Silke Jasso
Former President Barack Obama is really enjoying his post-presidency vacation.
Videos by Rare
Recently, pictures surfaced of Obama looking relaxed and wearing a backward hat and flip-flops while on vacation in the Caribbean.
Now, new pictures show him a little a less relaxed but seemingly having a great time as he joins in a friendly competition with Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. Obama is staying on Branson’s private island, Moskito Island, in the British Virgin Islands.
According to a blog post written by Branson, when Obama first arrived for his vacation, he told him that he hadn’t been allowed to surf in eight years, writing:
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.
Branson added, “So it was tremendous to offer him the chance to learn to kitesurf.”
Who won when I challenged @barackobama to a battle of the waves? Watch the video to find out https://t.co/5hwjOvy2TK pic.twitter.com/LNdAu5gj1m
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) February 7, 2017
Instead of just enjoying the chance to kitesurf together, the two men decided to make it a competition. Since Branson already knew how to kitesurf and Obama did not, the two men both took on new sports. Branson would try his hand at foilboarding while Obama kitesurfed as they competed to see who could stay up the longest on their board.
Challenged @barackobama to a kitesurf vs foilboard learning contest – here’s what happened https://t.co/5hwjOvy2TK pic.twitter.com/wEGSjL2TAr
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) February 7, 2017
Could I learn to foilboard before @barackobama learned to kitesurf? Love this video of our friendly battle https://t.co/5hwjOvy2TK pic.twitter.com/XJpj3Ps5bl
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) February 7, 2017
Loved offering @barackobama the chance to learn to kitesurf – here’s how he got on https://t.co/5hwjOvy2TK pic.twitter.com/jk3OEtDELq
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) February 7, 2017
So who won the water sports competition?
“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. 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 metres, three feet above the water,” Branson wrote. “I was feeling very pleased with myself, only to look over and see Barack go 100 metres on his kiteboard! I had to doff my cap to him and celebrate his victory.”
Congratulations, Mr. Obama! It’s a well-deserved victory.
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