Richard Branson, world-renowned adventurer, extreme sports enthusiast and entrepreneur, was incredibly impressed on his first visit to Squamish BC, Canada’s outdoor recreation capital. “This place is amazing! I will definitely be back at some point to do more kitesurfing!” exclaimed Branson after a 40-minute kite ride in strong winds on Squamish Spit against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains and the monolithic Stawamus Chief rock-climbing park.

Of course, this wasn’t just a chance for Richard Branson to go out and have some fun. It was also a media event, with a helicopter circling overhead and camera crews on the ground. All of this provided great photo opportunities for two Virgin Mobile promotional spots, including the announcement that Virgin Canada has pledged $100,000 to sponsor a team of extreme female athletes. Virgin Canada Chairman Andrew Black said the ‘Women’s Extreme Team’ was a good fit and a good opportunity for Virgin as extreme sports reflected their brand. Female athletes were chosen because much of the sponsorship and attention of extreme sports had previously focused on men.

What led Branson and Virgin to choose Squamish BC to host this event? It seems there were a number of factors. First, Western Canada was left out of Virgin Mobile’s announcements with Branson when the company launched in March. Second, Branson has recently become an avid kite surfer. He was eager to promote the sport in Canada, where, according to Branson, participation levels are below what they are in other parts of the world, and below what they should be, given that it is a great sport and one “can access it for a relatively low cost. Voila – a visit to Western Canada’s premier kitesurfing destination was in order.

Members of the Squamish Windsurfing and Kite Surfing Society rated Branson “pretty good”. Since it’s always tough in a new location until a kite surfer feels the local wind and waves, Branson put on quite a show on his first trip to Squamish. One member noted that it was impressive that he used a 14-foot platform instead of a 12-foot one, given the high winds.

What makes Squamish Spit such a great place to windsurf? The best summary I found was on the site http://www.flexfoil.com, summarized in an article by Cliff Umpleby, a Flexi team rider:

If you’re not familiar with the kite scene in Canada or the infamous Spit at Squamish, I’ll let you know…
With Stawamus Chief, the second largest granite monolith on earth as a backdrop, Howe Sound’s constant thermal winds lead to epic conditions with summer usually 6 days a week on the water. The basic rule here is, if it’s sunny, it’s windy. Warm air rising inland sucks cool sea air up the valley.

The Squamish Spit is located at the end of Howe Sound on a narrow piece of land that divides the Squamish River from the rest of the Squamish Estuary. While it’s best left as a destination for intermediate to advanced riders, it’s perfect for learning if the tide is out. The Squamish Windsport Society charges a fee for access, which includes a Jet Ski on hand in case you get off and can’t get back.

Beyond kite surfing, Squamish offers an incredibly wide variety of outdoor recreation opportunities. Over 1,000 routes of all varieties on clean granite make Squamish the premier rock climbing destination in Canada. Add to that an extensive network of trails for walking, running, and mountain biking, and some class three and four rapids for the kayaks and rafting boats, and you get an idea of ​​why Squamish attracts thousands of rafting enthusiasts. adventure sports like Richard Branson all summer. Of course, there are also golf courses, excellent fishing opportunities, and moderate day hikes for the less adventurous.

Richard Branson started his famous business career selling music by mail order and went on to build a business empire that includes an airline, music stores, Virgin Mobile of course, and a pretty good cola that’s sadly not available in Canada.

If you’re looking for hotel accommodations in Squamish, then The Sea to Sky Hotel, on Highway 99 is probably your best bet.