2007 Darwin Awards

Named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it.

Sky Surfer 2007 Darwin Award Nominee Confirmed True by Darwin (October 2007, Ibeza, Spain) Storm winds swept across southern Spain, causing widespread flooding and damage to buildings along the Costa Blanca. "Cool," thought one intrepid kite surfer as he packed his gear and hit the beach. Move over, Charlie Brown. Today's large kites are not helpless fodder for kite-eating trees, mere triangles held by a string. Modern kites are controlled by multiple lines, with surface areas that create so much pull that it can be difficult to keep your feet planted on ground theeven during normal wind conditions. These were not normal conditions. Heavy rainstorms, flooding and landslides had caused the government to declare a state of emergency. "Rad," thought the 40-year-old Spanish surfer as he unfurled his kite, climbed onto his board, and embarked on the ride of a lifetime. According to the authorities, the man, who was on a holiday, had gone into the water defying a bathing ban. The high winds picked him up and ultimately carried him almost a kilometer inland, tagging him against buildings along the way. One more nominee joins the queue to meet Charles Darwin...in person. ORIGINAL SUBMISSION And a related story... Share DarwinAwards.com © 1994 - 2012 Submitted by: George Kiernan Reference: Spain RTVE, neurope.eu, Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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