Obama and Richard Branson fought over kitesurfing and we're never getting him back
Former President Barack Obama looks so happy, y'all.
Especially when he is learning how to kitesurf on Richard Branson's private island.
Last week, we had our first post-presidency sighting of Obama, complete with backwards hat and zero f*cks given. He and Michelle were lazily strolling on the beach of Necker Island. But from what Branson released this Tuesday, it turns out the vacation may not have been so lazy after all.
The British billionaire gleefully released a video and many gorgeous photos of him and Obama taking on the glorious Ole English tradition of kitesurfing.
"It was a huge honor to be able to invite President Barack and Michelle Obama down to the British Virgin Islands for a complete break after Barack finished his second term as President and the family left the White House," Branson wrote in a blogpost on the Virgin website. "One of the first stories Barack told me when he and Michelle arrived on Moskito Island was how, just before he became President, he had been surfing on a dangerous break in Hawaii. When he came in from an exhilarating session, the new head of his security team turned to him and said: 'This will be the last time you surf for eight years.' For the next eight years he didn’t have the chance to surf, enjoy watersports or do many of the things he loved."
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That's why it helps to have friends in very high places. Branson wrote that the pair bonded over trying to learn foilboarding, wherein a kite propels a cool person standing on a surfboard with a long keel or 'foil' extending from the bottom, and kitesurfing, which is the same, just without the keel.
For all his nice words, Branson's tweet suggests there was some pretty nasty competition involved, that may have led to some fake, photo-op violence.
"Barack started learning to kitesurf on the beach on Necker for two days solid, picking up the basics and flying a kite as if going back to being a child again," Branson wrote. "Finally, he put the board at his feet and gave it a go. Being the former president of America, there was lots of security around, but Barack was able to really relax and get into it."
According to the blogpost, the pair seemed to have a good-natured bet over who could go the longest on their respective wind-blown contraption. Of course, Obama won.
"As you can see in the video, Barack and I both fell many times, but we kept trying again and again and made progress over the days," Branson said. "We were neck and neck until the last run on the last day, when I got up on the foilboard and screamed along for over 50 meters, three feet above the water. I was feeling very pleased with myself, only to look over and see Barack go 100 meters on his kiteboard! I had to doff my cap to him and celebrate his victory."
We all doff our caps to him, Richard. We all do.
Topics Barack Obama
I have done neat stuff all over these United States from sailing lessons on the Puget Sound to motorcycle maintenance on the backroads of upstate New York. My professional experience extends from newspaper reporting in the mountains of Eastern Oregon to fixing espresso machines throughout Kentucky. I also have kept a cat alive for 10 years.
