Guy Martin's newest record-breaking attempt didn't go as planned, as his pedal-powered blimp did not lift in the air as expected, and he landed on the beach only hundreds of meters from where it took off.
A motorcycle racer, TV presenter, mechanic, and daredevil Guy Martin was trying to break a record that stands since 25 years ago, the fastest crossing of the Channel using a pedal-powered vehicle.
The record was set using a pedal-powered hydrofoil, a special type of watercraft that uses human power in conjunction with flapping wing propulsion. An operator pushing the pedals forces a foil up and down in the water, causing both lift and thrust, raising the keel from water when a speed high enough is reached.
Guy Martin's record-breaking attempt would have required him to pedal for around 4 hours above the sea, also steering clear from the way of ships and maintaining enough lift to avoid crashing into the water.
However, his flight was cut short, as he landed on the beach some 400 meters (1,310 ft) after taking off near the Hythe Imperial Hotel in Kent, the UK. If successful, the flight should have ended in France, at Boulogne-Sur-Mer, but local sources quoted by The Sun say that the wind would have most likely taken him off the route to the Dieppe region, around 100 km (62 miles) to the south.
Martin took at least 2016 off from motorcycle racing and set out to break a number of records or at least try to. His first successful attempt was to be the fastest rider ever on the Wall of Death, with a staggering performance of 78.15 mph (125.74 km/h) astride a BSA motorcycle modified by himself.
A skilled and strong cyclist, Martin will also take part in the Tour Divide, possibly the longest and the most grueling bicycle rally in the world.
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