St Margaret's Bay (United Kingdom) (AFP) - A French daredevil who spent years developing a jet-powered hoverboard zoomed across the English Channel on Sunday, fulfilling his quest after pulling off a tricky refuelling manoeuvre that cut short his first attempt 10 days ago. Franky Zapata blasted off
St Margaret's Bay - A French daredevil who spent years developing a jet-powered hoverboard zoomed across the English Channel on Sunday, fulfilling his quest after pulling off a tricky refuelling manoeuvre that cut short his first attempt 10 days ago.
"I'm feeling good. I'm feeling happy, I'm feeling lucky. This is just an amazing moment for me," Zapata told AFP after landing. Minutes after descending from the metal platform where he landed his craft, Zapata had broken down in tears of emotion while talking on the phone to his son, who could be heard saying,"Dad, you're the best!"Zapata, a 40-year-old former jet-ski champion, made his first attempt on July 25, to coincide with the 110th anniversary of Louis Bleriot's historic first crossing of the Channel by plane.
Zapata's team had been racing to repair the hoverboard and its five turbines after it was damaged from falling in the Channel waters 10 days ago. Zapata's team said he would return to Sangatte -- by boat this time -- for a press conference at the city hall.Zapata has been developing his hoverboard for the past three years, despite losing two fingers during its maiden flight in his garage near Marseille, when they got sucked into the turbines.
Zapata burst into the spotlight at this year's July 14 Bastille Day military parade in Paris, where he and his craft buzzed above a crowd of stunned onlookers that included French President Emmanuel Macron.
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