What happens when you combine kiteboarding, wakeboarding, and hot air ballooning? A German rider seems to have invented an exciting yet dangerous new sport.
Hot air balloons are amazing and colorful, but they can be dangerous, and there have been several accidents with these aircraft in the past.
Now, imagine a water sports enthusiast asking a hot air balloon for a ride. Can you see the whole picture?
Carsten Kurmis, a kitesurfer himself, was pulled across a lake at 30 kilometers per hour by an air balloon flying 500 feet above him in Tegernsee, Germany.
The 19-minute adventure was possible thanks to the favorable mountain winds and the light 6mm cable that connected the balloon's basket to Kurmis.
The German rider just had to grab it and enjoy the ride on his strapless stand-up paddleboard.
Then, suddenly, the crew piloting the hot air balloon sponsored by the local restaurant Bräustüberl let go of the rope, and Carsten Kurmis was left unpowered.