surfer-person-clear-Brighton-Pier-death-defying-feat.html#ixzz157jwqWCB