The Windsurfing Champion pilot


Capt.Christian Marty was the pilot of the Supersonic Concorde which crashed as it was attempting to take off from Paris to New York on 25th July 2000. Though Capt Marty had crossed the Atlantic many times flying the Concorde, not many knew that he had also crossed it windsurfing. He was a very simple modest man. He was not a champion windsurfer, nor did he want to become one. Unfortunately it took his death for us to know him.

Pilots flying the supersonic Concorde in Air France belonged to an elite corps. It was considered to be the pinnacle of the profession. Capt.Christian Marty rightfully belonged to this select band. The drive that pushed him to the top of his profession also drove him to indulge in many extreme sports.

In 1982 Capt.Christian Marty became the first person to windsurf across the Atlantic Ocean in 37 days 16 hours and 4 minutes. On his way across the might ocean Marty struggled with seasickness, skin fungi, sunburn, boredom, fatigue, muscle cramps and sharks.

On layover flights Marty always carried a mountain bike in the cargo hold and used to head towards the mountains. His other pastimes included hang gliding over volcano craters, skiing over the most difficult slalom courses and water-skiing.

He was known among friends as a man with a big heart. Even in the last few seconds of his life, this man with a big heart used all his strength, intelligence and experience to prevent the plane from crashing into a nearby town, becoming a hero to those whose lives he saved.

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